Another month over birding this brilliant local patch saw some nice birds being seen throughout the month, with me finishing the month on 149 species for the local patch year so far, with 4 more months to go.
Wednesday 5th
Taking full advantage of being on summer shutdown at work i headed out to East Halton and had a really good visit with a decent 77 species entering the notes.
The main highlight was not for some the most inspiring, but i managed to find an eclipse male Mandarin Duck on Winter's Pond. The bird was watched roosting under the bank at the far side of the main lake. It is the first record for my personal local patch list and puts me on 234 species, a decent total i think.
Other species on and over Winter's included juvenile Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls, a Pink-footed Goose with the Greylag flock, 20 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Green Sandpipers, Greenshank, 21 Little Grebes and a Kingfisher.
Along Marsh Lane, a singing male Quail was heard, my second of the year for the local patch in what is becoming a record year for the species nationally.
A wander up to East Halton Skitter, saw more good birds being seen which included an adult Sanderling, 6 more Common sandpipers between Killingholme Haven and the Skitter, 22 Bar-tailed Godwit and 3 Whimbrel which flew east.
Two Harbour Porpoise showed really nicely off the Skitter today as well, great to see as always.
Saturday 22nd
Another trip to East Halton today, saw more niceties around Winter's Pond in the form of the male Mandarin still, 650 Greylag and 77 Canada Geese, the first returning Wigeon of the autumn, 22 Mute swan, a Drake Pochard, 14 Coot, 3 Green Sands, 3 Ruff, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull which flew north, 12 Cormorant, 2 Great-white Egret, first adult plumaged male Marsh Harrier, 65 Barn Swallows, 15 Sand Martin, 6 Willow Warbler and a Green Woodpecker.
Around the Skitter on today's visit, 3 Common Sandpiper, 18 Ruddy Turnstone, 79 Redshank, 2 Ruff and a juvenile Marsh Harrier.
Saturday 29th
A really good visit to East Halton again today, saw a whopping 88 species being seen.
An early start saw 2 Little Owl being heard calling in their usual location at dawn, a nice start to the visit.
The best of the days sightings went to a lovely juvenile Black Tern at Winter's Pond, which showed nicely, but was a buggar to try and video, but i eventually managed some phone-scoped stills and video when it perched up.
A juvenile Spotted Redshank also at Winter's was a very welcome addition to the year list for the local patch.
Other species and notable records here included the 2 Great-white Egret still, 2 Green Sands, 3 Ruff, adult male and juvenile Marsh Harriers, 5 Wigeon, 66 Eurasian Teal, Great-spotted Woodpecker, 45 Barn Swallow and the single Pink-footed Goose again.
At the Skitter 5 Pintail flew south, 7 Ringed Plover, 6 Common sands and 1 Red Knot.
Marsh Lane provided 2 great sightings also, with a very rare these days, Tree Sparrow with a feeding Finch flock and a hunting Hobby, which was so close to me when it flew past, i felt the whoosh of its wings, amazing!.
Sunday 30th
A wander around the whole patch today, parking as usual at Goxhill Haven.
Best of the sightings at Goxhill went to a single Hobby, Peregrine and Kestrel all having a sparring match which was great to see, 3 juvenile Wheatears, 16 Little Grebe on the main pond at the old boatyard, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull which flew south east, 55 Curlew, 15 Ruddy Turnstone, 135 European-golden Plover, 17 Gadwll, a Common Sandpiper and 5 Mute Swans.
Highlights at East Halton Skitter today included 37 Pied Avocet, 2 juvenile Little Stint with Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and 5 Yellow Wagtail.
A Clouded Yellow was also seen at the Skitter today.
A really enjoyable month, with some great birds and wildlife seen.
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