Ornithology and wildlife around East Lancashire, Pendle hill and the Forest of Bowland, by Neil Mitchell
Monday, 27 April 2009
Saturday, 11 April 2009
Pendle hill again
Its probably too early for dotterel, but I'm using "hill hill hill" as an exercise-machine these days.
Its cheaper than joining a gym. 2 birds to lose one stone eh? OK I need to get some more exercise and lose a few pounds, so I may as well get out birding.
For those of you wondering what the "hill hill hill" reference means ...... Well, pendle hill has even merited a mention on QI (the tv show) as a place that is named 3 times.
eg The phrase Pendle Hill is unusual in that it combines the word for hill from three different languages. In the thirteenth century the hill was mentioned as Pennul or Penhul; apparently from Cumbric pen and Old English hyll, both meaning "hill". The modern English hill was appended later, after the original meaning of Pendle had become opaque.
Hence "hill hill hill". Anyway, I've started tackling the "hill hill hill" from the Downham side. I cant stand saying "hello" to zillions of folks just because it's before 8 in the morning.
There are no dog-walking, hill-running, loud-talking idiots on the Downham side.
Anyway, I got to the top without a defibrillator or having to say "hello", only to be greeted with this.......!!!!!!
The bleedin christians had got there before me!!!!! Interestingly, they had to chain the cross up so that it didnt get nicked.
Anyway, all I saw was lots of mipits, skylarks and no dotterel.
Its probably too early for dotterel, but I'm using "hill hill hill" as an exercise-machine these days.
Its cheaper than joining a gym. 2 birds to lose one stone eh? OK I need to get some more exercise and lose a few pounds, so I may as well get out birding.
For those of you wondering what the "hill hill hill" reference means ...... Well, pendle hill has even merited a mention on QI (the tv show) as a place that is named 3 times.
eg The phrase Pendle Hill is unusual in that it combines the word for hill from three different languages. In the thirteenth century the hill was mentioned as Pennul or Penhul; apparently from Cumbric pen and Old English hyll, both meaning "hill". The modern English hill was appended later, after the original meaning of Pendle had become opaque.
Hence "hill hill hill". Anyway, I've started tackling the "hill hill hill" from the Downham side. I cant stand saying "hello" to zillions of folks just because it's before 8 in the morning.
There are no dog-walking, hill-running, loud-talking idiots on the Downham side.
Anyway, I got to the top without a defibrillator or having to say "hello", only to be greeted with this.......!!!!!!
The bleedin christians had got there before me!!!!! Interestingly, they had to chain the cross up so that it didnt get nicked.
Anyway, all I saw was lots of mipits, skylarks and no dotterel.
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Friday, 3 April 2009
Ring Ouzels up Pendle
Another crackin day. Couldn't see pendle hill from my front window today cos of the mist, but I figured that the cloud would soon burn off. I drove round to the pendleside farm layby, and by 9.30, the sun was shining.
I expected wheatear today, but before I even got half way up towards the "quarry", I got an even better sighting. I watched 3 male ring ouzels drop in from high over the hill from the South. They nearly landed on me!!! Calling frequently they proceeded to feed on the path in front of me! Of course, by the time I'd got my tripod and camera set up they'd pinged me and started moving up the hill following the stone wall to the "quarry" area.
I watched them for an hour or so, and then headed up to the summit. Loads of meadow pipits "parachuting" and the odd skylark in full song too. Still too early for dotterel but I'll be up the hill frequently this month anyway.
On the path
On the stonewall at T junction of the wall leading up from the farm.
Above the "quarry"
I only actually found one wheatear today and that wasn't until I started coming down the steep stonepath. This quite confiding female is the first I've seen this year.
Another crackin day. Couldn't see pendle hill from my front window today cos of the mist, but I figured that the cloud would soon burn off. I drove round to the pendleside farm layby, and by 9.30, the sun was shining.
I expected wheatear today, but before I even got half way up towards the "quarry", I got an even better sighting. I watched 3 male ring ouzels drop in from high over the hill from the South. They nearly landed on me!!! Calling frequently they proceeded to feed on the path in front of me! Of course, by the time I'd got my tripod and camera set up they'd pinged me and started moving up the hill following the stone wall to the "quarry" area.
I watched them for an hour or so, and then headed up to the summit. Loads of meadow pipits "parachuting" and the odd skylark in full song too. Still too early for dotterel but I'll be up the hill frequently this month anyway.
On the path
On the stonewall at T junction of the wall leading up from the farm.
Above the "quarry"
I only actually found one wheatear today and that wasn't until I started coming down the steep stonepath. This quite confiding female is the first I've seen this year.
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