MORNINGS BIRDING IN LANCASHIRE

A crisp morning in Lancashire offered some rewarding birdwatching, beginning in St Helens and continuing to Pennington Flash near Leigh.

Our first stop was Victoria Park in St Helens, where a male Ring-necked Duck provided a striking start to the day. Its sharp markings and confident presence made it a pleasure to observe.

Victoria Park

Ring-necked Duck

Continuing on, I spent time at Pennington Flash, exploring the Bunting Hide. Here, I was rewarded with sightings of two Willow Tits, a scarce and always welcome woodland species. In addition, a variety of other woodland birds were noted, including Bullfinch, Stock Dove, Reed Bunting, and Nuthatch, providing a rich snapshot of the local woodland bird community.

View From Bunting Hide

Willow Tit

Bullfinch

Stock Dove

                                                                         Reed Bunting

Nuthatch

Pennington Flash

Although the morning was relatively short, the combination of rare and familiar species, from Ring-necked Duck to Willow Tit, made it a thoroughly satisfying trip. Pennington Flash continues to demonstrate its importance for woodland and wetland birds alike.

Goldeneye