Colin Davies
@coldav1.bsky.social
Reluctant Pennington Flash birder. NW birding in general, selective twitcher and cetacean enthusiast.
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
Thanks. I asked because there's a ruddy shelduck been travelling with pinks for a year or two, seen in Lancs, Norfolk & probably Scotland. Presumably going to Iceland with them as well.
October 8, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Thanks. I asked because there's a ruddy shelduck been travelling with pinks for a year or two, seen in Lancs, Norfolk & probably Scotland. Presumably going to Iceland with them as well.
Here's the bird at Upper Thurnham in Lancs in March #LancsBirding. Prior being in Lancs it was at King's Lynn, Norfolk earlier in the winter. Birdguides reports 2 ruddy shelduck also. Do you know if they arrived with the flock or where they already there?
October 7, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Here's the bird at Upper Thurnham in Lancs in March #LancsBirding. Prior being in Lancs it was at King's Lynn, Norfolk earlier in the winter. Birdguides reports 2 ruddy shelduck also. Do you know if they arrived with the flock or where they already there?
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
Also today, wheatear, hen harrier and merlin at Cleat.
October 2, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Also today, wheatear, hen harrier and merlin at Cleat.
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