Latest Sightings
There is no concerted effort to keep this page up to date now: the Ribble Estuary Birding Facebook Group is probably the best place for sightings that people are prepared to share – and see the other links on the home page for sightings further afield.
Feel free to submit latest sightings news as comments below. The first time you do this your comment will need to be approved before appearing; thereafter your posts will appear in real time. The date will appear automatically; please give the time of your sighting. If it doesn’t pertain to Marshside please also give the location!
Latest news posted here appears as the TOP comment.








HOM today at high tide 3 Marsh Harriers, Peregrine, Merlin, SE Owl, Hen Harrier also reported and Weasel with Wood Mouse pic here
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=501372293542&set=o.330737625441&theater#!/photo.php?fbid=10150146765423949&set=o.330737625441&theater&pid=8198343&id=694803948
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sleipnerofasgard/?saved=1
hello had three barn owls hunting at once around 4 00pm today also two little owls and a tawny owl + one woodcock and a chiffchaff ’15 grey partridge on sefton meds at lunt near wooden bridge over the river alt
Twite at Weld Road today, at least 30. Marsh Harriers at Martin Mere, Hesketh Out Marsh. Lapland Bunting again at Hesketh Out Marsh. Iceland Gull at Preston Docks. Red-Necked Grebe Fairhaven Lake. Mealy Redpoll Knowsley Safari Park.
Not much of note between Mersey and Ribble at present until you get to the geese and swans around the mosses and the main reserves. Peregrine, Merlin and Hen Harrier at Marshside today. Green-winged Teal, Lapland Bunting, Brambling and Bewick’s Swan at Hesketh Out Marsh. Most of the action has been north of the Ribble – see main item. The redhead Smew on the Ribble near Brockholes was found again upstream of the weir that is itself upstream of the reserve area yesterday.
Another visit Snow Buntings showing well at Ainsdale, very approachable, No shorties on outer but plenty of Little Egrets and one distant Peregrine and plenty of birders around but still none on here i see, ah well
Frank
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sleipnerofasgard/
Thanks Frank
I was at scanning the outer for an hour or so either side of high tide. Marsh Harrier, nice ring-tailed Hen Harrier, great views of a Peregrine, 3 Merlins, a very pale Common Buzzard (I wonder if this was the bird reported as a Rough Legged Buzzard by RBA?) a Kestrel, and vast numbers of Little Egrets, a couple of Rock Pipits over the Sandplant …
My first visit to Marshside for some time, and by the looks of the sightings on here it appears nobody else has visited either,Snipe and Curlew in plentiful supply at Nels with all the usual winter fare, Wigeon Teal and Golden Plover, similar tale at Sandgrounders with a Sparrowhawk stirring things up, Great White Egret reported in the sightings book and heard a spoonbill spotted on Crossens outer neither seen by me, only Kestrel and Marsh Harrier to report but plenty of Little Egrets around
fem Wisons phal at seaforth today showed well on pool in front of hide C,photos on my flickr page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/apbirdman/
hello all. has anyone seen dotterel on plex this year ? i have been lots of times seen nil
Loads of Razorbills off Freshfield today, with a few dozen Gannets diving close in, 12 Red-breasted Mergansers, a couple of Guillemots, some Red-throated Divers, Great-crested Grebes, a few Common Scoter. Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming in the trees inland, with at least three birds seen. Escaped Harris Hawk over, plus Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. A few Redpolls and Treecreepers heard in the pinewoods.
BLACK DUCK Drk still present 6.30am viewed fron Glan Conwy railway platform.
just Received a text 10.14am BLACK DUCK Drk Conwy RSPB on Estuary in Channels tho very elusive, still present 11.20am.
SH.794.758. Lost to view at 11.30am please note: the bird was reported on the Estuary and not the Reserve.
L B Dowitcher @ Marshside this morning.
2 Med Gulls still on Polly’s this morning. 6 Ruff at Nel’s and still a handful of Golden Plovers. 3 water voles in the golf course channel, a stoat on Hesketh Rd. An early and unmistakeable Willow Warbler at the Crematorium woods, in a fall of four birds in the same tree at very close quarters, heard singing too.