Another day in North Lancs taking in the Russian white-front influx produced minimum counts of 300 on Pilling Moss at Bradshaw lane this morning, 67 SW of Skronkey, 61 north of Cockersands Abbey viewed from Crook farm and 2 off Black Lane south of Stake Pool #LancsBirding @birdguides.bsky.social

Impressive scenes at Cockersands Abbey, at least 68 Russian white-fronts, 60 barnacles & 1000s pink-feet. 30 RWFG were in the main pink-feet flock, with 38 just east of Crook farm. All but 3 are in the photos. I only had bins so prob missed juv RWFG #LancsBirding #BirdingUK @birdguides.bsky.social

A day out in SW lancs today on a white-fronted goose chase produced 10+ adults on Plex Moss & 13+ adults at Martin Mere. Also at Martin Mere ring-necked duck & juv. knot, & on Plex Moss 6+ corn bunting #LancsBirding #UKBirding

A full report here of the amazing Mediterranean gull currently visiting Pennington Flash, which apparently is the oldest on record from a ringing recovery, includes a photo of the bird as a nestling 🤯 #PFBirding #UKBirding colinsfieldnotes.blogspot.com/2026/02/medi...

Martin Mere today, 4 Russian white-fronts flying around the mere for 10 mins but didn't land & a juv. knot. Other birds inc. 32 oystercatchers, 29 ruff, 50 black-tailed godwits, ring-necked duck, 3 species of egret, plus the usual wildfowl and raptors. Not a bad day #LancsBirding #UKBirding

Great northern diver, still on Scotsman's Flash today and showing well #LancsBirding #UKBirding

Pennington Flash, adult Mediterranean gull on rocks off the car park this afternoon. Also 63 pochard, 22 goldeneye and 1 great white egret #PFBirding

Ainsdale this morning, ad drake velvet scoter quite close in with a small flock of common scoter. Close enough to see the white mark behind the eye. Many more scoter much more distant. Also 3+ red-throated divers & 6 RB mergansers #LancsBirding

I've only waited 45 years for a decent view of surf scoter on the North Wales coast, but today was the day 🥳. 100m off the promenade at the Old Fisherman's pier, Colwyn Bay at noon. I picked it out though binoculars 😆 the closest bird for a while #birdingwales #RareBirdsUK #BirdingUK

A short video of the adult yellow-legged gull in the Pennington Flash roost on Wednesday evening #PFBirding

Pennington Flash this morning, 1st win male scaup still at western end, 53 pochard, 3 great white egrets, 5 little egrets, 20+ goosanders, 20+ goldeneye and tufted duck with nasal saddle CH1 still #PFBirding

Pennington Flash gull roost this evening, adult yellow-legged gull and adult Mediterranean gull #PFBirding

1st winter drake American wigeon on the Ribble at Preston this morning #LancsBirding #BirdingUK #RareBirdsUK

A blog post about finding the drake bufflehead at Foryd Bay on Wednesday colinsfieldnotes.blogspot.com/2026/01/buff... #birdingwales ##RarebirdsUK ##BirdingUK

Lesser yellowlegs still River Clwyd at Rhyl at noon. In the marshy grasslands on the west side of the river just north of the pylons. #birdingwales #RarebirdsUK #BirdingUK

Prior to today, the only bufflehead I had seen in the UK was rejected as a probable escape so well pleased to see this drake at Foryd Bay this morning, especially since there hadn't been any positive news since Saturday #BirdingUK #RarebirdsUK #BirdingWales

That'll do 😆. Bufflehead still north of hide on east side, Foryd Bay, with drake scaup #BirdingUK #RarebirdsUK #BirdingWales

Foryd Bay, Bufflehead again from hide on east side. Hoping for better views 😆 #BirdingUK #BirdingWales #RarebirdsUK

A grim start to the day at Penrhos, Anglesey, brightened by 3 Slavonian grebes together and 2 great northern divers #UKBirding

Glazebury WWTW Culcheth, several chiffchaffs on the beds, inc. the bird in the photos which looks like tristis to me, though happy to hear opinions. There was definitely a tristis calling in the area but I just couldn't be sure that it was the bird in the photos #RareBirdsUK #CheshireBirding

Pennington Flash with 95% ice cover at the moment but still holds 1st win drake scaup, 200 tufted ducks, 25 goldeneye, 35 pochard, 10 goosander, 150 teal, 80 shoveler and great white egret, plus lots of the usuals #PFBirding

Another exceptional day at Martin Mere today with ring-necked duck, glossy ibis & short-eared owl still present, plus the usual egrets and wildfowl. No sign of yesterdays Russian white-fronted geese but a fabulous partially leucistic reed bunting still at Janet Kear hide #WWTMM #LancsBirding

Pennington Flash, 1st winter scaup off the car park today, found by John Tymon at 10:00, and still present at 15:00 #PFBirding

Three Bewick's swans & a short-eared owl the highlights for me at Martin Mere today, with ring-necked duck & glossy ibis also still present. Both the swans & the owl were my first at #MMWWT since 2011. On 23/12/1990 I recorded 818 Bewick's on the reserve but those days have long gone #LancsBirding

The glossy ibis at Martin Mere showed very well today from the Gordon Taylor hide, also ring-necked duck still at the Discovery hide and at least 1 Siberian chiffchaff at the sewage works #MMWWT ##LancsBirding

Glossy Ibis from the Gordon Taylor hide at Martin Mere today. Also today, ring-necked duck still and water pipit. #MMWWT #LancsBirding

Today I got lucky with both the smew on Southport marine lake & snow goose at Marshside. The smew was virtually point blank range from Floral Hall car park & the snow goose was not much further away on Sutton Marsh. Both showed almost immediately with no hanging around 👌. #LancsBirding #Marshside

A short video of a Mediterranean monk seal at Paphos headland, Cyprus a few days ago, one of an estimated 20-22 individuals in Cyprus, 350 in the eastern Med & 700 world wide. The camera moves off the seal occasionally because I was actually following a little gull at the time! 🤦‍♂️😆 #MarineMammals

Ring-necked duck at Martin Mere this morning, bringing my #MMWWT total to 192 species. Likely the same bird that has spent the past 2 winters in St Helens & was originally seen at Mere Sands Wood in January 2024. #StHelensBirding #LancsBirding

Pallid harrier at Mandria this morning, and Isabelline shrike at Paphos headland #cyprusbirds

Finsch's wheatear, Kidasi, Diarizos Valley, Cyprus today. One of three #Cyprusbirds

On the face of it a video of a 1st win little gull at Paphos Headland today which is a decent enough record. The star of the video though is a Mediterranean monk seal in the bottom right on 8 secs & top on 13 secs. Cyprus population 20 - 22 individuals it's the rarest seal in the world! #Cyprusbirds

White-thoated kingfisher & Siberian pipit at Akrotiri Marsh this morning. I've seen the Kingfisher before in Kuwait and India but the pipit was new #cyprusbirds

This moth was on our apartment wall this morning in Mandria, Cyprus. Apparently it's Apochima flabellaria. #moths

Heuglin's (Siberian) gull, Mandria, Cyprus today. Wonderfully tatty! #Cyprusbirds

Delighted to find a long-tailed duck at Taylor Park this afternoon whilst taking 3 yr old grandchild to the swings. Eighth record for St Helens, I've now managed to find 3 of them. Previous finds at Eccleston Mere 2005 & Prescot reservoirs 2015. Next predicted sighting 2035 😆 #StHelenBirding

Pennington Flash this morning, 59 pochard off the car park, apparently my largest flock ever at the Flash though I'm sure that must be more down to my under-recording in the 1980s & 90s. Certainly my largest flock this century. Also a build up of goldeneye today with 20 inc. 5 drakes. #PFBirding

Barrow Lane this morning, 9 pink-footed geese in fields south of the road. Only one golden plover #StHelensBirding

Barrow Lane, 2 stonechats still m&f, 22 golden plover, 2 grey wagtails, 35 pink-feet over E, plus big woodpigeon passage still with 1090 over in 10 flocks 8am-8:30am #StHelensBirding

Pennington Flash, 31 pochard inc. 25 males off the car park, the largest flock I've seen at the flash for a few years. Also 22 ad great black-backs, 2 regular ringed black-headed gulls, 3738977 ringed in Holland in 2016 & the Norwegian bird with a white plastic ring J3260, ringed in 2023 #PFBirding

Disappointed not to see the shorelark on the Great Orme today, but somewhat compensated by this cattle egret flying over the sea below the lighthouse. A first at the Great Orme for me and only my second ever sighting in Wales! #BirdingWales #UKBirding #RareBirdsUK

Billinge Hill vismig 7:30-10:30, most birds SSW. Woodpigeon 2445 in 37 flocks, redwing 197 in 12 flocks, fieldfare 104 in 6 flocks, chaffinch 71 mainly in small groups of 1-4 birds. Skylarks (2) & meadow pipits (7) poorly represented. Highlight a firecrest in bushes below the beacon #StHelensBirding

Billinge Hill vismig 8-10am most birds SSW: Woodpigeon 2939 in 50 flocks most before 9am & inc. 1 albino bird. Redwing 93 in 10 flocks, fieldfare 61 in 3 flocks, stock dove 11, skylark 32, chaffinch 60 inc. flock of 11, reed bunting 6, pink-feet 170 with 25 S & 145 E, song thrush 4 #StHelensBirding

Pennington Flash, two 1st winter greater scaup at the western end this morning #PFBirding

Pennington Flash, adult drake lesser scaup this morning. Initially in east bay but then flushed by boat & may have landed in Ramsdales #PFBirding @birdguides.bsky.social

Knot at Carr Mill Dam, St Helens today at 8:45am, seconds before it walked behind a post and then flew off. The first record for the borough away from Prescot reservoirs #StHelensBirding

Not the best photos but this pied wagtail at Barrow Lane, St Helens this afternoon was a really smart looking bird #StHelensBirding

For sale, Swarovski EL8.5 x 42 binoculars with case & rain guard. Please direct message me if interested 🙂 #BirdingGear

Green sandpiper and stonechat at Barrow Lane today #StHelensBirding

Pennington Flash early afternoon, 5 common scoter (2 drakes), 2 great white egrets, 11 little egrets #PFBirding @birdguides.bsky.social