A feathery mix from west Lancashire from our now Welsh Extreme Photographer

The Safari only managed a few dreary minutes not long after dawn and fewer very damp minutes at lunchtime.

Easily best sighting of the day was an adult Gannet cruising round over the heads of about 20 Cormorants and  five Red Throated Divers were seen.

At lunchtime the visibility was dreadful and we didn't stay long, not even to look for the now assumed AWOL Black Redstart.

Totally lacking pics today we are very grateful for our Extreme Photographer lets us show  you what he's been up to on his few days back in Lancashire with his new camera/lens combo

Great Grey Shrike - Lytham Moss

Robin - Marton Mere nature reserve

(Eastern) Grey Squirrel - Marton Mere nature reserve

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Marton Mere nature reserve

His pics should be good once he's got the hang of the controls!
Where to next? The weekend starts here and there will deffo be some wildlife involved.
In the meantime let us know who brightened the dreariness in your outback.

A somewhat black day today

The Safari has been busy the last couple of days with little opportunity to get out from a small (but not darkened) room. We've had some laughs doing some serious work we'll be able to tell you about shortly.

Today we had a later start than originally anticipated and that gave us the chance of a few minutes on Patch 2 (wonder if we'll ever get to Patch 1 again)

The first thing to catch our eye was a Pied Wagtail along the top of the wall catching flies. Over the other side the tide was in and not too far out our first scan with the scope revealed a fair number of Cormorants concentrated in a small area of sea. There must have been some fish about. Also in the general area and continuing the black and white theme, probably waiting for the chance of a steal, were half a dozen Great Black Backed Gulls and a Lesser Black Backed Gull too.

More Cormorants came in and then we saw the distinctive rolling black fin of a Harbour Porpoise much closer in. It took a few more minutes before we got onto it again well to our right this time. We saw it twice more and then time was really pressing but as we turned the go we heard the 'chisick' of more Pied Wagtails and just had to stop for a look. Glad we did, there was a Wheatear with them - always worth checking a late Wheatear...just in case, and this was one of those cases! OK so it wasn't a vagrant species of Wheatear but a paleish Black Redstart (177, P2 #80) a female or immature. Great stuff but time to go, nice way to start the day is a self-found local scarcity.

And that was the last opportunity for wildifing for the rest of the day. nice to see a small crowd gathering for a look as we left for our appointment, a very quick chat revealed it had 'gone' but thankfully it was relocated not far away a little later.

Where to next? Back on Patch 2 in the morning and we should be able to get a lunchtime look too...what will we find?

In the meantime let us know if it's a black and white in your outback.

Back on the sands again

The Safari had no chance of getting out early today and the conditions looked good enough to eat! Fortunately we did get out at lunchtime. We'd already decided to get down on to the beach rather than getting the scope out for a usual scan of the sea which by now was almost like a mirror on the low tide. It took a lot of will power not to get the scope out and to put the wellies on instead but put the wellies on we did.

It was great to get down on the beach and sheltered from the north easterly breeze by the seawall above us it felt like summer down there.

We're sure we're preaching to the converted here but just in case there are new readers that haven't popped by before then please get out and have a look around you where-ever you are even in the town centres. Give the corporate Chinese tat-fest that is Christmas shopping a miss, instead of looking in look up, look down, look around, look anywhere except at the sh*te designed to relieve you of your hard earned cash. There's a whole world of wildlife to discover even in the most urban areas and it doesn't cost a penny to enjoy, just a little time and a little practice.

Out on the beach looking down is order of the day - apart from looking across at the gulls of course!
The tide line wasn't over exciting but there were quite a few Edible Whelk shells in various states of repair. The bright low light made for interesting shadows.

Also interesting and fascinatingly beautiful are the patterns in the sand that the water in the runnels make as they drain away. As someone just said over on F/B there's art everywhere if you care to look

Not so artistic was our next find, a Mermaid's Purse aka egg case from a Lesser Spotted Catshark, this one is empty the baby shark having swum off into the big wide world. Sad to see how much fishing litter there is tangled up with the seaweed that it's attached to. There's far too much plastic out there please don't add to it - use the bins, recycle your waste, better still lobby for less plastic to be necessarily used - if it's not made it won't be thrown away (there's actually no such place as AWAY) in the wrong place.

Our time on the beach was far too short, we'd have found more to keep you entertained if we'd had a few more minutes.

As we were leaving work our Extreme Photographer appear with a camera full of superb Great Grey Shrike pics but he's very critical of them and will be going back tomorrow to get new improved ones providing the light is on his side; the weather forecast looks to be in his favour. While we chatted there was a bit of a sunset starting to happen and we could see it was drawing a crowd of watchers and photographers along the see wall. As our EP left we got a txt from CR saying he was at the pier doing the Starling thing again so as it was on route there was only one thing to do - join him! 

Just got the angle slightly wrong on this one should have lifted the camera slightly and not cut off the end of the pier with the lamp post but hey-ho that sky is pretty darn good.

Very few Starlings tonight on both piers, passing Central Pier we saw only about 300 unless they'd already gone in. CR reported that most here at North Pier had already done so and that there were perhaps only 1000 or so. Where are they all - at the nature reserve??? Just as we turned to leave about 500 left the underside of the pier and headed off WNW - to the nature reserve??? 

So no murmurations but we think the sky just about made up for it - and we probably missed the best of it driving to meet C.

Where to next? A very busy day tomorrow but there should be a do at something at lunchtime - assuming we get a lunch!

In the meantime let us know who's making the patterns in your outback

Another day of guiding in the hide

The Safari spent the afternoon acting as a 'Guide in the Hide' at the nature reserve with our Extreme Photographer and his new 600mm & Canon 1d mk iv combo for company, his first proper outing with it.

The light wasn't brilliant but it wasn't bad eider. Outside the hide door there was a clump of moth-eaten (or should that be slug-eaten) fungi sprouting through the leaf litter under the hedge.

We always appreciate someone putting a name to our fungi pics - we're useless at them!

Through the window the Grey Squirrels were up to their usual tricks thieving all the birds' food.

We'd put up a new table closer to the windows for the youngsters to get better views - it didn't take long for the birds to find it. Nor did it take long for the camera shutters to start whirring. Not the best effort we'd lost the light by now.

And once the the birds had found it the squirrels weren't far behind in their investigations

Hmm can I get round that?

Up we go - nearly there

Made it - now what's up here worth having?

The other post is the one with the tiny Rowan tree growing out of it but what was on the top of one post  might be the same on the other.

Where's the food?

 At the back was a very late Bramble still in flower

All manner of common birds were on the hunt for spilled seed

The ridiculously mild conditions mean that the Apples haven't yet been touched by the Fieldfares and Redwings, nor even the local Blackbirds.

The only finches we saw were Chaffinches until a colour ringed Goldfinch turned up briefly but didn't come  down to thee feeders.

A couple of Robins sparred for the best seat in town.

Star bird of the day was the Great Spotted Woodpecker that came in for a go at the fat balls.

A look over the mere as the sun dropped gave us only a small Starling murmuration of only about 1000 strong.

Walking back to the Land Rover we heard the familiar calls of Pink Footed Geese approaching and luckily reached open ground as they went over so low that we could hear their wings beating - about 500 of them - an awesome spectacle to end the day.

Where to next? Little chance of much wildlifing at all tomorrow but hopefully we'll get a chance of a pic for our #100moredaysofnature

In the meantime let us know who's gobbling up all the food in your outback

Starlings at sundown

The Safari didn't get out until late today, but we did make a makeshift bird-table for the nature reserve's Feeding Station.

We'd arranged to go back to the pier with CR for another look at the Starling murmuration - and why wouldn't we! He txtd to say he would pick us up on the way and while we were waiting for him we saw these really bright Cotoneaster berries by our garden gate.

Only a few minutes later we were on the promenade waiting for the Starlings to arrive. There were only a couple hundred already swirling round.

Flocks of varying sizes began to arrive and swell the ranks.

After a totally grey day the cloud began to break but not really enough for a Blackpool spectacular, there was some colour though which is always good.

Numbers built to about 6000, as best we could tell by counting the flocks as they came in.

Tonight though there were far more Starlings murmurating over Central Pier but from where we were standing it was impossible to get even a guessimate of how many were there.

 OK only one thing to do - walk a bit nearer. We walked onto the pier but the main deck was closed. The windows were very dirty with salt spray but the noise coming through them was really loud. One thing we did notice was that a huge number were sat down on the deck in a rough circle - just as they do on the beach, The reason for this is ???? You tell us!

We still could get any better idea of the numbers over Central Pier. Between us and them we could hear the band playing for the rehearsals for tonight's Strickly Come Dancing show from the iconic  Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

By the time we'd walked back to our original vantage point most of 'ours' had gone in as the light was fading rapidly.

Again it was good to see so many others watching and enjoying/photographing/filming.

As ever many thanks to CR for the lift.

Where to next? At the nature reserve tomorrow being the 'Guide in the hide' again

In the meantime let us know who's throwing the best dance moves in your outback

Thankfully it turned out better

The Safari was lucky yesterday, we didn't think we'd be able to get our early doors but in the end we were and boy are we glad we did! Nothing much was happening and it was difficult to get an estimate of the Common Scoters due to the heavy chop. A gull acting unusually caught our attention it was well out on its own and appeared to be hovering around a certain point raising up then dropping down nearer the water - it was deffo interested in something. we kept a close eye on it for almost five minutes in which time it barely moved one way or another and then all was revealed when a large dark back with a fairly long dorsal fin broke the surface briefly and promptly disappeared again. Almost definitely a Bottlenose Dolphin but not really enough of a view to clinch the ID sadly. Once it had dived the gull continued doing what it was doing for a few more minutes before moving off to the south and doing the same again and then abandoning its aquatic friend to go which ever way, obviously lost it under the waves.

The rest of the day was spent floating on air after that and in the afternoon we had a school to visit to talk to Yr 5 about bats, which went very well (so we've been told - might be able to get some pics next week).

With being indoors we were always going to struggle for our #100moredaysofnature pic for the day but once back at Base Camp we had to go into the garden and there was our opportunity. The Silver Birch tree at the end of the garden was being thrown around by the stiffening gale. It took a fair few shots to get something like the desired effect we could see in our head. Now we MUST put the camera back to something like normal settings!

This one was not so-close-second - the other fifty or so got deleted!

Today we were once again on opening up duty and on our walk down the corridor to unlock the doors we spotted a purple fungus we're sure wasn't there yesterday.

With heavy rain all morning and dreadfully dull light we had to wait til lunchtime to nip out with the camera but by then the sun was trying to poke through the clouds and it was brightening up quiet nicely. We think it's growing on a Gorse root  (from a plant that should not have been cut down in the first place!) if that helps anyone ID it, fungi aren't are strong point.

The rock is a lump of mudstone from the glacial till, you can see the scratches left by other stones in the glacier and the top right has a chunk broken off - wonder which Lakeland/Pennine fell it is from.

A nip to the store in the rain mid morning was very productive, we spotted a Wren, the second we've seen on site this year and a Song Thrush (P2 #78). As we said, very productive!

A short visit to the sea wall wasn't up to much but it did look good for cetacean spotting. We didn't see any but close in there was a small flock of Common Scoters really close in. So close in in fact that we were able to get a pic with our phone - not it's not digi-scoped this is a phone-'only' pic! And un-zoomed at that!!! Not often they are this close. They were originally sat on the water the males displaying to the single female but flew off as we pulled the camera out of the pocket - almost missed them.

After work we met up with CR at North Pier for a murmuration session. Things bode well as the sunset was lining up nicely as we drove along the Prom. 

There weren't many Starlings in when we arrived, about 2-3000 but flock after flock joined them and in the end we had sort of counted 12000, some of the larger flocks were very much guestimates. We didn't have the proper camera so these are of the phone.

The couple are also watching the spectacle as were about another half dozen people, most filming it too which is great to see.

Looking north, most of the flocks were coming in from slightly right of the little shelter

Never mind 'Strictly' this is the best dance in town!!!

Although we have to admit the best shapes were thrown towards the end when the light was lost. No predators today despite DB reporting that the Peregrine was back on the church in the town centre for the first time in ages. 

(We might have to ask her to do a guest blog about her recent diving expedition to the Maldives  -the Manta Ray pics are beyond awesome)
Late afternoon DB turned up at work with her dogs and we went out to meet her for a quick chat, it was then a Chaffinch flew over us (P2 #79) 

A really great couple of days even if the weather was a bit rough at times.
Where to next? Weekend starts tomorrow and we have a couple of ideas to try out.
In the meantime let us know who;s dancing round your outback.

It's a steal today

The Safari got over the to the wall for a few minutes this morning. Not a great lot happening out there about 200 Common Scoters and a Great Crested Grebe were on the water but scanning round we saw two Curlews whiz through the field of view so we followed them round onto the beach. Holy wow they joined another nine. So OK eleven Curlews isn't a great lot but it's still a very high count for the beach here and so very nice to see.

Our lunchtime watch was short and not so sweet, the tide was in and a stiff breeze had chopped it up quite badly so there wasn't much to see.

Once again we were struggling for the day's #100moredaysofnature pic but we had a further option up our sleeve. We had a meeting at the nature reserve later in the afternoon and needed to go and find a prop for our school visit tomorrow which we knew would be in the old cabin. Off we went camera at the ready as there would be a few minutes to get out onto the reserve. But things went horribly wrong. The prop wasn't there - did we dream it, we were certain it's been in there for years...we put some feed in the feeding Station and then had a look in the draws of our old desk. And found something rather topical.

As you will recall there is a Great Grey Shrike a couple of miles from the office, well several years ago there was one at the nature reserve, 1998 to be precise 1st of March to the 18th of April - a good long stayer. In the draw there's a pile of old prints, some are showing their age and more importantly showing how much amateur photography has come on over the intervening years.

This isn't our pic probably either by PT or McMG can't remember exactly...was a long time ago!

It was the fourth record for the nature reserve and there hasn't been one since, this latest one is close bit not close enough.

Our meeting started at about the time the Starlings came in to murmurate, the flock grew to the low thousands but gave us the run around from end to end and unfortunately we had to give up and go to the meeting...news if which we'll be able to give you in a couple of weeks time.

Where to next? More Patch 2 and maybe something extra if we get a chance.
In the meantime let us know what's been lurking hidden in the depths of your outback for over 15 years.