|
The Dunnington (York) Pine Bunting. 25/2/2017
(Preview)
A Pine Bunting was found in Dunnington near York last week. It associated itself with a large flock of finches (Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Brambling and Tree Sparrow) A few of our friends from the York area had really struggled to see the bird but, as the flock was being fed in a couple of area`s an...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
132
|
|
|
|
|
Northumberland & East Coast. 19/2/2017
(Preview)
With two of the A team needing to see the Pacific Diver that has been present at East Chevington, Northumberland for a while and with the promise of fine weather, we arranged to go. We met in Newhey at 6am, a time that our driver Steve K seemed unfamiliar with having had to miss his regular large brea...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
115
|
|
|
|
|
It Had to Happen. 12/2/2017
(Preview)
If you keep trying to do something without any joy, dont give up, stick at it and eventually you will succeed. Now that is one of my many profound statements which can really be applied to the A Teams effort`s to see the Red Breasted Goose near Pilling, Lancashire. We had originally planned to go to s...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
122
|
|
|
|
|
Goosed Again! 5/2/2017
(Preview)
The long staying Red Breasted Goose that has been in the Pilling area in Lancashire has been admired by visitors from far & wide, but not by any of the A Team. One of our members has already been twice without any luck. So it seemed right that as the bird has been in the same field for the last thre...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
108
|
|
|
|
|
WILD GOOSE CHASE 06/02/2017
(Preview)
Text message from Sarfraz Sunday evening, are you coming on a wild goose chase on Monday morning yes was the answer. Unfortunately it turned into one as the targeted species Red-breasted Goose and Lesser Snow Goose nowhere to be seen Not all was lost first stop Eagland Hill where Sarfraz had are fir...
|
craggy
|
2
|
182
|
|
|
|
|
Waxwings Worsthorne
(Preview)
After having a small dose of them in Rossendale but left wanting more Craggy and I decided to nip over to Worsthorne to see if some that had been around a week were still there. They were there indeed as predicted. Approx 50 of them but a few days back someone mentioned there were over 100. Luckily jus...
|
sarfraz
|
2
|
158
|
|
|
|
|
Lancashire winter birding. 22/1/2017
(Preview)
A Red breasted Goose had turned up in Norfolk with a large quantity of Pink footed Geese in December. It didnt stay long in Norfolk and was relocated in North Lancashire in the Cockerham area. Myself and Steve B decided to have a go at seeing it and left Rochdale at 7am on a cool morning. We called at Fishmo...
|
David Ousey
|
2
|
128
|
|
|
|
|
WORLD RECORD
(Preview)
http://focusingonwildlife.com/news/this-man-has-just-broken-the-record-for-most-bird-species-seen-in-a-year-2/
|
brian
|
1
|
135
|
|
|
|
|
Mud, mud glorious mud. Sunday 15th January
(Preview)
The possibility of going out birding this Sunday looked very slim with rain forecast for most of the day and with illness etc, we decided to give it a miss. Whilst I sat in my night attire, watching it rain and contemplating having to watch the millionaires of Manchester & Liverpool ballet tea...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
110
|
|
|
|
|
GM Day out. 8/1/2017
(Preview)
Me and Steve K decided on a leisurely, local trip to see what we could find. It was quite foggy in the Rochdale area and as we headed for Pennington Flash (via a new way brought on by myself not watching road signs) the fog did not seem to be lifting. Such birds like Long Tailed Duck, Cettis Warbler and as th...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
118
|
|
|
|
|
Waxwings Galore..
(Preview)
Lots of these beauties about locally with up to 110 at Barrow/Whalley, 53 Burnley, 40+ Nelson, 60+ Blackburn and 101 in Todmorden. Just need some to arrive in Rossendale and stay put for a few days for everyone to see well. No sign of the 50+ at Reedsholme this afternoon despite lots of berries still bei...
|
C Bel
|
1
|
143
|
|
|
|
|
North Wales.
(Preview)
2 good trips to North Wales over Christmas and the New Year. 1st on 27th Dec for the Black-throated Thrush and Waxwings at St Asaph and again on the 2nd Jan `17 for the showy Snow Buntings at Deganwy, Rhos for Purple Sandpipiers and another go for some better pics the B T Thrush. After finding the BT Thrush...
|
C Bel
|
0
|
148
|
|
|
|
|
New Year`s Day in Merseyside & Wirral. 2017
(Preview)
Our annual blow away the cobwebs trip started with an early (6-30am) departure from Rochdale for four A team members. We decided on Merseyside initially and we headed for Marshside, Southport with myself at the wheel. After a tricky drive in the dark we soon reached Southport and it was still dark! A g...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
128
|
|
|
|
|
Blue Rock Thrush, Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire. 28/12/2016
(Preview)
When people tell you about an unusual bird that they have seen near where they live, what do you do? Get a description from them and then show them some pictures or better still go and have a look at it. It usually ends up as being a fairly common bird but, on this occasion, the bird turned out to be a Blue...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
119
|
|
|
|
|
Dusky Thrush Revisited. 11/12/2016
(Preview)
The Dusky Thrush, that seems to have taken up residence in the small village of Beeley in Derbyshire, was still giving decent views in the orchard at Dukes Barn Recreation Centre, so, a trip with 2 of the A Team was organised. The two Steve`s B and K both needed to add this species to their lists, so a 7a...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
124
|
|
|
|
|
Dusky Thrush in Beeley, Derbyshire. 6/12/2016
(Preview)
The news late on Sunday of a Dusky Thrush in the small village of Beeley, Derbyshire was kept a little hush hush until access etc could be arranged. A minor invasion of the village on Monday afternoon followed and the bird was seen by all who went to see this Siberian gem. Could I resist going to se...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
104
|
|
|
|
|
Raptor Watch at Welwick, Yorkshire. 4/12/2016
(Preview)
With the lads from York needing the Pallid Harrier for a Yorkshire tick, it only seemed right to join them on their quest for the bird after many failures. The bird has been frequenting the area around Welwick since early November, apart from the odd trip across the water to see what Lincolnshir...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
123
|
|
|
|
|
Dusky Thrush Beeley Derbyshire.. 7th Dec `16.
(Preview)
Made the trip to Derbyshire today to have a look at the 13th UK record of Dusky Thrush. Only fair as the bird had travelled 1000`s of miles from the Far East for us to see it.. Nice bird. 1st winter female is the general opinion as of today. A few distant record shots. -- Edited by C Bel on Thursday 8th of Decem...
|
C Bel
|
0
|
139
|
|
|
|
|
Waxwings - Blackburn
(Preview)
A flock have been present near The Griffin Pub area since Sunday 27th November and I nipped up to see them. Quite a few birders present. The Waxwings were a bit jittery but not surprised with some deciding to stand right under the tree.
|
sarfraz
|
1
|
141
|
|
|
|
|
Leighton Moss
(Preview)
On Sunday managed to visit the Moss with Paul Burke and met one of his friends there, who I also know of flickr. We arrived at Sunrise but the day was a bit cloudy so no spectacular Autumnal Golden Dawns. It was Paul's first visit and he commented that there were lots of small birds around. We headed...
|
sarfraz
|
1
|
132
|
|
|
|
|
RSPB Burton Mere & Denhall Lane, Wirral. 27/11/2016
(Preview)
A trip to a place that I always enjoy visiting was on the cards now that the major autumn rush has finally ended. It was to be a solo trip, as the rest of the A team seem to have mothballed their binoculars for the year. A late starting time of 8-30am on a cold, but pleasant (for late November) morning had m...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
107
|
|
|
|
|
Hooded Merganser at Kilbirnie Loch, Ayrshire, Scotland. 20/11/2016
(Preview)
The controversy surrounding most unusual wildfowl arriving on our shores has always mystified me, the usual questions, is it wild, does it come to bread, has it got a ring, has it escaped from a wildfowl collection? All may have a bearing on a birds ability to get it self-accepted by the rarity committ...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
108
|
|
|
|
|
Cliff Swallow at Minsmere. 5/11/2016
(Preview)
Late Friday afternoon, around 4-30pm, I got a call from Mark K, he said, There is a Cliff Swallow at Minsmere. Apart from being a bit shocked an Eyebrowed Thrush had also been discovered in Northumberland (it was never refound). Just as we all had thoughts of this bird rich autumn finally running down t...
|
David Ousey
|
2
|
140
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern Delight on the East Coast. 30/10/2016
(Preview)
After debating where to go at the weekend our minds were suddenly made up for us when a Pied Wheatear was re-identified late on Saturday evening. It was thought that it was originally a Desert or Black Eared type of Wheatear. An early start from Rochdale was required as I was meeting up with the York cr...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
107
|
|
|
|
|
Point & Thorns at Spurn. Sunday 23rd October 2016
(Preview)
After last week`s full on encounters, thoughts of a nice leisurely bit of birding sprung to mind for the coming weekend. Then Spurn, true to form, produced more eastern bird specialities such as Isabelline Wheatear, two Siberian Stonechats 1-Maura and 1 possible Stejneger`s. With three of the A...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
108
|
|
|
|
|
Siberian Rushing. 13/10 & 14/10/2016
(Preview)
The mobile phone really is a great invention, it has certainly speeded up the flow of information between people. My phone rung on Thursday afternoon around 3-10pm and it was Mark K from York he said, ?There is a Siberian Accentor near the old school in Easington just before Spurn?. He said other thin...
|
David Ousey
|
2
|
129
|
|
|
|
|
Spurn Rerun. Sunday 16th October 2016
(Preview)
As the easterly`s had continued to blow lots of birds towards the east coast, it was a good plan to go again and see what we could find. So three A teamers with Steve K at the wheel headed to the Spurn area. The headline bird was again the Siberian Accentor at Easington. We parked in the car park, well f...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
109
|
|
|
|
|
Donna Nook, 15th Oct 2016
(Preview)
My first 'twitch' for many years and managed to get good views of the Red-flanked Bluetail that has been at Donna Nook for a couple of days now. Other birds seen included: Little Egret, c12 Brent Goose, c500, Hen Harrier, 1 ringtail, Buzzard, c6, Kestrel, c6, Grey Plover, c20, Golden Plover, c2000, Du...
|
David Nuttall
|
0
|
139
|
|
|
|
|
East is East!
(Preview)
 The Easterly winds had started over a week ago and focus was one question? - When will we be going to Spurn and environs?  After much dithering Sunday the 9th was the chosen day and I met Craggy (Mr C) at about 5am. We set off at a relaxed place and reached out first point just before 7.30am. This was...
|
sarfraz
|
2
|
156
|
|
|
|
|
Another Good Day at Spurn. Sunday 9th October 2016
(Preview)
The type of wind and weather fronts almost guaranteed a good weekend for migrant birds on the east coast. So, with 2 of the A team joining with 2 of the lads from York, who had been to Spurn the day before, we would almost certainly have a good day`s birding! I picked up Bob K in Milnrow, in the dark, the...
|
David Ousey
|
0
|
109
|
|
|
