About Graham Clarkson

Born & brought up in Marshside, I started birding there in the mid 1970s & made my first birding trip to Martin Mere in 1977. I've lived, worked & birdied in Abu Dhabi, Northern Ireland & Gloucestershire & I've spent time working in Kazakhstan & Madagascar. I enjoy birding my various West Lancashire patches, making frequent birding visits throughout the north-west of England and North Wales. I stray elsewhere in the UK & enjoy birding abroad from time to time. I'm particularly interested in wildfowl (especially pink-footed geese) with an interest in waders & raptors, bird counts & surveys & conservation. I'm trying to get the hang of photography & digiscoping - I'll get there eventually.

My degree from Edge Hill University is in conservation biology. I've guided on numerous birding days out & trips & guided birding holidays to Lesvos, Andalucia, Extremedura, Majorca, Camargue, Hungary, Finland & Florida. I enjoy showing people birds & habitats & helping them learn more about birds & enjoy birding. I'm currently involved with the Birdwatching and Beyond course at Edge Hill and a brand new venture; Skein Birding.

As well as birding I'm interested in captive breeding & reintroduction projects & zoos, how they're managed & how they contribute to conservation. I'm a proud Lancastrian & love the Lancashire countryside & landscapes. I'm an Evertonian & also keep up with what's happening at Southport, PNE & Bristol Rovers. Gardening, dogs (I have a Labrador & a Tibetan Terrier) and keeping chickens (especially Marsh Daisys & Scots Dumpy Bantams). Ruth & I have two marvellous boys who both love nature too. I hope you find the blog and subjects covered interesting; please feel free to leave a comment.

Sunday 19 August 2012

Beach WeBS

WeBS on the Ribble estuary today. I currently cover the beach between Southport Pier and Ainsdale (including Sands Lake), it's a two or three person job and today I was helped by Colin Bushell. I was really grateful for Colin's help, it made the job so much easier. Colin's account of his section and some nice bits of video can be found on his blog http://www.ribbletoamazon.com/

Today's totals were;

Sands Lake;
Mute Swan 2; Mallard 116; Tufted Duck 16; Coot 19; Moorhen 7; Little Grebe 3

Birkdale/Ainsdale Beach;
Shelduck 2; Cormorant 84; Little Egret 6; Turnstone 1; Greenshank 1; Redshank 1; Green Sandpiper 2; Whimbrel 2; Curlew 4; Bar-tailed Godwit 75; Oystercatcher 299; Grey Plover 91; Ringed Plover 766; Sanderling 1699; Dunlin 931; Knot 1200; Great Black-backed Gull 46; Lesser Black-backed Gull 101; Herring Gull 440; Common Gull 303; Black-headed Gull 694; Sandwich Tern 317; Common Tern 20.


Common Terns and Sandwich Terns, Ainsdale Beach, Lancashire
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