Misty Day At The Seaside

28.02.19 - Lancashire Coast

There's been some great weather over the last few days but it looks like it's coming to an end by the weekend, but before then I'm keen to get out at least one more time before we are back to the norm for the year...grey!

It's am and I open the curtains revealing low cloud and mist across the nearby moors barely able to see the wind turbines in the distance, in these conditions bird photography needs to be at relatively close range stuff otherwise the images are going to be pretty poor, so checking the various birding web sites to see if there's anything worth going for....owls?...too long range in these conditions, Twite.....now thats a possibility, I can usually can get quite near with a little patience also they won't be around for much longer departing to their moorland breeding grounds. So decision made, I'm off to the Lancashire coast.

It's an easy drive up the motorway all the while I'm hoping the mist will clear by the time I arrive, it doesn't. Normally I would bother in conditions but over the last few weeks I've not been out so much with the Six Nations rugby in full swing and Murrayfield next week..."common Wales" so I'm determined to make a go of it.

Parked up its only a short walk to the small bay to where these moorland finches visit feeding on high tide line, a quick scan there's no sign of the reported group of up to eighty birds that have been present over the winter months. There's a nip in the air and mist blurs the usual scenic view over the river, then I hear the Twite and a group of about twenty land on the slip way, time to get back to the car for the gear.

The plan is very much as my previous visit whereby I sit further along the small bay at a distance where Twite feel comfortable with my presence and wait, soon they land amongst the hide tide debris and the action begins. Forty or so birds are now hoping around the weed and trying to isolate a single that's sat up on a rock is challenging, what I don't want is a shot of a bird lost amongst the background.

This popular location is happerred by the occasional walker, some even look at what you are doing and point to the birds which invariably sends them sky wards and the waiting starts all over again. Its now 2.30 pm and the light has now deteriated such that I'm shooting at 4,000 iso which for a "cropper" (crop sensor camera) is a stretch to far for reasonable image quality, in any case its now started to drizzle and quite cold, time to call it a day but happy I made the effort.

Twite

Twite in the Sunshine

Twite a Linnet like bird normally during the breeding season are found on upper Lancashire moors but in winter can offend be found over wintering on the coast. 

Located at Knott End on the File Coast I’ve noted over the last couple of weeks a group of long staying Twite of about forty five birds visiting the high tide line of a small bay feeding on the seed. So checking yesterdays birding reports confirming the birds were still present, I packed the gear for a photo session on another fantastic sunny day.

Knott End on Sea with views across the Morecambe Bay of the snow capped peaks of the Lake District is located across the River Wyre directly opposite Fleetwood better known in former times as a main fishing port. Arriving at 9.30 am it's deathly quite apart from the odd early morning walker, having never having been to this part of the Fylde Coast before I decide to have a walk, the quite has a calming effect and totally different to a Friday during a week of my former stressful working life. 

On the way back from the walk I note a birder scanning the small bay, it’s the group of Twite and quickly return to the car for the gear. The birds are feeding on the high tide mark, unfortunately they are so small they are lost amongst the weed and debris, my best opportunity is a shot of a bird perching on a stone or maybe the mud.

The birds are easily spooked by walkers peering over the slip wondering what this chap is doing with a long lens and fly off but soon return after about fifteen minuets, that's the routine for the rest of the morning.

All to soon I have recorded about a thousand images on the digital card, it’s been a great day and hopeful I've recorded some usable images

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Twite