[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Lesser Yellowlegs – Eric Morecambe Pools #10028

Adult Lesser Yellowlegs still on the Allen / Eric Morecambe Pools this evening to 8.20 pm at least (per Pete Marsh).

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Lesser Yellowlegs – Eric Morecambe Pools #10026

Adult Lesser Yellowlegs still on the Allen Pool this evening, but mostly sat on a small island with a few Redshank and tricky to pick out against the light. Best viewed from the Eric Morecambe Hide.

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Stonechats #9998

Hi Gar,

Burns Beck Moss (SD 594 878) is within the LDBWS recording area.

The Yellowhammer is an interesting record. Does your reference to Killington refer to the reservoir (just north of the LDSBWS recording area) or the hamlet (SD 614 889) – which is in the recording area.

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Yellow-legged Gull #9933

Presumably the same individual as the adult seen at this location at 10.00 am on 28/5/25.

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Tundra Bean Goose Aldcliffe Marsh #9731

The adult Tundra Bean Goose was still in the ‘Darter Pond’ Field – west of the cycle track between Freeman’s Wood and Aldcliffe Wildfowlers’ Pools – this morning, showing down to c.30 metres in excellent light. For some reason the Pink-footed Goose flock (c.3500 today spread between Darter Pond and Marsh Point) are proving very accepting of passing walkers and cyclists and fortunately the TBG was among the closest group of geese to the cycle-track. In addition to the ‘textbook’ identification features (e.g bright orange legs and feet, orange sub-terminal band on bill, narrower white tips to tail feathers than PfG, plainer brown head and browner upperparts with a lack of the grey ‘frosting’ shown by PfG), the close views allowed another striking feature that I’d never previously noticed – the longer nasal ‘slot’ on the (longer) bill compared to PfG.

Also: 1 Weasal ran across the edge of the field.

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Tundra Bean Goose Aldcliffe Marsh #9720

The adult Tundra Bean Goose was again in the ‘Darter Pond’ Field – west of the cycle track between Freeman’s Wood and Aldcliffe Wildfowlers’ Pools. It was eventually located after about an hour combing through the flock of c.4000 Pink-footed Geese which, for once, were all grazing in the same field. A very impressive sight with some geese within 20 metres of the cycle-track – prompting much interest from passing walkers and cyclists.

No sign of the recent adult Lesser White-fronted Goose or any other geese species (or neck-collared Pink-feet) with the flock, though an orange-legged Pink-footed Goose was notable.

Still 1 female Goldeneye on Freeman’s Pools
Single Willow Warbler and Blackcap, plus several Chiffchaff singing in Freeman’s Wood.

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Great Northern Diver – Pine Lake #9365

Checking through my notes, the last (only) Great Northern Diver I can recall seeing in the LDBWS area was also at Pine Lake during winter 1995-96.

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Sunderland Point AM November 10th #9270

Hi Dan,

The Richard’s Pipit is great, but 8 Grey Partridge is mega!

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Yellow-browed Warblers in LDBWS area, autumn 2024 #9250

Still they come:

44. One seen along the near end of the Causeway, Leighton Moss (between Keeper’s Cottage and Causeway Hide) on 9/11-12/11 (per Birdguides).

45. One seen along the ‘Dog walkers Track’, Heysham Nature Reserve on 10/11 (Shaun Coyle).

Pete C

• This reply was modified 8 months ago by Pete Crooks.
• This reply was modified 8 months ago by Pete Crooks.

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Yellow-browed Warblers in LDBWS area, autumn 2024 #9221

And another:

43. One seen and photographed in a garden on Scafell Avenue, Morecambe on 28/10 (Aidan Branch).

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Snipe #9216

Hi Brom, Good news – the whole of Whitbarrow Scar is within the LDBWS area!

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Yellow-browed Warblers in LDBWS area, autumn 2024 #9213

And another three Yellow-browed Warblers: (NB. I’m re-posting those like the one above purely for the sake of completeness)

40. One seen by path to Lower Hide, Leighton Moss on 19/10 (per Nick Godden).

41. One heard calling near Gardener’s Cottage, Sizergh Castle on 22/10 (Chris, LDBWS Twitter).

42. One seen by path to Lilian’s Hide, Leighton Moss on 23/10 (per Clay, LDBWS Twitter).

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Yellow-browed Warblers in LDBWS area, autumn 2024 #9201

Another two north Lancashire Yellow-browed Warblers:

38. One seen at Dolphin House, Sunderland Point on 18/10 (Jean Roberts).
39. One seen at Williamson Park, Lancaster on 18/10 (Rosie Briggs).

Pete C

• This reply was modified 8 months, 4 weeks ago by Pete Crooks.

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Yellow-browed Warblers in LDBWS area, autumn 2024 #9198

Two more Yellow-browed Warblers – both in the Cumbrian part of the recording area:

36. One seen at Back Lane, Sedgwick on 17/10 (per Rare Bird Alert).
37. One seen at Brown Robin Nature Reserve, near Grange-over-Sands on 17/10 (per Rare Bird Alert).

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Yellow-browed Warblers in LDBWS area, autumn 2024 #9189

Three more Yellow-browed Warblers to add to the original list:

33. One seen at Shore Road, Silverdale on 12/10 (John Webb)

34. One seen at Pilling Lane Ends on 13/10 (per Fylde Bird Club).
35. One seen at entrance to Ocean Edge Caravan Park, Moneyclose Lane, Heysham on 13/10 (Craig Bell)

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: ID help, wildfowlers pools #9033

It looks like a Mallard, to be honest.

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: ID help, wildfowlers pools #9032

Yes, its a Black-tailed Godwit

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Pectoral Sandpiper #8990

A decent haul of 10 species of wader on the salt-marsh pools this morning:

The adult Pectoral Sandpiper was again on the Allen Pool and, at one point, showed very well from the Eric Morecambe Hide. (See Jarrod Sneyd’s photos on Leighton Moss Twitter.)

75+ Avocet – with 25+ juveniles / small chicks still on the Eric Morecame Pool North, with several of the adults clearing this pool of all other waders.
3 Greenshank – Allen Pool
2 Common Sandpiper – 1 each on Allen Pool and Eric Morecambe Pool North

The following were seen from the Crag Road viewpoint on the Eric Morecambe Pool South and / or Flood and were not visible from the hides:
285 Dunlin
120 Black-tailed Godwit
140 Redshank
305 Lapwing
100 Knot – difficult to count as distant and roosting in tightly packed groups
2 Golden Plover – EM Pool South, briefly then flew off towards Jenny Brown’s Point

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Conder pool #8970

Nice photo. Note the blue darvic ring on the juvenile’s left leg – presumably attached by Ian Hartley.

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Whimbrel flock – including colour-ringed bird #8819

The colour-ringed Whimbrel I saw at Shippon Hill, Langthwaite Road on 2/5/24 was ringed at Llansantffraid, Llanon, Ceredigion on 1/5/21.

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Whimbrel flock – including colour-ringed bird #8757

24 Whimbrel in the regular field by Little Fell Road, Quernmore this afternoon.

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Herons etc #8722

Shaun sent me a further text:

He also had Osprey, 2 Med Gulls and a Spotted Redshank.

“Wasn’t out long really. All in all that would’ve been an amazing weekend 20 (or even 10) years ago.”

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Whimbrel – Quernmore #8672

Hi Brom,

I think I was that other birder!

Pete C

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Whimbrel – Quernmore #8671

Hi Eddie,

What I’ve termed ‘the usual stop-over field’ is on the east side of Little Fell Road, south of its junction with Littledale Road (which is also known as Stock-a-Bank). In my experience Whimbrel tend to favour the large second field south of Littledale Road (SD 508 607). It is best viewed from looking down from Little Fell Road, but take care as this road can be busy with passing traffic. Whimbrel many be present at any time of day, but they will disperse to feed in the improved pasture fields across the whole of the Quernmore area. I’ve found late afternoon is a good time for them at this site, though you may need to view the field from a couple of different positions along Little Fell Road as there are several deceptive bumps and hollows that can hide roosting birds. The good news is that the Whimbrel passage tends to peak during the last week of April – so still plenty of time for seeing them.

Pete Crooks

[Pete Crooks]

in reply to: Golden Ball, Heysham & Morecambe #8221

A check of the Heysham Bird Observatory blog reveals a photo of the same c-r Pale-bellied Brent Goose off Knowlys Road on 25/01/21.

Pete C

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