MickT
@orionessox.bsky.social
Scruffy lefty type. Grew up in Leigh, lived all over The North, now Standish. Walk my springer a lot, and love the Ribble Marshes.
Hi. I was there on Saturday, took these photos which, with some editing, are OK. Feel free to keep a copy for your records.
September 15, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Hi. I was there on Saturday, took these photos which, with some editing, are OK. Feel free to keep a copy for your records.
Greece, black winged stilt the other week.
August 13, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Greece, black winged stilt the other week.
This avocet, which is raising two chicks at Martin Mere, was ringed as a chick in Spain (near Seville ) in 2017 ! Black necked green at Marsh Side, with wood and green sandpiper at Martin Mere, last Sunday.
July 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
This avocet, which is raising two chicks at Martin Mere, was ringed as a chick in Spain (near Seville ) in 2017 ! Black necked green at Marsh Side, with wood and green sandpiper at Martin Mere, last Sunday.
Saw these two a back in May, a few hours after they’d been born. Amazing.
July 19, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Saw these two a back in May, a few hours after they’d been born. Amazing.
Spoonbills at Hesketh Out Marsh on Sunday. When they actually wake up, they are really interesting to watch: feeding, food begging, flying about. Great stuff.
July 15, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Spoonbills at Hesketh Out Marsh on Sunday. When they actually wake up, they are really interesting to watch: feeding, food begging, flying about. Great stuff.
Marsh harriers at Martin Mere last Sunday, doing some acrobatics. The smaller one looks like this years male. The bigger one? Evidence of moulting on its tail, so its mum ? Not sure. Ace though !
July 15, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Marsh harriers at Martin Mere last Sunday, doing some acrobatics. The smaller one looks like this years male. The bigger one? Evidence of moulting on its tail, so its mum ? Not sure. Ace though !
This mornings dog walk. Never seen as many common blues, 15+ in a couple of patches. Small skipper and speckled wood (photos) plus loads of gatekeepers. A far cry from last year. Butterflies always make me feel happier, (and I’m usually happy).
July 12, 2025 at 7:34 PM
This mornings dog walk. Never seen as many common blues, 15+ in a couple of patches. Small skipper and speckled wood (photos) plus loads of gatekeepers. A far cry from last year. Butterflies always make me feel happier, (and I’m usually happy).
Hummingbird hawk-moth, Martin Mere on Sunday. They have a kinda cool vibe about them.
July 7, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Hummingbird hawk-moth, Martin Mere on Sunday. They have a kinda cool vibe about them.
Recent warblers at Merton Mere, seen whilst helping monitor bitterns. Which I also managed to photograph. And then also managed to accidentally delete said photographs. They were award winning as well. Not.
July 5, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Recent warblers at Merton Mere, seen whilst helping monitor bitterns. Which I also managed to photograph. And then also managed to accidentally delete said photographs. They were award winning as well. Not.
WWT Martin Mere yesterday. A marsh harrier food pass which I luckily managed to photograph. Wow!
June 23, 2025 at 1:56 PM
WWT Martin Mere yesterday. A marsh harrier food pass which I luckily managed to photograph. Wow!
Curlew Sandpiper at Burton Mere last Saturday, quite a character sticking up for itself amongst a flock of knot, many showing stunning summer plumage. At distance, the curlew sand and summer plumage knot had very similar plumage, and at rest it blended in magnificently. #burtonmere
June 16, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Curlew Sandpiper at Burton Mere last Saturday, quite a character sticking up for itself amongst a flock of knot, many showing stunning summer plumage. At distance, the curlew sand and summer plumage knot had very similar plumage, and at rest it blended in magnificently. #burtonmere
A few recents, yellow wagtail near Rufford (2 quail heard), cattle egret at Martin Mere, spotted orchid in Standish, Southport Spoonbills. #lancsbirding
June 10, 2025 at 7:09 PM
A few recents, yellow wagtail near Rufford (2 quail heard), cattle egret at Martin Mere, spotted orchid in Standish, Southport Spoonbills. #lancsbirding
From last Saturday: 28 bar tailed godwits at Hesketh Out Marsh. At least one was on ‘the turn’, showing stunning plumage #lancsbirding
June 5, 2025 at 2:23 PM
From last Saturday: 28 bar tailed godwits at Hesketh Out Marsh. At least one was on ‘the turn’, showing stunning plumage #lancsbirding
Arctic terms at Hesketh 0ut Marsh last Saturday. Strong winds making them jink around even more than normal. One caught a crab and a friend has a photo where it looks like it was being eaten on the wing, swallowing it whole. Or possibly just trapping it in its throat? No idea. #lancsbirding
June 3, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Arctic terms at Hesketh 0ut Marsh last Saturday. Strong winds making them jink around even more than normal. One caught a crab and a friend has a photo where it looks like it was being eaten on the wing, swallowing it whole. Or possibly just trapping it in its throat? No idea. #lancsbirding
Few hours at the Wigan Flashes yesterday. Teeming with life: fledgeling willow, great, blue, coal and long tailed tits, great views of this willow warbler, hunting marsh harrier (think it’s the third year they’ve breed here, bitterns next ??), common terns.
May 25, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Few hours at the Wigan Flashes yesterday. Teeming with life: fledgeling willow, great, blue, coal and long tailed tits, great views of this willow warbler, hunting marsh harrier (think it’s the third year they’ve breed here, bitterns next ??), common terns.
This weekend. Don’t normally do close ups, but this owl is right on the right hand side of the actual photo so cropped it to compose the photo. Temmincks stint, lesser whitethroat and hobby also. Saw a kestrel swoop down and grab an avocet chick, which then fell 15 ft to freedom #lancsbirding
May 20, 2025 at 5:24 PM
This weekend. Don’t normally do close ups, but this owl is right on the right hand side of the actual photo so cropped it to compose the photo. Temmincks stint, lesser whitethroat and hobby also. Saw a kestrel swoop down and grab an avocet chick, which then fell 15 ft to freedom #lancsbirding
One of those stunning, unforgettable wildlife moments when I watched this female roe deer with her two kids. I only thought there was one at first, the other was so young it could barely stand up. She took one off to deeper cover then laid down next to the other. Standish. #lancswildlife
May 19, 2025 at 1:54 PM
One of those stunning, unforgettable wildlife moments when I watched this female roe deer with her two kids. I only thought there was one at first, the other was so young it could barely stand up. She took one off to deeper cover then laid down next to the other. Standish. #lancswildlife
Arctic tern at Hesketh Out Marsh yesterday. Bit weird though, watching birds like this and a snow goose whilst I’m wearing shorts and a tea shirt in May. Had a mega close fly-by hobby yesterday, and yellow wags, corn buntings a plenty, temmincks stint today #lancsbirding
May 11, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Arctic tern at Hesketh Out Marsh yesterday. Bit weird though, watching birds like this and a snow goose whilst I’m wearing shorts and a tea shirt in May. Had a mega close fly-by hobby yesterday, and yellow wags, corn buntings a plenty, temmincks stint today #lancsbirding
A sedge warbler, Standish the other week.
May 8, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A sedge warbler, Standish the other week.
Family walk around Grasmere and Rydal on Sunday. This tree pipit stole the show, pied flycatcher, garden warbler and green wood pecker also. #ukbirding
May 7, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Family walk around Grasmere and Rydal on Sunday. This tree pipit stole the show, pied flycatcher, garden warbler and green wood pecker also. #ukbirding
Wood sandpiper at Marshside yesterday #lancsbirding
May 4, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Wood sandpiper at Marshside yesterday #lancsbirding