Redpoll in the garden!

Nice surprise this afternoon. First time this year I've seen Lesser Redpoll at home

Greenfield Ring Ouzel

Several passage Ring Ouzels near Pots and Pans today. Also had some decent garden birds with daily Pheasants male and female with one male roosting in the the Oak tree in the front garden last few nights. Also had Lesser Redpoll, Brambling and a male Blackcap

Lesser Redpoll

My favourite finch the Lesser Redpoll has become a regular in the garden with a pair and 2 juveniles coming into the garden to feed daily. Also seen today were Bullfinch, Siskin, Rook which is a garden rarity and Jay

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Garden Birds

Some good species being recorded in the garden over the last few days. Lesser Redpoll seen only twice this year. Also an interesting partial leucistic Goldfinch. Daily Goldcrest is a real joy. Nice to see a Robin frequenting a nest box for the first time. I hope she makes it her home this spring

Pomarine Skua and Great Grey Shrike

Yesterday me and Dave went birding in West Lancashire. First off was the juvenile Pomarine Skua at Pilling. Great close views of a great seabird. Also present were a flock of around 100 Twite and an adult Mediterraean Gull. Next up were all 3 species of swans at  near Upper Thurnham. It was really nice to see a small group of Bewick Swans a species that eluded us last year and are only present in small numbers in the North of England. We finished off seeing the long staying Great Grey Shrike at Lytham moss.
At home in the garden I am seeing a Goldcrest daily probably the same bird that came last winter and spotted a single Lesser Redpoll a few days ago. Lets hope he returns with his friends!

Wagtails and Plovers

Some great local birds today at the rough ground at Kingsway Business Park Rochdale. Three Yellow Wagtails, several White and Pied Wagtail and a good selection of plovers. More Little Ringed Plover than Ringed Plover. Also present were Lapwing and many Meadow Pipits, Skylark, 2 Dunlin and a Redshank.
Back at home some Lesser Redpoll are enjoying the free seed as well as a Treecreeper who I have seen several times over the last weeks feeding on the ground

Garden Lesser Redpoll

Great to see a single Lesser Redpoll feeding on niger seed in the garden this lunchtime with several Siskin as usual

Best Images of 2011 Pre Blog

just a few images of some of the birds seen in 2011 before I started this blog. Stunning pictures of Dotterel taken by Dave Evans