[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: More Whinchats. #3226

Two near Jeremy Lane at SD450550.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Whinchats #3208

Two Whinchats near Wildfowlers Pools, Aldcliffe this morning (per Peter Stevens). One Heysham Head.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Conder and Cockersands #3198

Two Wheatears on dung heaps near Lighthouse Cottage.

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[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Blea Tarn Reservoir #3197

At the tarn today:

Shelduck 2
Lapwing 9 including one incubating
Redshank 1
Common Sandpiper 2
Tufted Duck 13
Great Crested Grebe 1
Whitethroat 1 singing.

5 Willow Warblers and a Blackcap heard singing in the birch plantation at the southern side of the reservoir.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Wood Sand. #3185

Still present today.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Lancaster canal #3172

We need to come up with a pithy name for that characterful stretch of canal. Atkcliffe Canal? Lunecliffe Cut?

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Aldcliffe #3155

Three Swifts moving N this evening.

Also 30 Swallows feeding over Freeman’s Pools (A2) and 3 Little Ringed Plovers and 10 Pied Wagtails (A4 S).

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Sunderland Point #3145

Little Stint seen feeding with Dunlins beside the point (east side) this morning.

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[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Stone Jetty #3144

A quiet morning for you Phil- granted. But not as quiet as my watch this morning:

0715-0945, W1-2 later NW3 (2 oktas- later 6, dry)

Swallow 5 NE
Red-breasted Merganser pair in at high tide
Goldfinch 1 N
Guillemot 1 NE
Osprey 1* NE along Morecambe Front 0910

no tern passage but 5 or 6 Sandwich Terns feeding at close range and in middle distance, also two Great Crested Grebes.

No sight or sound of Rock Pipit on jetty.

Can anyone beat this tomorrow?

*PJM had another Osprey sighting earlier in the morning– one seen moving in bay (NE?) off Heysham around 0730.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Aldcliffe #3133

Four Lapwing chicks Wildfowlers Pools N (AKA A4N) on ‘island’– being brooded by adult female yesterday (3 May).

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Holme lapwing broods #3121

Good going.

More Lapwings chick records from site users please!

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: LDBWS May Day Sea, Land and Skywatch Highlights #3114

A good summing up Jean! I think we can do better tomorrow. Went to delete my posting but don’t know how!

LDBWS Heysham ‘open weekend’ this Sat & Sun May 1st and 2nd

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[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: LDBWS Aldcliffe Open Morning: Highlights #3068

Another three to add to our day list; Little Grebe, Common Gull and Cormorant. Thans Shaun, John & Jill.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Clougha cuckoos #3064

Crag Wood (SD541614) is often good for Cuckoos. Pied Flycatcher and Redstart on territory there last week.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: LDBWS Aldcliffe Open Morning: Highlights #3047

Four species to add (thanks Andrew):

Treecreeper, Rook, Jay and Dunlin– so 82 species and counting….

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Aldcliffe #2961

Flock of twelve Whooper Swans N over the Marsh Estate, Lancaster yesterday evening (16 April).

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Common Scoters moving tonight #2930

More Common Scoter movement heard over Lancaster this evening.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Common Scoters moving tonight #2924

small or less vocal party over 1048PM….amd so to bed.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Common Scoters moving tonight #2923

…1039 PM…

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Aldcliffe again #2913

Forgot to mention 135 Pink-footed Goose NW over the estuary this morning.

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[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Aldcliffe marsh #2821

Up to four Little Ringed Plovers interacting today.

Eight Swallows over The Flood (A14) at one point.

Small numbers Siskins, redpoll sp, Sand Martins and Meadow Pipits moving N but not counted.

At Fairfield, 25 Linnets, two Stock Doves and seven Reed Buntings at the LDBWS feeding area. The Fairfield Association is keen to keep our station going to the year’s end and are donating some seed money.

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[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Halton to Bull Beck cycle ride #2805

Thanks. Were they on the grass or in the river channel itself?

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Halton to Bull Beck cycle ride #2802

A good haul there Steve.

Could you give us a six-figure for the 190 Black-tailed Godwits please?

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Blackbird ‘Police Siren’ vocalisations #2687

Hi Matthew.

The king of the siren imitators is the Starling– they mimic all sorts of bird calls and man-made sounds including speech. I remember one in Ullapool that imitated the sound indicating that Stornoway ferry doors were closing so well that we thought we’d missed our crossing.

The song of the Blackbird is much more mellow and melodic and I’ve never heard them mimic but I believe that they can.

As one of the purposes of bird song is to hold and maintain territory, perhaps increasing its repertoire by copying this jarring element from its environment gives it some ‘edge’ as it competes for space and mates.

It’s also possible that this call has been passed down through the Blackbird generations!

Cheers.

[Dan Haywood]

in reply to: Fairfield etc. #2686

I promise this is the *last* LDBWS feeding station vid I'll post before autumn. Linnets and Reed Buntings noshing. We're winding down this winter project soon. pic.twitter.com/5jSY9ByG58

— Lancaster & District Birdwatching (@LDBWSnews) March 23, 2021

[Author]

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