New patch tick
I was out in the back fields and hedgerows putting up another 2 nestboxes and scored another unexpected tick for my uk'08 list. A common buzzard flapping lazily overhead. Interestingly, it was following exactly the same flight-path as the osprey that flew over last year.
Flushed a snipe from one of the unfrozen ditches. Bullfinch and reed bunting in the plantation field too.
I've been shooting the rats that have been coming to the feeders. They have definately been breeding and numbers spiralling out of control. Nobody wants a rat infestation. A shot from a powerful .22 rifle is much more humane than poisoning or whatever other pest control methods some might use.
Ornithology and wildlife around East Lancashire, Pendle hill and the Forest of Bowland, by Neil Mitchell
Monday 18 February 2008
Tuesday 12 February 2008
Some pics of our favourite winter visitors
Finished my shift at the factory at 2pm and by 3pm I was out in the lovely crisp sunny day. I shot up to Burnley to see if I could dodgyscope (with a borrowed camera) the waxys.
Tada! I got lucky! They were back at the conservative club, not in the rowans at Hargreaves.
No sooner had I fired off 4 shots and they were away, leaving another birder, who had just pulled-up, with no prize.
I decided to push my usually terrible luck, with a visit to Hollins farm for the Great grey shrike. Scored a strike with the shrike too!!!!
I viewed the bird for quite a while, but it wouldnt come any closer due to annoying dog-walkers. Not just normal dog-walkers...the type that feel the need to make as much noise a possible down country lanes.
Still....delighted to have scored twice in this, the best weather we've seen this year.
Bad news - I saw a dead badger next to the road in Simonstone village.
Other news - the little owl across the road from the house was calling in broad daylight today.
Finished my shift at the factory at 2pm and by 3pm I was out in the lovely crisp sunny day. I shot up to Burnley to see if I could dodgyscope (with a borrowed camera) the waxys.
Tada! I got lucky! They were back at the conservative club, not in the rowans at Hargreaves.
No sooner had I fired off 4 shots and they were away, leaving another birder, who had just pulled-up, with no prize.
I decided to push my usually terrible luck, with a visit to Hollins farm for the Great grey shrike. Scored a strike with the shrike too!!!!
I viewed the bird for quite a while, but it wouldnt come any closer due to annoying dog-walkers. Not just normal dog-walkers...the type that feel the need to make as much noise a possible down country lanes.
Still....delighted to have scored twice in this, the best weather we've seen this year.
Bad news - I saw a dead badger next to the road in Simonstone village.
Other news - the little owl across the road from the house was calling in broad daylight today.
Sunday 10 February 2008
Waxwings at last!
A beautiful day today. It would have been a crime not to go out and enjoy it. So we started with a walk up to barrow lodge with Treakle as usual. Grabbed a bite for breakfast from Mcdonalds. This is very unusual for me to use this litter-producing outlet but I was quite hungover after watching the dismal rugby yesterday. It was quite nice watching the birdlife with a coffee in hand.
2 dippers were the first thing of interest, flitting up and down the brook and then 1 of them flew surprisingly high over the lodge itself. 2 pristine grey wagtails on the brook too. Most notable today is the lack of slavonian grebe, it seems to have moved on. No kingfisher at the lower lodge either but its probably just moved back to the upper lodge.
Also, of note today were 3 GS woodpeckers disputing over territory and the first drumming that I've heard this year. Goldcrest and chaffinch in full song too. It must be spring! The great tit pair in the garden have obviously chosen their nestbox for this year, so I'd better get on with the box cleaning and maintenance. I've made several new boxes to go up too.
At lunchtime, we went up to look at some bathroom suites in Burnley, just up the road from where I dipped the waxwings last weekend. When we came out of the store I saw a guy with a 'scope in the car park, then I saw the rowan tree laden with berries and I knew exactly what to expect.
Sure enough, there were 2 Waxwings in the trees. Fantastic! I havent seen waxwing for 2 years. Such a beautiful migrant. I spoke to the 2 birders who had just chanced upon the waxwings as they were on their way to twitch the Shrike at Padiham.
Still sickened that I was camera-less due to Thurdays mishap, so no pics of the waxys.
I noticed that a barn owl has been spotted by the A59 at barrow lodge again. I'm working the early shift this week, so I'll take a short detour past this spot at 5.30am each morning this week to see if I can get lucky. I wonder where it lives? I know this area very well and cant think of any vacant farm building. The nearest one suitable barn , in Wiswell, has a little owl in it already. Theres an owl box at the upper lodge, perhaps it uses that.
A beautiful day today. It would have been a crime not to go out and enjoy it. So we started with a walk up to barrow lodge with Treakle as usual. Grabbed a bite for breakfast from Mcdonalds. This is very unusual for me to use this litter-producing outlet but I was quite hungover after watching the dismal rugby yesterday. It was quite nice watching the birdlife with a coffee in hand.
2 dippers were the first thing of interest, flitting up and down the brook and then 1 of them flew surprisingly high over the lodge itself. 2 pristine grey wagtails on the brook too. Most notable today is the lack of slavonian grebe, it seems to have moved on. No kingfisher at the lower lodge either but its probably just moved back to the upper lodge.
Also, of note today were 3 GS woodpeckers disputing over territory and the first drumming that I've heard this year. Goldcrest and chaffinch in full song too. It must be spring! The great tit pair in the garden have obviously chosen their nestbox for this year, so I'd better get on with the box cleaning and maintenance. I've made several new boxes to go up too.
At lunchtime, we went up to look at some bathroom suites in Burnley, just up the road from where I dipped the waxwings last weekend. When we came out of the store I saw a guy with a 'scope in the car park, then I saw the rowan tree laden with berries and I knew exactly what to expect.
Sure enough, there were 2 Waxwings in the trees. Fantastic! I havent seen waxwing for 2 years. Such a beautiful migrant. I spoke to the 2 birders who had just chanced upon the waxwings as they were on their way to twitch the Shrike at Padiham.
Still sickened that I was camera-less due to Thurdays mishap, so no pics of the waxys.
I noticed that a barn owl has been spotted by the A59 at barrow lodge again. I'm working the early shift this week, so I'll take a short detour past this spot at 5.30am each morning this week to see if I can get lucky. I wonder where it lives? I know this area very well and cant think of any vacant farm building. The nearest one suitable barn , in Wiswell, has a little owl in it already. Theres an owl box at the upper lodge, perhaps it uses that.
Thursday 7 February 2008
Marton mere then Fairhaven lake then Lytham moss
I had compiled a list of targets for todays trip, long-eared owls were at the top of that list. I parked in the Marton mere holiday park for the first time. Very closley packed static carvans, I dont imagine its a very nice place to holiday.
Lots of smells of fox around the lake, nearly as strong as the smell of urine in the hides. Its disgraceful but I do notice that some cameras have been erected , so that the rangers can keep an eye on the hides.
Anyway....I cant believe that I didnt managed to find the LEOs! I've been to see them in previous winters but I couldnt find them in the usual roost despite an hours scanning :(
The only new ticks for my uk 08 list was a ruddy duck and some reed bunting, I saw a male on NY eve but no more until today.
Quite dejected, I moved on to fairhaven lake in Lytham. Scored a linnet on the shoreline and a little grebe on the lake. Both had managed to evade me so far this year. RB merganser, canada geese, jackdaw and numerous mallard were also present. It was high tide, so not much wader action.
Time was running out as I had to get back to work the late shift. I took the most direct route back to the M55 on my map and found a new birding spot! Lytham moss...I'd always wondered where that was. I stopped for a scan and found some Whooper swans, 2 mute swans, a few curlew and I think I may have heard a skylark singing but could see any. Also spotted a male stonechat, another common species that had evaded me until today.
So, six new species for the 08 list, but still a pretty disappointing morning. Still cant believe that I couldnt find the LEOs!!!!!
And to add to my dismay, I dropped my 2 month old digiscoping camera and broke it
:( When it rains it pours
other news - Had to brake for a weasel, crossing the road, just before coffin lodge on the way to Clitheroe. Saw it in the rear view crossing sucessfully.
I had compiled a list of targets for todays trip, long-eared owls were at the top of that list. I parked in the Marton mere holiday park for the first time. Very closley packed static carvans, I dont imagine its a very nice place to holiday.
Lots of smells of fox around the lake, nearly as strong as the smell of urine in the hides. Its disgraceful but I do notice that some cameras have been erected , so that the rangers can keep an eye on the hides.
Anyway....I cant believe that I didnt managed to find the LEOs! I've been to see them in previous winters but I couldnt find them in the usual roost despite an hours scanning :(
The only new ticks for my uk 08 list was a ruddy duck and some reed bunting, I saw a male on NY eve but no more until today.
Quite dejected, I moved on to fairhaven lake in Lytham. Scored a linnet on the shoreline and a little grebe on the lake. Both had managed to evade me so far this year. RB merganser, canada geese, jackdaw and numerous mallard were also present. It was high tide, so not much wader action.
Time was running out as I had to get back to work the late shift. I took the most direct route back to the M55 on my map and found a new birding spot! Lytham moss...I'd always wondered where that was. I stopped for a scan and found some Whooper swans, 2 mute swans, a few curlew and I think I may have heard a skylark singing but could see any. Also spotted a male stonechat, another common species that had evaded me until today.
So, six new species for the 08 list, but still a pretty disappointing morning. Still cant believe that I couldnt find the LEOs!!!!!
And to add to my dismay, I dropped my 2 month old digiscoping camera and broke it
:( When it rains it pours
other news - Had to brake for a weasel, crossing the road, just before coffin lodge on the way to Clitheroe. Saw it in the rear view crossing sucessfully.
Sunday 3 February 2008
Barrow lodge - Walkies for Treakle
We took Treakle for a walk round to Barrow lodge today. The Slavonian grebe is still there, and the Kingfisher is still fishing in the far right hand corner from the printworks. All the usual suspects, mallard, 2 pairs of coot, some moorhen and the single drake pochard still hanging around the 2 tufted pairs. Notable however, was that one of the many BH gulls was coming into summer plummage, with a nearly full black head.
There was a goldcrest with the long tailed tit party that flew through and a flock of circa 10 siskin sheltering in a squirrel drey/old magpie nest, near barrow village.
Back at the house there was a pair of bullfinch feeding on new buds.
Nothing new for my uk 08 list.
We took Treakle for a walk round to Barrow lodge today. The Slavonian grebe is still there, and the Kingfisher is still fishing in the far right hand corner from the printworks. All the usual suspects, mallard, 2 pairs of coot, some moorhen and the single drake pochard still hanging around the 2 tufted pairs. Notable however, was that one of the many BH gulls was coming into summer plummage, with a nearly full black head.
There was a goldcrest with the long tailed tit party that flew through and a flock of circa 10 siskin sheltering in a squirrel drey/old magpie nest, near barrow village.
Back at the house there was a pair of bullfinch feeding on new buds.
Nothing new for my uk 08 list.
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