Grey Phalarope.

New Laithe Farm, Newton, Lancs, UK.

27th - 30th August 2005.

The second ELOC record.

by Margaret Breaks.

Saturday 27^th August began with the usual trip to Clitheroe, punctuated by a call from Bill Aspin, “Have you been to Stocks this morning?……. there are lots of waders on the move”! 

Back home, checking the internet, I was soon interrupted by Brian, “ there’s a wader on the pools”. Scope and camera in the car we were quickly heading up the road.

Nearly there and Brian asked “Can waders swim?” 

Seconds later, there it was in the middle of the pool – a Phalarope!  Hardly able to believe it, I instantly rang Gary Woodburn “ We’ve a Phalarope on the pools”, “WHAT? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ we’re on our way”! 

Then, creeping carefully out of the car, scope and camera set up, I was frantically ringing other local birders while trying to get record shots with hands shaking like crazy!! “ How long is it’s bill and other questions were asked, but at that stage I couldn’t care! It was a Phalarope on our pools and all I wanted was proof and witnesses, finer details would come later – hopefully.

Then panic! The bird flew, but only to land on another pool. Up again and back where it started, it seemed an age until Gary and Janet arrived (no more than ten minutes) and the ID was clinched.

Above: Grey Phalarope, New Laithe Farm, Newton, Lancs, 27-30th Aug 2005 - Photos: Breaks Family.

Once most of the birders we’d contacted originally had arrived, we started to inch forwards to discover that the bird was a typically confiding Phalarope and scopes were soon dispensed with.

Only one problem – Our son Mark was at Bridges of Ross in Ireland – on the phone again, “Hi, I’m photographing a Grey Phalarope”, “where”, “on the pools”…........................(The silence could be heard all the way from Ireland!)………………………………… “AT   HOME?”  “Yes”!!

Burnley F.C. were at home so there was no chance of our daughter Nicola returning until after the match! 

Late afternoon saw me tearing myself away from the bird to download my pics ready for Nicola, who true to form instantly claimed my camera and didn’t stop until 500+ shots later!

By dusk this stunning bird had delighted over one hundred birders.

Above: There was a continuous assemblage of birders present at New Laithe Farm during the four day stay of the Phalarope - Photo: Breaks family.

6.30am Sunday morning saw us back at the pools to find a birder already scanning through the driving rain, to no avail. We walked round the pools and channels but with no sign of the bird and a sinking feeling concluded it had gone.

An hour later heading back out to Stocks, I met another birder walking down the road. Whilst talking to him I noticed a grey spot on the bank – it WAS there! How had we missed it earlier????

Above photo: Breaks family.

There followed a steady stream of birders from afar afield as Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, Cumbria and the east coast. The strong wind made the Phalarope favour the dyke at the top of the pools, giving stunning views to the gathered birders as it walked beneath their feet!

The most delighted observer was the gentleman who had travelled by train from Leeds to Clitheroe via Manchester, missed the bus and got a taxi over the fell, only to then have to walk to Newton to catch the bus to start his return journey! What dedication! 

The most common question asked was “Where’s Mark?”

I’m not sure what caused more disbelief among the gathered birders, the fact that the Phalarope had chosen to drop on to such an unlikely location in the middle of Bowland or the fact that it was found by the “FARMER!”  Those comments caused us great amusement!

Monday again dawned wet and miserable, but this time our early morning visit produced instant success followed by a text to Ireland to report it’s continued presence and to wish Mark “Happy Birthday". It was going to be a long day, (for Mother at least!). They were due to land at at Liverpool at 6.15 p.m. and any delay would mean that they wouldn’t be home in daylight!  

Starting with a visitor from Wetherby and many smiling birders later, the best sight of the day was to see John Wrights car pull up at the road end and the Irish contingent enjoying views down to three feet as the bird performed beautifully! 

I still can’t get a report of their reaction to my initial call on the 27th!

Above photo: Breaks family.

Tuesday 30th Aug dawned bright and sunny, but again we found the Phalarope busy feeding along a channel as we arrived. 

There followed another day of delighted visitors, especially those returning home after the weekend, and those tempted by all the pics on the internet. They were not disappointed. 

Particularly pleased was the visitor from Queensland, Australia, (via Sheffield) who having dipped on more than one occasion at home and only seen unsatisfactory dots on a pelagic off the American coast finally enjoyed stunning views of this smart bird. 

With a clear night and Northerly direction to the wind we were both sad and pleased that the bird had gone the next morning.

During the four days we had over four hundred visitors, with many staying for six or seven hours and others returning again and again. It was certainly the happiest twitch I’ve ever experienced with everyone, year listers, local birders, photographers and just passers by appreciating the perfect bird. What a truly magical four days, and on our farm!

There is another story with a fairy tale ending which has to be told if you are to understand the depth of our delight at seeing and finding this bird. 

In 2000 Bill Aspin found a Pectoral Sandpiper on Champion Moor flood pool on the 6th May, and unbelievably a second on the 17^th September of the same year. These were only some of the fantastic birds, which visited the pool during its short life. Then a combination of foot and mouth and dry summers meant that the pool no longer held water for any period of time. What a loss. 

Next a local farm sale saw Brian and myself dreaming of buying a nearby field and creating our own flood pools, but it wasn’t to be. 

Perhaps the most significant part of this story was the appointment of Gary Woodburn as the RSPB wader project officer for the Bowland area and our two pronged attack, in an attempt to get both champion pool re-flooded and a “flood pool” as part of our new countryside stewardship scheme. 

Due to Gary Woodburn's perseverance, along with the farmers (Martin Waddington) cooperation and enthusiasm, Champion Moor flood pool is now holding water and if the rushes can be controlled could soon be back to its former glory. Many of you have now seen the wader scrapes/ pools that Gary designed with us under the stewardship scheme. 

What an outcome and a true fairy tail, which hopefully hasn’t yet ended!

Margaret Breaks (5th Sept 2005).

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The confiding nature of the bird.

Typical of Phalaropes, this bird was extremely confiding.

Above: Margaret Breaks & other photographers indulge in the Grey Phalarope (Bill Aspin). Margaret estimates that she took a minimum of 1300 photos of the bird during the first two days alone!

Above:: The Phalarope is actually feeding in the ditch below the birders - Photo: Breaks family.

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Previous records of Grey Phalarope in inland Lancashire.

Bill Aspin.

Including this latest bird, there have been a total of 9 records of Grey Phalarope, all typically involving single birds, in inland Lancs.

1975: One at Martin Mere WWT (MMWWT) on 28th September.

1981: Singles at MMWWT on 19th September and Wayoh Reservoir on 20th September.

1987: One at Earnsdale Reservoir, Darwen, on 18th October (Albert & Margaret Schofield per MBS).

1988: One at Mere Sands Wood LWT from 8th-13th October 1988.

1991: One at MMWWT on 2nd October.

1992: The first record for the ELOC recording area was a juv-1stw found by Denis Lambert at Spout Farm, adj to the Alston Reservoirs, Longridge, on 8th September. Coincidentally, this bird as with the Newton record frequented a scrape that Denis had only recently created on his land.

Above: The Longridge juvenile of 8th Sept 1992 was less advanced in moult from juv - 1stw plumage than the Newton Bird.

2001: One at MMWWT on 2nd October.

2005: Juv-1stw at New Laithe Farm, Newton, 27th - 30th August. The second ELOC record, which also constitutes the county's earliest autumn record to date, beating the previous, a single at Hightown, Formby on 31st August 1970.

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It was impossible to resist the temptation to pose with this fabulous bird! - Photos above and below: Nicola Breaks.

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Acknowledgements: On behalf of the hundreds of birders who travelled to see the Phalarope, special thanks are due to Brian and Margaret for the way the whole event was hosted, in particular the parking arrangements and ensuring that news of the birds continued presence was broadcast early each day, ensuring the maximum availability to birders wishing to twitch this very special bird, which I'm sure will live long in the memory of everyone who made the effort to see it.

Bill Aspin (05/09/05).

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