Lancashire & Cheshire Fauna Society Registered Charity 500685 www.lacfs.org.uk Publication No. 115 Lancashire Bird Report 2011 The Birds of Lancashire and North Merseyside S. J. White (Editor) D. A. Bickerton, M. Breaks, G. Clarkson, S. Dunstan, N. Godden, R. Harris B. McCarthy, P. J. Marsh, S.J. Martin, T. Vaughan, J. F. Wright. 2 Lancashire Bird Report 2011 CONTENTS Introduction............................................................................................... Dave Bickerton ........... 3 Review of the Year ......................................................................................... John Wright ........... 4 Systematic List (in the revised BOU order) Swans .................................................................................................................. Tim Vaughan ............. 9 Geese ............................................................................................................. Graham Clarkson ........... 11 Ducks .................................................................................................................... Nick Godden ........... 16 Gamebirds ........................................................................................................... Steve Martin ........... 26 Divers to cormorants.............................................................................................. Bob Harris ........... 30 Herons ........................................................................................................... Stephen Dunstan ........... 33 Grebes ...................................................................................................................... Bob Harris ........... 36 Birds of prey ................................................................................................. Stephen Dunstan ........... 37 Rails ...................................................................................................................... Steve Martin ........... 43 Oystercatcher to plovers ................................................................................... Tim Vaughan ........... 45 Knot to phalaropes ............................................................................................... Steve White ........... 50 Skuas ...................................................................................................................... Pete Marsh ........... 63 Gulls ...................................................................................................................... Mark Breaks ........... 64 Terns to auks ......................................................................................................... Steve White ........... 71 Doves to woodpeckers ................................................................................. Barry McCarthy ........... 77 Shrikes to tits ....................................................................................................Dave Bickerton ........... 84 Larks & hirundines ...................................................................................... Barry McCarthy ........... 91 Warblers to Waxwing .......................................................................................... Steve White ........... 95 Nuthatch to starlings ......................................................................................Dave Bickerton ......... 102 Dipper to chats .............................................................................................. Barry McCarthy ......... 104 Pied Flycatcher to sparrows ................................................................................ Steve White ......... 112 Wagtails and pipits ...................................................................................... Barry McCarthy ......... 114 Finches to buntings .........................................................................................Dave Bickerton ......... 119 Escapes and Category D ...................................................................................... Steve White ......... 131 Lancashire Ringing Report ............................................................................ Pete Marsh ....... 134 Firsts for Lancashire: Solitary Sandpiper .............................................................................................. Stuart Piner ......... 148 Yellow-billed Cuckoo .......................................................................................... Steve White ......... 148 Iberian Chiffchaff........................................................................................... David McGrath ......... 149 ‘Caspian’ Reed Warbler ....................................................................................... Steve White ......... 150 Short-toed Lark ..................................................................................................... Steve White ......... 151 Aerial Survey at Belmont Gullery ............................................................. Steve Martin ....... 151 Earliest and Latest Migrant Dates ............................................................... Steve White ....... 153 Submission of records, Society contacts .......................................................................... ....... 154 Birding sites, List of Contributors .................................................................................... ....... 158 Lancashire Bird Report 2011 3 Introduction Dave Bickerton Perhaps 2011 wasn’t as spectacular as 2010 in terms of weather and bird movements but there were certainly some very interesting records, not least the four county firsts including a first for Britain! Another cold winter then a fine spring followed by an awful summer seems to be becoming the norm of late and the effects of these changing weather patterns on our avifauna is captured in this year’s bird report. I hope you enjoy reading the detailed accounts written selflessly by a committed band of volunteers. The area covered by this report is one visited by many birdwatchers from the novice to the experienced ornithologist due to the many and varied habitats and the wealth of birds they support. Yet again we have had an incredible number of records submitted, all of which have been considered for inclusion in the report. Whether you send in just one or two records or you can offer comprehensive data on a regularly-watched site, we welcome all your records. Many of you are entering data on web sites such as the ones for the Fylde Bird Club or East Lancashire Ornithologists Club. These sites are an excellent resource and I implore you to support these local organisations who work closely with the society. There are more and more social networking groups being set up where records and news are disseminated quickly. It’s very difficult for us to pick up records from here so it is still important to keep records and submit them! All submitted records contribute enormously to conservation efforts and we share them with national bodies like the BTO, RSPB, the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, British Birds magazine and Natural England, and the two county biological record centres, the Lancashire Environmental Records Network (LERN) and Merseyside Biobank. The national atlas surveys both came to an end in 2011 but a small number of Lancashire tetrads needed further attention in 2012 and these additional records will be used for the county atlases. More than 1000 birders have contributed records and at the moment some 100,000 species records (many more than this were received but many duplicated existing information) are being checked by regional organisers. Once that is done we shall finalise the distribution and abundance maps and begin the write-up. It has unfortunately been decided that the cost (and weight!) of printing a book would be prohibitive, so the atlas surveys will be published as a single DVD – hopefully by spring 2013. Once again thanks must go the dedicated team of writers who give up many days of their own time to compile their sections of the report and to those on the records committee who sit in deliberation on records of Lancashire rarities. Most of all I must thank the recorder and editor of the report, Steve White, who puts in an incredible amount of effort in collating and disseminating the records, reviewing and editing the texts, co-ordinating the production of the report as well as numerous other activities. If you would like to contribute an article, help in writing the species accounts or take a more active role in any way, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the editor. Thank you for supporting the work of the Lancashire and Cheshire Fauna Society in either being a member or purchasing this report. The cost of producing this journal of record is just about covered by membership subscriptions and sales. If you are a regular purchaser of the report, please consider joining the society (see the membership section towards the end of the report). Front cover: Corn Bunting, Plex Moss, July (Steve Young) Back cover: Short-eared Owl, Sefton Meadows, February (Steve Young) 4 Lancashire Bird Report 2011 Review of the Year, 2011 John Wright January A chilly but relatively quiet start to the New Year in most areas. However, ice and snow continued to be an issue on higher ground. The year started with a first-winter Red-necked Grebe on Fairhaven Lake from the 4th which attracted a lot of admirers. The spectacle of winter waders and wildfowl was a prominent feature with the Alt Estuary hosting