Weekend in Glasgow















I didn't expect to further my 2010 list on a pissup weekend in Glasgow... but I did.
My hotel was right on the Clyde. I saw my first meadow pipit (78) of the year on a building site in the city centre.
After a night out at the Stand comedy club, we dawdled along the river to the nearest weatherspoons for hangover brekkie. Spotted 4 female goldeneye (79) and then six males a bit further along. Then, at last, number 80 on the list this year 3 GREENFINCH! Where have they all been?
After another night on the beer I spotted a pair of Peregrine (81) hunting together over the city skyline. Possibly the pair that nests high in the Kelvingrove museum.

So this will be my last post here until I return from a scuba trip to Lanzarote.

This film, that I made in 2007, recently won a competition. The prize is flights, hotel and car hire in Lanzarote for a week.







Obviously, I'll be filming underwater again, but when not diving, I plan to film the Houbara bustard displaying as well!





















Back 2nd Feb, watch this space!

Newton marsh pool

Big change since last weeks fleeting visit.
Last week there were only a few redshank and lapwing, the pool was totally frozen.
Stopping from my delivery route today was a different matter.
1000's of wigeon (very late 2010 year tick no.76) had returned. No little grebe, which still evades me this year. 100's of curlew, 1 shelduck, a few shoveller and teal. I heard a skylark but I'm not counting "H.O.'s" this year.
















Eventually spotted a distant raptor..... which then flew straight towards me. A merlin! (year tick no.77)















It landed on a road-side post (it was probably pissed-off with the wind) but fled when one of those dust-bin lorries roared past, before I could dodgy-scope it.
















Lucky it landed in the nearby field, posing for pics whilst ignoring a flock of 50+ linnets.

Tiger shark in the river Calder


I thought I'd take a short Sunday walk along the Calder to see if the wintering common sandpiper was still present.
The litter washed up on the banks was deplorable.









































I saw a few mallard, 1 moorhen and a pretty big gull roost, but no common sandpiper.
On the walk back, I took a football ( amongst all the bottles, I had a choice of many! ) for my mates Jack Russell to play with.
I found this freshly half-eaten pike. Must have been a grey heron as the fish was 12"+

















The most ridiculous piece of flotsam on the banks was this 6 foot tiger shark! (gull roost in background)

In the garden

















It visited for about a month before the snow came. After the thaw its back! Quite an unusual garden visitor.

Grannies bay, Lytham

Whilst on my deliveries in the Preston/Freckleton area today, I added another 10 species to my 2010 list (total now 75) with a stop at Grannies bay.

66. Redshank
67. Turnstone
68. Sanderling
69. Black-tailed godwit
70. Dunlin
71. Curlew
72. Linnet
73. Northern Pintail
74. Shelduck
75. Oystercatcher

In the garden at Barrow

Found this dead male bullfinch this morning, still warm, but near the house, leading me to believe that it flew into a window, rather than starved or froze.
Beautiful bird, theres been a few pair around this winter, very shy though and doesnt come to the feeders.














On the other hand, the nuthatch has been coming to the garden more often than usual.






















I'm still seeing a lot of snipe and a single woodcock flying around the back fields every day. On my travels, I'm seeing more Roe deer than usual too. I think thats just because the snow makes them more visible.

Marton mere

Another lovely crisp day for us humans but a harsh, bitter day for the wildlife. Of course I've been feeding the garden birds plenty, but some species with more specialised diets must really be suffering.
On arrival at Marton mere. We (Jill came with me today) saw a 53 seater bus with a sign saying "Leicester RSPB members" arrive. I cant stand crowded hides or the general pfaff these groups tend to create, so we picked up the pace to get to the LEO's first.
On route to the owls, a skein of pink footed geese flew over. My first PFs of 2010. Species number 59 on my uk year list. Considering I got a half century on new years day, I've not really been scoring well since.
Anyway, on to the LEOs, 2 birds easily visible, there were probably others but we could find them.































































Still no sign of the crowds, so on seeing the small patch of unfrozen water on the mere and the angle of the sun, we headed to the South "holiday park side" hide.
Immediately added pochard, gadwall, shoveller and reed bunting to my yearlist.
Then in flew a bittern! Fantastic views in-flight and stalking along the edge of the ice. We watched this bird in perfect light for about 10 minutes before the masses arrived; screaming kids and dogs included.
We pointed out the bittern to them and left the hide.



















































Had a scan around other areas of the mere for water rail but to no avail.
Stopped in the feeder hide to see if I could get a greenfinch! Yep, greenfinch have evaded me thus far in 2010.










































































Quite a short visit but 7 more birds for the year. Jill doesnt really like the longer visits anyway, she'd rather be back home playing World of Warcraft!
The views of the LEOs and the bittern had me more than satisfied!