Tuesday 19 July 2011

Patch 1 mega...missed :(

The Safari was intrigued to learn of a Green Woodpecker seen on Patch 1 on Monday by PL. Sadly he wasn’t able to get a pic of this really scarce vistor to the Fylde. Quote... I also missed out on a photo of a bird I've been after for years - a Green Woodpecker which took off from the back field just as I was about to add it to the memory card...unquote...doohhh how unlucky can you get...we’d have been double gutted for sure!!! This is the first record of the species for the patch and a BIG blocker for those of us keeping a patch list!
The Peregrine again roosted on its favourite ledge last night but as usual was gone by the time we get out in the morning. A coupla-three small flocks of Starlings were noted, numbering between 75 and 100 altogether, coming from direction of the pier so a small roost may be developing already.

In the park the local Wrens and Robins were quite vocal this morning but Blackbird numbers were very much reduced which might be unexpected as the recent very wet weather should have made worms easier to come by on the lawns.
Patch 2's flat calm sea was in total contrast to yesterday’s maelstrom and produced even less; just half a dozen Common Scoters. On the beach the storm had washed up a veritable bonanza for the gulls and there were many hundreds to the south of us with the first en-mass arrival of this year’s Herring Gull youngsters.
By lunchtime the wind had picked up again but nowhere near as strong as yesterday. We joined AB on the seawall but apart from a Grey Seal close enough to upset the fishermen (the lad next to us caught a small Codling) and the odd small flock of Common Scoters, a male sat on the waves close by, little was happening. Two Common Terns went north in the ear to middle distance while much further out two possible Skua sps also went north but we couldn’t get anything on them for a decent stab at an ID. A roost of 200+ Oystercatchers on the beach away to the south was probably the best of the session but beyond our southern ‘border’.

We went back to work but AB stayed out, planning to be there for another couple of hours but soon gave up due to the lack of anything to see.

On Patch 1 with Frank we turned over the manky old tent and found a nice bright lively Frog and the biggest Toad w've seen for a long time - huge...if only we'd taken the camera!
Where to next? More of the same tomorrow and maybe some inverts.
In the meantime let us know what goodies ‘invaders’ have found in your outback.

2 comments:

Warren Baker said...

That Green Wood will surely be back Dave :-)

Stuart Price said...

Shame about the GW, the only ones I recall seeing in NW England were at Leighton Moss I think.......