Pink-footed Geese over The Stydd on 15 November (Mike Watson)
A MANDARIN AT RED BANK was new for me on my Ribchester patch (101 2020/109 all time) on a weekend of very mixed weather. Bill Aspin reported that they have become commoner at Brockholes in recent years so probably overdue. I have been checking the big Mallard flocks this year as well. A few sunny intervals were a welcome break from endless heavy squalls. I could hear the rain hammering on my window when I woke up both mornings. The Saturday morning full count as usual included a couple of hours vizmigging on the riverbank from the allotments. There were a few starling flocks obviously flying south and a handful of Fieldfares but no Redwings at all, which was a surprise. Only eight Redwings were seen in the afternoon on a very rainy and muddy walk to the eastern edge of the patch just beyond Dewhurst House. It seems they have mostly moved on now, unlike last winter.
The weekend’s highlights were the Little Grebes on the river from the allotments (calling, flying and sometimes swimming through the fash sections of the river), the Kingfisher was active here again, a snipe flew up from a flood pool along Gallows Lane on Saturday and a nice flock of c.110 Pink-footed Geese flew west over the Stydd on Sunday. The usual pink attraction at the Stydd, the Pink Waxcaps were still out but mostly nibbled/damaged by now. The Northern Lapwing was again opposite the allotments at first light, where it is probably roosting and it seems to feed in the flood meadow between the Stydd and Gallows Lane during the day. What a sad situation that it should be a lone bird? What have things come to now?
A typical view of a Little Grebe along the riverbank at Ribchester, they are so shy here (Mike Watson).
The lonely lapwing (Mike Watson)