February 2015

So, it's six months since my last post.  Oh dear.  A lot has happened, including moving further south along the Fylde Coast to Freckleton and a subsequent change of direction for this blog!  This post is titled February but lets start by mentioning a few things from the 'missing months'.  In January we had a female Hen Harrier showing well from Quays Creek.  They have finished the development now so the pathway that overlooks the marsh is easily accessible by car.  I hope this encourages birders to call in more often as I've always found it a great spot (a spot I'll be seeing less of now I'm in Freckleton).  A Great Grey Shrike turned up on the Fylde at the end of 2014 with me last seeing it on the 24th January.  Luckily I managed to get some footage of it coughing up a pellet in November 2014.



A Shore Lark showed well at Rossall Point and I managed to see it in January but sadly missed the ill-fated Pomarine Skua at Cocker's Dyke.

So February..

It's been a busy month so not as much birding as I'd hoped but enough to write about.  The afore mentioned Hen Harrier was still around on the 1st.  I also saw 2 Fieldfare (a bird I really don't see enough of) from Witch Wood.  The 14th was our first trip to the Naze as 'Freckletonites'.  The number of birds in the village itself was a contrast to Lytham.  The small roads are bordered with hedgerows, the gardens packed with with trees and shrubs and bird feeders a plenty.  The sound of garden birds on the short walk through the village to the Naze is brilliant.  After moving in we spent the next few days around Freckleton and the Naze and saw the following.





On the 17th a Red-throated Diver rocked up at Fairhaven Lake and gave really good views but didn't get to see it until the 21st.


On the 20th a Goshawk was reported in the Lytham Hall area - late morning and early afternoon and I believe that would have been a Fylde tick for a lot of people!

We finished the month with a trip to Warton Bank and Newton Marsh.  Usual suspects including Marsh Harrier, which is always nice.

So only 75 species seen this month (full list here) - let hope for more in March!

at
Data:

September 2014

To the best of my knowledge the first Pink-footed Geese arrived on the Fylde on the 6th/7th but I didn't see them until 10th when I saw c60 flying NE early morning.

Wigeon and Teal numbers increasing on the estuary throughout the month with the first Pintail seen on the 11th. All birds in eclipse.

Snipe - 1 flew over the jetty on the 11th and 3 on the 14th.

Still plenty of Black-tailed Godwit about with a flock of 300 seen taking flight at Fairlawn Road and 1 bird actually landing very briefly on Lytham Green!

I saw a Little Stint at Granny's Bay on the 12th and then a Purple Sandpiper at Fairlawn Road on the 13th (which remained in the same spot until the following day).  A Curlew Sandpiper was reported at Fairlawn Road on 16th with another Little Stint on the 20th.  Wheatear were often seen at Fairlawn Road with my last seen on the 30th.

Last Swallow seen this month on the 14th.

Large numbers of Goldfinch between 13th-17th with 300+ gathering at the RNLI station early mornings.

Plenty of Jay with 2 seen at Park View on the 21st and half a dozen or so seen on the Lancashire Coastal Way Walk on the 27th and 28th which also gave us views of Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.  2 adult Buzzard and 1 Juv seen at Warton Bank and the Kestrel over Quays Creek.  Great White Egret at Warton Bank on the 28th.  2 Treecreeper at Naze Point, c200 Golden Plover, Great Crested Grebe, Long-tailed Tit and Chiffchaff (singing).

This September looks to be the driest and one of the warmest since records began!
at
Data:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)