Flicking Fantastic

Last session at Woolston on Saturday 19th May was as usual an early start and very productive. Pick of the day were a very dark Dunnock with some odd plumage features. A Magpie found its way into one of the relocated potter traps but best was to come. Around the bed there were hundreds of Swifts and as the morning went on the conditions for a bit of 'flicking' were perfect. A fantastic technique if slightly labour intensive produced 33 Swift. The highest amount caught at Woolston.

Mmmmmmm.......?

Nice.

Need i say anymore?

MCFC Premier League Champions

Sunday 13th May 2012 will go down in footballing folklore as the greatest day in the history of the Premier League. Needing only to match the rags score the odds with were stacked against us, but in the final 4 minutes goals from Dzeko and Aguero secured our first Premier League title. Personally i don't recall the last 5 minutes other than celebrating with my son. But a bit of delirious footage for prosperity will stay long in the memory.

Bloody Ramblers

OMG!
What a week? As if i need to mention it, anyway more on that later.
Woolston last Saturday that's what i want to blog about. Caught another Water Rail this time a handsome male, as well as the 1st Whitethroats of the year. Oh and a Stock Dove also, sorry i am winging my way through this? Anyway back at Woolston in the morning trying for BH Gull, Carion Crow, Jackdaw and possibly Common Sandpiper. Fingers crossed.

1 Down 1 To Go?

Slightly weary after partaking in the Greater Manchester Bird Race yesterday, more on that in due course. Whilst recceing various sites in the county i had chance to photograph the 1w Little Gull that was present at Salford Quays last week. cracking little birds.

On with the gull theme i found a smart 2w Med Gull loafing with Black-heads up on Horwich Moors, of all places.

Sleepyhead More Like

After a week of working nights down at the Olympic village in Stratford, London it was nice to get out and do some birding yesterday. A bit of recce work for the weekends bird race was in order trying to pin down some otherwise more difficult species. More on that after next Saturday, i wouldn't want to give anything away. I did see some Grey Partridge though that didn't mind having there photo taken.

Whilst out in Dunham Massey mid afternoon i got a call asking did i want to go for the Bufflehead (that i knew nothing about) in Lincs. Seeing that i couldn't muster up the enthusiasm to drive to Cornwall for the long staying bird i decided to go. The bird showed as well as duck can on a reservoir spending the majority of its time fast asleep, the light was absolutely awful so apologies for the crap photos. Also present were a 1w Little Gull and more Yellow Wagtails than i have seen anywhere.

Up S**t Crake?

After setting various nets on Friday evening i set off for Woolston at 3.45am meeting Kieran at 4.15am. Once on the bed we went our separate ways opening nets at opposite ends of no.3 bed. Whilst opening nets in the NW corner (4.45am) my phone rang, it was Kieran? He asked where i was and then told me he had just had calling Little Crake! So as calmly as i could finished setting then made my way over to the 'rail ride'. Whilst walking over it was obvious the Black-headed Gull colony was starting to stir and by the time i had reached the 'rail ride' the noise was positively deafening. Upon reaching Kieran the conversation went some thing like this:
Kieran: Hi mate, it wasn't a Little Crake
Me: Oh?
Kieran No, it was a f*****g Baillon's Crake
Me: Your f*****g joking
Kieran: No, it called about 9 times
Me: F**k
Kieran: As soon as i put the phone down from you i realised
Me: F**k
As you can tell it was quite a tense situation for us both. With the noise from the gulls we had no chance of hearing it again that morning so set about returning that evening. We arrived at 9.30pm and left at 11.00pm with only a distant Water Rail, to be fair the bloody gulls were still at it and wouldn't shut up. So it goes down as potentially the one that got away and Kieran has previous experience with Baillon's Crake so don't doubt for a second it was one. If it stays it could be one hell of an awkward twitch!
That aside it was pretty good on no.3. 2 Little Gulls that were alive were present and the first Grasshopper Warbler of the year was caught.