<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society Newsletter
Newsletter of the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society
Local Birding League to the end of April 2003
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Position   Name    Species Points
1 Pete Marsh  180 472
2 John Reddish  176 462
3 Pete Fletcher   170 432
4 Ray Hobbs 150 330
5 Jean Roberts  152 306
6 Mark Prestwood   125  245(End Feb)
7 John Carter 114 226
8 John Mason 127 224
9 Andrew McCafferty 124  192
10 Howard Elliot  111 178
11 Mike Robinson 113 169

Pete Marsh once again is at the top of the Birding League, with John Reddish a close second.  Pete comments "I still have not seen Avocet, Bittern or Bearded Tit. Pluses include a short-staying Black Redstart at Heysham NR carpark, jamming in on the Snow Bunting on the Heysham north wall just before it flew off high to the north. Best find was two Mealy Redpoll at Thrushgill, others included two Iceland Gulls and three Ospreys. Fairly fortunate with seawatching, given the limited amount of time personally spent on the North Wall - always seemed to turn up just in time for the "big ones"! (see Jeans observations below)

John Reddish is second thanks to his extensive coverage of the area, particularly in relation to seawatching at Heysham. Other good records have included Sanderling at Red Nab, Short-eared Owl at Hawthornthwaite, Light and Dark-bellied Brent Geese and Yellowhammer at Hutton Roof, not an easy species to see in the local area.

Jean most uncanny incidents while seawatching are linked as she describes to the "Marsh factor". "With ultra economical timing, i.e. within two seconds of his arrival on the North Harbour Wall, PJM saw as many species as those who had been staring at the sea for several hours. 5 minutes was usually enough to 'clean up' and then he would go back to some cutting edge or other before returning for another five minute stint during which Skuas, Ducks and Terns of all varieties would 'materialise'. "Spooky" !!!.

On a more serious note ; Jeans best "find" can't be counted - it was a mysterious Grebe on 19th April. As she says "It was either Slavonian or Black-necked but the books don't show summer plumaged grebes in flight so I'm not sure which one it was."

The 17th April was the best day's seawatching at Heysham for her with five (mostly high scoring) year ticks: Black Tern, Pom Skua, Long-tailed Duck, Gannet and House Martin. When there wasn't much to look at on the sea there was loads of vis including Tree Pipit and Redpoll.

John Reddish is in second place, just four species less than Pete Marsh. This thanks to his extensive coverage of the area, particularly in relation to seawatching at Heysham. Other good records have included Sanderling at Red Nab, Short-eared Owl at Hawthornthwaite and Yellowhammer at Hutton Roof, not an easy species to locate in the local area.

Seawatching also provided Andrew McCafferty with his highlights in April, when Black Tern, Arctic Skua and Gannet all showed well off Heysham (and, most unusually, as he states, he was there at the right time to see them!)

Highlights for the month for Howard Elliot was seeing seven Hen Harriers at Langholm (out of our area I know) and watching them doing their courtship display flight. Was the first time he had seen it and found it incredible and exciting to watch. Also two Avocets and one Greenshank seen at Halforth. Other than that trying to play catch-up with the more full time birders - as he says "if only work didn't get in the way" !!!!

Recent highlights for Ray Hobbs  have all included seawatching, with 'loads' of Arctic Skuas and the 'best' Skua he had ever seen, a pale phase adult Pomarine Skua with spoons etc !!, plus lots of tricky to get things like Fulmar, Long-tailed Ducks,a few Black Terns and even an 'in off the sea' Marsh Harrier.

For Jon Carter the highlights were finding the Dark-bellied Brent Goose on his local patch (which I also jammed into...) the superb Waxwing invasion and the 'ludicrous' points earned for coming across Ring-necked Parakeets!

(John Mason)

 




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