Zim Girl's 3rd Big Year 2020

[Zim Girl]

Thank you @optig

[Zim Girl]

So finally, after 4 attempts, we got to see the bird we were looking for when we found the Barn Owl.  This has been attracting birders from across the North West and beyond and we were determined to try and find it.  New bird of the year no 2.

 

19.  Purple Heron

 

 

Eagland Hill, Pilling, Lancashire  -  01/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

In a nearby field to the heron.

 

20.  Pink-footed Goose

 

Pilling, Lancashire  -  01/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

Not a great picture of this bird, but this is the only area locally that they are seen and is new bird no 3 for me.

 

21.  Corn Bunting

Pilling, Lancashire  -  24/01/20

 

 

[TonyQ]

Some great new sightings here. A Purple Heron!

[Galana]

Coming along steadily with three good species.

[Dave Williams]

I made the journey up last week specifically to see the Barn Owl with little interest in the Purple Heron. The Heron showed brilliantly but the Owl didn't fly in the 5 1/2 hours we stood waiting. Typical!

The Heron caught 4 large voles whilst I was watching and this is typical of a days catch. It has been there for over 50 days hunting the same area the Barn Owls do. I'm wondering if this might have a negative effect on the Owls who should soon be feeding themselves up in readiness for laying and sitting on eggs.Hopefully there will still be enough to go around!

[Zim Girl]

@Dave Williams you should have dropped by, although not sure I would have stood there for over 5 hours!!  Did you actually see a Barn Owl?  We were lucky to find one perched right by the lane on our 3rd time of trying for the heron.  In fact we saw 2 together a bit earlier on that day. Barn owls are quite common right along that stretch of Lancashire right up to south of Lancaster.

[Dave Williams]

5 hours ago, Zim Girl said:

@Dave Williams you should have dropped by, although not sure I would have stood there for over 5 hours!!  Did you actually see a Barn Owl?  

 

I was with a friend so had to consider him otherwise I would have got in touch. Still suffering from jet lag I was up at 5.30am to go and look for Black Grouse on the North Wales moors and didn't get to the Owl site until 10.30 so by 3.30 we were ready to call a halt and head straight home.

We saw the Owl but it was being the sheds in an obscured spot but I did get some shots. Will try again in the near future. 

Edited February 6, 2020 by Dave Williams

[Zim Girl]

No worries - glad you at least saw one

[Zim Girl]

We stopped off the other Sunday morning for a short while at this site which is only a 15 min drive from home.  It is a designated site of special scientific interest that comprises of 162 acres of reclaimed saltmarsh with several pools and ditches.  It can be very good for overwintering and migrant birds.  Today it was overflowing with wigeon and shovelers with plenty of waders in the distance. The largest pool is close to the access lane so viewing can be done from the car.  The ducks made the easiest targets for photos.

 

22.  Northern Shoveler

 

Newton Marsh  -  02/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

23.  Wigeon

 

Newton Marsh  -  02/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

Then making the most of a rare dry and sunny day, a walk around the local nature reserve and park.

 

24.  Herring Gull  

 

Herons Reach  -  06/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

25.  Canada Goose

Stanley Park  -  06/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

26.  Eurasian Coot

 

Stanley Park  -  06/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

27.  Great Cormorant

 

Stanley Park  -  06/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

28.  Mallard

Female

Male

Stanley Park  -  06/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

29.  Magpie

 

Herons Reach  -  06/02/20

 

[Zim Girl]

A brief break in the terrible weather we have been having lately and a quick drive to a particular area of the coast where a flock of these birds can generally be found.  They were nowhere to be seen on arrival but after a long walk up the estuary path and back, they had arrived.

 

30.  Twite

 

Knott End-on-Sea  -  17/02/20

[Kitsafari]

the Twite looks so cute. I don't recall reading about the Twite although I am very certain that one of the UK ST-ers would have had it somewhere in one of their BYs.

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Zim Girl]

@kitsafari 

They are cute, and it was lovely to watch them whizzing around the shoreline looking for food.  They are similar to the Linnet and Redpolls.  They are not that common in the UK, particularly the south west and central areas.

Edited February 20, 2020 by Zim Girl

[Dave Williams]

On 1/21/2020 at 2:09 PM, Soukous said:

Sorry Angie, even though it is a nice photo I cannot bring myself to 'like' a Feral Pigeon. 

 

Neither could I strangely!!!!  I mean it's not even a pretty one

[Zim Girl]

New additions are few and far between at the moment especially with the rubbish weather recently, but we braved the wind and went to a new local birding spot.  An area of the coastline just south of Fleetwood called Rossall Point.  Good for seabirds and various waders.  

The first time we went, there were a number of species feeding along the shoreline, with Turnstones being the most numerous and closest.  We tried again for better pictures of the others a couple of days later but the tide was way out so no luck (must remember to check tide times before going)!

 

31.  Turnstone

 

Rossall Point  -  02/03/20

 

[Zim Girl]

Quick trip to the local park yesterday produced just one keeper.

 

32.  Great Crested Grebe

 

Stanley Park  -  05/03/20

 

 

[Zim Girl]

On the way back I saw this poor bird in the trees.  I took a quick picture as I didn't know what it was at first but it is a Blackbird with a bald head. He was flying around ok.  But I felt quite sad watching him, never seen anything like this before.   

Anyone seen this in a blackbird before??  What is the cause?  Stress/disease/birth defect?