Lee Harrison's Nature Photography.: Shoveler

Well I headed out this weekend as I had no work to do, Friday I shot over to Marshside, in hope of seeing the Bitten that has taken up residence for the last week but I lasted about 15 min. scanning over Crossens before I gave into the cold and headed inland, silly me forgot my hat and gloves, thought I was getting frost bite although this little male Stonechat did make me feel a bit warmer for about a second...

"Stonechat"

Firstly I headed over to Mere Sands Wood, where I got the opportunity photograph a few our smaller birds and winter visitors, I hope that you like them...

"Robin"

"Redwing"

"Fieldfare"

Lastly but definitely not least this little beauty brightened up the day, it so nice seeing these Mandarin Ducks turning up in unexpected places.

"Mandarin Duck"

As I got home I decided to head down to my local Common Bank lodge where I have been watching number the number of Goosander increase over the past week form a single pair to 28 birds, I found this very strange as I have never seen Goosander on this lake or any other in town lake before, many times on the larger water around Rivington but never here, a very nice surprise...

"Goosander"

Saturday Came and when, unfortunately I couldn't get out but on Sunday I headed out for a walk round another local lodge for an hour, there wasn't much around due to the re-frozen lake but it was still nice to get out, I took 4 more pics so I hope that you like them...

"Meadow Pipit"

"Shoveler"

"Canada Goose"

"Mallard"

Well I hope that you like my blog, please feel free to leave any comment,

Thanks always Lee Harrison.

A beautiful Morning on Wednesday, sun shining, birds singing all looks good in life, I had an early start and dragged myself out from under my duvet at 6am, in hope of catching up with a Ross's Gull at Lytham that I heard about the day before, but no luck there unfortunately.

I spent a few hours just watching the waders been pushed up the beach and around Fairhaven lake, in hope that the gull might reappear on the in coming tide but NO... Plenty of waders round about, Knot, Sandling, Dunlin, Redshank, Curlew, Grey Plover, Oyster Catcher, Black Tailed Godwits and a single Bar tailed Godwit which was nice to see because is was my first in a while; plenty of Black headed and Common Gulls wandering around with the odd Greater Black Back Cruising over to see if any snacks had there backs turned.

Bar Tailed Godwit

Oyster Catcher

Curlew

Once i had finished at Lytham and finally convinced myself that the Ross's Gull wasn't going to return, I sulked off to the usual turf of Marshide, as i headed down Marine Drive, the clouds set in and the winds picked up but i continued on to see what was around; as always plenty of Avocets around, Ruff, Dunlin and all the other regulars that you would expect, Meadow Pipits struggling to stay in one place but still sing the little hearts out in the wind, I had a good scan through the Dunlin but they were a bit to far away to see if the Little Stint was still there, Even though it was quite quiet around i managed to get a few nice pics around the hides as the sun drifted in and out.