Colin Davies
@coldav1.bsky.social
Reluctant Pennington Flash birder. NW birding in general, selective twitcher and cetacean enthusiast.
Delighted to find a long-tailed duck at Taylor Park this afternoon whilst taking 3 yr old grandchild to the swings. Eighth record for St Helens, I've now managed to find 3 of them. Previous finds at Eccleston Mere 2005 & Prescot reservoirs 2015. Next predicted sighting 2035 😆 #StHelenBirding
November 17, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Delighted to find a long-tailed duck at Taylor Park this afternoon whilst taking 3 yr old grandchild to the swings. Eighth record for St Helens, I've now managed to find 3 of them. Previous finds at Eccleston Mere 2005 & Prescot reservoirs 2015. Next predicted sighting 2035 😆 #StHelenBirding
Pennington Flash this morning, 59 pochard off the car park, apparently my largest flock ever at the Flash though I'm sure that must be more down to my under-recording in the 1980s & 90s. Certainly my largest flock this century. Also a build up of goldeneye today with 20 inc. 5 drakes. #PFBirding
November 15, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Pennington Flash this morning, 59 pochard off the car park, apparently my largest flock ever at the Flash though I'm sure that must be more down to my under-recording in the 1980s & 90s. Certainly my largest flock this century. Also a build up of goldeneye today with 20 inc. 5 drakes. #PFBirding
Barrow Lane this morning, 9 pink-footed geese in fields south of the road. Only one golden plover #StHelensBirding
November 15, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Barrow Lane this morning, 9 pink-footed geese in fields south of the road. Only one golden plover #StHelensBirding
Barrow Lane, 2 stonechats still m&f, 22 golden plover, 2 grey wagtails, 35 pink-feet over E, plus big woodpigeon passage still with 1090 over in 10 flocks 8am-8:30am #StHelensBirding
November 9, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Barrow Lane, 2 stonechats still m&f, 22 golden plover, 2 grey wagtails, 35 pink-feet over E, plus big woodpigeon passage still with 1090 over in 10 flocks 8am-8:30am #StHelensBirding
Pennington Flash, 31 pochard inc. 25 males off the car park, the largest flock I've seen at the flash for a few years. Also 22 ad great black-backs, 2 regular ringed black-headed gulls, 3738977 ringed in Holland in 2016 & the Norwegian bird with a white plastic ring J3260, ringed in 2023 #PFBirding
November 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Pennington Flash, 31 pochard inc. 25 males off the car park, the largest flock I've seen at the flash for a few years. Also 22 ad great black-backs, 2 regular ringed black-headed gulls, 3738977 ringed in Holland in 2016 & the Norwegian bird with a white plastic ring J3260, ringed in 2023 #PFBirding
Disappointed not to see the shorelark on the Great Orme today, but somewhat compensated by this cattle egret flying over the sea below the lighthouse. A first at the Great Orme for me and only my second ever sighting in Wales! #BirdingWales #UKBirding #RareBirdsUK
November 8, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Disappointed not to see the shorelark on the Great Orme today, but somewhat compensated by this cattle egret flying over the sea below the lighthouse. A first at the Great Orme for me and only my second ever sighting in Wales! #BirdingWales #UKBirding #RareBirdsUK
Billinge Hill vismig 7:30-10:30, most birds SSW. Woodpigeon 2445 in 37 flocks, redwing 197 in 12 flocks, fieldfare 104 in 6 flocks, chaffinch 71 mainly in small groups of 1-4 birds. Skylarks (2) & meadow pipits (7) poorly represented. Highlight a firecrest in bushes below the beacon #StHelensBirding
November 7, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Billinge Hill vismig 7:30-10:30, most birds SSW. Woodpigeon 2445 in 37 flocks, redwing 197 in 12 flocks, fieldfare 104 in 6 flocks, chaffinch 71 mainly in small groups of 1-4 birds. Skylarks (2) & meadow pipits (7) poorly represented. Highlight a firecrest in bushes below the beacon #StHelensBirding
Billinge Hill vismig 8-10am most birds SSW: Woodpigeon 2939 in 50 flocks most before 9am & inc. 1 albino bird. Redwing 93 in 10 flocks, fieldfare 61 in 3 flocks, stock dove 11, skylark 32, chaffinch 60 inc. flock of 11, reed bunting 6, pink-feet 170 with 25 S & 145 E, song thrush 4 #StHelensBirding
November 6, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Billinge Hill vismig 8-10am most birds SSW: Woodpigeon 2939 in 50 flocks most before 9am & inc. 1 albino bird. Redwing 93 in 10 flocks, fieldfare 61 in 3 flocks, stock dove 11, skylark 32, chaffinch 60 inc. flock of 11, reed bunting 6, pink-feet 170 with 25 S & 145 E, song thrush 4 #StHelensBirding
Pennington Flash, two 1st winter greater scaup at the western end this morning #PFBirding
October 28, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Pennington Flash, two 1st winter greater scaup at the western end this morning #PFBirding
Pennington Flash, adult drake lesser scaup this morning. Initially in east bay but then flushed by boat & may have landed in Ramsdales #PFBirding @birdguides.bsky.social
October 25, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Pennington Flash, adult drake lesser scaup this morning. Initially in east bay but then flushed by boat & may have landed in Ramsdales #PFBirding @birdguides.bsky.social
Knot at Carr Mill Dam, St Helens today at 8:45am, seconds before it walked behind a post and then flew off. The first record for the borough away from Prescot reservoirs #StHelensBirding
October 24, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Knot at Carr Mill Dam, St Helens today at 8:45am, seconds before it walked behind a post and then flew off. The first record for the borough away from Prescot reservoirs #StHelensBirding
Not the best photos but this pied wagtail at Barrow Lane, St Helens this afternoon was a really smart looking bird #StHelensBirding
October 23, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Not the best photos but this pied wagtail at Barrow Lane, St Helens this afternoon was a really smart looking bird #StHelensBirding
For sale, Swarovski EL8.5 x 42 binoculars with case & rain guard. Please direct message me if interested 🙂 #BirdingGear
October 22, 2025 at 3:53 PM
For sale, Swarovski EL8.5 x 42 binoculars with case & rain guard. Please direct message me if interested 🙂 #BirdingGear
Green sandpiper and stonechat at Barrow Lane today #StHelensBirding
October 21, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Green sandpiper and stonechat at Barrow Lane today #StHelensBirding
Pennington Flash early afternoon, 5 common scoter (2 drakes), 2 great white egrets, 11 little egrets #PFBirding @birdguides.bsky.social
October 15, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Pennington Flash early afternoon, 5 common scoter (2 drakes), 2 great white egrets, 11 little egrets #PFBirding @birdguides.bsky.social
Black-headed gull J3581 at Newton Lake yesterday and today. Ringed as a chick on 10th June 2024 at Langøyskjær, Råde, Østfold, Norway, just south of Oslo. Distance travelled 1056km (656 miles) #StHelensBirding
October 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Black-headed gull J3581 at Newton Lake yesterday and today. Ringed as a chick on 10th June 2024 at Langøyskjær, Råde, Østfold, Norway, just south of Oslo. Distance travelled 1056km (656 miles) #StHelensBirding
Five wigeon at Newton lake today were a site first for me #StHelensBirding
October 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Five wigeon at Newton lake today were a site first for me #StHelensBirding
At least 40 common dolphins from the Barra - Oban ferry this morning with at least 1 calf seen. Around 20 were at the entrance to the Sound of Mull out from Tobermory, 10 were out from Castlebay on Barra and the rest somewhere in between #CetaceansUK
October 11, 2025 at 2:02 PM
At least 40 common dolphins from the Barra - Oban ferry this morning with at least 1 calf seen. Around 20 were at the entrance to the Sound of Mull out from Tobermory, 10 were out from Castlebay on Barra and the rest somewhere in between #CetaceansUK
Barra's first coal tit for 2 years has sulphur yellow cheeks & appears to be of the Irish race P.a.hibernicus. I have no experience of this race & no idea what the liklihood is of it reaching Barra. Comments welcome. @birdguides.bsky.social @rayb126.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK
October 10, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Barra's first coal tit for 2 years has sulphur yellow cheeks & appears to be of the Irish race P.a.hibernicus. I have no experience of this race & no idea what the liklihood is of it reaching Barra. Comments welcome. @birdguides.bsky.social @rayb126.bsky.social #BirdingScotland #RareBirdsUK
This morning we found a lesser whitethroat at Northbay, Barra and also managed to catch up with the rarest bird on Barra right now, a coal tit, the first on the island in two years #BirdingScotland @rayb126.bsky.social
October 9, 2025 at 7:42 PM
This morning we found a lesser whitethroat at Northbay, Barra and also managed to catch up with the rarest bird on Barra right now, a coal tit, the first on the island in two years #BirdingScotland @rayb126.bsky.social
Lots of By-the-wind sailors washed up on Barra today following recent gales, plus items with common goose barnacles attached. Also a role of sellotape sp. with what look like goose barnacle sp. but not sure they're common. Any suggestions? #beachcombing @rayb126.bsky.social @barrabirder.bsky.social
October 5, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Lots of By-the-wind sailors washed up on Barra today following recent gales, plus items with common goose barnacles attached. Also a role of sellotape sp. with what look like goose barnacle sp. but not sure they're common. Any suggestions? #beachcombing @rayb126.bsky.social @barrabirder.bsky.social
I've had a poor year for whales & dolphins having missed out on my annual trip to Gairloch & Ullapool. However, we have seen a few dolphins during our trip to Barra inc. common and bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoise, the latter with a calf. Hoping for more on the ferry next week #CetaceansUK
October 2, 2025 at 6:21 PM
I've had a poor year for whales & dolphins having missed out on my annual trip to Gairloch & Ullapool. However, we have seen a few dolphins during our trip to Barra inc. common and bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoise, the latter with a calf. Hoping for more on the ferry next week #CetaceansUK
Barra, juvenile black tern again this afternoon from Eoligarry jetty in the mist and rain. A bit different to watching them at Pennington Flash, apart from the mist and rain #BirdingScotland @rayb126.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
October 2, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Barra, juvenile black tern again this afternoon from Eoligarry jetty in the mist and rain. A bit different to watching them at Pennington Flash, apart from the mist and rain #BirdingScotland @rayb126.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
Barra, spotted flycatcher flycatching on the seaweed on Cleat beach was the birding highlight for me today, also a juv black tern from Eoligarry jetty and a YBW at Castlebay football pitch. 4 bottlenose dolphins also from the jetty #BirdingScotland @rayb126.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
October 1, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Barra, spotted flycatcher flycatching on the seaweed on Cleat beach was the birding highlight for me today, also a juv black tern from Eoligarry jetty and a YBW at Castlebay football pitch. 4 bottlenose dolphins also from the jetty #BirdingScotland @rayb126.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
We didn't manage to catch up with the red-eyed vireo at Nask, Barra today but managed to find our 2nd YBW of the trip at Northbay. Hopefully REV still around for another day & it's promising with Swainson's under the belt already 🤞 @rayb126.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
September 30, 2025 at 7:13 PM
We didn't manage to catch up with the red-eyed vireo at Nask, Barra today but managed to find our 2nd YBW of the trip at Northbay. Hopefully REV still around for another day & it's promising with Swainson's under the belt already 🤞 @rayb126.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #BirdingScotland