Early this morning there were about 17,500 Pink-feet out on the Ribble. 1400 Shelduck were on Marshside sands and at the old sandworks; 2 Wheatear, 7 Robins, 360 Skylarks, 120 Meadow Pipits, 4 Reed Buntings, a Chaffinch, Sparrowhawk & Kestrel. The long-staying Black Tern was still hawking over Sutton's marsh on the RSPB reserve and a Yellowhammer, rare in this area, was seen near the sewage works.
From about 8am. for the next 2 hours, the Pink-Feet must have flown over Birkdale in anything from batches of 1,000's to the solitary 1 playing 'catch up' at 10'ish. Wonderful, with the sun on their bellies.
Next Sunday,an Icelandic goose census will take place at dawn covering all of the main roosts in Lancashire so watch this space for current numbers.
A later near verbatim report from another local bird watcher follows -
A late afternoon visit to the old sand plant was interesting with obvious signs of birds on the move. The bushes on the remaining hill by the coast road had 5 Long-tailed Tits, several Goldcrests, a female Blackcap, a Garden Warbler and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over calling. The compound itself was surprisingly birdless, but 700 Pinkfeet very close on the saltmarsh to the north. Also 6 Snipe, 8 Little Egrets, two Marsh Harriers, (both a 1st winter male and female) and 2 Grey Partridges - both calling for some reason. A late Swallow zipped south over Sandgrounders. Easterlies overnight and on Saturday night so 'eyes to the skies'.