Warbler ID with Ribble Bird Tours

Early start at Marton Mere with our new bins polished and ears pinned back listening for warblers.  We can confidently identify Cetti's, Sedge, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff but are (were) at a loss as to any other warbler calls, hence the day out with RBT.   Species to note at Marton Mere:

Lesser Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

Garganey

Whitethroat

Blackcap

Greenfinch

Wren

Cetti's Warbler

Reed Warbler

Grasshopper Warbler

Whinchat (Lawson Road Wetlands)

Common Sandpiper

Species to note at Eagland Hill - Pilling:

Whimbrel

Curlew

Red-legged Partridge

Corn Bunting

Black-tailed Godwit (Conder Pool)

On the way home we stopped off at the fields on Mythop road and saw an unringed Barnacle Goose of unknown origin.

Thank you to Ribble Bird Tours for yet another cracking day out!  3 Lifers and 5 year ticks!

Leighton Moss

We saw some lovely stuff at Leighton today but it still felt like a 'quiet day' if that makes sense.  The feeding stations were certainly quieter than usual and this probably has something to do with the fact that some bright spark has erected a huge set of wooden wind chime type things that kids are encouraged to bash with sticks.  Don't get me wrong it's nice to see the kids enjoying themselves but I would have thought they would have put it somewhere else. ANYWAY!  These are the species of interest we saw today:

Gadwall
Pochard
Shoveler
Teal (1)
Lapwing
Grey Heron - being mobbed by plenty of Black-headed Gulls
Marsh Harrier
Reed Warbler (heard - we think)
Cetti's Warbler (heard)
Treecreeper
Sedge Warbler
Carrion Crow - managed to steal a Black-headed Gull egg and carry it away whole in it's beak
Marsh Tit
Coal Tit
Nuthatch
Bullfinch
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Greenfinch
Willow Warbler (heard)
Chiffchaff
Wren
Long-tailed Tit
Avocet
Black-tailed Godwit
Little Egret

Sedge Warblers, Avocet, Lapwings and Buzzards

Time was of the essence today as we both had work and other commitments on but we managed to grab an hours window.  As we pulled up at NM we saw a Buzzard being mobbed by a couple of Lapwing.  Other species included 2 Gadwall, a Shoveler, Song Thrush and even a couple of Wigeon!

On to WB.  A place we've enjoyed visiting through the winter seeing Egrets, Raptors and Whoopers but today it was mostly about the smaller birds.  The House Sparrows were busy in large numbers and we counted 3 Swallow.  A very handsome Male Reed Bunting showed its face and Greenfinch could be heard calling.  The highlight was seeing a Sedge Warbler singing metres away from us!  This is our first spring with half a clue as to what we're doing so this was quite a moment for us!

Further along there were 5 Avocet and 2 Black-Tailed Godwit [definity Black-tailed this time Lionel! ;-) ]  At one point the Avocet were mobbing a Corvid and I'm pretty confident, due to the HUGE size, that it was a Raven.

North Wales April 2014 - RSPB Conwy

Today was our last day in North Wales and chose to visit RSPB Conwy.  This reserve was purpose built in the 90's from spoil.  There is extensive reedbed and open water, a few nice hides and a pretty impressive visitors centre.

The island on the main lake gave us our first Little Ringed Plover with Black-tailed Godwit, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Gadwall and Lapwing also present.

The feeding stations showed Bullfinch, Greenfinch and House Sparrow.

The reed boardwalk was a hive of activity with birds singing from every direction.  Our inexperience let us down here but we did manage to pinpoint the call of a Sedge Warbler and then get good views which we were pleased about.  As we rejoined the dust track we caught sight of a flock of gulls mobbing a Peregrine.  Grasshopper Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat had also been reported.  The south west boundary of the reserve follows the bank of the Conwy Estuary where there was a large flock of immature Curlew along with Shelduck and Redshank.

The trip has brought us:

2 Lifers:  Garganey, Osprey (UK)

4 Year ticks:  Little Ringed Plover, Sedge Warbler, Puffin, House Martin