Bean And Gone

With tantalising reports of Taiga Bean Goose eminating from Southport, I decided upon one final birding foray before loosening the old belt and engaging in some good old fashioned festive gluttony and merriment.

Now the sclerotic and traffic light infested roads of Sefton and East Lancs are not my favourite area to drive around – especially when you get stuck behind one of the many goobers driving at 35mph in the national speed limit zones – so an early start was the order of the day.

A couple of birders were on the old sand plant when I arrived, one of whom kindly put me straight on to a White-fronted Goose mingling with the Pinkie flock a good distance out into the marsh – its orangey hooter indicating a bird of the Greenland race.

A further scan through the geese produced another White-front, eight Barnacles and a strange concoction that looked as if it could have been a cross between a Pinkie and a Snow Goose, but sadly no Bean Goose.

Trying to find one in the army of Pink-feet was always going to be a tough task today though, especially as most of the birds were just too far away to scrutinise accurately, so my first Bean Goose will have to wait for another year…

Plenty of raptor activity on the marsh – the highlight being a very belligerent male Hen Harrier who tussled with at least three Short-eared Owls, before dive-bombing a nearby Peregrine.

RSPB Marshside(ish) 23.12.09

2 White-fronted Goose
8 Barnacle Goose
c2,000 Pink-footed Goose
1 Hen Harrier (male)
1 Merlin (male)
1 Peregrine
3+ Short-eared Owl
1 Rock Pipit

Until later & Merry Christmas!!