Female-type Ring-necked Duck still on the Isle of Man at Ballanette NR at dusk. #UKBirding

More #BirdingGear Wellington woes: not impressed at all with Muckboot Arctic Sport on the first outing. Only walked 4km in them and my legs below the knees were red raw caused by the front lip which curves inwards! Poor design which looks as though I’m going to have to cut a section off the front!

German ringed 1CY Yellow-legged Gull HPH79 at Queens Park, Blackburn, this morning. Ringed as chick in the Frankfurt area on 30th May 2025, resighted in UK at Southwold, Suffolk 8th Aug and Darwen, Lancs on 30th Oct. Strangely no sign of the regular 1CY YLG that was still present yday. #LancsBirding

A 1CY Caspian Gull at Fishmoor Res, Blackburn mid-pm and the regular 1CY Yellow-legged Gull at nearby Queens Park. #LancsBirding

In addition to the Shorelark at Point of Ayre, Isle of Man were 2juv Scaup on the pools there. And a Manx Shearwater yesterday was notable for November. #UKBirding

The Shorelark at Point of Ayre, Isle of Man giving crippling views this morning. #UKBirding

The regular 1CY Yellow-legged Gull still at Queens Park, Blackburn today and a flyover 1CY Caspian Gull over nearby Fishmoor Reservoir. Cetti’s Warbler still at the latter site and now singing occasionally. #LancsBirding

Curious to know how many colour ringed Yellow-legged Gulls have ever been recorded in Lancs. I’m aware of 2: Lancaster Tip 1999, same bird Fishmoor Res Autumn 2001 (French ringed) & a German ringed bird at Darwen late Oct 2025. Any other records from the likes of Seaforth or the Fylde? #LancsBirding

Records-wise, Cetti’s Warbler are still very scarce in the East Lancashire Ornithologists’ Club (ELOC) recording area, but the past week has seen singles discovered at three new sites. This one a welcome first for Fishmoor Res, Blackburn y/day. Must be more out there… Today’s mission. #LancsBirding

Brockholes first, long overdue record of Cattle Egret was found on 22nd Oct and was still present on 23rd, bringing the reserve list since 1998 to 213 species and my personal Brockholes list to 206… though the spectre of removing Green-winged Teal from both looms large… 😬 #LancsBirding

Time and iOS software updates have finally caught up with the trusty ‘Bird Tick List’ app, sadly long not supported by the developer. Can anyone recommend an iOS app that you can easily maintain lists and also quickly log species during birding trips + easily export said trip sightings? #BirdingGear

5hrs at the Black-faced Bunting today during my first visit to Spurn in 9yrs! Opted to watch this educational bird through scope rather than take photos when it showed well on road intermittently in morning. It become much more elusive in the afternoon, hence photos in the buckthorn only. #UKBirding

Thankful I glanced to the north whilst cleaning the Van on the drive otherwise this garden tick Great Egret would have sneaked by unnoticed. #LancsBirding

Always on the lookout for colour ringed birds wherever I go, and recent trips to the Isle of Man have proved fruitful in this regard including a Dutch ringed Ringed Plover, Curlew from the North Yorkshire Moors, Dublin-ringed Great Black-backed Gull and Norwegian ringed Black-headed Gull. #UKBirding

1CY Yellow-legged Gull still frequenting Queens Park, Blackburn, 16th Oct. #LancsBirding

And all was well with the world. #UKBirding

Called in at Gouthwaite Res for the drake Lesser Scaup, followed by a check of Hellifield Flash where the drake Ring-necked Duck was present. #YorkshireBirding

I estimated a 90% chance the Bempton Needletail would have roosted overnight, but last nights twitch from the Isle of Man ended in disappointment. Pod of Bottlenose Dolphin and some Pink-feet over. Always surprises me how far off fledging some of the Gannets are in the second week of Oct. #UKBirding

Best from a morning at Langness, Isle of Man included this juv male Hen Harrier heading SW out to sea, a Sparrowhawk high SE out to sea and numbers of passerines on the move; Mipits, Alba Wags & Chaffinches mainly & 50 Swallow. A juv Curlew Sand in the high tide wader roost and 21 Chough. #UKBirding

1CY Yellow-legged Gull again at Queens Park, Blackburn, 6th Oct. #LancsBirding

Seems posts with hashtag #LancsBirding aren’t appearing on the feed… Who do I report this to? Thanks in advance.

Got this as a 1CY Yellow-legged Gull: Queens Park, Blackburn, 3rd Oct. #LancsBirding

Some nice Pink-footed Goose vismig Fishmoor Res, Blackburn this AM with 610 > SE (15 skeins) 07:05-07:45. 4 Gadwall new-in Rishton Res. No sign Grey Phal Parsonage Res, but unringed Osprey briefly then >SW, with another (ringed) Osprey seen by others 2hrs later. Great Egret Brockholes. #LancsBirding

The poor weather produced the goods at Fishmoor Res, Blackburn with an adult Red-throated Diver and Grey Plover. Both had departed by 08:20. Lingerers included the Grey Phal Parsonage Res, 2 Curlew Sand, 5 Ringed Plover & new-in Common Tern Dean Clough Res. 7 Shoveler Rishton Res. #LancsBirding

The Parsonage Res, Blackburn Grey Phalarope present for the fifth day and typically showing well. #LancsBirding

A check of Parsonage Reservoir, Blackburn late morning was rewarded with a fine 1CY Grey Phalarope. #LancsBirding

A check of a few local sites in brutal weather conditions was rewarded with a juv Curlew Sandpiper on Rishton Reservoir. #LancsBirding

A nice juv Black Tern, 2 Osprey, 3+ Hobby, long staying Great Egret at Brockholes today. #LancsBirding

This Manx Shearwater was a great inland find by Phil Rhodes at Lower Rivington Reservoir late afternoon. #LancsBirding

Perhaps only birders who patch truly urban sites will appreciate this… Today on my more rural primary patch, Brockholes, I saw 4 Osprey, 4 Hobby and Great Egret, but it was at Queens Park Lake in urban Blackburn where two ridiculously confiding site-first Teal became birds of the day! #LancsBirding

Cattle Egret in Lancs further inland than eg Martin Mere are still rare and in East Lancashire incredibly rare, so it was a shocker to receive news at 19:30 of 16 Cattle Egret at Belmont Res, 7mls south of home. Just got there in time before they departed low south. 16ad, 2 juv. #LancsBirding

The fifth Great Egret of the year at Brockholes showed very well from the Visitor Village today. Present in the area for the third day. #LancsBirding

Enjoyable Raptor fest at Brockholes today with two Osprey I haven’t seen previously. 3 Hobby (Ad, 2 juv) and ad Peregrine. A Great Egret seen by others. #LancsBirding

Osprey (blue 465) showed well for a time on the Ribble at Brockholes today. Known from the colour ring to be in the area for the 9th day. #LancsBirding

A good amount of sky watching in 9hrs at Brockholes produced min 3 prob 4 Osprey, juv Marsh Harrier, Peregrine and 2 Hobby. A juv Wood Sandpiper was most welcome. 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 LRP, 3 Snipe. 2CY Med Gull. 190 House Martin > S in 20 minutes mid-morning. #LancsBirding

At the end of my tether with both PhoneSkope lollipop adapters not gripping ATX eyecup despite being fine initially. Sides of eyecup perhaps greasy? Can anyone recommend a wipe/solution that won’t degrade the rubber eyecup before rattle gets thrown from pram & I look at other adapters! 🤞#BirdingGear

A juv Wood Sandpiper at Brockholes this morning. #LancsBirding

Better views of yesterdays blue ringed Osprey at Brockholes clinched it as 465 (2021 female from Esthwaite Water, Cumbria) first seen in area 22nd Aug. 3 Hobby, Med Gull, Yellow Wagtail best of rest. A surprise Gadwall during a spot of Gulling at Queens Park, Blackburn was a site mega. #LancsBirding

A few quality hours at Brockholes after a week of Covid misery raised the spirits somewhat with 2 Osprey (unringed juv and a blue darvic older bird), juv Peregrine, 3 Hobby (Ad, 2 juv), nice count of 30+ Little Egret, roost of 50 Cormorant, 5 Green Sandpiper, 11 Teal and a Mandarin. #LancsBirding

The run of good garden birds continues with this Yellow Wagtail, quite a scarce migrant in east Lancs, west at 06:42. Heard with mine own ears as well as by the PUC. 😎 #LancsBirding app.birdweather.com/soundscapes/...

My main target during this mornings visit to Brockholes was Tree Pipit, but no joy in a 5hr Vis session. A juvenile Osprey and another juv Marsh Harrier were fine compensation though. #LancsBirding

Skywatching in the garden late afternoon was rewarded with three sightings of a Hobby. Feniscowles, Blackburn. #LancsBirding

A Red Kite south over my home in Feniscowles, Blackburn this afternoon was my fifth record for the garden, four of the five being in the past two years since I started putting more effort into garden sky watching. A bonus Hummingbird Hawk-moth appeared on the Buddleia early evening. #LancsBirding

7 species of raptor at Brockholes y/day a/noon inc Osprey, Ad+2CY Hobby, juv Peregrine and a stunning juv Marsh Harrier. Other recents inc: Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, 4 Green Sand and a locally scarce Brimstone. A Bittern was brilliantly photographed on Meadow Lake last week. #LancsBirding

Delighted with this first record for the garden… Old Lady. #TeamMoth #Blackburn

A smattering of drake Common Scoter on a few east Lancs reservoirs today; this adult on Fishmoor Res, one on Dean Clough Res and four adults on Alston Reservoirs. It’s days like this when one always wonders how many more may go unrecorded on the many unchecked reservoirs in the region… #LancsBirding

Managed to squeeze in a 1hr seawatch during a mini break in Whitby today armed with bins and camera only. Failed to find my target species juv Caspian Gull, but a Sooty Shearwater >N more than made up for it. Also Manx N, c250 Common Scoter N, c40 Teal N, and 2 close Bottlenose Dolphin. #UKBirding

This very brief Common Tern on the Ribble at Brockholes on 28th July highlights the value of colour ringing in a nutshell. #LancsBirding

Interesting titbit received in a reply regarding a colour ringed South Cumbrian Osprey I reported; the resident incubating female at the private nest site was taken by a Goshawk this year. #UKBirding

News of 65 diurnal Common Scoter through an inland Yorkshire site this morning prompted a 3hr Brockholes VP scanning the sky to the east, but no joy. Two good birds for the patch were had; A Yellow Wagtail > NE and juv Marsh Harrier > SW, the latter being the 55th individual 1999-2025. #LancsBirding