No one! Except two lads smashing ice on the pools with a dog in tow. Deciding to walk the muddy path below the Harp car park to Denhall Quay the Richard's Pipit suddenly flew up in front of me and settled again about 20 metres away. Success! The bird flew around calling a few times but always seemed to come back to the same area. Amazingly the bird I found last year was only 4 days earlier and probably a mile or so away as the pipit flys. Well done to whoever found it and put the news out.
Still on the theme of pipits I made it to Frodsham yesterday to see the Water Pipit thats hanging around on a wet cultivated piece of land in the S E corner of No. 4 tank. It was bitterly cold with -5 registering on the car thermometer so not really a day for hanging around but thats exactly what I did. The Water Pipit showed well but numb nuts forgot his camera battery - I'd left it at home charging and forgot the spares. other good birds included Water Rail and a Jack Snipe flushed from a trackside marshy bit.
The stubble fields near the house are still pulling in the birds with Skylark and a flock of Starlings joing the regulars that still includes at least 6 -7 Yellowhammers. The Redwings are still proving shy and hard to approach - unlike the Blackbirds who seem more concerned with filling their faces than the presence of either me or the dog. Meanwhile the local Buzzard kept a close eye on proceedings and caused occasional mass panic.
Back home, a pair of Bullfinches are visiting the feeders and greedily guzling the sun flower hearts whilst a male Sparrowhawk is still making regular forays. Moving the feeders has lowered his kill rate though. Again from the house the local Little Owls can be heard calling as darkness falls.
5 comments :
Hi Phil,
I think the Richard's Pipit should be renamed Richard's Smith's Pipit
for all the good work Richard has done for the Dee Estuary bird news.
What do you think?
Keith
Hi Keith.
Maybe it should be called Wirral Pipit or perhaps after the name of one of the great Wirral rarity finders.......... ;-))
Hi Phil,
The Alan Conlon pipit!!!!!!!!!!
Keith
Nice pics Phil. Love the 2nd one of the pipit, just a shame about that blade of grass.
Jase
It was a b*gger to photograph. I think it's been practising for the London Marathon. I lost sight of it and refound it 50- 60 metres away as it had run that far.
Keith.
Thats the one. Mr Conlin - finder of many a rarity on the Wirral this year and over previous years including Red-rumped Swallow, Red-necked Phalarope and the two Richard's Pipit's at West Kirby. The good thing about Allan's birds is that a lot of people get to see them!
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