Local Patching Update - February Roundup.

A roundup of sighting's from my local patch at East Halton.

Saturday 3rd

A decent visit today with the main highlight being the continued presence of the 2 wintering Russian White-fronted Geese being seen today on Winter's with the Greylag flock.

It was nice to see these lovely birds after i had not seen them since the 20th of January.It won't be long before they are heading back to their breeding grounds and hopefully they will return next winter.

Also seen at Winter's were a lovely pair of Goosander, the first here for some time it has to be said and the 4 wintering Goldeneye were also present still along with a good count of 54 Gadwall.

The best sightings on the marshes went to a lovely Merlin and 3 Ruff along with a 110 Black-tailed Godwit.

Marsh Lane held the usual pair of wintering Stonechat, with a prospecting male Great-spotted Woodpecker along Jericho Lane observed excavating a nest hole.

Sunday 11th

A nice surprise to greet me on today's visit, was a Great-crested Grebe on Winter's first thing, i really do hope this bird can attract a mate and we can get a successful breeding record here again.

Also here were the usual 4 Goldeneye, a pair of Pochard, a singing male Cetti's Warbler and 7 Tree Sparrow around the cottage garden and pig pens.

On the Humber off Winter's were 110 Avocet and a single Ruff, making the most of the low tide level.

On the marshes a whopping count of 293 Black-tailed Godwits included a colour-ringed bird with the combinations of Y//R-O-W which i had seen in the area on the 14.11.23..The bird is an adult female and was ringed on 13.08.10. making the bird at least 15 years old.She is well travelled being recorded on the Wash, Cheshire, Essex, Northern Ireland, North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and on her breeding grounds in Iceland.

Also on the marshes were 36 Shoveler, 410 Wigeon, 345 Teal and 225 Pink-footed Geese flew north west.

Along Marsh Lane, the gorgeous female Hen Harrier was seen again heading across the fields towards Killingholme, with the wintering pair of Stonechat being seen again in their usual field.

The only other highlight was a single Jay seen along East Halton Beck.

Sunday 25th 

A proper feel of spring today from first thing, with 3 singing male Cetti's Warbler at Winter's along with my first spring migrant, a singing male Chiffchaff along the line of Willows just south of the chimney, a great area for Warblers.

Other birds here included 10 Tree Sparrow, 3 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest, the regular 4 Goldeneye, Great-crested Grebe still, 2 Oystercatcher and 499 Pink-footed Geese flew north west.

On the marshes, the best of it went to a hunting Merlin, single Ruff and a displaying male Lapwing.....spring is definitely on the way now!.

The female Hen Harrier was again seen along Marsh Lane, a welcome sighting as always, with a 2nd calendar year Peregrine seen along Skitter Road.

East Halton Skitter held a single Water Pipit still and at least 4 Rock Pipits which included 2 birds coming into their summer plumage, typically jumpy and i couldn't get anywhere near them to get any video.

Also around the Skitter were 102 Avocet, a pair of Stonechat and my first Butterfly species of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell, a most welcome sighting.

A nice few visits to the patch, unfortunately work has began on the construction of the carbon capture pipeline and hedges are being ripped up, very sad to see!!!.

Incoming Rain 3rd.

Jericho Lane,3rd.

Skitter Road,3rd.

Dawn At Winter's,25th.

Sunrise 25th.

Buck Roe Deer, Jericho Lane, 25th.

Lovely Big Skies Over The Skitter, 25th.