Sunday 4 January 2015

4th January 2015

Weather: SE-2, sunny and cold.

The clear night of the 3rd saw temperatures a lot lower than of recent days resulting in a localized cold weather movement of birds towards the coast.

A brief curcuit of the Lighthouse fields produce 1 Woodcock, 15 Snipe, 1 Black tailed Godwit, 19 Teal and unusually for the Lighthouse a Little Grebe on the River Birkett. 

Passerines included 27 Meadow Pipit, 18 Fieldfare, 29 Redwing, 5 Mistle thrush, 3 Song Thrush and stunning male Bullfinch.

The collybita Chiffchaff remains at the top of Lingham Lane whilst the two Snow Bunting also remain in Leasowe bay although elusive at times.

Offshore there were 273 Great crested Grebes, 850 Common Scoter and a Mediterranean Gull.

Further east at Seacombe, a 1st Winter Grey Phalarope was found by Elliot Montieth feeding at the back of the Ferry. Whilst winter records of Grey Phalaropes are not unprecented, it is none the less an extremely unusual record. With a force 11 westerley forecast for the end of the week, it will be interesting to see if any other winter pelagic birds are driven ashore.

See more photos of this bird on Elliot's flicker site.


AMC, DH


Grey Phalarope , Seacombe ferry, Elliot Montieth

Grey Phalarope , Seacombe ferry, Elliot Montieth





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