12.15pm - 12.50pm
A single common scoter flew out of the bay past the Jetty end.
The regular adult Med gull was around the fishing boats off the lifeboat slipway.

Walney Island 28/10/2004

Walney Island Cumbria
Grey Phalarope,Long Tailed Duck,Black Guillemot,2 Greenshank,Grey Plover,Merlin,Peregine,Goldcrest,Stonechat,Reed Bunting,Brent goose{2.

HARRISEND.

Six STONECHAT here today (all 1st winters)feeding in 14c they'll go nowhere. Also good numbers of FIELDFARE including flocks of c.100 and c.40. A JACK SNIPE flushed at SD544516 flew direct 30 mtrs and dropped again.

Heysham Obs
Outfalls
The long-staying juv Arctic and ?adult Common Terns are still on Heysham 2 outfall.

Reserve/Industrial Estate
By far the best bird today was a male NORTHERN BULLFINCH which headed south-west with a loose flock of Chaffinch. Several calls were approximately 5 tones deeper than up to 3 British birds on the reserve, one of which called in response to the overflying bird but unfortunately did not entice it down. The bird was larger and longer tailed than the presumed long-winged continental Chaffinches.

Vis was quite varied during the first hour (0755-0855) but then rapidly dried up as the sky cleared. Other species included: Siskin, reasonable numbers of Linnet & Meadow Pipit & Greenfinch & Goldfinch, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, 4 flocks of southbound Starling.

Not a lot grounded but did include 2 Chiffchaff, 2 newly-arrived Water Rail on the Industrial Estate, a few Goldcrests and thrush species

[E-mail group posted the rest of the stuff - too risky here given some of the \contributions\" during the last forum format - please contact me if you are LOCAL and wish to be on the e-circular]

The tongue in cheek look at the Scillies situation has turned into a \"tragedy\" and there will be no further quips/postings from me. The C3 unfortunately passed away today and the Ovenbird is well on the way to the same fate (& surely

as an emaciated transatlantic

is going to be far more difficult to keep alive than a bird which \"seemed ok\" during its month-long stay)."

Caton Moor 28/10/04

Only managed 30 mins vis from 0825-0855:
2 Wheatears
350 Starling >S
10 Fieldfare
2 Redwing

Bob Danson asked me to pass a message on for people to look out for colour-ringed Tree Sparrows in the Cockersands area. Perhaps any seen could be noted on this section of the website and I will forward them to Bob.

Borwick Friday morning

From the canal bridge down the lane and back via the canal between 9.30 and 10.30:

14 tree sparrows on \feeding station\"

200+ redwing and fieldfare in mixed flocks (largest single flock 128)heading south east

38 greylag geese from south turning towards Leighton Moss

5 goldeneye eastwards quite high

20+ greenfinches in small flocks

female great spotted woodpecker"

John W Bateman.

Conder/Pilling Area.

28/10. Friday.
Lune/Conder Est:- Bar T Godwits-6/700c
Knot-1000c.Golden Plovers-3/4000.L/wings-1500c.Wigeon-120. (viewed from picnic area & seawall side of Vic Hotel Glasson)
Glasson Marina:- Coot 85.Tufted Duck-23.
Pochard-15 (all males)Gr C Grebes-2.
Lane Ends:- usual Waders/Wildfowl.
Dunlin (the greatest nos 2500c) lesser nos:-
Gr Plovers.Gld Plovers.L/wings/Curlews.
Redshanks. Pintails-2/300.Teal Mallards.
Shelducks.
Fluke Hall Lane(nr to fluke hall wood)
Flooded Field.:- Ruff-3 BL T Gwits-9
R/shanks-50+ L/wings.
Cogie Hill (flood fiels east of junction).
Whooper Swans:- 16A/9J.
Bone Hill Farm:- Pinkfeet 1500/2000c (behind the farm).
JWB/BT/JL.

Eddy Bayton Alex & Martin Wain

Sightings Freehold & Primrose

Derwent Road

Steady nos Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Greenfinch plus occ Mistle Thrush and Redwing. Jay back daily again at a similar time though more wary as a pair of Magpie seem intent on bullying everything including our pet rabbit. Collared Doves more numerous (7 local to 1 garden). Occ visits by Nuthatch, M & F GS Woodpecker. Martin and Alex report Sparrowhawk down to their garden daily recently.

Scotch Quarry

Nothing much 4 - 4.30pm except the local suspects and a M Bullfinch at the Clarence St end.

Williamson Park 5pm

An excellent 20 minutes on the way home from Scotch Quarry. A Woodcock flew over the Butterfly House from Fenham Carr and in behind the bandstand. I whizzed round on the bike to see where it came down. No sign but I inadvertenly intercepted a passing Tit party that incorporated B Tit (lots), LT Tit (12), G Tit, 2 Treecreepers, Nuthatch and about 15 Goldcrest and an agitated Wren. This part of the park has a 'history' (for me) of Goldcrest at this time of year and once again may be worth investigating more fully. I ran out of time. Overhead was a decent sized flock of Chaffinch looking to come down. There is masses of Beech Mast this year and it would be well worth checking Fenham Carr for Brambling too when I've time.

Heysham Obs
Not a bad day until we found the Dusky Warbler had just missed landfalling here! (Roa Island)

Outfalls
Juv Arctic and ad Common Terns still

north wall
Czech-ringed 2nd W Med Gull

reserve area
3 Chiffchaffs (one eastern-type), Woodcock, WAXWING briefly in the morning (JR), about 60-70 mixed thrushes, mainly Blackbird, c10 Goldcrest. Vis 'highlight' was a flock of 36 Jackdaw

I suggest that you really make the most of the weather this weekend and check all available coastal bushes or bushes surrounded by lights.......or a bit of visible migration on the moorland edge/passes such as the Trough. Lets have a \stay out of hides & dont look at waders/wildfowl\" weekend! Plenty of time to do that later in the autumn/winter."

Happy Mount Park

Saturday 30th between 9.30 and 11 am:

1 chiffchaff (quite a pale, greyish bird)
40+ blackbirds
15 goldfinches, 8 greenfinches
12 robins
4 goldcrests
1 treecreeper
others uncounted:
tits - blue, great, long-tailed and coal
chaffinch, mistle thrush, wren, dunnock, starling, collared dove, magpie, crow.

I KNOW WHAT AN OVEN BIRD IS AND LOOKS LIKE BUT WHAT IS A C3???? CAN'T FIND THAT TYPE OF BIRD IN ANY OF MY BOOKS

Just for the fun of it I will beat PJM to this one I think it will hurt you much less this way. Think about it Howie,ccc Cream Coloured Courser.

Kind Regards. Pete Woodruff.

John W Bateman.

Teal Bay (over high tide)

30/10. teal Bay:- Dunlin-5/600c.
Grey Plovers/Knot - single figures.
Golden Plovers-6.Redshanks-300c.
Sp R/shank.Turnstones-3.L/wings-200c.
(On the rock groyne) Grey W/tail(j)
Pied W/tail 1a (the darkest M I have seen almost black)3J, Rock Pipit.
On the tide:- Gr C Grebes-6/7. Eiders 3m4f.
RBMergansers-1m3f. Goldeneye-1M.
JWB/KK/et.al.

Went on the Art Deco walk in Morecambe this afternoon (Saturday 30th). About 15.15 we were cutting through Kiln Bank Avenue, off West End Road, Morecambe, and a woodcock flew over going west very low. Never seen one in an urban site before.

Jeff Butcher

This all dates from a rather silly period in the late 1970s where a lot of things were given \\"code\"\" names. \"Silent P1\" - any offers?

has stuck to the present day and I wasnt intending to be a smart arse

just using an economical alternative.

stand Iccy and RB Flicker but can put up with Gropper. Each to their own. I can understand Shetlanders referring to Common Rosefinch as Grotfinch as it is a bog standard migrant up there but anywhere else......"

Re: Teal Bay (over high tide)

Hi
The Knot have obviously gone back to the Heysham end with 12,000 yesterday. Just out of interest, had your Rock Pipits dusky or dirty white outer tail feathers?

Hi
Woodcock: There were about 36, for example, on the Farne Islands yesterday as well as the first returning migrant at Heysham. This was undoubtedly a northern European or even perhaps Russian bird which had been disturbed from where it had flopped down st dawn

Did you get any calls from the HMP Chiffchaff i.e. 'phew' like a weak Bullficnh or 'peep' like a day-old chick? Yesterday there was one of each at Heysham but I only actually managed to see the tristis-type so wasnt able to pronounce on plumage of the individual giving strident 'peep calls

Good migrant site, HMP, remember a Yellow-browed Warbler being there in the days when they were 'common' (or people could find them)

Best regards

Pete

New venue for LDBWS meetings

Hi
This has generated quite a bit of debate and I would just like to draw people's attention to the existing venue in relation to the recording area and also discuss the issue of \it has to carry on being in Lancaster because that reflects the distribution of the membership\" (IS this true?)

The availability of OS maps with a central point of your choice has led to several LBWS members obtaining their own copies of an OS map which covers the whole of the recording area. This map really brought home the point that the centre of the LBWS area is the REDWELL INN! [nr Gressingham

Since this became apparent I have taken the trouble to enquire whether various people who are keen in birdwatching would join a local bird club. The response from my area (SD66 - Wray etc)is that LBWS is perceived as a Lancaster-based club.

This is interesting as it actually started life (1959) as a combined effort between John Barnes (Arnside-based) and various Lune Valley landowners such as Captain Heathcote and Alistair Black. At that time

many Lune valley landowners were members but

as they have passed away over the years

membership has not been renewed by siblings as the club developed a membership based on the John Wilson-Leighton connection and the Lancaster venue base. Now there are very few members to the north and east of Hornby. Yet there is a large town there with a social structure surely lending itself to potential bird club membership - KIRKBY LONSDALE.

Therefore I suggest that we take this into account and go for a rural venue which is also on a classified road & bus route (therefore gritted). My choice

availability notwithstanding

would be ARKHOLME VILLAGE HALL. This is on a 'B' road (which is more than can be said for Leighton Moss as a venue for evening winter events!)with excellent parking facilities and a state of the art building.

The second advantage is the potential for new membership. The whole northern Lune valley is rich in potential members who I feel would respond to meeting posters in the local post offices and some selective placing in Kirkby Lonsdale. I think this is a much more fertile market than 'urban Agenda 21 types' who probably (and in three known cases do) see LBWS as not having a 'political' enough role in local conservation issues. I also think that it is possibly less of a step to ask rurally-based people to get involved in surveys

One interesting small point is that there is statistically a higher percentage of car-sharing within urban people using an out of town venue than there is amongst rural people having to come into town.

Would be interested in responses to this

especially from any people with experience of tapping rural and urban markets with respect to club membership. Please can we avoid the dogmatic nonsense on the previous forum and note the 'possiblys and probablys' liberally sprinkled through my posting

Just coming to November and have not seen Litle Owl! Does anyone have a current site?

Re: Happy Mount Park

I have checked the book more carefully now with my own and my wife's observations and decided this was an abietinus (North European)race - it was very grey but with little clear supercilium, also the primaries didn't stand out, colourwise, from the back.
Unfortunately not calling at all - too busy feeding.

Reply on chiffchaff on Happy Mount Park entry.

Thanks for comments Pete.

30/10 - Leighton Moss - Two Water Pipits seen in flight and calling over the reedbed by the path to Griesdale Hide c.2.30 pm. Apparently one was seen from Lilian's Hide earlier in the afternoon.

Hi Pete,

Regarding your comment about yesterday's Woodcock being \the first returning migrant at Heysham\"...er what about the bird I flushed from beneath the pylons in the 'far corner' on 10th October - the day after the big Redwing influx. Hope I didn't forget to write it in the log!

Hi Mike

Thought you would know about the owls at Cockersands. 99% score rate here (often two birds) at the derelict farm building on the right as you reach the shore at the caravan park end,best viewed from the coastal path. Another one I saw regular (but iv'e not been there recently) was just after the left turn out of Over Kellet for Dockacres,another derelict building on the right. I can tell you about some in the Bentham area too but maybe you don't want to travel for this species.

Regards. Pete Woodruff.

Heysham Obs
Disappointingly clear this morning & the only bird up to scratch was Blackbird with an arrival of 30-40.

A very high-flying southbound female Bullfinch was neither seen well nor heard calling clearly (crackling electricity wires) but appeared to have a slightly lower & even more slightly disyllabic call than the local birds. It also looked big but I'm not claiming it in contrast to the clear-cut male the other day.

The only Chiffchaff seen was on the Industrial Estate and one Blackcap was trapped with another seen.

Outfalls
juv Arctic and adult Common Terns (not particularly late as yet with a juv Arctic being in the harbour following the \Chough (Hey Head) and bye bye West End Pier gales\" in late November ??1977).

2nd W Med Gull and 5 Eider offshore

Wray/Hornby area

A reliable source has recorded a melanistic Grey Heron about 6 times in the last two months on the river between Wray and Hornby."

John W Bateman.

The old building at Cockersands is being developed as is also the site.

Cockersands - first visit

Cockersands Sunday 31st October

Set off in the afternoon fog from the Lighthouse Farm car park walking south - just after high tide - occasional glimpses of Sunderland Point. Usual waders and gc grebe on the Lune. Juvenile peregrine perched on a post in the field for a while. South of Cockersands Abbey (about SD427533) spotted the little owl. It is in the broken building at the start of Bank Houses - the whole side of the building is off and the owl was sitting in the exposed roof space.
In the field, by a pond there, 2 grey wagtails and 24 teal. On the sea, various duck - mallard, shelduck, wigeon - suddenly saw 8 diving duck. As they came closer we could see they were scaup - 4 males, 4 females. (About 14.45 by now)
Walking back we took the footpath between Bank Houses and the caravan park. As we approached the second footbridge (SD433534 - quite overgrown)another little owl flew out from under it. In the next field, 8 grey partridge - and the peregrine flying over again.
Excellent place.
Jeff Butcher

See my 31.10.04 entry on Cockersands
Jeff Butcher

John W Bateman.

Re: Teal Bay (over high tide)

Hi Pete. the glimpse I managed to get as it foraged in the rocks was of darker outer tail feathers.JWB.

John W Bateman.

Re: Cockersands - first visit

The whole of that coast line is excellent from Conder thro to Bank End Well worth visiting anytime especially in Winter.JWB.

Hi
Multiple Waxwings at Settle and near Clapham today - a damn sight nearer my house than a tortuous mid-afternoon abortive trip for the Heysham Black Redstart behind the early rugrat retrievers etc. To compound this, it was actually frightened off by 3 rugrats who weren't at school!

Not a lover of children, then, Pete!

Broadway High Tide

Wednesday 3rd November along the Morecambe Seafront around Broadway about 2.30 this afternoon:

3 goldeneye (1 male 2 female)
5 rb mergansers (2m 3f)
40 shelduck

Jeff Butcher

The little owl at Cockersands was present again today sheltering from the wind in the ruined Farmhouse. The Site is being developed but does not seemed to have frightened the owl off as yet. However no work has been done as yet to the Ruined Building!

Of course there's also the reliable site near Aldcliffe.
Where the canal leaves the road, on Aldcliffe Road, there is a wide track just before the East Lodge (signposted Westbourne Road 1 mile). Walk down there a short while until you reach the small oak wood on your left. Scan the lower branches and sooner or later you'll probably find one. I have about 80% success rate here, though I never spend too long looking...

request/info re-Twite at Heysham

The Twite on Heysham Mound

The black nyger seed used at the Twite feeding station has been found to be the best for this species. It has been kindly provided by United Utilities as part of the integrated Twite survey. We have been extremely fortunate to develop a site where the Twite reliably return (this has proved very difficult at other coastal sites as the birds are so mobile and wide-ranging, including these same birds once they move on to the Fylde saltmarsh sites).

It appears that 2002/3 winter was exceptional in that there was a major concentration of Twite NORTH of Heysham on the RSPB saltmarshes. Therefore the Heysham site was a 'junction' with birds passing to and from the RSPB (Bolton-le-Sands) site and the north Fylde (observation of colour-rinegd birds). Therefore large numbers of birds were present at different times during the whole winter period

The 2003/4 winter reverted to the normal situation with none to the north and fewer birds birds than 2002/3 concentrated on the Fylde saltmarshes.

However, before they returned to the saltmarshes, large numbers passed through the Heysham site in early November with 95% of the 2003/4 ringing total compiled from catches in early-mid November. There was no obvious spring passage as the birds appeared to head straight to the breeding grounds from the Fylde sites.

THE PATTERN SO FAR THIS AUTUMN SUGGESTS THE SAME AS 2003/4. Therefore we will be catching and colour-marking as many as possible during the next two-three weeks.

Therefore we kept the Twite news off teh various information lines and indeed this website. However, it has become apparent that several people have put two and two together c/f time of year & Twite sites and seen it as their right to come and look at and photograph these birds at the feeding site which, even though it has been sponsored by UU as part of the research project, IS in a public place.

This has included someone putting wild bird seed down on top of the nyger seed as they thought the birds would find it easier to see (think beaks) - this introduced an unwelcome flock of pigeons on to the feeding area. This afternoon yet another self-obsessed photographer (following two infamous car loads last year) was sat right on top of the site wondering why there were no birds. This was followed by two car-loads of birders doing the rounds.

We have developed a strategy whereby we can successfully monitor without scaring away and also catch and ring when the proportion of unringed new passage birds suggests it is time to do so.

Could you please leave us to get on with this and either watch carefully from a distance (pull you car up on to the pavement opposite the feeding station, stay in it and wait - dont get out & wander around!) or stay away until the end of November when we are left with the residual wintering flock of ringed birds (assuming we get a repeat performance of the 2003/4 situation).

As for the trapping effort itself, we have taken a decision to have a maximum of one net fire per session with all birds released together to keep the flock cohesion. 59 new birds have been ringed so far this sutumn and 19 trapped from the two previous winters
and this morning saw a bird trapped bearing a Clyde Ringing Group ring - probably from Sanda (bottom end of the Mull of Kintyre)or nearby site. Ringed birds have so far been seen on Sanda (4), Eigg, Staffa, Oronsay, South Uist with two of the 2002/3 wintering birds joining the wintering flock at Borwick Rails, near Millom, in 2003/4.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Pete Marsh (Heysham Obs)

Re: request/info re-Twite at Heysham

Hi
The Clyde Ringing Group Twite details as follows:

Ringed as a juv, almost certainly from a nest on the island, on SANDA, Kintyre on 30/7/04 (caught at Heysham on 4/11/04).

The ringer also observed 3 colour-ringed birds on the island for which we await details as they were probably from Heysham.

Regarding yesterdays movement of pink feet, ca 1550 birds flew east/ south east over Garstang between 08.30 and 08.50.

However, one skein of 150 birds headed north east. At 09.30, at Stocks, 180 birds flew south south west.

Decided to pay a visit to see this Little Owl as I too have not seen one this year.
So off I went to Cockerham Sands, fighting the showers and the wind. and even though there is a 99% sighting chance I failed to locate it. I wasnt dissapointed with the other birds on the mud flats , but NO owl awww dear me. Thinks I checked every stone and beam for it but alas no Little Owl. But I shall return at the next available time.

penduline tit - Lillians Hide

Well that's taught me a lesson - driving past leighton Moss at 2pm, only to check my internet on returning home - missed it by 5 minutes. I was then show a picture of it on someones camera in the hide! I am now going to buy a pager!

I'm not even going to mention penduline tit (flippin' meetings...)

Anyway, just in case anyone's interested, there's a dead easy competition in Wednesday's (10th) Morecambe Visitor newspaper to win a copy of the newly revised Where To Watch Birds In Northeast England.
May be a bit specialised for the majority of the regular readership so I'm not anticipating as big a response as I tend to get with Birds in Your Garden type books... ie get your entries in, someone has to win it!!!

P.T. & self-discipline

Hi
I was extremely busy today with lots of Environmental Impact Assessment deadlines.

I have spent many years publicly cursing but privately checking the burgeoning invasive stands of Reed Mace at both Middleton Industrial Estate and Heysham Nature Reserve. Privately checking after E. winds in late October/early November for by far the commonest bird on the British list I had not seen but one which, after several cold fruitless vigils staring at wetland vegetation in all parts of the country, I was determined was going to come to me!

Disillusionment, however, set in over the last two-three years and the Reed Mace was cleared in dramatic fashion from Middleton in readiness for Common Reed planting & also increasing the open water area. Practical realities had replaced a pipe dream.

Having read these ramblings, did I drop everything & head for Leighton Moss today or get on with all the work I had to do?

Heysham North Wall
2nd W Med Gull was all a brief Heysham 'round' had to offer

Re: North East birds

Re: North East birds

I'm assuming, John you have to use the 'purchase a copy of Visitor' official entrance forms.

Re: North East birds

I'm genuinly very sorry, John - both of these were intended as private postings. Hope it doe not cause any problems.

Best regards

Pete

I'm very sorry that you didn't see the Little Owl today Dave and fell into the 1% failure. I also paid a return visit there today and found the creature in the same place in the building as yesterday along with the c.140 Black-tailed Godwits in the same field again,also c.100 Fieldfare were at Bank Houses. I take it you didn't see these either,obviously not your day. I also paid a return visit to Conder Green today where the Kingfisher and Spotted Redshank both gave excellent views along with three Grey Plover and Snipe. A Goldcrest at 3mtrs in the car park area gave an excellent impersonation of a Hummingbird.

Pete Woodruff.

John W Bateman.

It is good to hear of the return of BTGwits to a site that in the past was a certain garuanted site for them .

Re: penduline tit - Lillians Hide

Hi Garry
I reckon that on average the pager is essential to see something about once a year, especially someone like yourself who is usually so far out of the area on your work that you dont become part of any 'known to be probably out in the field' mobile communication during midweek. If it had been a w/e I would have given you a phone call.

Then the other major use is to alert you to general trends e.g. the huge PFGoose movement over the whole of the north of England the other day or more generally, covering a longer period of time, how far have the Waxwing flocks penetrated. Is it worth checking locally? etc.

Best regards

Pete

Re: Bar Tail Godwits.

Hi
I'm not sure exactly where this refers to but presume the Lune Estuary.

I have had cause to examine the Lune/Heysham/Pilling etc WeBS counts for various reasons over the last few years as well as participating in low-tide counts for the Lune Estuary for two different companies.

If everything behaved like Barwits, my survey results would have been really difficult to make any meaningful use of. For Barwit read: \up to 2

000 can be anywhere between Pilling and Ocean Edge but they are completely missed on many WeBS

especially low tides when they might be roosting out of sight in shallow tidal water\". One or two counts seem to indicate more than 2000 as apparently there \"used to be\".

they DO appear to be more reliable with Glasson Basin used on a regular basis as is also the case with the small summering flock of mainly 1st summer birds.

Re: North East birds

No probs about the messages being on here, Pete.

Yellow was the answer to last week's competiton, there's a different question this time... and yes you have to have a coupon cut out from the paper - no photocopies!

Cheers

Jon

John W Bateman.

Re: Bar Tail Godwits.

The area I was reffering to was the Lune/Conder Est:- viewable from the picnic area or the seawall at Glasson.In the past one could almost be certain to see this species on the flats & edge of Colloway Marsh,then 6/7yrs ago they dissapeared only single nos counted ,now they appeared to have returned in nos: like in the past.

Re: Bar Tail Godwits.

Hi John
Let me know privately if you want my low-tide counts which show them=sizeable flock on the Glasson sailing club to Crook Farm section on a few occasions and once right up on Colloway Marsh near the pylons.

At High Tide they're even worse, as implied in last e-mail!

Best regards
Pete