<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society Newsletter
Newsletter of the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society
Sightings in the LDBWS area
Mid September 2004 - mid January 2005
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Lancashire's first Penduline Tit made an all-too-brief visit to Leighton Moss on 11/11. It was seen for less than one hour feeding in reeds opposite Lilian's Hide by about 15 fortunate (or quick-off-the-mark) observers. However the somewhat distant views in rather poor light created some uncertainties. The thin black mask did not appear to extend on to the forehead suggesting that it was a female, while the rufous mantle and breast were more indicative of a male. Influxes of two Fennoscandian species, Waxwing and Bullfinch (of the nominate race P.p.pyrrhula) provided the other main highlights of the period under review. Small numbers of Waxwings began to appear from late October onwards, with numerous typically mobile single-figure flocks reported, while higher counts included 32 at Beetham on 25/11, 30 at Westgate, Morecambe on 1/12, up to 110 at Arnside in mid December, 40 at Caton on 19/12, up to 200 at High Bentham in late December and 46 at Greaves Park Nursery, Lancaster on 16/1. However, more unprecedented than this Waxwing influx were several records of birds exhibiting characteristics of 'northern Bullfinch'. These are slightly larger and brighter than birds of the British race (P.p.pileata), but are perhaps best distinguished by their distinctive 'toy trumpet' call. Following large numbers in the Shetlands and Outer Hebrides during late September-October, single birds (mostly males) were noted at Heysham Nature Reserve on 28/10, Burton in Lonsdale on 8/1, Aldcliffe on 21/11, Cold Park Wood near Wray on 11/12, Birk Bank on 18/12, Herring Head Wood, near Low Bentham on 20/12 and Sizergh Castle on 16/1, while an impressive 28 were seen in a 4-hour drive around various sites in the Hindburndale area on 12/12.

A sustained period of strong westerly winds during mid-late September provided good sea-watching conditions; the highlights being a juvenile Long-tailed Skua off the Stone Jetty on 20/9 and 1 (possibly 2) juvenile Sabine's Gulls off Heysham North Harbour Wall on 21/9. A total of 68 Leach's Petrels were seen off Heysham North Harbour Wall on 8 dates between 12/9 and 28/9, including 36 on 20/9, while counts of 8 and 5 were also noted off the Stone Jetty and Jenny Brown's Point respectively on 20/9. Other offshore seabirds included an adult Pomarine Skua off Jenny Brown's Point on 20/9 and a juvenile Black Tern off Heysham North Harbour Wall on 12/9, plus totals

of 98 Fulmars, 13 Manx Shearwaters, 33 Gannets, 4 Arctic Skuas and 4 Great Skuas between 11/9 and 6/10. In addition, several seabirds appeared at inland sites including a juvenile Shag at Pine Lake on 20/0-26/9, a Gannet at the same site on 21/9 and a Little Gull seen flying west over the Freehold area of Lancaster on 22/9. A succession of westerly gales during early-mid January 2005 produced a more limited

selection of seabirds; the most notable being a minimum of 78 Little Gulls off Heysham North Harbour Wall on 8/1, followed by 50 there on 12/1 and 22 on 18/1 and 55 Scaup off Jenny Brown's Point on 2/1, followed by an exceptional count of 109 there on 13/1.

Both these species are likely to have been displaced from the Shell Flats area c.5-10km off the Fylde coast and returned there during the intervening periods of calmer weather. In addition, an exhausted Fulmar was at Leighton Moss on 4/1.

The other main non-passerine highlights comprised a juvenile Honey Buzzard flying south over the A683 near Burrow in the Lune Valley on 15/9 and a drake Ferruginous Duck at Leighton Moss on 15/10-24/10. Was this the same individual that visited Leighton Moss in September-October 2001 and late August 2002? Despite some promising synoptic conditions for producing falls of migrants, few scarce passerines (aside from the Waxwings and northern Bullfinches detailed above) were recorded during the autumn.

The most notable event concerned a large movement of Redwings during the morning of 9/10, including a staggering total of 41,000 flying east over Fluke Hall. Flocks of several hundred were noted at various other locations and somewhat expectedly most were flying north or east, suggesting a reorientation of birds that had drifted out over the Irish Sea the previous night. Other notable passerines included a Lapland Bunting in the stubble fields near Cockersand Abbey on 7/10, 2 typically elusive Water

Pipits at Leighton Moss from 30/10 onwards, single Snow Buntings at Caton Moor on 30/10 and Heysham North Harbour Wall on 8/11, a male Black Redstart at Heysham North Harbour Wall on 1/11 and a late Garden Warbler at Burton in Lonsdale on 8/11-9/11, while a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Eaves Wood, Silverdale on 11/1.

Pete Crooks




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