Great Black-backed Gull (second winter) collage, Ribchester 29 November 2020
A TYPICAL DREARY EAST LANCASHIRE MORNING, overcast and dull, silent and grey, ‘Everyday is like Sunday’ etc. I can’t remember such a quiet viz mig session, the only highlights being three separate Great Black-backed Gulls (one adult/near adult and two second winters), a single Little Egret and the only Linnet so far this month. There wasn’t even a single cormorant today. Something has obviously happened to them since yesterday. However, local residents like Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher were still around (one from the allotments and another downstream from Osbaldeston Hall, where there was still a small flock of Fieldfares).
There was quite a lot of disturbance today: lots of fishermen on the banks, dog walkers and a noisy chainsaw but there was generally very little happening anyway. There was an influx of woodcocks to the east coast in the last couple of days so we can probably expect some in the woodlands around Ribchester next week. I should make an effort to find one. We are still also waiting for Goldeneye for 2020, not having done any BTO BirdTrack walks in January/February this year.
Common Blackbird, females can look surprisingly Song Thrush-like. Reminds me of an old b&w BB mystery bird photo
Well the recently decimated hedgerows are good for something… unobscured images of Blackbirds
… and Song Thrushes
Just imagine if this was a rarity, like it is in Beijing? Or maybe when we have to sift through bluetails to find one in 2100?