REALITY
BIRDING LEAGUE
MARKS
DIARY
JUNE/JULY/AUGUST
At the end of May I had finished equal third
on species, but fourth in the league due to Jean Roberts better finds scores.
First new bird was Fulmar from Teal Bay on
Monday 21st June and it was my only new bird for June, but Hobby at
Leighton Moss on the 4th and a Green Sandpiper on the 6th
started July off nicely.
A two hour seawatch off Jenny Browns Point on
the 17th July with Steve Dodgson had him picking up 2 Manx
Shearwaters off Heysham flying towards Walney Island and I only just got them!.
S.J.D.’s early morning checks of the Eric Morecambe pools, produced a Pectoral
Sandpiper on the 27th July, which hopefully most of the leaguers got
to see.
I found two Wood Sandpipers on the evening of
the 3rd August and this was the start of a good number, possibly up
to 10 being seen at Leighton Moss. S.J.D. found a Little Stint on the 6th
August, but nothing new until a Curlew Sandpiper on the 20th with the
number then rising to over 20.
Phil Blackmore and John Reddish located a
Spotted Crake from Griesedale hide and this was a species that was not seen last
year. The best bird of the month was left to last and this was a juvenile
Woodchat Shrike on the 28th, by the Allen Pool fields. This was the
first for Leighton Moss and only the second record for the LDBWS area. This took
was Leighton Moss list to 199 and my LDBWS list to 240. It also put my
year list up to 180, two more species than last year.
To finish the month off, I seawatched off Jenny
Brown’s Point with P.B. & kids, J.R. (Ewing), and S.J.D. I picked up
a Manx Shearwater myself, so claiming the two bonus points.
By the time this Newsletter hits the street, I
will be on Fair Isle again, my seventh year in a row. Hope I don’t miss much
!!!.