Saturday 22 October 2011

Billinge Hill

Wheatear 1 on midden pile below beacon.
Crossbill 2 over beacon W calling
Pink-footed Goose 1000 flying east
Fieldfare 70 flying SW
Redwing 100 some flying S others just generally in the area.
Lesser Redpoll 3
Yellowhammer 20
Bullfinch 2
Reed Bunting 1



The Wheatear was my latest ever in the North West, by five days. I do have two records from elsewhere in the UK which are later still. On 23/10/1997 I saw one at Machir Bay on the Scottish island of Islay, and on 27/12/2007 I saw one at Cromer Point near Scarborough. This latter bird was associating with a Desert Wheatear, and I don't think that I'm ever likely to see a Wheatear later than that. It was only 5 days away from being my earliest ever!

1 comment:

  1. Hi Colin,went to look for pink footed geese this afternoon and found about 500-1000 in a field opposite the Crawford arms(now boarded up!).Managed to creep up on some ,nearly on hands and knees,to take a few photos.They arent great mostly because the light was poor and little contrast between the birds plumage and the fields.

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