Spring Migrants

Nice couple of hours birding locally. Pair of Little Owl and Wheatear near Pots and Pans. Four Ring Ouzel, pair of Stonechat, bubbling Curlew and tumbling Lapwing in surrounding fields close to home. One Lapwing looked like it was sitting on eggs.

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

American Vagrants

Went to the northeast yesterday and myself and Dave managed to see the Baird's Sandpiper at smelly Seaton Snook which was a miracle with all the dog walkers about. The waders were buzzed by two Peregrines and a Lapwing had to throw itself into the sea to avoid becoming lunch! Highly entertaining.
We also had a quick visit to Saltholme RSPB to see the Pectoral Sandpiper. Nice numbers of waders including Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and a female Garganey.


                                                             BAIRD'S SANDPIPER

PECTORAL SANDPIPER

GREENSHANK

PEREGRINE

Ring Ouzel

Today and Saturday I saw a male Ring Ouzel in Greenfield whilst out for a run. Lets hope he stays and finds a mate.

I went back this afternoon armed with the camera! It was a bit distant but still looked fantastic. Finding your own rare or scarce British bird still beats any rare twitch

Yellow Wagtail and Great Whie Egret

Went over to Burton Mere in hope of the Black-winged pratincole but no sign when I arrived. Still some interesting birds to see including lots of Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, hundreds of sand, house martins swift and swallows and a White wagtail. Best birds though was a rather smart looking Yellow wagtail and a Great White Egret  being mobbed by Lapwings.  And yes the picture quality is rubbish as the birds were distant and had to be digiscoped!