Marton Mere and The Ribble

Marton Mere

Swift (20)
House Martin (4)
Sand Martin (1)
Greenfinch (2)
Collared Dove (1)
Reed Bunting (2) (M)
Sedge Warbler (5 - 3 seen 2 heard)
Reed Warbler (heard)
Cetti's Warbler (2 heard)
Blackcap (2)
Common Whitethroat (3)
Lesser Whitethroat (1)
Grasshopper Warbler (2)
Grey Heron (1)
Wren (3)
Great Crested Grebe (1)
Chiffchaff (1)

Granny's Bay

Dunlin (C250)

Grey Plover (4)

Gannet (1) Appeared to be struggling in strong winds eventually grounded.

Lytham Windmill

Curlew (1) Immature

Whimbrel (1)

Eider (5)

Linnet (5)

Dunlin (C370)

Sanderling (3)

Ringed Plover (40)

Turkey Vulture still in Witch Wood 14:30 (RBA)

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!

Brockholes LWT - Whimbrel Roost

This evening we visited Brockholes mainly to see the Whimbrel but there was plenty to see whilst we waited them to show up.  There didn't seem to much going on on Meadow Lake so we took at short walk up the path leading to the entrance of Boilton Woods.  On the way we saw this cracking Whitethroat.

We stopped off at the river and watched the Sand Martins flying in and out of their nesting holes in the Ribble's bank.  There were plenty of Swallows about and we also saw a glimpse of a Kingfisher in flight.

We walked back down the track to Pit No1 and waited for the Whimbrel.  We passed the time looking at the Little Ringed and Ringed Plover, a Great Crested Grebe and a Common Sandpiper.   At about 20:00 a single Whimbrel arrived followed shortly by 3 more and then a further 20.

A few were bathing so I filmed it using the iPhone through the scope.  Obviously not ideal but nice enough all the same.

On the walk back to the car we saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Kestrel.