Ornithology and wildlife around East Lancashire, Pendle hill and the Forest of Bowland, by Neil Mitchell

Tuesday 9 February 2016

1/2/16 - 8/2/16


25/1/16 - 1/2/16


 






 18/1/16 - 24/1/16


Monday 18 January 2016

14/1/16 Marton Mere, Blackpool



 
  


Tuesday 12 January 2016

11/1/16 at work. Dick Leigh Chainsaws, Barrow, Clitheroe
Nipped out at lunchtime to see if the Tawny owl was still roosting in the Leylandii. It was, but before I got to it, there was lots of mobbing calls from a nearby hedgerow. A bit of stealth birding revealed 56. Sparrowhawk


It was on a starling kill. After having checked the Tawny Owl was present, I heard, then spotted 57.Great Spotted Woodpecker

7/1/16 Brockholes quarry

I stopped in at Brockholes on the way home as I saw (via the birdguides app) that a Bittern had been reported.

A brief visited didn't yield Bittern but I did see 50.Mute swan, a single black swan, 51.Grey Heron, 52.Gadwall, 53.Pochard, 54.Goldeye & 55.Kestrel (at last!)
7/1/16
The only bird added to my yearlist before today was 43.House Sparrow. No idea how it evaded me for 4 days.

My delivery run in the van on Thursday took me to Preston via the M65 where I found 44.Pheasant before I stopped at St Walburgs church for my favorite Preston residents 45.Peregrine falcon

I stopped for lunch on the way to Warton at a good birding spot known as the Entrance Pool. I added 46.Wigeon  47.Shoveller  & 48.Teal before I spotted 2 buzzards battling with an adult and juv GBB gull over a dead teal. A peregrine joined the melee which made for spectacular viewing. One of the buzzards still had it's prize by the time I left.
These photos are taken at extreme long range with my new Canon Powershot sx60. The bird was barely visible to the naked eye.
The buzzard defending it's teal meal deal from a swooping peregrine.
49. Common Buzzard