Birding Group : Pennington Flash 5th February 2019
The first birding group trip for us in a while was supposed to be North Wales but the recent poor weather sent us, instead, to Pennington Flash where, surprisingly enough, it was actually quite mild with no wind to add the generally low temperatures. As usual for Pennington there was a good variety of birds including lots of Goosander and really good views of a Kingfisher.
We started at Horrocks where there were around thirty Goosander around the scrape. Further out there were good numbers of Goldeneye – a lot oif them were males. The best “bird of the hide” was undoubtedly a Kingfisher perched close to the hide and happy to sit there for a good ten minutes allowing for very good views. For once there was not a howling gale blowing through the hide.
We worked our wasy around the hides adding a few common species but the better birds were flyovers by Pink-footed Geese and Redwing.
The Bunting Hide was busy with a good supply of food out so there were good numbers of Tits and Reed Buntings, Greenfinch and Bullfinch and even a single WIllow Tit.
A good day out and forty-two species seen by me. Others in the group saw several other species as well.
As a bit of a footnote, after we left Pennington we went to the sewage plant at Hope Carr (Hope Carr Lane) where we hoped to see both a Blythe’s Reed Warbler and a Black Redstart, both of which had been seen on the perimite fence for several days before. Noone was in luck that day but, predicably, the Blythe’s Reed Warbler was there the following day and showing well !!! At least we know the site now and it is regularly birded by some good birders so perhaps we can have more luck another time.
Bird Sightings Pennington Flash Environs : 5th February 2019
| Pink-footed Goose | 6 |
| Canada Goose | 20 |
| Mute Swan | 10 |
| Mallard | 60 |
| Common Teal | 20 |
| Tufted Duck | 40 |
| Common Goldeneye | 16 |
| Common Coot | 40 |
| Black-headed Gull | 30 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 6 |
| Eurasian Collared Dove | 1 |
| Carrion Crow | 6 |
| Great Tit | 4 |
| Eurasian Blue Tit | 4 |
| European Robin | 4 |
| Redwing | 12 |
| Song Thrush | 2 |
| Dunnock | 2 |
| European Goldfinch | 4 |
Bird Sightings Pennington Flash Horrocks Hide : 5th February 2019
| Gadwall | 6 |
| Common Teal | 20 |
| Common Pochard | 3 |
| Tufted Duck | 30 |
| Common Merganser | 30 |
| Great Cormorant | 10 |
| Common Moorhen | 4 |
| Common Coot | 20 |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher | 1 |
| Northern Lapwing | 20 |
| Black-headed Gull | 40 |
| Common Wood Pigeon | 6 |
| Common Kingfisher | 1 |
| Eurasian Magpie | 3 |
| Eurasian Jackdaw | 4 |
| Rook | 10 |
Bird Sightings Pennington Flash Ramsdale Hide : 5th February 2019
| Canada Goose | 6 |
| Northern Shoveler | 20 |
| Common Teal | 2 |
| Common Pochard | 4 |
| Tufted Duck | 10 |
| Grey Heron | 2 |
Bird Sightings Pennington Flash Bunting Hide : 5th February 2019
| Stock Dove | 6 |
| Willow Tit | 1 |
| Coal Tit | 2 |
| Great Tit | 2 |
| Eurasian Blue Tit | 4 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 20 |
| European Robin | 3 |
| Eurasian Blackbird | 2 |
| Dunnock | 2 |
| Reed Bunting | 8 |
| Common Chaffinch | 6 |
| Eurasian Bullfinch | 10 |
| European Greenfinch | 12 |