Monday 21 December 2009

Stone Me


Despite the blizzards birding was a joy today at Aldcliffe. Highlight was a male Stonechat on the sea wall opposite Snatchems. Along with up to 15 Meadow Pipits. Freeman’s Pool was frozen apart from one small bit which held 9 Coot. The hedge by the dung heap continues to be a hot spot, had Tree Sparrows, Dunnock, Chaffinch and Reed Buntings. While in the surrounding fields saw up to 70 Crows along with a good selection of waders, hence why the only bird I actually saw on the marsh was 1 Little Egret, all the geese were miles away in fields on the far side. Had a good look at owl roosts but nothing doing. Full list...........
Surrounding fields east of track.
Curlew 23
Lapwing 60
Snipe 1
BH Gull 175
Carrion Crow 78
Moorhen 11

Track and hedge near dung heap
Tree Sparrow 16
Chaffinch 15
Reed Bunting 6
Dunnock 4
Fieldfare 1
Redwing 3
Song Thrush 6
Little Grebe in ditch.

Wildfowlers’ Pool, mainly frozen.
Mallard
Coot, Moorhen,
Shoveler 4
Snipe 1

Marsh
Stonechat 1m
Little Egret 1
Goldfinch 16
Kestrel 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Greenfinch 2
Meadow Pipit 12/15
Skylark 2

Steve

4 comments:

Pete Marsh said...

Steve
4 Snow Geese on Aldcliffe late afternoon (1510ish) along with vast numbers of Greylag which, as you imply, were almost certainly the geese spp glimpsed (whilst driving, surrounded by traffic, on the Heysham bypass) through the bushes in fields just south of the Wickes complex at 1430ish

I would put an 'approximate count' of Greylag plus the Snows into your WeBS as they will otherwise be unrecorded (perfectly legit for WeBS, when birds are in proximate fields)

Cheers

Pete

Pete Woodruff said...

Male Stonechat record is excellent along with up to 15 Meadow
Pipits....great stuff Steve.

Pete Marsh said...

Hello folks
Some Aldcliffe stuff seen from the GB side this last two days - nothing new - on LDBWS site or Heysham 'Elsewhere'.

I cant enter this site otherwise would post it here as well

Cheers

Pete

Pete Marsh said...

4 Snow geese & 3 Barnacles today on Aldcliffe as seen from southern end of Golden Ball road, however PFG much reduced at about 6 visible. Also one LE on Aldlciffe.

One of the Greylag had a very obvious white band at the bill base