28/01/2022 My Garden, Abram, Wigan

Willow Tit: Since the 1970s willow tits have declined by 94% and lost 50% of their breeding range, but Wigan remains a stronghold for this species.  During  the winter months willow tit can be regularly  be seen at Pennington Flash Country Park and Wigan Flashes, both have feeding stations are in place. 

But for me, every now and again I get a wintering bird visit my very own garden feeders. Not a common occurrence so always a special moment when I see one.

23/01/2021 Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire

Richard's Pipit: Finally, after several failed attempts and the shame of having such a tarts tick omitted from my list, the ongoing banter from some mates and the anguish of the dips, the day has come, Richard's pipit is now on the list. 

Originating from Siberia, Mongolia and China dick pipis then typically winter in southern Asia but some apparently take a westward or northwestward path, mostly arriving in Shetland, or on the east coast or the south-west of England. Dick pips seem an increasingly difficult bird as the years go by.
 

I was thrilled when the bird came flying over my head calling as it undulated in flight, its call sounding slightly similar to that of house sparrow.  We eventually  relocated the bird within the fenced amongst the grassy tussocks. 

A great day out topped off with 60 plus lapland bunting at Bempton and in the great company of Patrick, Gary, Damian and Neil.

22/01/2021 Daisyhill Sewage Treatment Works, Westhoughton

Water Pipit: A scarce bird these days across Greater Manchester it was a real treat to catch up with it after dipping a water pipit at the same place last year

Found by Phil Rhodes and the information passed on to me by Sam Harris before going onto Manchester birding forum. 

It is most likely that this bird has come from its breeding areas in the central European mountains such as the Alps to overwinter under the sunny skies of Bolton. 

Water pipits are famous for sending their time at sewage treatment facilities, feeding on the filter beds, but they also favour habitats that include, rivers, lakes and flooded gravel pits, lowland wet grasslands and coastal fresh and brackish lagoons. 

This stocky bird really stood out amongst the smaller meadow pipits, that were also more olive brown in color then the much grey, plaer water pipit.  

It seemed very settled and I watched it for about an hour before moving on.

To my delight it would regularly perch up on the water pipes that were slowly circling the filter beds, brining the bird closer to me as they spun around. 

15/01/2022 Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire

Grey Phalarope: Arriving with the hopes for finally adding Richard's pipit, a bird which has been in the area since early December and finally settled in the top field at Filey I thought this would be a sure thing. 

I shouldn't have been so naive, my years of twitching should have have made me more realistic....there is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to twitching.  

 

When Damian Young and I arrived it was foggy, thick freezing fog at that!

Despite what the misleading weather apps said, we were promised blue skies. This is probably the reason the bird had moved further around or even became less active and wasn't seen the day we were there. 

Still, there is no better place for a dip then Filey. it's a great place and offered great views of two grey pahls feeding off the end of the Brigg, purple sandpipers and a great northern diver.

Purple Sandpiper: Filey brigg is famed for its purps where during late summer and autumn, purps from Scandinavia, Svalbard, Greenland and some Arctic islands migrate to the UK for the winter.

They can be found on rocky Brigg, especially the seaweed covered breakwaters. Look out for flocks of turnstones, searching for food amongst the seaweed and you will see these dumpy little birds alongside them.

Interesting colour ringed and flagged individuals feeding amongst the turnstones, with information from Will Scott that shows the birds were possibly by Poppy Rummery and the team at Filey Bird Obs at Filey Brigg itself?

So another Richard's pipit dip under my belt, looks like I will have to wait a little longer. 
 

02/01/2022 Denhall Quay, Neston

Short-eared Owl: One of the premier places for SEO's in the North West can be found towards the old sandstone quay below the Harp Inn where a vast saltmarsh dominated by marram grass. 

Here's lies the RSPB's Dee Estuary nature reserve a huge complex area of habitats covering over 6000 hectares including varying wetland habitats making it the fifth largest RSPB reserve and the largest protected coastal wetland in the UK.

It's important to note that the Dee Estuary as a whole is a designated Special Protection Area for its bird populations, and the saltmarsh itself is a Special Area of Conservation for its plant diversity.

So, it's no wonder that the area holed large numbers of SEO's, hen and marsh harriers, all of which make their winter and some even their summer home on this marsh. 

Today was a shortie bonanza with at least 5, possibly 7 SEO's hunting and quartering from the Denhall Quay.  

This area of marsh is well watched and well known to birders and photographers, it runs parallel to a very popular walking route which draws countless dozens of dog walkers and locals all of whom venture out over the well worn track across the marsh.  

The RSPB have put serval signs regarding ground nesting birds during the breeding season, and from Denhall Quay you can't walk out over the far reaches of the marsh but this doesn't seem to phase the owls as I had three individuals come within a few yards of the Harp Inn, the car park and the area of reedbed close to the Quay.

There was so much action that there were several small groups of birders and photographers spread out watching different birds, so there really wasn't a scramble or rush to see any. 

I love it here, there's a real wildness to the expense of saltmarsh although I know it's pretty well managed. But looking out over an area teaming with birds is always special.