Local birding: Ad Yellow-legged Gull, Whinney Hill Tip, Altham - 27th Nov 2009.

Black Redstart - Dog Inn, Longridge, Lancs - 15th Nov 2009.

I dipped on the adult male Black Redstart which had joined the fem/imm in the vicinity of the Dog Inn for a couple of hours during the morning. However, the f/imm performed impeccably for those present, actively flycatching from the roof's down to ground level, showing down to feet to the delight of the birders present. Two Raven flew west and an adm Peregrine flew south.

Black Redstart - Dog Inn, Longridge, Lancs - 14th Nov 2009.

Photos of the second Black Redstart to be found in Longridge in the past three days, a f/imm present on the roof of the Dog Inn, Berry Lane, 15:20-16:10 at least, by the finder, Lee Parnell.

Great Northern Diver - Hollingworth Lake, Gtr Man - 12th Nov 2009.

Can't resist inland Great Northern Divers within striking range. For much of the time this juv present for c1week fed so close to the wall/shoreline of the reservoir it was too close and feeding too actively for me to digiscope. without a DSLR to hand, I had to settle for a couple of 'digibinned' efforts in poor weather for the blog as it swam further out.

For anyone with a DSLR and quality lens, this bird is a photographic dream, showing down to c6ft at times. Great bird. I MUST get my Canon 100-400 lens repaired!!

Local birding: Whooper Swans - 5th Nov 2009.

4 adult Whooper Swans grounded on Fishmoor Res in poor weather, 12:10 at least.