Feb 29 2016
Another quiet day in Playa Blanca though we did see a Buzzard as well as the usual suspects. Tomorrow we are off to the desert though with the aim of finding Houbara Bustards, Cream-coloured Coursers and Stone Curlews with Carmen Portella Arnest from Lanzarote Active Club.
Feb 28 2016
Our first full day of holiday on Lanzarote was a bit of a causual day and we were on foot basically walking around Playa Blanca and the Marina Rubicon. Nevertheless we managed to see a few birds, many from our own balcony.
Feb 28 2016
Species this month = 81
New Species added to 2016 Year List in February = 19
Running Total for the 2016 UK So Far = 102
New UK Life List Birds In February= 1
Snow Bunting
Mistle Thrush, Chequers Road, Chorlton
Feb 23 2016
A slot in the birding group schedule for this week merely said “north Wales” so it was a bit of a “decide on the hoof” day out. We started, though, at Pensarn where we at least got some Common Scoters but no Divers which was a bit of a disappointment. There were some Great Crested Grebes on the water and lotsof gulls but we never could quite find a definite Diver. The water was quite rough even though it was a mild and sunny day. A few of the group walked down the beach looking for Snow Buntings but with no luck. We next decided to go back down the road a bit to Kinmel Bay where we had more luck.
Feb 16 2016
The birding group had a blank slot this Tuesday and we decided to fill it with a visit to Tatton Park as our previous visit there was stymied in part by the closure of Dog Wood as a result of high winds. We thought that on a very cold, bright and dry morning at our disposal we decided to try again. As it happened Dog Wood was well named today and there were so many dogs there that it was a real distraction from what was a lovely morning for a walk.
Feb 15 2016
Starling Murmuration, Neuman’s Flash
Feb 15 2016
Bittern, Coward’s Reedbed, Marbury Park
Feb 15 2016
I had read about a red-headed Smew wintering on one of the fishing lakes at Newchurch Common and, as it had been there for quite a while, I reckoned we had a fair chance of seeing it. I had only seen a Smew twice before (each time a redhead); the first at Leighton Moss from Lillian’s Hide on 1st March 2012 and at Moor Nature Reserve on the Birch Pool on 6th January 2013. A Smew would be a nice addition to my year list and I was hopeful.
Feb 12 2016
A second chance for a high tide on the Wirral arose on Friday the 12th. We thought that we would give Riverbank Road a go first instead of Parkgate, which we would normally go to. The tide wasn’t particularly high at 9.9m at 1.45pm but we still fancied it and we took in several Wirral sites. Ee were not to be disappointed and even managed to get year ticks at Burton Mere Wetlands, Riverbank Road and Parkgate.
Feb 10 2016
