I’d possibly never have stopped to notice how well the Starling in breeding plumage matched the contours and colours of the Ainsdale Discovery Centre roof before these truly strange days started.
But there you go. Strange days indeed.
Panicking gulls overhead revealed only circling Buzzards with them, but the Stonechats and Linnets were still singing and Mipits were displaying.
These once “mundane” sights now take on a greater significance of course.
Likewise, getting home on a Friday night a glance at the feeders revealed a male Reed Bunting pecking at the sunflower hearts in the evening shadows – the first at Dempsey Towers in 20 years.
About as “mega” as things go in the world of garden birding!
I must thank all of you who let me know what you’re seeing in these “lockdown” days – I’m acutely aware how fortunate I am to work around several Local Nature Reserves and on the coast in these dark days, although the Green Sefton team is also helping out council frontline services far removed from the natural world as circumstances dictate.
So reading how others are embracing their gardens and immediate environs as birding locales is seriously heartwarming.
Thanks again all, keep the sightings coming…
Nuthatch at Our Ladys church in Lydiate during my once a day local exercise walk
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Top birds. Love ’em!
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Rose-ringed parakeet screeching past The Northern Cricket Club early Saturday morning. Seen whilst I was out jogging, actually more like bird watching while shuffling along as quickly as I can manage these days.
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Sometimes it’s impossible not to bird Ian!
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Saw at least 12 different lizard tracks, presumably Sand Lizards, in the very mobile dunes west of Wicks Lane Wood yesterday. There was one set that went about 2 metres onto the beach but still in the soft dry sand. One track was much wider than most, presumably a male. I have never seen lizard tracks there before. They are obviously benefitting from the lack of human disturbance.
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Sand Lizards, Natterjacks and Vernal Mining Bees have all emerged now Rachael.
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Finally saw male blackcap in my garden this morning. I wonder what else we all miss whilst normally being in work.
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Indeed Eric!
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Not Ribble Estuary but my garden and land on the edge of the west Pennine moors. My isolation birding has revealed a flushed snipe from a damp ditch, large numbers of meadow pipits, the usual garden birds plus nuthatch and a pair of tree sparrows on the window feeder.
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Great to hear news from elsewhere Susan, happy to hear from folk anywhere in the global village. Thanks for commenting.
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