Leighton Moss Avocets

Tuesday April 23rd a.m.
 With another day off work my dad put it to good use by visiting Leighton Moss on the
West coast.Here is his first report concentrating on the Avocets that he saw.
 On arrival the sun was beginning to break through with a start temperature of 9°C, I first
went to the Allen & Eric Morecambe hides which were built last year & give great views
across the lagoons on the edge of Morecambe Bay.With a total of 42 species seen during
the whole visit I thought it best to split the reports up over the next few days. The Avocet is
always a good bird to see I counted 61 of these and here are some pictures of a few of them.

This Avocet has something in its bill

Local Walk

Monday April 22nd a.m
 Another overcast day with temperatures around 5°C,back to school today but my dad has
a couple of days holiday so he took the dog for a long walk this morning; here are the  birds
he saw along the way.Before they set off there were a flock of 17 Siskins who were joined by
2 Lesser Redpolls in the Cherry Tree at the bottom of the garden.
 First we had a look at the bush nearby to see if the Waxwings were back, not this morning but
still plenty berries waiting for them.We headed off towards Hewenden Reservoir seeing House
Sparrows,House Martins,Wren,Collared Dove,Goldfinch,Greenfinch,Blue & Great Tits plus
other common species along the way. Also good to see & hear Willow Warbler in the trees as
we went along the Great Northern Trail,as we approached the Reservoir there was a few
Swallows overhead & a Pheasant at the bottom of the field. By the water were 3 Oystercatchers,
Canadas and 4 LBB Gulls were in the middle of the Reservoir.With them was another Gull which
I struggled to ID ,looked like a first year bird, slightly bigger than the others but I couldn't be sure
what it was.At the far end of the reservoir there was a Cormorant & a couple of Mallards, as we
turned back along the track a Pied Wagtail appeared on a nearby roof.
 We went across the viaduct and took the path alongside Hewenden Beck,across the road heading
towards Hallas Bridge, here was a Bullfinch & more Willow Warblers & a singing Chiffchaff was
heard.We walked up the hill to Bents Lane and headed towards Wilsden & Tan House Lane,here
I saw more Willow Warblers,Swallows,Robin,Chaffinch & Wren.
 I think at this point the dog was fed up with me stopping to try & take some snaps & dug her heels in,
time to go home.On our way back we saw a Moorhen on a small pond leading down to Hallas Bridge
and a Grey Heron flew over.It was very quiet on Hallas Beck we just added Starlings to the list on the
way home, still plenty berries on the bush as I passed.
 As I was editing the pictures I had a glance out of the window where a pair of Bullfinch were on the
feeders in the garden so I took another snap through the window.
 A couple more Waxwing pictures from yesterday have been added to today's pictures.

Robin

Pheasant

Oystercatcher

Three Oystercatchers

Pied Wagtail

Willow Warbler

male Chaffinch

LBB Gulls with first year Gull ?

Pair of Bullfinch in the garden

Waxwing from yesterday

Chaffinch

  

Harold Park & Park Dam

Sunday April 21st a.m.
 With the early excitement of seeing our first Waxwings this year fresh in our minds we
set off to Harold Park & Park Dam.On arrival the temperature was 7°C with still some
hazy sunshine,it was good to catch up with our old friend the Black Swan together with
four Mute Swans.The two Great Crested Grebes were still present along with Canadas,
Coots,Mallards,Moorhen & Tufted Ducks.The Swallows were also back here feeding up
after their long journey from Africa,there was also a couple of Grey Squirrels about.
  We moved to Park Dam where there was also two Great Crested Grebes & a couple of
Swallows.Here also were Canadas,Coots,Moorhen,Mallard & Tufted Duck with several
other species seen.

Black Swan

Gt C. Grebe

Grey Squirrel

Gt C. Grebe at Park Dam

Mute Swan

Harold Park

Cullingworth Waxwings

Sunday April 21st a.m.
 My dad was taking the dog for her usual walk this morning in hazy sunshine with a
temperature of 5°C.As he walked down our road he had only gone 30m when he looked
down a side road and spotted Waxwings.He quickly went back to the house grabbing a
camera and went to take some snaps, fortunately they were still there, a couple on a bush
full of berries in a nearby garden.On his approach they went back up in to the tree where he
spotted them earlier.He counted 13 as he started taking some pictures, some birds moved
nearer on to a roof, looking in the guttering for something.He got quite a few snaps before
they flew off SW over the village. With there being a bush full of berries I'm sure they'll be
back to finish them off.Here are some of his snaps and yes he did go back and take the dog
for her walk.

Waxwing

A count of 13 Waxwings

Leeming

Saturday April 20th a.m.
 We called in at Leeming on the way home with the temperature now up to 10°C,
firstly seeing Rooks & Jackdaws. As we walked at the side of the reservoir we could
hear Willow Warblers singing & then seeing them,but as we tried to get a snap they kept
giving us the run around, they were very flighty.On the water were Mallards & a pair of
Goldeneye with Swallows flying around & we also had a Cormorant fly over. Walking
back we saw a couple of Pied Wagtails, then in the over spill area we got some close
views of a pair of Grey Wagtails which rounded off a good mornings birding.

Grey Wagtail

female Goldeneye

male Goldeneye

Great Tit

Willow Warbler

Rook

Grey Wagtail