Barrow Lodge, Lancashire.

A 1st winter velvet scoter was showing well. It enjoyed munching freshwater muscles. A kingfisher also today.

Prescot reservoirs,
Everything is starting to look a bit grey on here, so some colourful pics to brighten things up. Today at the res.

Prescot reservoirs,

Very few gulls today with the majority being the 300 common gull. A couple of hundred black headed gull, a hand full of lessers and only 50 herring gull. A nice 1st year yellow legged gull was on no3 reservoir.
13 pochard ,50 tufted duck, 3 goldeneye and 15 little grebe.

1st year yellow legged gull

1st year yellow legged gull

1st year yellow legged gull

1st year yellow legged gull

1st year yellow legged gull

1st year yellow legged gull

Argentatus herring gull. A very long white tip on p10

Prescot Reservoirs,

A juv mute swan appreciated a few slices of bread in the harsh weather today. Sent the ring number off today . Not one of yours is it Stephen? A adult med gull was on no3 today.

Prescot reservoirs,

A new slavonian grebe on no3 reservoirs today only, found by bill C or possibly the slav that was last seen 10 days ago after a 4 day stay.

Prescot Reservoirs,
Loadsa gulls. Lovely.

Blizzard conditions gave the reservoirs a very festive feel today. The snow covered surroundings were very picturesque but the sight of 5000 herring gulls was absolutely amazing. No3 res was completely full, every bit of water was full of herring gulls plus 1000 black headed gulls. The now empty no4 res had a roost of 1500 herring gulls. These estimates are really on the conservative side and I am sure there were more than the numbers I have stated but I wasn't going to count them.I would say that 90% of them were adults. Probably a combination of the severe weather conditions and the tip at Moore not working today. Certainly the most gulls I have ever seen on the reservoirs.
A couple of adult yellow leggeds and a leucistic herring gull was what I could pick out of them in the couple of hours I had with them.

An interesting 1st w gull
A leucistic herring gull

A dark eyed argenteus

A dark eyed argenteus

A very pale 2nd w herring gull

A faded 1st w herring gull

Prescot reservoirs,
An adult caspian gull was present today with an adult med gull, 2 adult and a 1stw yellow legged gull. 2000 herring gulls gave me plenty to look through in the bitterly cold weather.

77 tufted duck, 11 pochard, 9 goldeneye, 6 shoveller,17 teal, 1 great crested grebe, 12 little grebe,1 dunlin and 1 snipe.

Adult caspian gull

Adult caspian gull

Adult caspian gull

Adult caspian gull

Adult med gull
Dunlin

Adult yellow legged gull
Snipe

Prescot reservoiors,


A nice pair of red crested pochard graced the reservoirs today. Found by Chris D they were very wary birds keeping as far away from any observers as possible. They were feeding by diving 20ft or so to the bottom of the reservoirs to reach the weed and then surfacing with big clumps. Arriving just as some nasty freezing weather on the east coast and the near continent hit. These birds were gone the next day.

Prescot Reserviors

Chris D reports an adult caspian gull today.

Prescot reservoirs,

An adult winter slavonian grebe was found by BH on the partially drained no4 reservoir . An knot was an excellent bird also today in amongst the lapwings.

Southport and Seaforth,

Finally caught up with this very smart shore lark just north of the green beach after dipping yesterday. Later a yellow legged gull showed well at seaforth.

Burton Marsh,
Plenty of good birds on show today, with 3 merlins, ringtail hen harrier, short eared owl, peregrine and kestrel showing well. Good numbers of finches and thrushes in the hedgerows also.

Seaforth NR,

The Queen Mary 2 enters the Mersey.

Prescot reservoirs,

A couple of adult yellow legged gulls have been regular this month and the ring billed gull has been dropping in most days.