Garden Birdwatch

31st January 2016 – rain S2/1
Offshore
The sea proved disappointing revealing little of note in the poor visibility.
Wildfowl and Waders
The two female Scaup remain and other wildfowl included 30 pale-bellied Brent Goose and 2 Barnacle Geese. A group of 6 Greenshank were the pick of the waders.
Miscellaneous
The first-winter Little Gull again fed over the island’s flooded fields.
Garden Birdwatch
The observatory garden provided 30 Goldfinch, 3 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 3 House Sparrow, 2 Dunnock, 2 Wren, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Carrion Crow and single Sparrowhawk, Blue Tit and Song Thrush.
Ringing
As usual ringing got off to a slow start on the island in January with just 66 birds of 5 species. Individual species totals were as follows (retraps in brackets) Goldfinch 7 (50), Dunnock 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Blackbird (4) and Reed Bunting (3).

Laughing Gull headlines

30th January 2016 – showers SW5/6/7
Rarities
A first-winter Laughing Gull lingered amongst Black-headed Gulls off Biggar Bank between 0910-0935 before drifting south.
Offshore
Observations over the sea (0830-0945) produced 11 Kittiwake, 6 Common Scoter and a first-winter Little Gull.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Brent Goose flock held 20 dark-bellied birds and two pale-bellied birds..
Miscellaneous
A check of the island over the tide to try to relocate the Laughing Gull proved fruitless although another first-winter Little Gull was found feeding over the island’s rain sodden fields and 30 Twite were seen.
Local news
A Firecrest has been seen daily since Thursday at Millwood on the outskirts of Barrow-in-Furness.

Little Gull takes shelter

29th January 2016 – rain at times SW8/7/6
Offshore
A check of the maritime shore revealed wild seas and a single Kittiwake but little else of note. However, a first-winter Little Gull sheltered along the eastern shore.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Brent Goose flock held 60 pale-bellied birds, also seen were 65 Barnacle Geese, while waders included 1000 Golden Plover.
Miscellaneous
A flock of 80 Twite were recorded.

Water Pipit reappears

24th January 2016 – overcast SW4/5
Rarities
At least two Water Pipit were again in the flooded horse paddocks along Carr Lane amongst 20 Rock Pipit.
Offshore
A check of the sea revealed just small numbers of Red-throated Diver, Kittiwake, Guillemot and Common Scoter.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Brent Goose flock held 205 pale-bellied birds while waders included 11 Purple Sandpiper and 7500 Knot.
Miscellaneous
Peregrine, Merlin and Raven were all logged..
Ringing
A flock of 42 Greylag held a neck-collared bird.

Great Skua

23rd January 2016 – overcast/murky SE2
Offshore
A Great Skua terrorised gulls in the mouth of Morecambe Bay and a further check of the sea (1100-1200) produced 21 Red-throated Diver, 14 Common Scoter, 6 Razorbill, 3 Kittiwake and a Shag .
Diurnal Migration
There was some evidence of movement with 55 Pink-footed Geese heading north.
Wildfowl and Waders
The 2 female Scaup remain and additional wildfowl included 100 pale-bellied Bent Goose, 30 Barnacle Goose, 71 Pintail and 5 Shoveler. Waders included 6 Greenshank.
Miscellaneous
A notable increase in Twite was note with 180 birds logged, also seen were 63 Little Egret and single Merlin and Raven.

Scaup new in

19th January 2016 – sunny spells NE1
Wildfowl and Waders
The Barnacle Goose flock increased again to hold 85 birds. Two female Scaup were amongst 20 Goldeneye and waders included 4 Greenshank
Miscellaneous
A Raven was logged and Little Egrets remain prominent.

Barnacle Geese increase

17th January 2016 – overcast N3/4
Wildfowl and Waders
The Barnacle Goose flock increased to 76 birds and a Greenshank was the pick of the waders.
Miscellaneous
Despite the mainland being covered in snow the green oasis that is Walney Island failed to show any evidence of cold-weather movement.
Ringing
The Barnacle Goose flock includes at least 10 colour-ringed birds, these show that the flock is a mix of wild birds from the Svalbard and naturalised birds breeding in Scotland.

Geese Galore

16th January 2016 – early frost then snow NE1/2
Offshore
A check of the sea provided 12 Shag and single Red-throated Diver and Common Scoter .
Diurnal Migration
There was some evidence of movement with 100 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Whooper Swan and 12 Woodpigeon logged.
Wildfowl and Waders
Geese were to the fore with 130 pale-bellied Brent Goose, 58 Barnacle Goose and 45 dark-bellied Brent Goose logged along with 7 Shoveler amongst 310 Teal. Waders included Purple Sandpiper and 1100 Knot.
Miscellaneous
A Little Owl – perhaps the last resident on the island, was a welcome sight and 2 Water Rail were logged. The Twite flock held 40 birds. More remarkably, the observatory recorded the first sub-zero temperature for 773 days overnight.

Water Pipit remains

15th January 2016 – sun and showers WNW4
Rarities
At least one Water Pipit was again in the flooded horse paddocks along Carr Lane, amongst 18 Rock Pipit.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Brent Goose flock held 116 pale-bellied birds.
Miscellaneous
A flock of 41 Twite were logged.

Water Pipit reappears

10th January 2016 – rain then showers W7/8
Rarities
At least one Water Pipit was again in the flooded horse paddocks along Carr Lane.
Offshore
A check of the sea revealed mountainous waves and just 16 Kittiwake. Although 2 Shag were found sheltering along the eastern shore.
Wildfowl and Waders
The Brent Goose flock held 140 pale-bellied birds while waders included 2 Greenshank and a Jack Snipe.
Miscellaneous
A Short-eared Owl was flushed by the rising tide and 4 Tree Sparrow were seen.
Bird Race
WBO again entered a team in the CBC Winter Bird Race. Conditions were not ideal, the day began under monsoon conditions and a gale; however the team still managed to amass 96 species (including 70 on Walney Island) before arriving at Haverthwaite for a 1700hrs finish. Although good species such as Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe (Hodbarrow) and Water Pipit (Walney Island) were amongst the total it proved to be a difficult day to catch up with the so-called commoner species with Fieldfare, Redwing, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Nuthatch and Twite all missed.

Buzzard brace

8th January 2016 – sun and showers W4/5
Offshore
A check of the sea revealed just 3 Kittiwake, 2 Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver.
Wildfowl and Waders
Wildfowl included 8 Pintail and 4 Shoveler.
Miscellaneous
Two Buzzard were over the island recently.

Wintering Little Egrets remain

3rd January 2016 – overcast N3/4
Offshore
An early morning check of the sea before the rain set in (0900-1000) produced 50 Common Scoter, 13 Red-throated Diver and 4 Razorbill.
Miscellaneous
The 64 Little Egret are still in residence.

A few Pink-feet on the move

2nd January 2016 – overcast/rain NE3/4
Diurnal Migration
A skein of 40 Pink-footed Geese flew through.
Miscellaneous
A Barn Owl and 2 Raven were the best of the rest.

Local specialities see in the New Year

1st January 2016 – overcast N3/4
Offshore
An early morning check of the sea (0900-1000) produced 53 Common Scoter and a Kittiwake.
Wildfowl and Waders
Waders included 1200 Knot, 1100 Golden Plover and 2 Jack Snipe.
Miscellaneous
A pair of Raven and a Peregrine were the best of the rest.