VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF THE BLACKPOOL DISTRICT 127 



the latter has nested. Records of Gadwall and Gargeney are few. Most of 

 the diving ducks are on the list, the only resident being the Tufted. The 

 Pochard, Scaup and Golden-eye are regular winter visitors ; the Long-tailed 

 Duck and Eider very occasional. The only county specimen of the Harlequin 

 Duck was shot on the Ribble in 1916 or 1917. Large flocks of Common 

 Scoters, sometimes accompanied by a few Velvets, appear off the coast annually, 

 the birds not infrequently arriving as early as July. A surf Scoter was shot at 

 Lytham in 1882. All three Sawbills are found intermittently on the coast and 

 incidentally inland. 



The Spoonbill has twice appeared on the Ribble. Three examples of the 

 Glossy Ibis have been killed, the last one near Garstang in 1917. 



Among the Heronries associated with the district are two old-established 

 colonies at Ashton Park and Claughton Hall. Odd specimens of the Little 

 Bittern and Night Heron have been shot. The Common Bittern is a fairly 

 regular winter visitor, and an American Bittern in the Preston Museum was 

 killed at Fleetwood in 1845. 



There are five rails. The Water-rail and Corncrake are widely distributed 

 in the lower portions of the country ; the former from its skulking habits and 

 the secluded nature of its haunts is often overlooked. The Spotted Crake is 

 not infrequently seen. A curious variety of the Moorhen with hair-like 

 plumage was caught at Claughton-on-Brock in 1884. The Coot is found 

 locally on one or two sheets of water, including Marton Mere. 



The only local record of the Stone Curlew refers to two which were seen 

 at Claughton-on-Lune in March, 1927. The Avocet has been shot on the 

 Ribble and in Morecambe Bay, and there is a questionable record for St. 

 Michaels-on-Wyre in 1913. The only example of a Lancashire Black-winged 

 Stilt was shot on Freckleton marsh in December, 1 928. 



The Woodcock has increased as a nesting species and is comparatively 

 common during winter, especially in the hill-side coverts. The Common 

 Snipe is abundant ; 73 were shot in a single day at Bleasdale in August, 1930. 

 The Jack Snipe is widely distributed as a winter visitor, usually making its 

 appearance at the beginning of October. Some half-dozen specimens of the 

 Great Snipe have been secured, mostly at St. Michaels-on-Wyre. Numbers 

 of Knots, Dunlin, Sanderling, Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwits frequent 

 the shore, many of them in large flocks. The Curlew, Sandpiper, Ruff, 

 Greenshank, Little Stint and Black-tailed Godwit are not infrequent. 

 Temminck's Stint has been shot at Pilling and on the Ribble. The Green 

 Sandpiper is one of the earliest of the autumn birds to arrive, and is regular 

 in its visits. The Wood Sandpiper appears at uncertain intervals on its migra- 

 tory course in spring and autumn, sometimes in company with other waders. 

 The sandy shores of Lancashire are unsuited to the habits of Purple Sandpiper 

 and Turnstone, though the birds are not entirely absent. The Common 

 Sandpiper is less frequent inland than formerly. There are six records of the 

 Spotted Redshank, three from St. Michaels-on-Wyre. 



The Curlew nests on the moors and returns to the coast in early autumn. 

 Spring and autumn find the Whimbrel on the shore, its numbers, as with 

 most migratory shore-birds, varying much in different seasons. The Golden 



