Well its been over a year since my last post my only excuse not enough time in the day and my free time needs to be kept for birding. That said birding in Cumbria seems to have become even more enjoyable recently and I've been inspired to get back to rounding up what I've seen and whats been around.
The main highlight of this month in North Cumbria has been the Geese, lots of them and lots of variety. This winter has been the best winter ever in Cumbria for Bean Geese and White fronted Geese. It started in December when Craig Shaw found a massive flock of 76 Bean Geese at Blackdyke near Silloth and a few Eurasian Whitefronts nearby at Abbeytown and since then regular groups have been found in several places in our area. After that Bean Goose flock dispersed I managed to find a decent sized group of 24 on January 2nd and a huge flock of 280 Eurasian Whitefronts at Old Sandsfield on the 20/1/12. Other big groups of Eurasian Whitefronts included a big one of 140 in the Longtown area on the 29/1/12 and up to 46 at Linstock on the River Eden, while in the Solway area 130 were on Wedholme flow on the 8/1/12 and up to 40 at Raby Coates on the 30/1/12. Bean Geese seem to have become scarcer since the turn of the year with only small groups being reported, the biggest flock being 29 on Wedholme flow on the 8/1/12.
Some Greenland White fronted Geese have been seen in the Solway hinterland as well, with 10 together with 40 Eurasian Whitefronts at Abbeytown on the 2/1/12 and a good count of 22 on Skinburness Marsh on the 30/1/12.
There have been rarer Geese as well one of the Bean Geese at Blackdyke on the 2/1/12 seemed to show the characteristic long neck, and extensive orange on the beak, as well as a beak that turned up in a concave fashion near the end, of the Taiga race. It was also a large bird compared to the other Bean Geese but given the overlap between these 2 races we may never know.
The other three rare Geese this month were a bit easier to call. The Ross' goose that has been wintering again with the thousands of Barnacle Geese was seen again distantly on Rockliffe Marsh on the 2/1/12 but then disappeared again. It was refound on the 28/1/12 by Keith Hamilton on Skinburness Marsh and was still present the following day when it gave much closer views than it had on Rockliffe.
To complement the Ross' Goose Craig found a nice Blue Morph Snow Goose at Abbeytown with a large flock of Pinkfeet, these Geese often have their origins questioned but this one look spot on and improved its credentially by promptly disappearing after a couple of days. It is presumably still about locally with the large number of Pinkfeet that are around. not as easy to photograph this one but it can be made out against a sleeping swan in the background.
Leaving the best to last though, the 22/1/12 will be a day I long remember as I scanned the Barnacle Goose flock on Drumbrugh only to be stunned by the sight of a beautiful Red Breasted Goose. Unfortunately the flock promptly took off and flew west out of sight. I made a few phonecalls and a few local birders assembled to try to relocate it. Craig had it fly past him at Campfield Marsh and then myself, Craig and Darren had the pleasure of relocating it with a large flock of Barnacle geese at Cardurnock where it showed well in beautiful sunshine for the rest of the day. It could not be relocated the following day and was then found at Caerlaverock so it seems this beauty only graced Cumbria for a day though it could easily have been hidden on Rockliffe amongst thousands of distant Barnies for months. A bird I will long remember and probably for me even eclipses the finding of Kentish plover last May.
Away from Geese there have been other good birds around still. The Great White Egret first found on 1/11/11 and not seen since 24/12/11 reappeared on the 14/1/12 . For the rest of the month it could usually be found on the saltmarsh around Campfield roadside scrape or on the pool itself but for such a large bird could hide easily.
After an excellent December for Bewick Swans (up to 11 reported in several areas around Abbeytown/Wedholme) the only report in January was of 6 at Abbeytown flood on the 3/1/12 until one popped up with the herd of 65 Whooper Swans at longtown on the 28/1/12.
White winged Gulls are always nice finds and Craig has been lucky enough to find 2 juvenile Glaucous Gulls this month the fist at Old Sandsfield on the 13/1/12 and the second on the last day of the month at Crosscannonby in the big gull roost there with 2 Med Gulls. Iceland Gulls have also been reported from the coast with one at Maryport on the 13/1/12 later also seen at Crosscannonby and at least two other further down the coast at Workington and Whitehaven the following day.
Other slightly more expected wintering birds included a Long Tailed Duck at Longtown on the main roadside pool for the whole month, but the relatively mild winter so far has seen a complete lack of Smew, Waxwings and very few Brambling, Fieldfares or Redwing.
Two Green Winged teal were also reported this month, one at Campfield on the 4/1/12 and another at Siddick Pond on the 14/1/12. Siddick has also held the usual wintering Bitterns with estimates varying between 3 and 5 birds present
For interests sake simply because there have been so many whitefronted Geese around in North Cumbria i have attempted to list all the records for Jan 2012 which make an impressive showing.
EURASIAN WHITEFRONTED GEESE – JAN 2012
31/01/12 Longtown, Brisco Hill - c100
31/01/12 Abbeytown - 15
30/01/12 Easton - 8 with Pinkfeet
30/01/12 Raby Cote - 11 with c2,000 Pinkfeet
30/01/12 Raby Coates – c40
30/01/12 Skinburness Marsh - 12
29/01/12 Longtown 140 in riverside field by the lorry park with 200 Pinkfeet
28/01/12 Longtown 26 in riverside field by the lorry park with Pinkfeet and Greylag
23/01/12 Raby Coates c.25 nearby with c2,000 Pinkfeet
23/01/12 Abbeytown - 5 +
23/01/12 Cardurnock - 1 juvenile
22/01/12 Abbeytown – 14
21/01/12 Old Sandsfield - c35
20/01/12 Old Sandsfield - 280 in fields behind Old Sandsfield
17/01/12 Old Sandsfield c60 in flight
16/01/12 Raby coates – 1 with c300 Pinkfeet
15/01/12 Old Sandsfield - 18 in flight
13/01/12 Burgh Marsh – 6 +
11/01/12 Longtown - 55 in private area
11/01/12 Brampton - 32 flew over the fish farm
10/01/12 Linstock - 42 early afternoon
09/01/12 Raby Coates - 90 +
09/01/12 Linstock - 14
08/01/12 Wedholme Flow - 130
08/01/12 Linstock - 45 early afternoon
06/01/12 Abbeytown - 11
05/01/12 Abbeytown - 40
02/01/12 Abbeytown - 50
02/01/12 Abbeytown 46
GREENLAND WHITEFRONTED GEESE JAN 2012
31/01/12 Abbeytown – 1
31/01/12 Longtown, Brisco Hill - 1
30/01/12 Skinburness Marsh – 22
30/01/12 Raby caotes - 2
08/01/12 Linstock – 1
05/01/12 Abbeytown - 1
02/01/12 Abbeytown - 10
