The New Sludge Bed, Clifton Marsh by Jim Clift

A Day Out - Ortolan Bunting at Eagland Hill by Geoff Gradwell

Common Rosefinch at Pilling Lane May 2007 by Peter Rhind

Underwatched? by Stephen Dunstan

Fylde Blockers - And where to try for them by Stephen Dunstan

In on a potential Western Palearctic first by Stephen Dunstan

The return of the Great Knot by Chris Batty

The Great Knot at Skippool Creek - a new Fylde bird by Chris Batty

The Blue Fulmar at Starr Gate - the first Fylde record by Stephen Dunstan

Fylde next? by Chris Batty

The Hoopoe at Lytham St.Anne's Nature Reserve by Stephen Dunstan

My Fylde Year 2002 by Chris Batty

Almost a Great White Egret at Freckleton by Stephen Dunstan

The New Sludge Bed, Clifton Marsh

Viewed on your computer from Space, Google Earth shows us a white rectangular scar on the riverbank, near the Savick Brook the Millennium Ribble Navigation outlet to the river, on Clifton Marsh.

In its hay day, as a result in some small part due to maintenance activity by the Port of Preston Authority, a fantastic birding habitat was created on the north bank of the River Ribble.

Historically, it was the Lancashire Cotton Industry which provided the impetus to create or extend a port in Preston. Successive Ribble Navigation Companies developed the Port and particularly its access, by straightening, a once meandering River, with a retaining wall.

To keep pace with the development of new larger vessels being built, the dock had to cope with a wider variety of cargoes as well as ships. This caused problems and difficulties maintaining a navigable channel, requiring constant dredging.



In 1975 -76 the continued dredging of the River to keep pace with shipping trade and keep a navigable channel clear of accumulating river sediments and deposits absorbed much of the profits.

Despite efforts made by the Dredger, the Hoveringham V, a combination of escalating costs and loss of trade, the Port of Preston was closed, on the grounds of economic viability, at the end of October 1981.

The Dredger, the Hoveringham V left the Dock on the 22nd October 1981 having left as part of its heritage, the New Sludge Bed, on Clifton marsh.

The Hoveringham V was a Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger. It trails its suction pipe, when working, and the silt and sediments are loaded in hoppers within the vessel. When the hoppers are full the THSD moves to a disposal area where it deposits its load, through pipes into reservoirs built specially on the riverbank. The ‘slurry of dredging’ and water pumped into these lagoons is called ‘Slurry Dewatering’ and preferential to simply releasing it onto farmland, probably due to its salinity.



Prof. Popham’s Paper: “The Littoral Fauna of the Ribble Estuary”, informs us that mudflats are teeming with invertebrate life, but traces of freshwater and mud limit the spread of 47 named species of invertebrates. Also it is regarded that the salinity of the River, east of Freckleton rarely exceeds 50%.

So, this type of dredging can create some considerable disturbance to aquatic ecosystems of the river bottom and a quarter of a million birds regularly winter on the mudflats of the Ribble estuary and salt marsh, consuming many of these invertebrates.

During the Autumn Migration, flocks of waders arrive in Britain from their tundra breeding grounds and need to refuel. They can be found on any stretch of open water, reservoirs, river banks and estuaries from July onwards. In 1976, the year of the “Drought Summer”, these lagoons on the river bank began to evaporate, increasing salinity and exposing islands of mud rich in invertebrate life.

It didn’t take the migrating birds long to find this newly created oasis and feeding up station. Wherever the “Birding” is good, then the Birders soon follow.



I believe that “Bird watching access” to the site had to be negotiated and provided that cars were parked off the site, there was a long straight road, lined with hedges you needed to walk to the riverbank.

As the drought continued to hit hard, more of the mud became exposed, through August and September and the Dredger did not seem to be replenishing these lagoons. The birds were now flocking to this site including 23 Grey Herons feeding in the deeper water and the wading birds paddling around the islands.

The problem with the site involved viewing it from the bank. As soon as a head broke the skyline all the birds would flush. So, Dave Pye and I decided to build a hide on the 25th August 1976.
All the materials we used had to be found on the High Tide mark of the riverbank.



The front was made of railway sleepers with a ladder, with no wooden rungs only wire, placed horizontally for the window. It had a roof and sides made of planks roughly fastened together. For a seat we fashioned a plank on two metal barrels. It worked brilliantly to conceal an approach, but the wildfowlers took the roof off to get an overhead shot. Its main fault, was that it put in the wrong place, in the middle of the bank. The water receded from either side exposing the mud there first.

On the 16th October 1976 I went with my father to the Sludge bed and met up with Dave Tucker, who was already there. We flushed a bird, a bit smaller than a Snipe, and shorter billed with a “Tse-eeep” call I had never heard before. I alerted everyone and on the Monday night, after ’The Preston Society’ meeting I arranged for some bird calls to be played. The bird we heard corresponded to a tape played of an American Pectoral Sandpiper. Fortunately, the bird was seen again by my former Biology Teacher Mr. P. Carah and confirmed as a Pectoral Sandpiper, on the 20th October 1976. It had been flushed by a Kestrel about fifteen minutes before I arrived.

My last visit was on the 23rd October 1976.

Jim Clift November 2009

A Day Out - Ortolan Bunting at Eagland Hill It was first job of the day, there was no hot water from the tap in the Knott End kitchen of a family member and it had to be fixed... ever tried getting a plumber? (Any plumbers out there?) I'd changed taps before so off I went to do it , as soon as. It wasn't as bad as I had anticipated as I had spares with me and was done fairly quickly, but then there was the shed... So it was mid afternoon before I left Knott End, just as the rain started and I use lots of different routes to and fro, partly through boredom or at least attempts to prevent it, and I thought I'd call and get some organic vegetables from Bradshaw Lane, it's sort of on the way home. I called in but they had nothing available, however I had a very pleasant conversation with the farmer (sorry, no name) and colleague and we talked for five minutes about birds, particularly the owls, but not before I'd accredited myself by saying I was a new member of the Fylde Bird Club, as indeed I am both. There was talk of a butty bar for all those 'twitchers' who had clogged the lane trying to view the owls! (I feel a change in career coming on). Needless to say, it was grey, overcast with rolling clouds storming in across the Fylde from the west and raining. Not a day to be standing around outside talking birds... stood there talking, I'm thinking, 'what's that on the wire up there'... no bins, poor light, and poor eyesight... couldn't see. Back in the car, wet, the car is going to steam up and I can't really open the windows without more rain pouring in. Headlights on (it is that dark and overcast), wipers on and reversing out, I pull up at the exit and, now do I head home, weather is awful so wont see anything... on the spur of the moment, I turn right and head off down Bradshaw Lane towards the feeding station, keeping my eyes open as I drive down the lane. In the back of my mind, I'm wondering about that Yellowhammer I'd seen four days earlier half a mile or so away and wondered if he or his mates might be about. I'd had an 'electronic conversation' on 'birdforum' website (thanks to Chris Batty) about finding yellowhammers in the previous days. Before the recent sighting days earlier, when yet again similar awful conditions and it wasn't the best view I'd ever had, the last yellowhammer I had seen was quite a few years ago near Bartle Hall, outside Preston. I haven't been to the feeding station on Bradshaw Lane before and wondered where it is, at least if I recce it now on what has to be a quiet time, I can hopefully come back when there is better light and might see something. Needless to say a large council wagon is on the single track road and as I am in no rush I pull up outside a farm and allow him to hurtle towards me and pass where there is plenty of room. We acknowledge each other with the Australian wave. Down past the farm, driving slowly, I see what looks like the entrance to the track on the left. Approaching slowly I pull into what is a layby as I had been told, making sure I'm not an obstruction and peer out through the rain-swept passenger window – yep, there's feed on the ground, this must be it. Clear the windscreen with the wipers as best I can, the car is, and the windows are a little misty, I open the nearside window as the rain is forty-five degrees from the right... only the odd spot falling inside the car. Straight away there are one or two birds on the feed. Bins to the eyes and I can see a couple of female chaffinch. The rain has eased a little, wow a few tree sparrows drop in, a couple of male chaffinches, hmmnn and then yep, a yellowhammer. Excellent. No time at all. I scan the surrounding area, telegraph poles and wires, can't see much to the left because of the perimeter hedge, behind me the road and boundary hedges cut off any view, the field to right is wide, open and flat. I can't se much through the other car windows anyway.The rain begins to ease. Out in the field there are two male mallards and an oystercatcher. Further back there appears to be three or four pheasants. Four collared doves are sat by the telegraph poles. A moorhen is walking the track. Swallows are covering the hedge line and ditch. Meanwhile a few more birds return to the feed. Tree sparrow, yellowhammer, chaffinch, collared doves join the fray and the pheasant and mallard seem to have overcome my arrival and are heading towards the track across the field. Two dunnock and a male reed bunting land. Birds come and go from the adjoining hedge. Three male blackbirds are in the field and suddenly two pigeons land in the long grass... they pop across and begin feeding, only they are not pigeons! Raising the bins, they really aren't good enough, my eyes need testing and I have to squint to view through one eye. Focus isn't great and the rain and moisture haven't helped. I can see now, they are not pigeons, but stock doves, yes definitely stock doves... a confirmed lifer for me, can't be bad. A woodpigeon has alighted... but what's that behind, a smallish critter is it a young chaffinch? The males are losing their breeding brightness and this bird's colours look muted. Can't be a young male chaffinch. It has some colour in it's chest, pale orangeish. It's head is a 'bit grey', which leads me to chaffinch, but no it has a bunting type beak... and it's pink! Pink beak? Hmmnnn... It also appears to have a yellow 'striped moustache' below the eye and around the beak.. young yellowhammer? Nah can't be. Odd. Young stonechat? I start to rack my brains (doesn't take long). Nah, this is a bunting. I need a better look. Focusing the bins as best I can, this bird doesn't seem as active as the chaffinches or sparrows and seems 'subdued' but happy enough. It's back is brown and barred and not unlike a reed bunting, hang on there are different species everywhere, at least 8 so far. The pheasants from the field join the fray. The stock doves et al. Distracted I return to this oddball. I have a feeling this bunting is not from 'there 'ere parts'. Nah, I can't be THAT lucky. Clocked my yellowhammer with some good views and the stock doves are a confirmed first. Not bad. I've rattled off a number of shots with the digital camera, but I'm having trouble with the settings and the moisture. Focus isn't great and I try different focus and zoom settings, even the 'viewfinder' isn't great and 'camera-shake' is evident. (Mental note, put small tripod in the car in future...I could do with a cable shutter release too really). I'll have to see just what I have taken when I get back home... not promising. Downloading always far far too long when you want to see just what it is you have. They are not great. I still have to sort many of them while I am writing this... usually takes me a week or two to really be objective and bin the rubbish. I need to confirm my stock doves as a lifer so up it goes onto 'birdforum' (as advised and thanks to Chris Batty, again). Best throw up that mystery bird... a reply is almost immediate... oh my word... oh my word. I need confirmation of this... no telephone numbers, could take ages, can't rely on email. Fylde Bird Club Report...telephone numbers for Paul Ellis and Paul Slade. It's only the latter I get through to. I explain. The excitement for both of us is contained. Paul gives me Chris Batty's numbers and I try calling him, while sending out emails to Fylde Bird Club Members. I can't get hold of Chris, I leave messages. I check the web again and the confirmation and congratulations are coming in. Gosh the whole world and his mother want to know where and when. I need confirmation before looking a complete idiot! It arrives. Half the Fylde lads have gone out to check it out. Confirmations keep on coming, Yes it is an Ortolan Bunting. YEP that's what I said an Ortolan Bunting. Wow. I guess this is the reward for 'keeping my eyes open' all those years, look right, look left, keep peripheral vision, seeing any movement, wherever I am, looking short, looking long, looking up and looking down... keeping my eyes open. An Ortolan Bunting a real rarity in the UK and Lancashire... I am just so pleased as a Fylde Bird Club member I was able to share it with other members, I feel 'I've paid my dues' for all the kindness and assistance everyone has provided to a complete amateur like me. Thanks Fylde Bird Club. Just for the record there was at least, apart from this excellent Ortolan Bunting (male), 6+ Swallow, 4 Collared doves, 2 Dunnock, 6 Chaffinch (3 male, 3 female), Moorhen, 4 Tree sparrow, Yellowhammmer, Oystercatcher, 2 Mallard (male), Reed Bunting (male), 2 Corn Bunting, 4 Pheasant (1 male, 2 female, 1 juvenile male), 2 Stock Dove, 4 Blackbird (3 male 1 female), Greenfinch (and a partridge in a pear-tree – that's just a joke!). Geoff Gradwell June 2009

Common Rosefinch at Pilling Lane May 2007 Wednesday a perfectly ordinary day. We were waiting for friends to arrive, when I heard Sue say there was an unusual bird on the feeders outside the kitchen window. She said it had a red head and she didn't recognise it, as I appeared it disappeared behind a pot on the gravel. Just that brief view and I heard a voice at the back of my mind say Common Rosefinch, but it couldn't possibly be.The bird kept showing bits of itself, a streaked red head a streaky red chest a finch like dark bill, a definite pale wing bar and possibly a very indistinct second bar. All the time as it wandered around ,mostly hidden, I ran through a list of ANY alternatives.Finally after what seemed an age, but was probably only a few minutes, it came put into the open only seven or eight yards from me. A brilliant red rump, and I knew it was a common rosefinch. I had no doubt, although I had never seen one before only pictures in field guides. By now I had the telescope in position, the shampoo bottle top in the telescope and the camera thus attached, and I just kept taking photos, mostly of bits of the bird as it played hide and seek.At last it flew up onto the feeder and stood still, heaven, a perfect picture. It then flew into next door's garden and vanished. What to do ? I rang Paul Ellis at Fylde Bird Club and left a message, I then downloaded the photo and e mailed it to the club web site. Within twenty minutes a phone call, and within forty five minutes the first birders arrived! By now the rose finch, which had been backwards and forwards a few times had left again. I muttered those words much loved of all birders "it showed really well ten minutes ago" . Eventually the bird returned , and I breathed a sigh of relief that my sighting had been confirmed. The bird stayed around for the rest of the afternoon and evening and the drive filled with birders who all managed to get good views, the rosefinch even sat on the top of bushes singing and glowing red in the full sun. The following day, despite birders watching from 5.30 am. till late afternoon, it wasn't seen again. The bird was a one day wonder, but what a wonder, unforgettable and a reminder of then brilliance and excitement of bird watching, made even better by the fact I was able to share it with other like minded people. Pete Rhind August 2007

Underwatched?

Over the last month or so Stuart Piner, Chris Batty and myself have had some discussion on birding sites in the Fylde that are potentially underwatched. Clearly this is subjective, but here are suggestions of a ‘top ten’ places or areas where increased coverage may provide people with some deserved reward…

Winmarleigh Moss

There is nowhere else in the recording area with similar lowland heath habitat. Whilst the site is private there is a footpath right across it giving excellent views. In terms of what might turn up here Great Grey Shrike would seem possible in winter, and raptors could include Hobby and potentially Red-footed Falcon. As Cuckoo numbers continue to decline this is likely to be one of the last strongholds for the species. Other wildlife interest here includes the declining Large Heath butterfly, Banded Demoiselle damselfly and Roe Deer.

Naze Point

It doesn’t have the convenient access of Newton Marsh or Fairhaven. It doesn’t have the crowd-pulling appeal of regular scarcities that Warton Bank has with its Water Pipits. As well as good numbers of waders at many times of the year it also has one of the largest late summer – early autumn egret roosts in the county that may pull in a Great White or Cattle, and there is a regular movement of gulls which has included Sabine’s in the past.

Inner Ribble estuary

This part of the Ribble is not as accessible as the outer estuary, with general access only by footpath along the southern bank from Penwortham out to Clifton Marsh a little way upstream of Naze Point. There are waders and wildfowl in the winter, in lesser numbers than downriver but with a corresponding lack of coverage. This area has also in the past been demonstrated by Alan Porter to have inland seabird migration in the spring.

Waterside Farm

Like the inner Ribble access is less straightforward than other sites downriver and therefore more coverage would undoubtedly produce rewards. Wader roosts can be large, particularly on high tides as birds get displaced from other areas as the Great Knot showed a few years back.

LSANR

When Maurice was the warden here coverage was clearly better than most near coastal sites in the area. These days that is no longer the case. The track record of the site speaks for itself – both the Fylde’s Subalpine Warblers, Barred Warbler and Hoopoe among others. Certainly worth checking during the autumn, especially when conditions are favourable for grounded overnight migrants.

Cocker’s Dyke to Fluke Hall

This area has a track history, including a memorable autumn in 1996 that produced Red-breasted Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Warbler and Firecrest. Fluke Hall Wood is private but on the other hand much of it can be covered from the road. The seawall at Cocker’s Dyke has also had Black Redstarts. The hedgerows and fields around Ridge Farm have potential, and the stubble fields east of Fluke Hall can be very productive when flooded. Potentially a great alternative to Fleetwood, especially if you live the ‘wrong’ side of the Wyre estuary.

Carr House Green Common

When it was regularly watched this site produced Richard’s Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler. Since then a Wryneck has demonstrated the continued potential of the site for scarce passerines. A good general habitat that has also produced wintering Hen Harrier and Green Sandpiper in recent years.

Blackpool green spaces

The track record of some of the sites in this category are already known, thanks largely to the efforts of Ed Stirling. The sites with a track record are well known, notably Watson Road Park and the Pleasure Beach railway bushes. However Pallas’s Warblers by the football ground and in Gynn Gardens show what must go undetected. Look at a map for green spaces and cover one before going to the shops / cinema / gym / Mere.

Marton Mere

To finish a site which would not be conventionally thought of as underwatched. However it is still possible to walk round the Mere some times of the year (probably not winter) and still not see any other birders. Compared with sites viewable from the road like Mythop flood the Mere is harder work but the track record remains outstanding as the outstanding combination of Bonaparte’s Gull and Ross’s Gull has shown this year.

Summary

This is clearly not intended to be a definitive list. If you have views on sites that should have been included then feel free to put pen to paper for a future newsletter, or alternatively put the time in at an underwatched site and deliver results. From apparently uninspiring train lines in the west to disused quarries in the east such areas in the recording area have proved their worth to the dedicated and persistent local birder.

Stephen Dunstan August 2008

Fylde Blockers - And where to try for them

I thought it might be interesting for newer members to do a short piece on some species that haven’t been recorded in the area for a year or two, or ‘blockers’ as they are known in birding / twitching parlance. The tack I have taken is to include species that occur regularly in Lancashire, or are becoming more frequent in the county, and also give some indications on where and when they could turn up again in the Fylde. In a couple of cases there have been relatively recent records, but these were not twitchable.

Smew

In recent years the Smew has been a North Lancashire specialist in the county, partly due to a drake that returned to the Carnforth gravel pits for several years with others in tow. Presumably that drake has died and the species is currently a little difficult to catch up with anywhere in Lancashire.

The last records of this delightful sawbill in the Fylde were in the winter of 2001/2. One was at Marton Mere from Christmas Day 2001 into early March, and perhaps just the one bird was on the Lune at Cockersands on 14 November 2001 and 1st-2nd February 2002.

It doesn’t take a terrific amount of imagination to recognize that the last occurrences of Smew in the Fylde are a strong pointer to where any future records may be found. The most likely carrier species for a Smew is Goldeneye, and the large winter Goldeneye flocks on the Lune off Glasson and Cockersands would be a good place to start if they continue to gather there in future. Similarly the Mere is the best freshwater site for Goldeneye in the recording area, and has the advantage over some freshwater sites that there is usually an area of open water in which diving ducks can continue to feed.

Having said that an outside bet could be Myerscough Quarry, a site which has holds a good variety of ducks in winter. Pit 1, which would be most likely to hold a Smew, can be viewed from the bridge over canal without having to enter the fields.

Red-necked Grebe

There have been 20 records of Red Necked Grebe in the Fylde, of which four have been in the last 20 years. The last couple were one at Preston Dock on 24th March 1996 and one on the sea at Rossall Promenade in hard weather on 27th December 2000.
Last year in Lancashire there was a Red Necked Grebe off Formby in late summer and a bird touring reservoirs in East Lancashire. This reflects the fact that they are equally at home on saltwater of freshwater in winter, but a tentative suggestion is to keep seawatching during the winter after the Leach’s have stopped passing through. If you do get one try and get the news out quickly if you can.


Common Crane

Whilst still a rare bird in Lancashire the Crane is on the increase and would seem a reasonable bet to occur again on the Fylde fairly soon. There have been eight records so far, most recently two at Pilling and one over Marton Mere in April 2002. The species was last twitchable in the recording area in April 2000, a long staying first summer that adorned the cover of that year’s bird report.

Passage birds could turn up just about anywhere, but the best bet would probably be to check out the Over Wyre mosslands in Spring. If you do see and hear birds on the move getting the news out quick could enable other birders in the Fylde or further afield to get on them.

Dotterel

Despite turning up with regularity on the mosslands of south west Lancashire Dotterels remained stubbornly scarce in the Fylde. The last spring ‘trip’ (as Dotterel flocks are known) was of no fewer than seven birds at Eagland Hill on 29th April 2000, prior to that the last has been two in May 1988. There have been a small number of autumn records from around Morecambe Bay, the last of these was on the Cocker estuary on 22nd September 1997.

There seems to be no shortage of potentially suitable lowland habitat for a passage Dotterel flock on the Fylde as suitable as that used on Plex Moss. The records at Eagland Hill reflect the suitability of Over Wyre farmland, Lytham Moss would also look suitable. However the spring passage through lowland Lancs has dwindled away to nothing in recent years and it may well be worth gambling on scanning Golden Plover flocks in the autumn when there are other potential rewards (American and Pacific Golden Plover) to be enjoyed also by persistent and fortunate observers.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

The species formerly bred in the Fylde, and probably did so as recently as 1991. However there has been a sharp decline in their fortunes as their numbers dwindle more generally in northern England. There has not been a recent record in the Fylde seen by anyone other than the finders.

The last records were in autumn 2002 at Medlar, Ellel Grange on 29th March 2003 and Lightfoot Green on 14th July 2005. Perhaps more indicative of where to look was one at Bilsborrow on January 2001, as there was a population just over the A6 towards Brock around that time. Any quiet area of woodland could be worth a look but don’t get your hopes up.

Bearded Tit

Over the years Marton Mere has held a number of Bearded Tits, including on occasion groups of several birds. The last records were however as long ago as 1999.

The origin of the Bearded Tits at Marton Mere is in some cases known from ringing recoveries, including Leighton Moss and the Netherlands. It seems likely though that birds irrupt into the Fylde from different areas in different years. At present the Leighton Moss breeding population is still recovering from a crash several winters ago, and this may be a factor in the lack of recent reports at the Mere.

Anybody hoping to find a Bearded Tit would clearly be well advised to spend time at Marton Mere in the autumn and winter, preferably with an ear open for the distinctive pinging calls of this species. Elsewhere the most suitable site in the Fylde is Preesall Flashes, which is unfortunately private but can be partly viewed from public footpaths. The reedbed at Fleetwood Nature Park could also be worth a look, as similar sites in the north west (small reedbeds around pools) have held Bearded Tits in recent years.

Great Grey Shrike

Great Grey Shrikes are just about annual in Lancashire. The Fylde offers less suitable habitat than the east of the county, but has still turned up about 20 records. The last of these widely available were presumably just the one popular bird in Bispham and then at Marton Mere in January – February 1998 and a multi-observed spring migrant at Jameson Road, Fleetwood on 16 April 1999. One was seen only by the finder at Fluke Hall on 16th October 2005.

Marton Mere has a reasonable strike rate for this species so it would always be worth keeping an eye on the scrub here in winter, though of course this area is well watched at this time of year when owls are in residence. A sporting bet could be Winmarleigh Moss if anybody is willing to give it a go when shrikes are reported further east.

Hawfinch

A former breeder in the Fylde, there have been nine records in the area since 1960 but four of these have been since 2000 which offers a lot of hope.

The last four records have been of overflying birds – Marton Mere in October 2001 and a total of five over Fairhaven, Marton Mere and St Annes on 14th October 2003. It could therefore pay dividends to learn the calls and spend a lot of time on early morning vigils at Rossall or Fairhaven in particular. If you turned a grounded bird up you would undoubtedly be very popular if it hung around to be admired.


Stephen Dunstan May 2007

In on a potential Western Palearctic first Most keen birders probably want to be involved in the finding or identification of a first for Britain. A first for the Western Palearctic, well that would be just greedy. Whilst staying on Fair Isle this autumn I was fortunate enough to be the second person to see such an unexpected rarity, and contributed in a small way to the identification process. The first seven days of a stay from 8th to 22nd October had been reasonably productive, without really hitting the heights for which Fair Isle is so well known. I had found a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Richard’s Pipit and birds seen included a late Marsh Warbler, a couple of Bluethroats and a Common Rosefinch. The only BBRC rarity was a brief Dusky Warbler seen by an island resident that did not hang around to be admired. The Obs staff were beginning to pull their hair out as an array of good birds were appearing on Foula, just 30 or 40 miles or so to the north. That was all to change. On the morning of Friday 15th October whilst staying at Fair Isle Bird Observatory I birded the southeast of the island and approached the Skadan crop near south light. Hywel Maggs, former FIBO Assistant Warden staying at the Obs, indicated he had just found a Little Bunting in the crop. Sure enough a bunting flew up and called, sounding like a Little Bunting. Hywel left the area and I continued to try and get better views of the bird. With a bit of patience I was able to get close views of the bird moving away from me down a ride in the crop. Although my experience of Little Bunting is not extensive this bird did not look right in several respects. It had an obvious pale eye ring but it appeared as large as a Reed Bunting, the face pattern didn’t look right for Little and what I could see of the upperparts suggested an extensive buff wash which did not fit with Little either. Later at the Obs I mentioned my thoughts on the fact this bird looked strange to Deryk Shaw, the Warden. He agreed that it was an unusual bird but that the underparts could be in fresh plumage hence the buff appearance of the chest feathers. Hywel left the island during the afternoon of the 15th, but before he left he also mentioned some concerns about the bird to Alan Bull (Assistant Warden) who mentioned it might be worth trapping the bird. At log on the 15th the bird went down as a Little Bunting. On the 16th I went back for another look at the bird, either to convince myself it was a Little or get some more evidence that it was not one. When I got to the Skadan crop Rebecca Nason (Assistant Warden) pointed out the Little Bunting as she flushed it from the crop during her census. Again when she left I persisted with the bird, although it was generally difficult to get good views on the deck some close flight views confirmed that the bird was apparently too large for a Little. At lunch time much discussion centred around the ‘funny Little Bunting’ and trapping it became more favoured. When I returned to the Skadan crop late afternoon the bird was nowhere to be seen. Hollie Shaw soon appeared in the van with the infamous red flag flying. I could hardly believe my ears when she said it was a Chestnut-eared Bunting at the Obs, a first for the Western Palearctic. I immediately asked if it was the Skadan bird, she confirmed it was. The bird had been trapped early afternoon but four experienced observers had been unable to identify it and it was taken to the Obs for more detailed scrutiny and accurate measurement to be taken. The identification proved difficult, and was only finally clinched by reference to the September 2001 Birding World which included a picture of a first-year Chestnut-eared Bunting taken in China. The caption said that although it was not recorded in the Western Palearctic it was a long distant migrant and a bit of blind optimism never hurt anybody. This couldn’t have been more appropriate. At the Obs all the island residents with an interest in birds had turned up to see the unexpected arrival, joining all the birders staying at the Obs and one or two staying elsewhere in the island. As the bird was measured in the ringing room and then shown to everyone outside it was hard to see how it could ever have gone down as a Little Bunting, the large size was clearly genuine and the underparts were far more colourful and Ortolan Bunting like than a Little Bunting could ever show. I rang Chris Batty at an early stage to get news out on Rare Bird Alert pagers if the Obs staff hadn’t already done so. I was aware that there might be some question marks over the vagrancy potential of this Himalayan species, and did not how many people would make the trip. In the event there was quite a twitch on the Sunday, with about nine plane flights and a boatful of birders from Shetland arriving. Over the next few days at least three flights arrived from Blackpool, with Chris on one and Stuart Piner on another. Towards the end of the birds stay a number of birders arrived and then got stranded on the island, for up to three days in some cases. Much has since been written about the vagrancy potential of this species, which was so left field that many people myself included had never heard of it. The path to BOURC acceptance and a place on the British List may not be a smooth one, and ultimately the record may end up in a holding category awaiting further evidence of a vagrancy pattern nearer the normal breeding and wintering ranges of the migratory subspecies (some subspecies are not long distance migrants). On the flip side of the paucity of extralimital records we are dealing with a first-winter bird in the middle of October on Fair Isle during a period of easterly winds. Some birds with markedly eastern distribution, including Yellow-browed Bunting and Black-faced Bunting, have turned up at the same place at the same time of year though Chestnut-eared Bunting is on paper less likely than these coming from even further away. And the plot thickened. The day after I left the island, astonishingly Fair Isle turned up another first for the Western Palearctic in the form of a Rufous-tailed Robin, another bird with a distribution starting far, far east of Scotland. The possibility of a mass jailbreak on the Continent has not surprisingly been mooted, but on the other hand the Northern Isles have been alive with Northern Bullfinches uttering deeper calls than normal and thought to be of eastern origin. Who knows what the official verdict will be. And in a very real sense, ‘who cares’ I think. We may never know the origins of the bunting, but to be on stage during the drama and involved in the initial puzzle and subsequent euphoria was very special. On recent form (Savannah Sparrow and Siberian Rubythroat in 2003 as well as this year’s star turns) Fair Isle looks like the place to be next October. Unfortunately being married with two daughters I will be back on family holidays, but if you do go I’ll be thinking of you and I really do wish you the outrageous good fortune that I was lucky enough to enjoy. Stephen Dunstan October 2004

The return of the Great Knot Following the unexpected events of 31st July 2004 the Great Knot had soon become nothing more than a fond memory. I had continued to watch Skippool Creek and Hambleton Marsh on a daily basis but it had never even crossed my mind that the Great Knot would ever put in another appearance. On 12th August my second visit of the day to Skippool Creek produced a fine adult Ring-billed Gull roosting with the Lesser Black-backed Gulls. This bird remained for the rest of the afternoon and returned again the following day to the delight of many Fylde birders. Although representing the third site record of Ring-billed Gull (previously singles in October 1995 and January 1996) it was the first to be multi-observed. Despite Ring-billed Gulls being reported in the Fylde almost annually since the first record in January 1986 the current bird was only the third twitchable record following a well-watched second-winter at Preston Dock from 28th January-13th April 1991 and an adult present intermittently at Marton Mere from 31st January-4th March 1992. Torrential downpours had caused localised flooding and, in an attempt to emulate past events at Eagland Hill (where Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpiper fed side-by-side in September 2002), my early morning birding efforts had turned to these temporary habitats. During a heavy downpour at 8am on 16th August a flood on Stalmine Moss produced two smart juvenile Spotted Redshanks and a first-summer Mediterranean Gull. Happy there was nothing more to be found here I decided to check the Wyre Estuary and return to Stalmine Moss later to see if anything extra had dropped in. At 9:20am, as I scanned the Wyre Estuary from by Shard Bridge, I caught a glimpse of a distinctive long-winged wader disappearing behind a mud bank. I repositioned myself, and there, amongst Redshanks, was the Great Knot. Once again I immediately phoned out the incredible news. Those who had just missed the bird on 31st July could not believe their luck! At 9:34am the bird took off and flew to Skippool Creek where it dropped into a channel and out of view. I raced around to the jetties and scanned but with no success. Birders were arriving all the time and I kept reassuring them that there was no doubt; the Great Knot was indeed back! Knowing the best place from which to get a panoramic view I set off on my own to just beyond the yacht club and scanned, simultaneously phoning all those who had failed to connect with the bird a fortnight earlier. Just after 10am I again located the Great Knot as it flew over the mudflats before again dropping out of sight. I was greeted with looks of bemusement and disbelief by the crowd as pagers bleeped with my every sighting yet I was still the only observer. By now the tide was racing in and it seemed inevitable that the Great Knot would have to give itself up soon. At 10:17am Stuart Piner calmly announced to the crowd that he had the Great Knot in his telescope; and it was the closest wader! As the tide began to rise the bird joined the roosting Redshanks and other waders at the mouth of Skippool Creek and showed well to the gathering crowd before being lost at midday when a low-flying helicopter disturbed all the roosting waders. The 17th saw the Great Knot put on its best performance being on show just upstream of Shard Bridge from just 9:10am until 12:05pm when the rising tide forced the bird off the mud. Equipped with a reasonable map Staffordshire birder Steve Nuttall set about locating the bird at a high tide roost and at 1pm unearthed the Great Knot amongst Lapwings and Golden Plover over a mile upstream of Shard Bridge on grazing marshes by Waterside Farm, Out Rawcliffe. Here it remained until 2:40pm when it flew off high to the west as the tide ebbed. Along with many others, I searched the Wyre Estuary all day on 18th August but there was no sign of the Great Knot. However, it was reported again the following day, briefly by Shard Bridge around 11am before flying towards Skippool Creek. I was on site within minutes of the reported sighting and was greeted by an unconvincing description from birdwatchers who believed they had seen the bird. The previous day a Turnstone had caused a false alarm (!) and on searching the gathered waders at Skippool Creek at midday on 18th the same Turnstone was again present. Chris Batty August 2004

The Great Knot at Skippool Creek - a new Fylde bird At 7:30am on 3rd August 2003 I was roused from my slumbers by the electric sound of my mobile phone: 'Paul Slade mobile' flashed on the caller display and I knew I had blown it. I’d lived in Hambleton all my life and for twenty-four years of this my bedroom window had overlooked my local patch, the upper reaches of the Wyre Estuary. Paul lived nearby and had worked the Wyre Estuary hard for that long-awaited rare wader and now he'd found it: a superb adult White-rumped Sandpiper. As I pulled on my jeans and sped towards Shard Bridge I cursed myself. Why was I so lazy? I didn't deserve to find it: Paul was there every morning before work methodically checking through the Dunlin hoping for this moment. But I arrived, locked onto the bird and my relief poured out. At least I'd seen it even if I hadn't found it. In 2004 I decided that I would make the effort and hoped I could reap a reward. Would the White-rumped Sandpiper return? The Wyre Estuary started the autumn well with a Yellow-legged Gull, three Mediterranean Gulls, three Little Egrets, two Spotted Redshanks and the Dunlin flock grew to over 3,000, joined by two dapper Curlew Sandpipers. With these birds came extra coverage. Rarely did I visit and not find the estuary being scoured by another local birder. On Saturday 31st July I set all the alarm clocks on my pager. I was working at 7:30am and I wanted to give the patch a check before then. I managed to drag myself out of bed and arrived at Shard Bridge at 6:20am. The tidal situation was far from ideal: an ebbing tide is best here and, as I expected, the number of Dunlin on show was well down on the previous day. A further scan revealed little of note so I got back into my car and drove to Skippool Creek. I decided against scanning from the traditional jetty but instead walked north beyond the yacht club and began to pan. Four Whimbrel and a Greenshank were expected but again the general lack of activity was a disappointment. I retraced my steps back to the yacht club and scanned the mouth of Skippool Creek then across towards Shard Bridge, slowly passing over a distant loose flock of Redshank on the tidal sands. I clocked 'the bird' as I panned through the flock but didn't stop panning. A Great Knot. I stopped, swung the scope back right and panned left again. A Great Knot. A GREAT KNOT! I struggled for my mobile phone, the Redshank flew, the Great Knot with them, heading towards Shard Bridge, displaying a whitish rump, its long wings beating deeply, in a peculiarly exaggerated manner. A GREAT KNOT! I grabbed my scope and phoned Dick (Filby) at Rare Bird Alert and garbled the frantic message as I ran back to my car. Nobody would believe me. A Great Knot, at Skippool Creek, watched for less than 10 seconds at more than 500 yards; I couldn't believe it - and I'd seen it. Rare Bird Alert’s Mega-Alert began to sound in my pocket. I arrived back at the Shard Bridge and scanned nervously but there was no sign of the bird. I drove to the other side of the bridge and scanned upstream but again drew a blank. I was beginning to think the worst; no reputation could stand this. Then there it was, alone by the main channel on the far side of the bridge but it again took flight and disappeared off towards Skippool Creek and still no one else had seen it. At this point the enormity of the situation struck me; the third British Great Knot, on my local patch, on my own. I'd hoped for a rarity; I hadn't dreamt of this. I must be mistaken; I must have made a fundamental error, but what? A breeding plumaged male Ruff? No, it was a Great Knot! I sped back over the bridge and scanned across to Skippool Creek and located it immediately, the only wader amongst the feeding Black-headed Gulls. Even at a half mile range there was no mistaking this once in a lifetime find. Stuart Piner arrived, jammed his eye to my scope and exclaimed, still in shock, like I, he could scarcely believe what he was watching. Longing for better views we sped to Skippool Creek and cautiously peered from by the jetty. The Great Knot was still there and only 250 yards away. Paul Slade arrived and grabbed his first look at the bird. He cursed my alarm clock, and my luck. It was the first morning he had taken a lie-in in weeks. In its breeding plumage the bird was unmistakeable: pale grey head; black breast and mantle; black and orange scapulars; solid black spots on the white flanks and belly; black centred, pale fringed lesser, median, greater coverts and tertials. Considerably larger than a Knot the bird had a distinctive profile with a longer bill, in shape more like the bill of a Dunlin, and a long primary projection which gave the impression that the bird was in active primary moult (which it was not). Although the light was poor Tony Disley, Paul Ellis, Stuart Piner and myself tried our best to grab record shots with our digital cameras and camcorders but my time was soon up and I had to leave for work. I phoned in my last update as I passed the assembling local birders. I knew the tide was racing in and that the previous day all the waders had left Skippool Creek at high water. Would the Great Knot take this as a cue to leave for good? Both the previous weeks Curlew Sandpipers had been one-day birds and I didn't hold out much hope for the Great Knot lingering. No sooner had I arrived at work than I received a phone call from Andrew Holden; he and around twenty others had watched the Great Knot fly off high to the southwest, calling loudly, at 8:12am. High southwest was the exit route taken by last year’s White-rumped Sandpiper and it seemed clear to me that that would be the last we would see of this, the rarest bird ever to have been found on the Fylde. Chris Batty July 2004 Previous records of Great Knot in Britain adult, Scatness and Pool of Virkie, Shetland 15th September 1989 adult, Seal Sands, Greenabella Marsh and Bran Sands, Cleveland 13th October-5th November 1996

The Hoopoe at Lytham St.Anne's Nature Reserve As I work at nearby Westgate House I had got into the habit in 2002 of checking Lytham St Anne's Nature Reserve (or LSANR to its friends) for spring migrants. I was particularly keen on days when Maurice wasn’t wardening, as the more coverage the better and there was always the chance of finding something a little out of the ordinary. Monday 22nd April was a typical lunchtime visit, and was proving worthwhile with about a dozen Wheatear and a couple of Willow Warblers in pleasant conditions. Working back from the boundary fence where most of the Wheatears were showing towards the southern blackthorn belt I flushed a large passerine from the ground. It flew a short distance but landed behind a dune crown. The undulating flight and pink-brown, black and white I had seen made me think of a Jay. However the bird had landed on the ground, and although all the colours were there they weren’t in the right places. As I walked to where the bird had landed it was already coming from the back of my mind to the front that it was probably a Hoopoe. Before I could pick the bird up again on the ground it flew across me some distance north into the dunes. These views were much more satisfactory, and it was clearly a Hoopoe. As I didn’t have a camera or mobile phone I ran to my car and returned to my office to get the news out. I rang Maurice Jones, Birdguides and a malaria stricken Paul Ellis who kindly informed Rare Bird Alert pagers despite being housebound! There was then an anxious hour or so before I received an e-mail confirming others had got on the bird. When I returned to the site after work though the bird had disappeared, again there was a report shortly before dusk though. This became the pattern for the next two days, as the bird ranged into Pontins, the airport and onto the golf course at different times. I only saw it again on the evening of the third day, when there was a decent crowd in Mediterranean-esque sunshine. This was around the 17th Hoopoe in the Fylde recording area, but the first twitchable one for a decade following one at Marton Mere on 4th and 5th May 1992. Stephen Dunstan February 2004

My Fylde Year 2002 In October 2001 I moved back to the Fylde having spent over five years away. To my knowledge no-one had ever attempted a 'Fylde Yearlist' and I was intrigued as to how many species one could see in a single year. During December 2001 I drew up a list of likely species I could expect to see and made an assessment of the likelihood of encountering each of these. Following this exercise I thought it realistically possible to reach a tally of about 188 during a year. So how did I fare? January Obviously the first few days of January brought me 'year-ticks' every time my binoculars were raised, but I tried to focus my efforts on those species which could potentially prove most difficult later in the year. The returning Ferruginous Duck at Fairhaven Lake presented no problems on 2nd but a brief Iceland Gull there frustrated my efforts. Smew initially gave me the run around with birds at both Marton Mere and the Lune Estuary disappearing on the 2nd but luckily the Mere bird showed again from the 3rd and was safely logged along with Bittern. My first visit of the year to Jameson Road, Fleetwood produced the goods on the 4th with the hoped for Glaucous Gull. The rest of January yielded few surprises, White-fronted Goose at Preesall on the 7th being the best of the rest. The month ended on 107. February Maybe it's just my imagination, but the Fylde seems to experience purple patches when rare birds turn up back to back. February 2002 was purple. Bob Danson, Jim Clift and Colin Bushell set the ball rolling by simultaneously finding a Snow Goose at Eagland Hill on 5th and Barry Dyson quickly followed with a family party of three Bean Geese at Pilling Lane on 6th. With unprecedented movements of Leach's Petrels being reported from Wales and the southwest throughout the 6th, a late afternoon seawatch resulted in a Leach's battling against the storm past Rossall Point coastguard tower. Persistence paid off at Jameson Road Landfill Site with an Iceland Gull there on the 7th beginning a run of white-winged gulls climaxing with the undoubted bird of the year, the Ivory Gull at Fairhaven on 14th - certainly not on my prediction list for the year. The month ended on 118. March A relatively quiet month began with Jack Snipe close to home at Hambleton Marsh on 3rd before spring sprung on the 21st when Stuart Piner's regular visits to Myerscough Quarry revealed a fine pair of Garganey. As the month drew to a close stunning Water Pipits were educational at Warton Bank as was a retrospectively confirmed Mealy Redpoll at Marton Mere. The month ended on 130. April For many years Bullfinch had eluded me in the Fylde, despite many visits to both Greyfriars and Ingol. I had made so many visits in fact that disappointment had become routine, but not so on the 14th when a delightful pair showed: at long last the wait was over! Bird of the spring appeared on the 21st when Stephen Dunstan found a superb Hoopoe at Lytham St.Anne's Nature Reserve. The joy of the Hoopoe was followed by great frustration when news broke just after dark of a Green-winged Teal at Preesall Flashes, just a five-minute drive from home. Dawn the next morning revealed no sign of the bird and a search of other likely sites proved fruitless. The month ended on 144. May May brought many summer migrants to my yearlist, Wood Warbler the definite highlight amongst them, one at St.Anne's on 3rd and another at Bourne Hill on 5th. In my opinion the origin of any White Stork in Britain can be questioned but, unless we 'give up' on the species, then individuals which show no real signs of previous captivity should be taken as such. It was with this view in mind that I raced towards Hardhorn on the 17th to see my first Fylde stork. Two exquisite Black Terns at Marton Mere later in the evening were equally well received. The month ended on 157. June Having failed to find a migrant Spotted Flycatcher in May or early June, and not being confident of encountering the species during the autumn, I was quick to act on news of a pair nesting at Danson Hill, Black Pole. These delightful birds showed extremely well on the 28th. Unfortunately I fear my need to twitch Spotted Flycatcher says more about the disastrous fortunes of the species than it does about my birding ability. The month ended on 158. July A reasonably strong mid-summer 'blow' yielded the predicted Manx Shearwaters on 1st but more time devoted to the cause could possibly have produced Storm Petrel, a species not to my knowledge recorded in the Fylde in 2002. I keenly followed the progress of the breeding Avocets at Marshside and kept scanning Granny's Bay in the hope that the birds may disperse across the Ribble from the drought-stricken RSPB reserve. This they did en-masse on 28th when Billy Aspin discovered eight birds feeding together behind BAe Systems at Warton. In common with recent years the Eagland Hill and Nateby area produced several singing Quails. After several unsuccessful visits I eventually located a singing bird at Eagland Hill on 29th which gave brief flight views over its chosen crop. The month ended on 165. August At least two summer plumage Curlew Sandpipers on the Ribble were a colourful treat from the 2nd, whilst nearby Maurice Jones had discovered the predicted Little Terns on St.Anne's beach. In common with Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail is a summer migrant in trouble. Almost lost as a breeding bird in the Fylde, two juveniles at Bank End on 17th filled what may in future yearlists become a glaring gap. Marsh Harriers had been reported briefly on the Fylde during the spring but I had pencilled in this species for Warton Bank in August, and it didn't let me down. A juvenile quartering the salt marsh on the 29th made up for the frustration caused on several previous visits as I watched up to three Marsh Harriers quartering Banks Marsh, patiently waiting for them to cross the Ribble! The month ended on 169. September Having failed to rise early enough for visible migration at Rossall Point in the spring I was determined not to make the same mistake in the autumn and after a couple of mornings 'warming up' at Fairhaven Lake, Tree Pipits passed swiftly over on 9th. Bob Danson's many hours in the field Over Wyre paid off for everyone once again on 12th when he discovered an immaculate Lesser Yellowlegs on floods at Eagland Hill, which was remarkably joined by a Pectoral Sandpiper on 16th. Little Stints have good years and bad years in the Fylde, but 2002 was abysmal, two in Granny's Bay on 18th saving this species from becoming the most glaring omission from my year. Red-crested Pochards, like White Storks, are dismissed by many as nothing more then roaming escapes, but I do not believe all are such and I elected to count the individual present briefly at Fairhaven Lake on 19th. Stuart Piner struck the jackpot on the 25th with a Wryneck at Carr House Green Common. Excellent views that evening were much appreciated as the bird had gone by the morning. The month ended on 177. October The Fylde paralleled the national rarity scene during October with few rarities meaning slow progress. An Arctic Skua past Rossall Point on the 10th was a later addition than I would have liked but was much appreciated nonetheless. Ian Gardner's persistence around Fleetwood came to fruition on the 13th with a delightful Grey Phalarope on the pools at the back of Jameson Road Landfill Site. The month ended on 179. November Stephen Dunstan's early morning and lunchtime vigils at Starr Gate were producing dividends with regular Long-tailed Ducks and after a couple of failed visits I managed to catch up with this often tricky species on 13th. The Long-tailed Ducks seemed to prompt a flurry of activity with Snow Bunting at Fairhaven on 15th, Guillemot off Rossall and Hen Harrier at Warton Bank on 16th, Brent Goose past Rossall on 17th and finally a Little Auk whirring north past Starr Gate on 19th. The final action of the month was, once again following in Stephen Dunstan's footsteps, on 23rd with a pair of Velvet Scoters off Starr Gate - a much appreciated Fylde tick. The month ended on 186. December After my bumper November, December was in the main a let down. The only yeartick was an American Wigeon at Barnaby's Sands on 9th, only the second Fylde record. So after 12 months had I recorded as many species in the Fylde in the year as I had anticipated possible? Well 187 was just one short of my theoretical prediction of 188. I presume that I set a record by default, as to my knowledge no one else has ever tried before! To my knowledge a further 28 species were reported in the Fylde during the year, with my most notable omissions being Purple Sandpiper, Long-eared Owl, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Marsh Tit, Raven and Lapland Bunting. Given the relatively small size of the Fylde and the correspondingly limited avifauna, undertaking a yearlist isn't particularly taxing in terms of time or money - the longest possible journey being Glasson to St.Annes! So why not have a go at a Fylde yearlist, my 'record' is a record waiting to be beaten. I should particularly like to thank all the Fylde birders who promptly released news of their sightings during 2002, be to it to myself, the pagers, birdlines or websites: in particular Bob Danson, Barry Dyson, Stephen Dunstan, Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Pete Marsh, Maurice Jones, Stuart Piner, Paul Slade and Frank Walsh. Without up-to-the-minute information the chance of catching up with many of the scarcer species diminishes considerably. Fylde Year 2002 species list of 187 following BOU taxonomy Mute Swan Cygnus olor Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus Bean Goose Anser fabalis rossicus Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus Eurasian White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons albifrons Greylag Goose Anser anser anser Lesser Snow Goose Anser caerulescens caerulescens Atlantic Canada Goose Branta canadensis canadensis Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla bernicla Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Wigeon Anas penelope American Wigeon Anas americana Gadwall Anas strepera Teal Anas crecca Mallard Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos Pintail Anas acuta acuta Garganey Anas querquedula Shoveler Anas clypeata Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina Pochard Aythya ferina Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Scaup Aythya marila Eider Somateria mollissima mollissima Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis Common Scoter Melanitta nigra nigra Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca Goldeneye Bucephala clangula clangula Smew Mergellus albellus Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Goosander Mergus merganser merganser Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis jamaicensis Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa rufa Grey Partridge Perdix perdix perdix Quail Coturnix coturnix coturnix Pheasant Phasianus colchicus colchicus Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis ruficollis Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus cristatus Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis glacialis Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus Leach's Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa Gannet Morus bassanus Atlantic Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo carbo Common Bittern Botaurus stellaris Little Egret Egretta garzetta Grey Heron Ardea cinerea cinerea White Stork Ciconia ciconia ciconia Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus aeruginosus Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus cyaneus Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus nisus Common Buzzard Buteo buteo buteo Kestrel Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus Merlin Falco columbarius aesalon Peregrine Falco peregrinus peregrinus Water Rail Rallus aquaticus aquaticus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus chloropus Coot Fulica atra atra Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus ostralegus Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius curonicus Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Greenland Knot Calidris canutus islandica Sanderling Calidris alba Little Stint Calidris minuta Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Northern Dunlin Calidris alpina alpina Ruff Philomachus pugnax Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus Snipe Gallinago gallinago gallinago Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa islandica Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica lapponica Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus Curlew Numenius arquata arquata Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Redshank Tringa totanus totanus Greenshank Tringa nebularia Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Turnstone Arenaria interpres interpres Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Great Skua Catharacta skua Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus Little Gull Larus minutus Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Common Gull Larus canus canus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus graellsii Herring Gull Larus argentatus argenteus Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides glaucoides Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla tridactyla Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis sandvicensis Common Tern Sterna hirundo hirundo Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Little Tern Sterna albifrons albifrons Black Tern Chlidonias niger niger Southern Guillemot Uria aalge albionis Razorbill Alca torda islandica Little Auk Alle alle alle Feral Pigeon Columba livia Stock Dove Columba oenas oenas Woodpigeon Columba palumbus palumbus Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto decaocto Cuckoo Cuculus canorus canorus Barn Owl Tyto alba alba Little Owl Athene noctua vidalii Tawny Owl Strix aluco sylvatica Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus flammeus Swift Apus apus apus Kingfisher Alcedo atthis ispida Hoopoe Upupa epops epops Wryneck Jynx torquilla Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major anglicus Skylark Alauda arvensis arvensis Sand Martin Riparia riparia riparia Swallow Hirundo rustica rustica House Martin Delichon urbica urbica Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis trivialis Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis pratensis Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus petrosus Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta spinoletta Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flavissima Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea cinerea Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Dipper Cinclus cinclus gularis Wren Troglodytes troglodytes indigenus Dunnock Prunella modularis occidentalis Robin Erithacus rubecula melophilus Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Stonechat Saxicola torquata hibernans Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe oenanthe Blackbird Turdus merula merula Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Song Thrush Turdus philomelos clarkei Redwing Turdus iliacus iliacus Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus viscivorus Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia naevia Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus scirpaceus Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca curruca Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis communis Garden Warbler Sylvia borin borin Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita collybita Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus Goldcrest Regulus regulus regulus Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata striata Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus rosaceus Coal Tit Parus ater britannicus Blue Tit Parus caeruleus obscurus Great Tit Parus major newtoni Nuthatch Sitta europaea caesia Treecreeper Certhia familiaris britannica Jay Garrulus glandarius rufitergum Magpie Pica pica pica Jackdaw Corvus monedula spermologus Rook Corvus frugilegus frugilegus Carrion Crow Corvus corone corone Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus domesticus Tree Sparrow Passer montanus montanus British Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs gengleri Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Greenfinch Carduelis chloris chloris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis britannica Siskin Carduelis spinus Linnet Carduelis cannabina cannabina British Twite Carduelis flavirostris pipilans Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea flammea Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret British Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula pileata Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella citrinella Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus schoeniclus Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra Additional distinct forms recorded Continental Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis Todd's Canada Goose Branta canadensis interior Cackling Canada Goose Branta canadensis minima Continental Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa limosa Continental Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus intermedius Scandinavian Herring Gull Larus argentatus argentatus Yellow-legged Gull Larus argentatus michahellis White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba Chris Batty January 2003

Tundra Bean Goose Pilling Lane Leach's Petrel Rossall Point Garganey Myerscough Quarry Hoopoe Lytham St.Anne's Nature Reserve White Stork Hardhorn Avocets Freckleton Curlew Sandpiper Fairhaven Lesser Yellowlegs Eagland Hill Pectoral Sandpiper Eagland Hill Red-crested Pochard Fairhaven Lake Wryneck Carr House Green Common Grey Phalarope Jameson Road Landfill Site American Wigeon Barnaby's Sands

Almost a Great White Egret at Freckleton

On 26th August 2001 I was birding at Freckleton Naze, where I had a reasonable day with 144 Ruff on the Naze Pool and the two long staying Spoonbills near the river confluence. Viewing the Ribble upriver from the elevated viewpoint at Naze Point I saw a large white heron type bird some way upriver.

Looking at the mystery bird through binoculars it seemed pretty certain that it was too large for a Little Egret, given that it appeared a similar size to nearby Grey Herons. However it was not possible to draw any further conclusions without better views, so I set up my scope with something of a sense of anticipation. With the zoom on my scope set on maximum (60x) it quickly became apparent that the bird was unfortunately not a Great White Egret, but actually a leucistic Grey Heron. There were two obvious reasons why this was the case:-

i) the bird had a very faint but still obvious trace of a dark stripe on the crown
ii) the bird was structurally no different to the three Grey Herons feeding in same area

I was quickly to realise a third reason why Great White Egret could be ruled out - the bird was not actually white! The two Spoonbills took to the wing and coincidentally landed in the area where the leucistic heron was feeding. Compared to the Spoonbills the heron clearly had ‘dirty’ white plumage, apparently bluish white, particularly in the areas which would be darkest on a normal Grey Heron including the wings. I informed Maurice Jones just in case he received reports of a Great White Egret in the Freckleton area.

The next time I visited the Naze on the 28th August a couple of visiting birders confidently reported a Great White Egret on the river. As you will probably have guessed, it transpired that this was the leucistic Grey Heron.

It is interesting that a bird, which was clearly not pure white, appeared pure white at medium/ long range. Personally I think if this bird had been seen in flight at medium range it might have been very easy to claim it as a Great White Egret and at long range on the ground it was also very plausible. And Great White Egret is a species, which is described in two of my field guides as unmistakable!

There are of course many such pitfalls out there. Earlier this year I had a presumed hybrid Tufted Duck x Pintail on the River Irwell in Salford. A presumed small form Canada Goose with Pink-footed Geese in the Fylde early this spring, turned out to be a hybrid Canada Goose x Barnacle Goose. As if identification isn’t difficult enough sometimes..

Stephen Dunstan