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Rossendale Birds Forum -> Out of Rossendale Trip Reports -> Marton Mere, Blackpool
Post Info TOPIC: Marton Mere, Blackpool
sarfraz


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Marton Mere, Blackpool
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Blackpool Council were advertising a Long Eared Owl spotting session at Marton Mere in conjunction this weekend, which will carry on throughout the winter period. 

Luckily today I had a day's work in Blackpool so I combined my trip to Marton Mere with it. 

Once on the M6 Buzzards, Lapwings, Gulls, Corvids and a Kestrel were showing.  On the M55 the birds stepped up a gear.  There were Buzzards including an exceptionally large one at a post which I thought would have been a Steppe Eagle abroad.  Geese flocks came into view - Pink Feet and Canada and others probably.  Then two Whoopers crossed the motorway, with seven more crossing a mile down. 

At Marton Mere I met a chap who I came across at the Pied Billed Grebe twitch in Rochdale in 2010.  He recognised me.  Why do I always get recognised? 

The usual birds were around but we made our way to the scrub where the Long Eared Owls were roosting.  There  were a minimum of twenty people there already and they had already spotted at leats one of the Owl's.  I looked through someone elses telescope and at first could not make out the owl in the centre of the frame.  It had superb camouflage.  Eventually it materialized out of the browns.  I wanted to see its ear tuft.  What good was seeing a Long Eared Owl when you could not see the unique to British owl species ear tufts.  It was not long before one came into view.

I felt rather excited as I realised I had seen all regular beeding British Owl species. 

Luckily there was a bit of sunshine in the morning and the reedbed looked a royal golden colour.  Here are some photos I have taken today. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarfrazh/6655252139/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarfrazh/6655234097/   

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarfrazh/6655242625/



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Ste Rush


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Hi Sarfraz

Very nice indeed. You do realise you are turning to the dark side of Twitching.........you will soon be chasing Dave Ouseys' total!

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sarfraz


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No way LOL.

I have no intention of going for a 500. The furthest I will go to twitch/watch birds alone would be North Wales. The furthest I have been in fact is South Stacks for a day out birding.

I will go to Fairburn Ings and Burton Mere every 3-4 months. For a twitch i would go as far as those places alone but every time I amready to go the birds have gone. I have been trying to twitch Smew which have been seen off and on at Fairburn Ings and Leighton Moss over the last 4-5 weeks. I did go to Leighton Moss a month ago to get Smew, and a Glaucous Gull at heysham and Glossy Ibis. The Smew moved on because it froze, the Glaucous Gull was there but I had no idea how to get around nyclear power plant but I ddi get the Glossy Ibis, a bird i have seen abroad.

This winter I do hope to get a few ticks ie Scaup, Common Scoter, Little Gull, Smew, Water Pipit, Jack Snipe and Bean Goose. Got some of those that i have wanted already - Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Long Eared Owl, White Fronted Goose, Little Stint...

There are more but just a question of timing. I wont make a trip for a single species unless it is a bird that is likely to stay. I wont go too far too.

I wont even do British yearly lisst too. It can become very expensive!

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sarfraz


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I missed the Grey Phalarope at MMWWT in December though.

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