Hi,
Hope everyone had a good Christmas and new year. Having returned back on wednesday from a festive holiday over the other side of the pennines I was excited to get back down and see what was about at Hodbarrow. For those of you who have already started your list for the year the Slavonian grebe and green-winged teal are still on the lagoon and would be an excellent tick to start the year. Brilliant birds to see non the less without a list to tick.
Other highlights include Little Egrets still coming into to roost at night. Large numbers of Lapwing, teal and redshank from the hide aswell as goldeneye, pochard, Red-Breasted Merganser. Bullfinch, long-tailed tit throughout the scrub and woodland. Sadly thrushes are a bit thin on the ground at the moment.
Thanks
Mhairi
Hi Sheila,
We have parties of Whoopers visiting us but 40 is a great sighting. They are large flocks of them further up the county near Eskmeals which could be where these birds have come from. There isn't a water level control although the caravan park have been pumping water out of the lagoon on the sea wall. This certainly has been an extraordinary year and talking to different people I don't think anyone has seen it quite as high as this before. Here's hoping for a dry spring to bring the water levels down before the terns arrive back.
Happy New Year !
I visited Hodbarrow today and saw a group of approximately 40 Whooper Swans - adults and juveniles. Are they a regular visitor in such numbers ? Also was a little concerned about the water levels as significant parts of the islands were under water - is there a water level control on the lagoon?
Regards
Sheila