Nice weather for ducks @ Leighton moss

First Redwings positively Id'ed over Billington Viaduct today. I've seen distance flocks over the previous few days but couldnt be 100% certain.

Last Chiffchaff heard in full song today, from grounds of Whalley Abbey. Very nice weather probably confused it.

Last swallows head south

15 swallows over Barrow today heading purposefully south. Seen whilst I prepared for winter by chopping more logs.

As usual, the only birding I get done these days is to nip up the back field in Barrow for a look at the tawny owl pair. I didnt find the light bird yesterday, but the dark bird is the most approachable anyway. I must get round to cleaning out the nest boxes in the hope that they might breed next year.

Unusually, I only managed to find the "light" bird today, roosting very high up in an alder tree.

Barrow lodge
Jill and I took treakle for a walk around barrow lodge (lower) this morning. min 100 juv and female mallard, 1 single juv tufted duck, 3 bh gulls and 1 pied wagtail were all that was to be seen.
In the wildflowers at the "macdonalds" side I found 4 species of butterfly in as many metres small copper, common blue (male), painted lady and small white.