<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society Newsletter
Newsletter of the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society
MARKS REALITY DIARY
Summer 2001
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MARCH

I only managed to go birding for two days in March, recording new species on the last day of the month. With three Marsh Harriers, two males and a female, Chiffchaff and Sand Martin at Leighton Moss. This possible as Lilians, Jackson and Griesdale hides were re-opened and we were able to birdwatch other than from the tearoom. Wheatear at Red Nab, Heysham and Short-eared Owl on Middleton Industrial Estate were my last birds.

APRIL

Seawatching would dominate the month starting on the 1st from Heysham North Harbour Wall, with Gannet, Sandwich Tern and Kittiwake.

Then moving out towards Leighton Moss, with Little Gull on Pine Lake first.  Then, with the Eric Morecambe pools being closed, viewing from the Crag Road watchpoint produced Barnacle Goose and Black-tailed Godwit, the latter being my 100th Leighton Moss year tick.

Iceland Gull at Heysham on the 5th was a much needed area life tick, which stayed for five days. A 5 hour seawatch off Jenny Browns Point only produced Common Scoter, whilst a late afternoon visit to Leighton Moss produced Swallow, House Martin and Ruddy Duck, which was twitched from the tearoom.  Sunday 8th April and I was back at Heysham again with Arctic Skua, Great Skua, and Razorbill. This has been the best spring for a long time for seabirds in the bay.

The Easter Bank Holiday started well, with the Bewick Swan at Cockersands, a Ring Ouzel at the Trough of Bowland from the car, Willow Warbler at Leighton, then Green Sandpiper and White Wagtail at Aldcliffe on the Friday.  Over the weekend I saw Little Ringed Plover at Borwick Lane Pits and Guillemot from the North Harbour Wall. 

Two Avocets were found on the Eric Morecambe pools on the Wednesday, with the next day producing the second rare gull of the month, a second summer Glaucous Gull on the River Lune. After a week checking Pine Lake, I finally got Common Sandpiper on the 21st, along with Ruff from the Crag viewpoint.. The rest of the week produced 3 Arctic Terns off the Harbour Wall, Reed Warbler, Swift and Yellow Wagtail at Leighton Moss, Corn Bunting at Cockersands, Greenshank from the Crag Viewpoint, then Whimbrel over the Island Mere when walking down the road.

Then for me the best bird of the month and year so far when, during a four hour seawatch off JB's Point, at 2.20pm, while watching six Arctic Skuas, a Pomarine Skua flew in, followed by a second and they stayed on view for two hours.  Pomarine Skua was my 207th reserve tick and 247th for the local area.  End of April total 160 species and 324 points

MAY

An Osprey at Leighton Moss stayed for a week this year, unlike last year's bird that flew off just as I arrived. In between seawatching at JB 's point came Green Woodpecker. Garden Warbler on the 5th was my next tick at Leighton Moss by the 'blue gate'.   Its not been a blue gate for years, but you know where I mean! Then Sedge Warbler on the 7th.  Nearby foot and mouth means we have to bird from the road to a large extent, but with places like Borwick Lane Pit, with Garganey on the 12th and Lesser Whitethroat at the Crag viewpoint the day after, birding is still not too bad.  Also the same day a trip to Barbon in the afternoon produced Cuckoo, Redstart and Whinchat, all from the road.

I have now changed jobs,  having to clock in at 8.00am and off at 5.30pm, so on Wednesday16th May, I thought I would miss out on the Tawny Pipit found at Heysham mid morning.   Fortunately it stopped until 8.00pm at least and became my 248th bird recorded in the local area. Whitethroat was also a year tick the same day.

A Sanderling on the 19th might not have been unusual but for its location, in front of Lilians Hide. Another afternoon trip to Barbon produced the rest of its specialities, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler.

My bank holiday week-end was spent in Norfolk and Nottingham, like some other reality leaguers, but an early return on Monday 28th was rewarded by Manxies and Fulmars off JB's Point. These were to be my last birds for the month, giving me a total of 178 species and 373 points




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