Twitch with Mitch

2010-10-20T15:17:00.003Z

Due to lack of time to blog properly...........
I'm now just listing and posting the odd photo on birdforum.

I may try to get this blog back up-and-running before 2011.

Birdlist for 2011

.

2010-05-19T16:08:00.003Z

2010-05-06T17:02:00.003Z

6/5/10 early morning visit to Pendle hill

Got up as early as possible today(5.30), to go and see the reported pair of migrating Dotterel on top of Pendle hill. I hoped that the mist would burn-off after sunrise but it didnt. The summit was shrouded in mist leaving me with 10 yard visibility.
Just before the summit (when vis was still 50 yards) I spotted and digiscoped this golden plover.

Took me a while to find the Dotterel (even with the very accurate ELOC report) but when I did find them, I got down low and waited for them to approach. Terrible conditions, but nice to get some shots of the female, my 122nd species recorded in the UK this year. Even more worth it to get the summit to myself, I'm sure it will be very busy at the weekend.

2010-05-04T12:07:00.003Z

Saw first orange tip and speckled wood butterflies today. Kestrel pair displaying, calling and mating, and found this little mouse/vole in the garden.

Its clearly a juvenile but its hard to distinguish features. Ears too small for wood mouse, nose too sharp for bank vole?, it may even be a house mouse. Whatever it is it must be very young or sick, because it was totally oblivious, even when I picked it up.
Sorry for out-of-focus shot, Jills mum took it, I was busily modelling the mouse.

2010-05-03T17:56:00.006Z

Stocks reservoir, Hornby road and Moor piece

Drove up to Stocks at 8am to hopefully beat the crowds. I had a list of target birds missing from my yearlist and a couple that I wanted to photograph.
Only 2 cars in the carpark, but I could hear a noisy group up ahead on the path.
Stopped in at the walled garden and immediately heard cuckoo calling and then spotted a house martin (number 119 tick for the year). Didnt manage to scope the cuckoo though, it was on the opposite bank of the res.
Walking up to the new hide, I heard a grasshopper warbler reeling. I saw gropper at marton mere on Friday but didnt manage a photo yet. I set-up on the path and waited for it to come into view. Unfortunately the loud party of walkers started back down the path, dogs and all :( No dice.
From the new hide, I spotted 2 prs of little ringed plover (yearlist 120), RB merganser (pr) GC grebe (pr), some redshank and common sandpiper. I could still hear the cuckoo calling but it sounded more in the direction of opposite the old hide. I decided to go back to dodgyscope the gropper and see if I could sight the cuckoo. More punters arriving and the path was getting busy. I couple stopped to ask what I was looking at, and amazingly the gropper started reeling and showing, right in front of us. It seemed pretty unperturbed by all this holiday traffic. Scored a couple of shots but never did see the cuckoo.

Headed on to croasdale fell where my targets were whinchat, short eared owl and cuckoo (again). Allof these were birds here, this time last year.
On the hornby road, I spotted a red coloured moth. Managed just one photo before the wind carried it away. I memorised its features (white antenae, red spotted undersides) and later IDed it as Ruby tiger (click on its name for a better photo of this beautiful moth)

The fell was pretty bare today, virtually nothing singing, and the wind keeping most birds grounded. Meadow pipits and the odd red grouse calling but no ouzels, harriers, merlin.....nothing, nada, zilch :(

Had lunch at the bridge, which was slightly sheltered from the wind. Found this rove beetle larva, not quite a devils coachhorse apparently.

Weather looked like it was closing in, so I headed back to the car with plans to stop in a moor piece for wood warbler.
I walked the new loop path in the silver birch wood here, but only found one redstart, couldnt find the pied flycatchers that I saw here last week, and definately couldnt hear any wood warbs.

So it was back home for roast lamb dinner and to ID the moth from croasdale.

2010-04-30T16:32:00.007Z

Marton mere, Blackpool

2010-04-26T07:04:00.003Z

2010-04-24T16:52:00.003Z

Langden valley again

Started from the car park at 8am. This week there were 2 cars there before me. Jill came along for the walk today and we packed a picnic. All the usual birds on the walk-in, with the addition of common sandpiper. There were none here last week, this week I heard (and saw) at least 2 male calling from the brook. There were many green hairstreak butterflies along the path, and plenty green tiger beetles too.

Green tiger beetle - click on photo to enlarge

"Feathered-ear" ? moth on the langden valley path

From the building, we had great views of a pair of hen harrier, first individually and then sky-dancing together. 2 male ring ouzels flew down the valley and a pair of wheatear seem to have nested in the building chimney.

A lovely day with a nice picnic but only one new bird (common sandpiper) for my 2010 yearlist

2010-04-23T16:48:00.000Z

Fridays deliveries in Preston meant a stop off at Newton marsh as usual. At last, I caught up with my bogey bird of the year. Little grebe! More than 110 days into the year to find one. My 2010 list now stands at 108 species. A possible corn bunting was also seen here but not 100%, so not counting it.

2010-04-22T17:40:00.004Z

Here. Hare. Here! (quote from "withnail & I)
Springtime developments at Dick Leigh chainsaws in Barrow.
The long tailed tit nest that I watched being built 12 days ago was raided :( probably by a magpie that I've seen hanging around.
Blackbird nest was also raided and 5 eggs taken. Jay was the culprit this time. Most of my nestboxes are occupied by bluetits and the coal tits are perfectly safe in their concrete nesthole.
The sparrowhawk has made 4 pigeon kills in the last fortnight. The feral flock (sometimes 20 strong) doesnt hang around the feeding stations as much now. Good. I'd rather have sprawks than feral pigeons. The mallard eggs havent hatched yet, but should soon. The kestrels are in my nestbox for the 3rd year. Hopefully sucessful this time, I saw them mating yesterday.
But, the most unusual sighting recently was Brown Hare, in one of the back fields! I saw a cat from whiteacre lane in one of our fields, shoo'ed it off with a well aimed clump of mud and went to see what it was doing, and found a leveret!

Then I saw an adult hare. The last hare I saw in this area was across the road towards the railway, about 3 years ago.
Saw the Adult hare again today but no sign of the leveret that I saved from the cat.

2010-04-18T13:05:00.007Z

Sky dancers in Langden valley
7.30 start at Langden valley, the mist lifted and the sun shone. A perfect mornings birding.
Stopped briefly at Whitewell and heard snipe drumming in the morning mist, a single redshank, a few RL partridge and 4 brown hare also here.

Some redpoll and siskin at the langden car park. Goldcrest and bullfinch calling a bit further on. Willow warbler and chaffinch were singing all the way up the valley but I didnt hear a single chiffchaff today. Several pairs of pied wagtail on the stream. A single male stonechat, single male reed bunting and single male wheatear having a bachelor party just before where the path splits.
I took the lower path on the way to langden castle. Curlew, oystercatcher, lapwing and pheasant calling occasionally, but only 2 red grouse seen today. A female sparrowhawk over low and fast gave me great views as she chased meadow pipits but didnt manage a kill.

The next raptor I saw, just before Langden castle was a male hen harrier soaring overhead. I joined Chris Larkin at the building and we watched a total of 2 male and 1 female hen harrier with one of the males sky dancing in the sun for a while and giving great views. This is the reason for birdwatching, absolutely spectacular!

A single peregrine was also seen from here. On the way back, taking the high path, I found a green tiger beetle on the path, and when we stopped to look at that, we heard that kind of blackbirdy sounding song.....yup, ring ouzel, 2 males feeding on the patchy grass between the upper and lower paths.

As the path descended we heard I more male ouzel singing in a gully and I found this green hairstreak butterfly.

A fantastic mornings birding, with some nice insects thrown in. I think I'll return for some sky dancing next week...... after checking Pendle hill for Dotterel, that is.

2010-04-10T13:45:00.004Z

Dunsop Bridge raptors

I watched this bird and its partner for about an hour this morning. Had them all to myself and then shared with a couple from Wigan, who luckily came along while I still had it in the scope. A lifer for them!
Then we watched the pair in flight for a while until they disappeared before the weekend crowds came along. (inevitable on this lovely sunny day)
I watched the perched bird preening (my scope views better than these "dodgyscoped pics" show) and both birds together in flight.

Having met "Mr Angry" last weekend, a random birder I came across, effing and ceeing to me about all these "so-called" birders who cant tell a "Sprawk" from a "Gossie". He was quite comical in his ranting, and clearly thinks he is a "better" birder than most. But anyway, the views I've had this weekend were even better than last and I am in no doubt as to their identity.

PS also today my first willow warbler sighted in 2010, with many singing, and 3 small tortoiseshell butterflies too.

2010-04-08T09:36:00.004Z

Currently watching coal tit and long-tailed tit nest-building from the office window. Coal tits are in a hole in the house chimney stack, some 20ft up! The long tails are in a conifer, surprisingly close to one of our feeding stations, I thought the presence of other species at the feeders might have put them off this site. I havent yet checked which of my many nest boxes are being used by blue tits or great tits.

This afternoon, I found a nuthatch nest, a blackbirds with 2 eggs and we still have 14 eggs in the mallard nest. The ducklings should be due in about a week now.

2010-04-05T13:11:00.007Z

Leighton moss was less crowded due to the rainy weather! Unfortunately the wind and rain kept most of my target species out of site too.
Scored a Marsh tit for my years list almost immediately, at the feeding station with many other species including some nice bullfinches.

Heading down to Lillians hide, I heard chiffchaff and willow warbler singing but neither was sighted. Nothing new at Lillians, I'd hoped that marsh harrier or water rail would have been my 100th species this year. Or at least little grebe or red breasted merganser, two species that have evaded all year! No luck here, only a single swallow of note (struggling against the rain and wind).

On to the public hide, in hope of cettis warbler or bearded tit.......
Nothing really :( A pair of Gbb gulls look like they've nested on the island, a few pochard and 20+ swallows on this pond. The rain got heavier, so decided against the lower hide on this visit.

The Tim Jackson hide produced a red deer (as usual) and a few little egrets. I was still looking for the 100th species on my 2010 list, and the grisedale hide delivered! As soon as the rain let-up a cracking male marsh harrier flew past, showing for 10 mins or so.

On the walk back to the car park, I heard another chiffchaff call, and managed to get this one in the bins. Species 101.

Soup and sarnies in the car. We noticed a female chaffinch nest building right in front of us. A tiny well camoflaged nest in a rowan fork.

The Allen hide had a gale force wind blowing straight in the window slits. The avocets (8) didnt seem as bothered as the redshanks (millions) though.

A closer inspection of the huddled redshanks, produced a spotted redshank, alone at the back of the flock.

A pair of gadwall hung around near the shelducks here too.

The black tailed godwits where probably sheltering a greenshank, but I could find any today.

Then, at last, I found one of this years bogey birds, a red-breasted merganser drake hauled-out on an island. Species no. 104 this year.... I still havent seen little grebe this year!

2010-04-03T11:40:00.000Z

First bumble bee and ladybird seen today.

2010-04-03T09:20:00.000Z

March 28th - April 2nd
Pendle hill, Stocks res & Dunsop bridge.

2010-03-21T14:58:00.005Z

Green sandpiper still on River Calder at Altham

Well, thats the six nations rugby over for another year. I was feeling quite fragile this morning after consuming enough beer to get me through all 3 games yesterday, but I was still keen to get out for a walk to shake off the hangover. Altham was the closest reported bird of interest, the green sandpiper that I still hadnt caught up with.
I parked at Altham bridge and followed the river down as far as the old barn.

Unfortunately, no sand martin seen on the river today.
Min 6 goosander.
Skylark in full song, first one sighted this year.
Many pied and grey wagtails plotting out territories and nest sites
20+ oystercatcher

10+ redshank

Circa 60 curlew seen in one flock. Flocks would break up and reform, but 60 was the max number seen simultaneously.
A single stock dove at the old barn.
And of course, the reason for todays walk, the Green sandpiper

2010-03-16T20:52:00.000Z

Great grey shrike still on Waddington fell

2010-03-14T20:25:00.001Z

Edinburgh, Scotland for the Calcutta cup

I've been up to Edinburgh this weekend, to attend the Calcutta cup match at Murrayfield.

Jill isnt to fond of camping in March, so we visited our usual campsite, Mortonhall, but stayed in their wigwams!

Excellent comfort but still all the fun of camping.
The campsite was near deserted in comparison to its capacity during the Edinburgh festival, when we camp in the tent.

Being an early riser, I get out and about for a bit of birding before Jill gets up. The usual birds were around, buzzards, a good population of bullfinches, a couple of late(ish) redwings, and these jackdaws (who have already started nesting).

I should have visited Vane Farm or a few other good site I know in the vicinity but a weekend of food, drink, comedy clubs and rugby had us exhausted.

2010-03-05T16:41:00.002Z

Hesketh out marsh
As usual, this was not a dedicated birding trip, just a rest stop whilst I was delivering in the area. Its the first chance I've had to have a look here. Looks like theres a lot of scope (pardon the pun), but I arrived at low tide, and thus didnt see much.
A couple of distant merlin, many shelduck, lapwing, golden plover and my first little egret(1) and stock dove(4) of 2010.
I'll def return here soon, for a full days birding.

2010-03-01T10:00:00.000Z

Campegine, Reggio Emilia, Italy 24th-28th Feb

2010-02-17T09:28:00.002Z

Found a dead Tawny owl (unringed) next to the road at the Eagle at Barrow pub. Hopefully not one of "my" birds. My summer tawny owl roost is only 500m from here. I still havent managed to get the owls to use my nestboxes. The pair usually turn up at the summer roost at the end of April. I'll find out if this was one of the pair then.

2010-02-03T12:30:00.003Z

I'm barely back from Lanzarote and spotted a waxwing on the way back from tesco, Blackburn. Jill was driving when I spotted it in a bare tree, as we left sunnybower, driving back to Billington via Whalley old road. View was fleeting but I'm 100% certain.

2010-02-03T07:46:00.001Z

Lanzarote 26th Jan - 2 Feb 2010

(Full list in order seen)

Hoopoe - first bird seen from airport and then fleeting view at Yaiza
Great grey shrike - sedond bird seen from airport, common on the plains and elsewhere
Kestrel - widespread, many seen daily
Yellow legged gull -abundant
Collared dove - abundant, also some barbary sp.
Turnstone - most common wader, seen daily
Spanish sparrow - abundant
Black necked grebe - 4 seen on main salt lake and Salinas de Janubio (SdeJ)
Redshank - flock of about 6 at SdeJ
Greater Flamingo - single (apparently a long stayer) at SdeJ
Grey Heron - - single at SdeJ
Black winged stilt - up to 20 seen at SdeJ
Common sandpiper - 1 maybe 2 at SdeJ, 1 at Playa chica
Black headed gull - single at SdeJ
Grey plover - single at SdeJ
Kentish plover - 3f, 1m at SdeJ
Trumpeter finch - common on the plains (El Rubicon and El Jable)
Houbara bustard - 2 seen just outside the town of Munique, 1 on Rubicon plain.
Berthelots pipit - common everywhere
Lesser short toed lark - common in flocks on the plains
Pallid swift - 2 then 1 (on different days) seen over Playa Chica
Whimbrel - twice (on different days) at Playa Chica
Sandwich tern - daily at Playa Chica
Egret sp. - 5+ fly-bys but never good enough views to separate Cattle from Little
Linnet - circa 5 at Playa Chica
Sanderling - single at Playa Chica
Raven - 1 at Yaiza
Starling - circa 6 at Playa Chica

2010-01-25T16:53:00.004Z

Weekend in Glasgow

I didn't expect to further my 2010 list on a pissup weekend in Glasgow... but I did.
My hotel was right on the Clyde. I saw my first meadow pipit (78) of the year on a building site in the city centre.
After a night out at the Stand comedy club, we dawdled along the river to the nearest weatherspoons for hangover brekkie. Spotted 4 female goldeneye (79) and then six males a bit further along. Then, at last, number 80 on the list this year 3 GREENFINCH! Where have they all been?
After another night on the beer I spotted a pair of Peregrine (81) hunting together over the city skyline. Possibly the pair that nests high in the Kelvingrove museum.

So this will be my last post here until I return from a scuba trip to Lanzarote.

This film, that I made in 2007, recently won a competition. The prize is flights, hotel and car hire in Lanzarote for a week.

Obviously, I'll be filming underwater again, but when not diving, I plan to film the Houbara bustard displaying as well!

Back 2nd Feb, watch this space!

2010-01-21T20:13:00.004Z

Newton marsh pool

Big change since last weeks fleeting visit.
Last week there were only a few redshank and lapwing, the pool was totally frozen.
Stopping from my delivery route today was a different matter.
1000's of wigeon (very late 2010 year tick no.76) had returned. No little grebe, which still evades me this year. 100's of curlew, 1 shelduck, a few shoveller and teal. I heard a skylark but I'm not counting "H.O.'s" this year.

Eventually spotted a distant raptor..... which then flew straight towards me. A merlin! (year tick no.77)

It landed on a road-side post (it was probably pissed-off with the wind) but fled when one of those dust-bin lorries roared past, before I could dodgy-scope it.

Lucky it landed in the nearby field, posing for pics whilst ignoring a flock of 50+ linnets.

2010-01-17T20:33:00.002Z

Tiger shark in the river Calder

I thought I'd take a short Sunday walk along the Calder to see if the wintering common sandpiper was still present.
The litter washed up on the banks was deplorable.

I saw a few mallard, 1 moorhen and a pretty big gull roost, but no common sandpiper.
On the walk back, I took a football ( amongst all the bottles, I had a choice of many! ) for my mates Jack Russell to play with.
I found this freshly half-eaten pike. Must have been a grey heron as the fish was 12"+

The most ridiculous piece of flotsam on the banks was this 6 foot tiger shark! (gull roost in background)

2010-01-16T20:44:00.003Z

In the garden

It visited for about a month before the snow came. After the thaw its back! Quite an unusual garden visitor.

2010-01-14T17:46:00.004Z

Grannies bay, Lytham

Whilst on my deliveries in the Preston/Freckleton area today, I added another 10 species to my 2010 list (total now 75) with a stop at Grannies bay.

66. Redshank
67. Turnstone
68. Sanderling
69. Black-tailed godwit
70. Dunlin
71. Curlew
72. Linnet
73. Northern Pintail
74. Shelduck
75. Oystercatcher

2010-01-12T17:38:00.003Z

In the garden at Barrow

Found this dead male bullfinch this morning, still warm, but near the house, leading me to believe that it flew into a window, rather than starved or froze.
Beautiful bird, theres been a few pair around this winter, very shy though and doesnt come to the feeders.

On the other hand, the nuthatch has been coming to the garden more often than usual.

I'm still seeing a lot of snipe and a single woodcock flying around the back fields every day. On my travels, I'm seeing more Roe deer than usual too. I think thats just because the snow makes them more visible.

2010-01-10T14:04:00.005Z

Marton mere

Another lovely crisp day for us humans but a harsh, bitter day for the wildlife. Of course I've been feeding the garden birds plenty, but some species with more specialised diets must really be suffering.
On arrival at Marton mere. We (Jill came with me today) saw a 53 seater bus with a sign saying "Leicester RSPB members" arrive. I cant stand crowded hides or the general pfaff these groups tend to create, so we picked up the pace to get to the LEO's first.
On route to the owls, a skein of pink footed geese flew over. My first PFs of 2010. Species number 59 on my uk year list. Considering I got a half century on new years day, I've not really been scoring well since.
Anyway, on to the LEOs, 2 birds easily visible, there were probably others but we could find them.

Still no sign of the crowds, so on seeing the small patch of unfrozen water on the mere and the angle of the sun, we headed to the South "holiday park side" hide.
Immediately added pochard, gadwall, shoveller and reed bunting to my yearlist.
Then in flew a bittern! Fantastic views in-flight and stalking along the edge of the ice. We watched this bird in perfect light for about 10 minutes before the masses arrived; screaming kids and dogs included.
We pointed out the bittern to them and left the hide.

Had a scan around other areas of the mere for water rail but to no avail.
Stopped in the feeder hide to see if I could get a greenfinch! Yep, greenfinch have evaded me thus far in 2010.

Quite a short visit but 7 more birds for the year. Jill doesnt really like the longer visits anyway, she'd rather be back home playing World of Warcraft!
The views of the LEOs and the bittern had me more than satisfied!

2010-01-01T19:32:00.002Z

New years day birding

I'm going to try to dedicate more time this year to my real hobbies, rather than playing too many computer games (which is still a hobby, its just that I play for too long)
I'm going to keep a year list for 2010, and update this blog more frequently.

I always enjoy opening the curtains just after first light, to reveal the winner of "first bird species seen this year". And the winner was....tada!....

1) Carrion crow

I put some food out on the back feeders and some mealworm for last years first bird, the robin.
the next bird to turn up were

2) House sparrow - about 10 of them
3) Magpie
4) Jackdaw
5) Cormorant - flying high over the River Calder
6) Collared dove - pair displaying to each other
7) Black headed gull - also over the river
8) Robin - last years winner, came to collect his prize of mealworm
9) Blackbird
10) Blue tit

No surprises really yet

11) Dunnock
12) Song thrush - somewhat scarce in the garden recently
13) Starling
14) Great tit
15) Coal tit
16) Rook - 4 seen out of the front window feeding in field
17) Wood pigeon

out of the house now, drive up to barrow to drop Jill off and then over to barrow lodge for the scoter......hopefully

18) Chaffinch
19) Moorhen
20) Mallard - about 100 whilst scanning lodge for the scoter
21) Canada goose - pair on the lodge
22) Coot
23) Velvet Scoter - yes it was still there!
24) Treecreeper - calling and then seen on a hawthorn near the lodge
25) Grey wagtail - over the lower lodge while I chatted with Mike Watson
26) Common Buzzard - has been hanging around the A59 recently, a good find for the list
27) Kestrel - also by the A59

I drove over to Rishton res to look for the Black-necked grebe

28) Goldfinch - in cutwood park
29) Lapwing - circa 30 in flight over the res
30) Common gull - the first gull that I scoped on the ice
31) GBB gull
32) LBB gull
33)Herring gull

34) Teal - 2 pairs on the ice
35) Black-necked grebe - in flight around the almost completly frozen res. Frantically flying in circles pursued by hungry gulls. I really thought it would be a goner until it found a patch of water amongst the canada geese. Phew!

36) Great crested grebe - a couple amongst the geese
37) Tufted duck
38) Mute swan - a juv also in flight, eventually landed on the ice and slide along to a stop.
39) Kingfisher - quite a surprise this early in the list, flew past the promenade over ice, I didnt relocate it.
40) Wren - quite late on the list

I was disturbed by too many screaming kids and equally noisy parents, so decided to move on

41) Great spotted woodpecker - in small wood in cutwood park
back in Barrow

42) Grey Heron - usually seen earlier in the day
43) Bullfinch - 1 pr seen, more calling
44) Lesser redpoll - many feeding in the alder trees

45) Mistle thrush - only just realised that I was missing most of the "winter" thrushes
46) Woodcock - our resident bird, I still havent managed to photograph it before it flushes, even though it stays in a pretty small patch.
47) Redwing - at last, many with the mistle thrush and starling, feeding in the fields.

48) Nuthatch - heard only
49) Snipe - in gellys field opp our house in Bilington
50) Tawny owl - heard only, in the dark back in Barrow.

A half century! (well nearly, I dont usually count "heard only")

Anyway, a lovely days birding, with the species appearing in quite a strange order.

2009-12-28T19:13:00.007Z

Pendle hill in the snow

Pretty deep snow up on the hill even though theres been a bit of a thaw down in the valley.

Heres a couple of shots of my hiking poles, before and after.

The 2nd joint on my poles shows the snow to be about 14 inches deep, on the path, some of the drifts were about 3 feet deep!

I found these fox tracks on the virgin snow. You can see where its brush has marked the snow too. Also found tracks of rabbit, hare, grouse and tiny mammal (shrew/vole/mouse) tracks too.

A few humans had been up here too....

No birds to be seen at all after pendleside farm until I found a single Golden plover on the path to scout cairn. Red grouse were heard constantly but never seen.

I stopped at Scout cairn for some warm soup and a turkey sandwich and then headed back along the ridge above Downham. At last I saw the Snow buntings. The flock was flying below me, silently. I quickly counted about 30 birds before they disappeared over a wall, not to be found again.

On the way back over the summit, the masses were out in force. When I started todays walk at 10 am, there were 2 cars in the lay-by and only a couple of other folks on the hill. By 2pm the trig point looked like it was on a busy street, loud groups wearing wet jeans talking loudly on mobile phones. No more chance of any wildlife sightings or solitude.

2009-12-23T13:44:00.001Z

Velvet Scoter on Barrow lodge

2009-10-19T14:01:00.003Z

Nice weather for ducks @ Leighton moss

2009-10-11T16:28:00.000Z

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

2009-09-22T14:23:00.001Z

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

2009-09-20T14:21:00.001Z

Last swallows head south

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

2009-08-20T07:18:00.003Z

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.

2009-08-18T17:24:00.003Z

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

2009-08-13T09:55:00.002Z

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.

2009-08-11T16:11:00.005Z

Found both owls together today for the first time in a while.

However, the lighter coloured bird moved hiding place once he/she knew that they'd been spotted.

2009-08-09T19:35:00.007Z

River calder from whalley bridge

I heard a bit of a commotion as I was crossing Whalley bridge this evening. Young mallards, a grey wagtail and a dipper, all going a bit mental at something. It didnt take me long to spot a pesky mink hunting along the banks. The mink was quite vocal too.

2009-08-07T18:36:00.004Z

One of my resident tawny owls in Barrow has a new roost, took ages to find him/her today. This is the darker bird, who isn't as skittish as the lighter one. I couldnt locate the lighter bird today.

2009-08-05T10:49:00.003Z

Juv Cuckoo at Lower foulridge reservoir

2009-06-21T08:10:00.019Z

Cuba June 4th - 18th

Armed with "Birds of Cuba" (Garrido and Kirkconnell) as my field guide, my target species for this trip were -
1) Bee hummingbird - the smallest bird in the world, a must see!
2) Cuban trogon - the national bird of Cuba
3) Cuban tody - the "pin-up" cute bird, also an endemic.

My target list was made keeping in mind that I was visiting Havana, Vinales and Maria la Gorda but not the Zapata peninsula. This was really a scuba diving holiday.....birding comes second.

Flicking through the field guides plates now, I'll list what I managed to find.

1. Magnificent frigatebird - only 1 or 2 individuals seen at MlaG.

2. Brown pelican - 1 sorry-looking individual at Havana port area.
3. Neotropic cormorant - 1 in flight at MlaG
4. Anhinga - 1 high over Vinales but unmistakable in flight.
5. Reddish egret - brief views from bus en route from Hav to Vin.
6. Great blue heron - as with reddish egret.
7. Great egret - as with reddish egret.
8. Snowy egret - 1 or 2 at MlaG.
9.Cattle egret - Abundant, daily.
10. Green heron - nearly daily.

11. Turkey vulture - Abundant, daily.

12. Snail kite - Male at MlaG, female seen perched near Pinar del rio.
13. American kestrel - Abundant along motorway.
14. Helmeted guineafowl - 3 (escapees?) at MlaG
15. Killdeer - def. the most common wader. Seen nearly every day.

16. Black necked stilt - 1 individual near Pinar del Rio.
17. Laughing gull - only 1 or 2 on the whole trip.
18. Sandwich tern - seen 4 or 5 times from MlaG, IDed using video footage.
19. Plain pigeon

20. White crowned pigeon - over MlaG almost daily
21. Mourning dove - daily

22. Collared dove - pair in Havana city centre.
23. Zenaida dove - common around Havana.
24. Smooth billed Ani - several seen at MlaG and Vin.

25. Great lizard cuckoo - twice(obscured views)at MlaG, hunting cicadas and quite vocal.
26. Antillean nighthawk - every evening over Hav, Vin and MlaG. Roosted in tree at our Casa.

27. Antillean palm-swift - common wherever there were palms! Also nested in hotel palm-thatched roof.
28. Cuban trogon - 1 from bus near Vin, 2 at MlaG.

29. Cuban emerald hummingbird - abundant at MlaG in hotel gardens.

30. Bee hummingbird - several feeding in the gardens daily at MlaG. I'm still editing video footage, but it does show male, female and juvs.

31. Cuban green woodpecker - pair at Vin, several at MlaG.

32. West indian woodpecker - common on the beach! at MlaG. Nesting in palms. Fearless.

33. La sagra's flycatcher - I found it hard to separate from Cuban peewee using this field guide but I think the pic below is the La sagra's. Family nesting near my hut at MlaG.

34. Cuban peewee - flycatchers seen daily - hard to ID
35. Gray kingbird - daily at MlaG. and common along motorway.

36. Loggerhead kingbird - common at MlaG. Pair seen here at nest.

37. Black whiskered vireo - very common, always heard.

38. Cuban vireo - seen once at MlaG.
39. Cuban crow - scarce at MlaG. Very vocal but shy.
40. Cave swallow - 1st bird seen as I set foot in Cuba, at the airport! Abundant in Hav.

41. Cuban martin - common in Hav.
42. Barn swallow - 1 seen at beach at MlaG.
43. Red-legged thrush - common. MlaG, Hav and Vin.

44. Northern mockingbird - common everywhere.
45. Yellow-headed warbler - common at MlaG. Daily.

46. Stripe-headed tanager - Common at MlaG. also afew at Vin.

47. Yellow faced grassquit - common at MlaG. Several daily.

48. Cuban bullfinch - daily at MlaG, very confiding, suspended nest near my hut. Seen here building.

49. House sparrow - abundant in Hav.
50. Shiny cowbird - 1 male in park in Hav.
51. Greater antillean grackle - abundant and widespread.
52. Cuban blackbird - a few individuals at MlaG and Vin
53. Black cowled oriole - common at MlaG, but getting rarer, I filmed one being pounced upon by one of the many feral cats in the Guanahacabibes national park!

So made the half century, but dipped on the target tody. Shame to have dipped on all the owls too, as they are a fav of mine. Loved the bee hummers and the roosting nighthawk was a highlight too.

Other wildlife included huge iguanas,

many species of small anole lizards, geckos, white-tailed deer and these hutias (giant tree rodents) which took me very much by surprise whilst scanning the treetops.

I'll take care of the diving and underwater life on my other blog, once I've edited all the underwater footage. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed the birding more than the diving on this trip.

I'll sign off with a pic of me in typical holiday tourist mode..... trust me to find an Austrian mircobrewery in downtown Havana.

2009-05-14T12:48:00.002Z

Dotterels in the mist.

A very early rushed trip up pendle for a last gasp attempt at a dotterel. I'd given up searching the summit in near zero visability when I saw some movement on the steep path back down to pendleside farm. BTW its a female in case you cant see it!

2009-05-10T12:31:00.005Z

Smew at Blackmoss res.

Fighting apathy at 7.30am, I decided to check maps to see if I could get access to the reservoir below Pendle hill for a look at the reported female smew. Too tired to look for dotterel at pendle summit.
25+ swifts feeding high above the Judge Walmesley pub and another 4 screaming through the empty streets of Whalley. Its only a week since my first swift sightings this year.
Stopped in at lower barrow lodge on the way. A few bachelor mallards, the single white domestic duck seemed to be all that was there, until a single female mallard appeared with one very small duckling.

At the car park at Barley there was a male blackcap singing, a chiffchaff calling and a pair of mistle thrushes feeding on the lawn. Walking up Blacko lane towards Black moss reservoirs, I saw another 4 swifts, a single curlew, a pair of lapwing and another 3 mistle thrushes.
I kept low behind the wall to the res, in case my luck was in. It was. The smew was in the near corner, only 20 metres from me. My luck changed though. As I dug out my camera from my backpack, the farmer came speeding up on his quadbike, calling his sheep. The smew made a bolt across the res. Bugger! Just managed to digi-bin this shot before a GC grebe chased the smew even further from me.

3 choices now faced me

a) climb pendle again to look for Dotterel
b) drive round to moor piece for Pied Flycatcher and wood warbler.
c) home for brekky and go to the car boot sale with Jill.

Chose C out of hunger and apathy. Bad move. The car boot sale has really gone downhill since our last visit, and I've now read on the ELOC site that a Dotterel has been located! When my luck changes, it goes really bad :(

Anyway, watched this nice dipper in the stream through Barley. Heard it feeding its chicks under a bridge too.

Dropped in to Barrow (Jills folks) after the carboot, to check on the kestrels. Good timing. Just as I got there, the male turned up with a small mammal, gave it to the female, and took his turn on the eggs. She eats his offerings in the next tree and then goes back to the box after about half an hour.

Also in Barrow, my tawny owl(s) have returned to their day roost. Unfortunately, a squirrel seems to have moved into the newest box that I put up for the owls. Time for another eviction.

2009-05-09T13:24:00.003Z

No dotterel on Pendle hill.

I was at the summit by 8.30. Walked up the steep stone path, over the stile towards scout cairn, back again and over the trig point and down the quarry path. 1.5 hours on top..... no dotterel!
A few golden plover over at the tarn, before the stile to scout cairn.

Here's a (digi-binned) shot of a goldie with Downham in the background.

wasnt sure of public access to black moss res, so didnt bother trying for the smew today.

2009-05-05T14:24:00.001Z

Hamilton park racing

Just got back from a long weekend in Hamilton. Horse-racing and poker with the boys. Didnt manage a visit to Barons haugh but spotted my first swift (3) of the year and a few yellowhammer at the carboot sale up Clydeside on Monday.

2009-04-27T14:39:00.001Z

First blackcap (m) glimpsed this year, they have over-wintered at Barrow before but now in full song. Kestrels are viewing nestbox along with jackdaw. Other corvids annoying them.

2009-04-11T13:43:00.003Z

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.

2009-04-09T14:35:00.001Z

My first chiffchaff (this year) heard at Bamber bridge today.

I stopped in at freckleton marsh, on my travels today. 30-odd species without getting out the van. Not bad but nothing unusual.

2009-04-03T12:38:00.004Z

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.

2009-03-15T21:51:00.003Z

Stocks reservoir

A lovely spring day today at stocks reservoir. I stopped at champion moor about 8.30 and it was alive with the sounds of spring. Curlews bubbling in display flight, skylarks in full song above them. Snipe drumming and lapwing dive-bombing each other. Also saw a red legged partridge on a wall at Black moss farm but no little owls at Shays barn.

Loads of frogs croaking in the spawn-filled pools by the path up to the new hide. The water level was at a nice level for waders but nothing special was to be found.

Teal 20
Mallard 5
Goldeneye 4 f, 1m
RB Merganser 1pr
GC Grebe 1
Wigeon 1m
Moorhen 3
Coot 1
Canada goose 21
Greylag goose 16
Barnacle goose 3
Cormorant 34
GBB gull 2
LBB gull 2
Lapwing 20
Redshank 4
Oystercatcher 6
Grey heron 2

At 10.20am two fishermen walked clumsily up the opposite shore and scared off all the birdlife! I'm having a great time with fishermen this month eh?

Also at stocks today - 2 stoats. 1 in front of the new hide in full summer "plummage", a second on the road at the church half ermine/half brown.

This evening - first pipistrelle bat seen hunting in the back garden.

2009-03-08T16:01:00.007Z

Firecrest at Stanley park, Blackpool

Woke up to a fine day, sun shining, so decided to nip over to Blackpool to see if I could find the firecrest reported on the Fylde bird club site recently.
As is my bad luck, the weather deteriorated drastically as I headed west. I was surprised on route to find a flock of (circa 20) sand martins flying over the M55 at about junction 3. This is a week earlier than my first sand martins last year.
On arrival at Stanley park, I met David Moreton, who had already located the firecrest. We quickly relocated it, low in the brambles with a few other goldcrests and the odd long-tailed tit.
Of course, in my haste to make the most of a fine day, I left the SLR and videocam at home. So without the right equipment these were the best shots I could manage of this tiny flitting bird.
David and I had a chinwag for a bit and put the world to rights until the cold even put me off the idea of going to see the LEOs at Marton mere. A good day anyway, with frecrest and sandmartin added to my 2009 list.

I'm certain David has some much better pics than mine, so heres a link to his page -

Dmoreton.co.uk

David, dont hesitate to contact me if you come up Clitheroe way, for the dotterel passage. I'll show you my tawny owl pair, that like to pose in good light.

2009-03-04T17:24:00.004Z

Red Throated Diver at Foulridge res.

I was on the M65 today, so decided to continue on to Colne to see if I could get a look at the RT diver reported there.

Managed to dodgyscope a few shots from the fishery end until a NIMBY (not in my back yard) fisherman came along in his private reg range rover and told me I was trespassing. If I ever win the lottery, I'll buy up all the reservoirs in Lancs, just to deny these toffs the opportunity.

I moved on up to the causeway end, which allows a view of another part of the reservoir. Plenty of goosander, canada geese and dancing great crested grebes. Also, 2 pairs of oystercatcher at the top end and a flock of common gulls. Actually, these are my first common gulls this year, so they certainly dont live up to the name "common".

2009-03-01T20:39:00.004Z

RSPB Barons haugh, Lanarkshire

I was up in Scotland for the rugby at Murrayfield yesterday. I went with 2 Italian friends who flew in for the game. We had a great day with plenty of liquid refreshment. I look forward to visiting Rome next year for the rematch.

Anyway, on the way back, I visited my friend Phil, in Hamilton (my hometown, even though I now live in Lancashire) and we went for a walk to Barons haugh.

Some of my earliest birding memories with the YOC were at Barons Haugh. The pathways are certainly been improved since my first visits 30 years ago! The reserve boasts one for the northernmost nuthatch colonies in the uk, and a population of marsh tits. These are both species that I certainly didnt see here in my youth.

Sightings today were - mute swan, greylag goose, little grebe, tufted duck, mallard, teal, goldeneye, coot, lbb gull, bh gull, grey heron, cormorant, jackdaw, carrion crow, magpie, buzzard, siskin, robin, bullfinch, treecreeper, wren, greenfinch, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, woodpigeon, dunnock, blackbird, collard dove & lapwing.

Siskin was the only new sighting for my 2009 list.

.

2009-01-27T14:44:00.003Z

Hawfinches at Stocks Res.

Great birds! Just enough to get me out of hibernation and get my blog back in publication. I'll backdate the last few major sightings and then try to stop being so lazy.
Many thanks to Mike Watson, the hawfinch finder, and to Jonathon Pomroy for his sharp eyes today.

2008-07-12T08:18:00.003Z

Kestrel progress

I expected to return from Cornwall, to find the Kestrel box brimming with activity but the eggs don't seem to have hatched yet. I've got a few angles where I can see into the box from distance with the scope, and the view is usually just the female sitting.
I managed to watch a food exchange this morning about 7am. The male flew in with a vole and the female left the box to collect it from him. She took her time eating but eventually returned to the box.

On Monday morning (7th July) I saw a Kingfisher in the garden!!!! It flew through quite high, from the direction of Barrow lodge, but I've no idea where it was heading and why it was taking the "overland" route. I'd have thought it would have followed barrow brook.

I heard the familiar yaffling of a Green woodpecker this week , and sighted it a couple of times too. On checking back on my blog I can see that the last sighting here was exactly a year ago, to within a couple of days!!! They don't breed on my patch, so this must be a post breeding dispersion.

Also saw my 3rd fox in as many weeks. I sometimes put out any meat scraps in the back field. Hopefully, I can encourage it to return more frequently. It had a bad limp on its hind leg, but then, so did one of the"springwatch" foxes and it seemed to get better.

I found this moth on the kitchen window last night, whilst fox and bat watching.

I havent ID'ed it yet but I've asked the experts on birdforum.

I'd have loved to have got out birding this w/e but cant really justify the diesel cost to Leighton moss or even to Stocks res. I'll wait until I have an errand to run, nearer to a birding spot.

2008-07-06T21:12:00.000Z

Sun haven camping/Jack Johnson gig, nr Newquay

2008-07-06T20:01:00.001Z

Eden project, Cornwall

2008-06-28T12:50:00.002Z

I'm not on duty at beacon fell today cos the Hen Herrier nest is empty! The 4 chicks have flown the nest meaning that the webcam has nothing to see.
Its great that this nest was successful and that loads of local folk are more aware of the harriers plight.
I'll be concentrating my efforts on my Kestrel nestbox now. I wont put a webcam in this year but will set one up next year before they nest.
I watched the box this morning for half an hour, not much action but the female is still sitting. I located my tawny owl today as well. Its new daytime roost is well hidden so I cant get photos as good as I could back in May. Click here for best owl shot this year.

We're off camping again from tomorrow. We're going to Cornwall to visit the Eden project
and to go to the Jack Johnson gig on the beach at Newquay. Obviously I'll be birding and sea watching too. Target species are dartford warbler and basking shark.

2008-06-23T16:24:00.003Z

Kestrel nestbox survives gale force winds

On the drive back from Sherwood yesterday I suddenly remembered the Kestrel nestbox.
The winds of 60 mph might dislodge the box from the ratchet belt which straps it to a branch at about 30 feet.
On arrival, I grabbed the scope to check........and it was all ok....Phew!

The box is built from recycled old wood offcuts that would have been thrown away. My ramshackle design seems to have left a little window for the female to keep an eye on things.

(see circled in photo - click on pic to enlarge)

I'm so glad that it withstood the gales.

Heres the female on her fav perch outside the box.

I'm back on duty with the Hen harrier webcam project on Saturday, but fear that there may be nothing to watch as the 3 bigger chicks are all practicing flying now!

Heres a vid of them 12 days ago! Getting really big even back then.

Click here for Christines Hen harrier blog.

Hopefully there will still be something to see on Saturday.

2008-06-22T20:20:00.002Z

Weekend camping at Sherwood forest

Jill and I have been camping in Sherwood forest this weekend. We camped at a small site run behind the redbrick house hotel and went to see the Forestry Commission Crowded House gig in the woods.

We went to see the Jools Holland gig at Cannock chase last year and really liked the idea, so we went again.

We we lucky to get a light, warm Friday evening for the gig, but even though I drank too much red wine, I still got up at 4 am to go birding.

Target birds for this area were Barn owl, yellowhammer, green woodpecker, tree pipit, nightjar and woodlark.

I did see 40 odd species of bird , 3 of which were new for my UK 08 list (taking me to 139 species in the uk this year). However, it rained a bit on the Saturday and the gales from Saturday night onwards probably ruined any chance of seeing barn owl hunting or nightjar churring overhead.

I was delighted to get some digiscoped shots of yellowhammer....

and this juvenile green woodpecker

Whilst BBQing at my tent, I could watch the young swallows being fed.

Other creatures seen were this fox...

...2 roe deer, rabbit, hare and grey squirrel.

I watched the fox hunting rabbit from the lane, really fast, but the rabbits just outran it every time. Great views though.

Even faster, were the many Hare, but the fox didnt even try for these!

Jill found some tiny froglets in the campsites pond too.

Another cunning wildlife watching trick I use whilst camping is this. Most campsites have a toilet/shower block that leave the lights on all night. In the early morning, I always check to see what moths and insects have been attracted.
Only one on this occasion, a "Heart and Dart" moth (Agrotis exclamationis)

Other insects found were some cockchafer beetles (below), violet ground beetles under our tent and a few speckled wood butterflies.

2008-06-19T19:47:00.003Z

Hi folks,

I've been way too busy recently. Havent posted for a week. Havent seen a new uk08 species for a month!

More garden birds fledging, here in Clitheroe.
GS woodpeckers, at least 3 young, very vocal , but I never did know the nest location.
Dunnocks and greenfinches have fledged.
Still more blue tits fledge (6 nest box broods at least)
Chaffinches still in nest on trellis.
Tawny owl still roosting near box, but no signs of breeding.
I'm giving the kestrels nestbox plenty of space but will post photos again next week.

I'm off to Sherwood forest this w/e to see forestry commission "Crowded house" gig in the woods.
We'll be camping nearby, in a place where there should be barn owls!

I'm back on duty with the hen harriers next w/e. The chicks were ringed this week.

Check out this link for details.

2008-06-10T12:10:00.003Z

Heres the first shots of the Kestrels actually in the box! (with nestbox sponsors name advertised)
I watched them mating on Sunday night and knew then that they had definitely chosen my nestbox as their site.

2008-06-08T22:09:00.007Z

A full weekend presenting the Hen Harrier webcam

Firstly, let me direct all those looking for more bowland hen harrier web addresses, to the "My links" section. Scroll down on this page in the right-hand column. That's it!

I've been on duty at the Bowland visitor centre yesterday and today. Heres a short video from June 3rd. The mother bird, "Olivia" (named by local schoolkids) shows her wingtags and her satellite tracking antenna in this clip.

The chicks are growing fast and looking strong. They were moving away from the nest into the heather to get some shade from the sun. Mum now leaves the chicks alone for long periods now!

The most popular (non hen harrier)topics of discussion in the visitor centre are
1. the eagle owls
2. liking/disliking Bill Oddie on Springwatch
3. grouse shooting/gamekeeping

I've had visitors from all over the country, mostly birders and lovers of the great outdoors. Its great just to sit and chat while we watch the webcam.

Of interest now, having watched the nest for 6 hours a day, is that I've never seen grouse as the prey species yet! Meadow pipits are a huge percentage of the diet.
Not that I believe Harriers taking grouse is an excuse for the gamekeepers persecution of this beautiful species, but this dietary evidence (taking no grouse) would make the persecution over the last couple of centuries even more unfounded!

(as usual, click on photos to enlarge)

I saw a stoat on both days this weekend, in the same place, at the same time, Saturday then Sunday. Creatures of habit eh?
Also found this Wall brown butterfly near the Beacon fell car park.

2008-06-05T19:05:00.002Z

Kestrels nesting

I've delayed reporting this just in case I was "jumping the gun". After 2 years of thinking that the tawny owls were nesting in my nestbox, not just roosting near it, it appears that kestrels have moved into the box in the next field!

I went for a walk on Tuesday morning (I'm working nightshift this week) and when I was under to the large ash tree where I put the kestrel box......I was swooped upon by the male bird!
I quickly retreated, but with elation, not fear.
I'm so happy that they've moved in!
I've waited a bit before reporting this, in case I was wrong, but they are still there near the box now. The male would never have swooped on me unless he had chosen that tree as the nest site. He has also swooped on one of the juv carrion crows that fledged this week.
I placed the box with a clear aspect for the birds approach and this aids viewing into the box-front through my 'scope. I'll keep a keen eye on the box for more movement.

I must again thank Tyrone Morgan (a friend and tree surgeon) for erecting the box for me using his climbing and abseiling skills. Perhaps we could paint some advertising on the box for next year.

Maybe I'll call spring watch cos their kestrel box is empty!

The tawnies still roost near their box but no signs of usage (apart from the occasional squirrel eviction.)

Most of the (6) blue tit families have fledged this week, even the family that took up residence in one of my bat boxes!!!! I had a treecreeper nest in a batbox last year!

Not all made it though, I found this unhatched egg in one nestbox.

The great tit box has fledged too, along with a longtailed tit family. I dont know where the longtails nested.
So the garden is really alive at the mo, with 50+ bluetits, 10+ longtails, 10+ starlings and 5+great tits! Both crow nests have fledged and I've found a new chaffinch nest.

Goldcrest, blackcap and this song thrush continue to sing daily.

Other wildlife news this week -
2 nice moths at work.
I rescued and released a Cinnabar moth from inside the factory on my nightshift
and then outside in the factory yard I found a very large hawkmoth attracted to the light.
I gently cupped my hands around it, but it escaped before I could ID it.
:( Possibly an Elephant hawkmoth.

2008-06-01T19:51:00.005Z

Hen harrier chicks

Here is the presentation area at the Bowland visitor centre. It was very busy today, probably cos the rain chased people into the centre. Time flew by, probably a good thing as I'm on duty next Sat and Sun.

The four (remaining) chicks put on a good display with mum getting off them every time a large group arrived at the centre. 2 meadow pipits, 1 very small rabbit and 1 "dunno" were the meals that were fed to the chicks. The "dunno" had obviously been half eaten by the male bird and was thus unrecognisable.

Here is the latest youtube video upload.

I met another birding couple of the surname Mitchell who seemed enthusiastic to visit "Twitch with Mitch" as their namesake. Its quite nice just to sit at the centre discussing the harriers and any other birding subjects that come up.

The feeders at the back of the centre are empty, but still attracted this field vole.

I went for a walk around this morning but failed to find anything new for my uk 08 list
I was hoping for crossbill or even a redstart or tree pipit.

Other news

I got a snap of our bald robin at last, poor thing! I think its a female and has probably bred this year!

Loads of starlings have taken over the garden with their young......

.......and Treakle has also been wading through the red campion, buttercups and speedwell to visit the tawny owls in the corner.

Also, Jill saw a fox at the cattle grid the other night and Tony told me he saw and heard a cuckoo in the back field (dead tree) whilst I was at work last week.

2008-05-27T16:52:00.004Z

Rain at last

Well, at last we get some water for the garden, and while I was at work as well. Perfect! I hate being stuck in the factory when its lovely weather outside.

Anyway just saw in the news that we have some competition. Another Hen harrier nest is getting some attention. Anyone would think they are a common English bird!

Heres the link to the 6 chicks of the Northumberland Harriers

......but heres our Bowland hen harriers on video!

2008-05-26T14:00:00.003Z

Hen harrier project info

Its been warm with no rain for about 2 weeks now, the garden could really do with a drink as my rainwater collecting butts are nearly empty.
No new bird species this weekend, very windy, not great conditions for birding.

Red, blue and blue-tailed damselflies around the ponds now but still very few butterflies.
I saw a dead rook fledgeling on the road at Clitheroe golf club. Bad place to build a rookery.....over a busy road. Also, a dead fox cub on Whalley road too.

Heres a link to my local newpapers first Hen harrier press release, and heres the link to the daily blog that should be giving daily updates soon - Hen harrier blog

My first duty as volunteer presenter is on Sunday June 1st.

2008-05-18T19:51:00.005Z

Beer fest hangover

Having been to the Clitheroe beer festival yesterday, I was in no fit state to go walking far-afield.
I decided to take a leisurely stroll over to the railway wood in Barrow.
Spotted flycatchers are usually found here and this year was no exception. Difficult to get a shot of the blighters though, as they don't stay still for long.

(as usual, click on photos to enlarge)

Saw my first Speckled wood butterfly of the year today. Its been a pretty thin year for butterflies so far. Mostly whites, a few orange-tips, but very few peacocks, torts or admirals.

Saw my first damselfly of the year too, this blue-tailed.

Jill found a great diving beetle whilst we were gardening . It was dead, but very interesting to get to see a big one like this close-up.

Just a single tawny owl in the back-field still. Hopefully the other is in my owl box incubating!
I cant always get pics like last weeks post.
The following pic is usually all I can see of the owl roosting.

I have 5 nestboxes occupied by blue tits and 1 by great tits this year. These ones have been using sheep wool for building and the pair at the back pond have been using duck feathers.

The coal tits have nested, but didnt use the box that I made for them. I drilled a slightly smaller hole for the coal tits.
Hole size doesnt seem too important to tits though, this one was using a woodpecker nesthole!

I also found a nuthatch nest-hole today, with very noisy young inside.

2008-05-11T13:34:00.003Z

The countryside has really turned green this week. Much more foliage on the trees, and this has brought back my tawny owls!!! I havent seen them since Nov 5th. Probably got scared off by all the fireworks. They are roosting near my nestbox again, or have they really sneakily bred in it?

I watched the pair from April last year and they didnt seem to produce any young. The owlets are quite conspicuous when they are "branching", so I think I'd notice.
Perhaps I've got a infertile pair.
Glad to have them back on my patch. Todays sighting makes them species number 135 on my UK '08 list

2008-05-10T17:56:00.009Z

Hen harrier training

I will be one of the presenter/interpreters working at beacon fell, over the next 10 weeks or so.
We have a webcam on a Hen harrier nest and will be showing footage at the beacon fell centre.

RSPB, Natural England, united utilities and LCC countryside ranger service are all in cahoots for this project.

So today, we went out for a look in the Bowland area. It is no secret that many raptors breed in the forest of Bowland but I wont be specific about the nest locations.

The following photo is of a male HH taken from about 2 miles away. Although dodgyscoping doesnt do it justice, we did have fantastic views as the male did an ariel food-pass to the sitting female.

Taken at a much shorter range, this willow warbler had no other trees to fly to.

2 male Cuckoos were calling, and I managed to get a glass to one bird. Terrible shot but obviously a cuckoo.

The ubiquitous red grouse surrounded me at all times in the midday heat.

Other moorland birds seen today (and new for my yearlist) were

Whinchat......

and Peregrine falcon

Ring ouzel and grasshopper warbler were heard, but not seen.

2008-05-09T19:42:00.006Z

Alton towers birdwatching?

Well, not the reason for the trip obviously, but I was amazed how so many normally shy birds, are just getting on with it, in the theme park!
We got 2 free entry tickets from "the sun" newspaper. I dont read the sun, but Wayne at work collected the tokens for me. He doesnt like roller-coasters. Should have been £35 each to get in!

We went on the new "RITA" ride that goes 0-100mph in 2.5 seconds! Heres a pic of that ride, and then a pic of us on it!

Anyway this is my birding blog, so check out this moorhen (and babies) nesting amongst the spitting frogs.

Not bovvered!

Mallards, GC grebes and greylag geese had all breed successfully too!

A grey wagtail had even nested inside one of the tunnels on the "Nemesis" ride! As we queued, we could see it darting in and out between thundering coasters!

This female tuftie was very bold,

as was this wood duck (which I wont be counting on my yearlist)

Lots of blackcaps, willow warbs and chiffchaff heard on the grounds too.

A great day out was had!

2008-05-04T12:55:00.003Z

6 Dotterel on Pendle hill

2 posts in one day! Well I enjoyed the bluebells at spring wood so much that I thought I go for another walk, this time without Treakle.

The rain kept the dog-walkers from spring wood but it didn't keep them from Pendle hill. After my visit to Pendle hill this week, we debated birding etiquette - how close should we approach the dotterel?

Well, that discussion is moot after the way 2 golden retreivers were bounding around the heather and grass. As usual the owners couldn't give a monkeys, and probably wonder why the guy with the scope and bins (me) was shaking his head in disgust. So with the dogs and the joggers, the dotts were very mobile today. Some more have arrived in, there are 6 now (3m 3f).

There are signposts by the nick o' Pendle and Sabden paths, telling dog owners to control their dogs, as there are ground breeding birds. However, I havent seen any of these signs on the pendleside path.

I was the only observer between 10am-12 and the wall provided shelter from the elements as well as hiding me from the birds as they approached to 15-20m.

So I got some better shots this time and a bonus shot of a golden plover too.

2008-05-04T07:53:00.004Z

Spring wood, Whalley

The bluebells are carpeting spring wood now, and Treakle and I had the wood to ourselves at 7am. Light rain seems to have kept most away. If you are dogwalking, dont forget to take dog bags, as blue tits have nested in the ranger services free bag dispenser.

Singing blackcaps, willow warblers and chiffchaff. Drumming GS woodys and calling nuthatches too. Not much else seen apart from a million bluebells and half a million flowering wild garlic.

Got a quick digi-binned (camera thru binoculars instead of scope) shot of a singing willow warbler at lower barrow lodge. Coot nesting, grey wagtails nesting and a single kestrel were the only birds of interest at the lodge today.

2008-05-02T16:30:00.005Z

Dotterels on Pendle hill

Let me first apologise for the poor photos, as for the 2nd time out of 3 I've climbed-up Pendle hill with dud batteries in my camera.
I would have helped if I hadnt wasted valuable power, taking snaps of cannon fodder Red legged partridge and this male chaffinch at Pendleside farm that let me approach to within an armslength.

(as usual, click on picture to enlarge)

Of course the main reason for the climb (quite a struggle with my newly fixed toes) was to look for ring ouzel and dotterel.

No luck with the ouzels, but I did find a small collection of fellow birders just past the trig point, sitting down low. I guessed that they werent having a picnic and probably had some Dotts in their sights.

Now.... before my battery light started flashing low, I was having trouble even seeing all of a single dotterel because of our low angle.
Its kinda like "scruples". I've seen dotterel before. Probably, so had all the others trying to get a view. We also know that its quite a confiding bird, not too fussed by human proximity. However, not wanting to seem rude, I wandered of behind the wall to get a higher angle to get some shots. (this was the cue for the battery light to start flashing...... "b@$^*£&!")
I would never purposefully cause a bird or animal stress with noise etc and assume that most others would follow a similar etiquette. The wall gave a better angle and more cover for myself anyway.

Shortly, I was joined by 3 birders who had travelled from the Manchester area to visit Pendle hill. They wanted to share my view point (behind a 5 foot, some 30 metres from the Dotts)
They told me, they'd been told (by a fellow birder) to sit down and wait for the Dotts to approach them. They'd joined me because they could barely even see them. Doesnt really work when a bird-watcher can't.....well....."watch birds".
Well....heres the shocker! As soon as theyd left the hopeless-sitting-down-not-seeing-any-dotterels area, and joined myself behind the wall........
the guy who "told"(their words not mine) them to sit down.....then proceeded to approached the birds within 10 meters and crawls towards them with a huge SLR lense!

Now, I am familiar with the perpetrator of this "crime" and I'm sure this wasnt meant to be a hypocritical as it seemed, but it did raise a smile for me.
Personally I dont mind most birding crimes, like eating your sandwiches loudly in a hide not the Prince Harry/Hen harrier shooting type crimes.

Anyway, I'm sure M (identities have been concealed so as not to offend) has now read this and is laughing cos he now has much better Dotterel photos than me. I'm also sure that the threesome who'd travelled quite a distance for the dotts have now forgotten the incident.
Isnt it amazing that such an innocuous, non-competitive hobby such as birding can become such a political hotplate eh?

Anyway, jolly nice folks the Mancs were.
We discussed the Dotts, the goldies that we also saw, and the red grouse that had evaded me today.
We also got onto dodgyscoping techniques and discussed a few cameras like cheap and handy Fuji finepix A920. Easier to cart up a hill than a fully lensed SLR!
If "the Mancs" do eventually find this webpage then feel free to contact me for any other frugal Scotsman-type camera advice.
Next time you feel like getting a good look at a bird....you just go ahead on do so.
Lets face it, on August "the glorious" 12th all the country toffs will be zooming about the hill taking pot-shots at anything alive.....I hope someone tells them to sit down!

2008-04-30T15:11:00.005Z

Pied flycatcher at moorpiece

I can drive again! My left foot was a bit delicate on the clutch with the 3 broken toes but now that the pins are out , I can now get further afield and twitch some of the summer migrants.

I drove up to "Moor piece" as I do every April. Pied flycatchers and wood warbler are specialities here. As soon as I got out the car I heard nuthatch, chiffchaff, willow warblers, wren , robin, goldcrest, tawny owl and garden warbler.
I'm not counting "heard only" species on the '08 list, so tawny owl and garden warbler still dont make it. This time last year, I was knee-deep in tawnies, with a pair showing in the back fields every day. Guy Fawkes night was the last time I saw them....funny that, they must not like loud fireworks.

Anyway, no wood warblers yet, never did locate the garden warb for a sighting, but I did find a pair of Pied flys hanging around nestbox 23/2.
They dont stay still very long these ones, but I eventually dodgyscoped both male and female.

2008-04-29T15:17:00.003Z

Jackdaws like Oxpeckers

I'm free as a bird this week! I've just had the pins taken out of my broken toes yesterday, so I'm much more mobile now. I've been down at our new house in Billington doing a bit of gardening (cos I'm not much good at interior DIY) and birding out of the upstairs window.

Seems like every corvid in Lancashire is nest building near the viaduct. I watched jays, magpie, carrion crow, rook and jackdaw collecting material all in the space of half an hour.

However, the jackdaws used that higher corvid intelligence to collect a better nest material....cow hair! A couple of the magpies tried to copy them but there were just a bit more nervous of the cows. The cows didnt seem to mind most of the time. They probably think of it like a good scatch. The jackdaws probably get the odd tick too, as well as any ground insects that grazing cattle might flush out.

No oxpecking for the jays though.

The enjoyment of watching the jackdaws ended, however, when I found a bundle of twigs etc in our fireplace!!!!
Inside our chimney (I've now seen them entering) is not a good choice even if we are unlikely to light a fire until the autmn.
Another bad choice of nest this week is that the robins have nested under the old toilet cistern in the barn! Whats wrong with the nestbox that I made for them?

Other news this week -

My first swifts of the year - today over Billington viaduct.
A siskin strangely hanging out with the house sparrows on my hedgerow.
2 woodmice at Ashleigh, no rats since the latest shooting.
Very large bats over the lower lodge at Barrow. Probably noctule bats.
Only 1 pipistrelle feeding at Ashleigh, 1 of my bat boxes has blue tits nesting in it!.
The blackbird pair are on to a second clutch now. Not sure how many they fledged from the first, but theres 3 eggs in the nest now.

2008-04-26T13:41:00.003Z

Ticking along nicely

Yesterday, whilst walking Treakle at Spring wood, Whalley, I spotted my first blackcap of the year.
I really expected this species earlier in my list, as a male usually over-winters near our garden.

However, this was a female, and drew my attention with her alarm call. The alarm was probably aimed at me, Treakle or the nearby great tit.

Today, whilst walking Treakle again (his owner is on holiday), I spotted my first common sandpiper of the year. Walking along the river Calder from Whalley towards the sewage works, I had no sooner said to Jill that I "expected the sandpipers to have returned", and I spotted one!

Correction on my previous post Mike Watson has corrected me that Ross's goose and Ross's gull were discovered and named by 2 different guys. Silly assumption by me.
NB for self - never assume.............you'll just make an ASS out of U and ME....geddit!

PS I've just finished writing up the Scottish camping trip report - scroll down 2 posts to read it.

2008-04-24T16:43:00.007Z

Ross's gull at Lytham

Since we got back from the Scottish camping trip, I've been aware (via birdguides website) that theres been a Ross's gull at Lytham.
Now Ross's gull is a very rare sighting in the UK indeed, and it had travelled from the far north of Canada or Arctic siberia to be here.
However, Lytham is 25 miles from my home, and being the environmentally ethical birder, I didnt want to travel 50 miles for a twitch.
Anyway, we now deliver (chainsaw parts) to the Preston and Lytham area on Thursdays. All I had to do was hope that the gull didnt do a runner before I could get to it.
I turned up at fairhaven lake today about midday to this collection of twitchers at the sea wall. Phewww! It was still there.

It had been quite flighty and had been leading the twitchers on a wild goose (or should that be gull) chase for the previous few days. Unfortunately, when I arrived it had just settled down for a kip....with the sun in the wrong side for photos!!
So not the greatest photos, but a fine twitch nonetheless.

Waders in the bay today were - knot(1000's), grey plover (new for year) , redshank, dunlin, and whimbrel.

Here is one of the whimbrel looking down its nose at me!

PS

I also scored a single Tree sparrow whilst delivering near Preston today.

The Ross's goose (discovered and named by the same guy) is also still in Lancashire.....I'll just have to find a way to justify the carbon footprint for that twitch ;)

2008-04-21T16:01:00.014Z

Arran and the Kintyre peninsula

We're just back from an exhausting camping tour,
Heres a rough map of our route

As usual this wasnt a dedicated birding trip, and I had the added handicap of my 3 broken toes, but I still managed to add a respectable 21 new species to my UK '08 list

Both the campsites we stayed at, Seal shore on Arran and Point sands on Kintyre were great beachfront locations but left a little to be desired in the way that the sites were run.
As usual, I'll be reviewing them on UkCampsites.co.uk

Seals were easy to approach when they hauled-out on the rocks just to the right of our tent!

The beach was mine from 5am til 8am everyday until the rest of the campsite awoke with their uncontrolled screaming offspring.
Rock pipits singing and doing their parachute-style flight display, greeted me every morning while I cooked up some coffee.

Common waders at Kildonan were Redshank.....

ringed plover

....oystercatcher & curlew.
But on closer examination, the local turnstone flock (about 40 of 'em) was hiding 3 purple sandpipers.

Heres a shot of a ringed plover, a purp and a turnstone line-up for comparison

Other bird present daily were a pair of noisy common gulls.....

a large flock of displaying eiders....

several pairs of Merganser,

and the usual cormorants, shags, gannets, herring gulls and great black-backed gulls.

I spotted 1 red throated diver (in summer plumage) at a distance thru the scope and then found this guillemot whilst scoping the seals.

Obviously it was oiled, but it was on a rock just a bit out to sea.
After Jill and I visited Brodick castle and the Arran brewery ,we returned to the campsite at low tide. A Gbb gull, a herring gull and a hooded crow were all lining the poor guillemot up as a meal, if I couldnt get to it first.
The campsite owner, Morris, gave me his fish landing net and I netted the bird and boxed it. Morris drove it to the ferry company (Cal-Mac), who had agreed to ship it back to the mainland for treatment. I hope it survived. I'm still looking for follow-up on where it was taken.

Arran yielded 2 signs of spring in the shape of my first singing willow warbler of the year and my first butterfly sighting, this small tortoiseshell

Other Arran highlights for me were the golden eagles soaring above the Lochranza whisky distillery (after we had enjoyed the tour and a dram) and 2 brief sightings of a male then a female hen harrier on Machrie moor and the string road.

However, my other half, Jill, had much better luck than me. My early morning forays on the beach had really been in hope of a much rarer UK mammal. In the Kildonan hotel bar one evening, whilst I was inside, enjoying an Arran Blonde (thats a beer, not the village bike) the smokers outside, Jill included, were treated to a large dog otter running past them down to the beach. I had no such luck and still havent seen a wild otter for 2 years now.

Heres me on the Lochranza - Claonaig car ferry over to the Kintyre peninsula.

After the ferry crossing, we headed to Tayinloan, and pitched up at "point sands", another lacklustre campsite with a great location. We came here to meet-up with my friend Phil, and his family. They were staying in a static caravan for the week.

Phils youngest, Niamh (pronounced neeve) was fascinated by the many "mermaids purses" on the beach. Being SCUBA divers, Jill and I were able to tell her that these were actually the egg sacs of the dogfish, a small atlantic species of shark.

Still no otter on the coastline for me the next morning, or many new species for the weeks list. Just this Greenshank.

We drove down to the Mull of Kintyre, Campbeltown and Macrahanish, for a look around. I hadnt been here since I was about ten years old.

Heres Phil, Ann, the kids, the dogs and Jill beachcombing at Machrahanish, whilst my attention was through the scope and out to sea.

Heres some "thrift" growing at my feet while I was taking the above photo.

Whilst we were looking for a nice pub for lunch, we stumbled upon the Machrahanish seabird and wildlife observatory.

I was delighted to chin-wag with Eddie Maguire (the warden) and another 2 visiting birders. RT, BT and GN divers all in the bay in front of the hide, and the first 2 Arctic terns (for my year and the patch) flew past too. Eddie has his dodgyscoping set-up attached to a monitor so that the kids coulds see stuff close-up too.
However, my non-birding party were all more interested in fish n' chips and toilet facilities, so I didnt get to stop for too long.

The divers were mostly non-breeding birds not in full plumage. The above 2 shots are of a great northern diver.

Other birds to be seen were these shag .....

and a pair of breeding whimbrel.

Moving on down to Southend, I found fulmar on their cliff nests

and some northern wheatear.

After 3 nights camping at Tayinloan, we left Phil and his family, and headed on to Oban.

On the way to Oban, I was told that there was an adult Iceland gull in Tarbet harbour that liked fish n chips. We stopped and I threw some bread . A million herring gulls descended but alas not Icelanders.

We stayed in a guesthouse in Oban, as we would be going to a stand-up comedy gig and probably boozing a fair bit too. Jill said she was a bit cold in the tent an night. Being a born and bred Scotsman, I don't seem to feel the cold!

In Oban I got some close-ish pics of Black Gillys (called Tysties in Scottish)

and some gulls and "hoody craws" in the harbour area, but this part of the trip was not really for birding.

On the drive to Hamilton from Oban, to crash at Phils house for the night, we stopped in at Aragaty kites, near Callander. I was rewarded with these lucky dodgyscoped shots, as the kites finished off the rabbit meat that the centre puts out for them.

Red kite was my 21st year tick of the trip and a great end to an exhausting camp trip.

2008-04-11T06:26:00.003Z

April update

Last night in the garden - 2 Pipistrelle bats chasing each other in what looked like a mating flight.

Spring is getting off to a slightly slow start. The cold nights must have the birds delaying nest building for a few days.
All the nestboxes have been inspected, sometimes by multiple hopeful occupants, but no nesting yet. The crows have 2 nest sites now and I've watched the long-tailed tits collecting spiderwebs for their delicate little domes.
Lesser Celendine is an early wildflower that is quite widespread in the back fields at the moment.

I've been to 2 interviews this week for the posts of voluntary countryside ranger at spring wood (Whalley) and Hen harrier presenter at beacon fell. More about both my new projects once I get started.
Whilst at spring wood for the interview I saw mistle thrushes building, nuthatch and chiffchaff calling and plenty wild garlic flowering. The next spectacle at the wood will be the carpeting of the bluebells.

Anyway....I'm off camping for a week, on the Isle of Arran and on the Mull of Kintyre. I wont be posting for a week but expect to add at least 20 species to this years list and hopefully get some great digiscoped shots of golden eagle, hen harrier, short eared owls, divers, seals, otter?......

Back on the 20th April.

2008-04-03T17:44:00.000Z

Easter bunnies

Plenty young rabbits about today. I was out looking for digiscoping subjects, but these were all I could find. I was hoping to get the chiffchaff but couldnt relocate it.

On Preston deliveries today (with Jill driving) I saw my 3rd swallow of '08 and 2 Roe deer near the Petre roundabout.

2008-04-02T14:05:00.005Z

Still kinda housebound

I'm still pretty immobile but can get out and hobble around the garden and do some potting in the greenhouse at least.
Spotted my first chiffchaff yesterday, not calling yet, but being harrassed by a goldcrest.
Then today, my first swallow flew over twittering away to itself. So summers here eh?
I dispatched what I hope was the last rat in the garden with the .22 this week and the sparrowhawk pair have been working on the vermin too by taking at least 2 feral pigeons this week.
The mallards are still a mystery. They wander about the garden and back fields, 3 males and 2 females, but never seem to find a nest site. I've found 3 broken duck eggs in different places now. I'm sure a female will turn up on the front pond with a group of ducklings in May or June. She does most years.

Lots of interest in my 13 nestboxes but the wren has tried to nest in the hosepipe reel again. I've blocked up the hole, so that we can use the hose during the summer. The cock bird usually builds several nests for the female to choose from anyway.

More news - I'm back with digiscoping capability again. Fuji fixed my compact digital camera (that I dropped and broke ) free of charge. I got it back today ;)

2008-03-26T09:04:00.005Z

Cabin fever!

Geez! its pretty boring being stuck indoors all the time. I'm up an hobbling about now, but cant return to work or even go outside much.

Heres a pic of my 3 broken tootsies

I have managed to see over 20 species from the bedroom window, but thats kinda par for the course for my "usual suspects garden list". Tyrone came round and we fixed up the wind-damaged kestrel box, the day before I went into the hospital. I was hoping the tawny owl box might have seen some interest by now but it still seems empty.

I spotted the robins trying to mate yesterday, and the coal tit pair seem interested in the box that I put up (low in a conifer) especially for them.

Anyway birdfans, I thought I'd share one of my other hobbies with you, being that I'm not out birding. Having my feet-up has given me plenty computer time to edit our Xmas holiday dive trip video. It shows what I get up to when I'm not birding, working, sleeping or propping-up-the-bar. Enjoy.

2008-03-17T22:01:00.012Z

South fylde tour

I'll be going into hospital on Wednesday to have my toes broken and straightened, so this was a last chance to get out and about whilst still mobile.

I started off at Barrow lodge, near to home. Only about 6 pairs of mallard left now and the big white dosmestic duck too. 2 pairs of coot, 2 pairs of moorhen and a pair of canada geese! We dont often get geese on the lodge. Plenty grey wagtails and pied wagtails flitting about too, but no kingfisher present.

I moved on down to Brockholes quarry where I've seen Little ringed plover and sand martin reported recently. Lots of reed buntings, a large roost of BH gulls and a big flock of canada geese. There was the odd greylag goose and some juv mute swans too.

No luck with the LRPs; redshank, oystercatcher and lapwing being the only waders present. Just as I was leaving, 3 sand martin flew over the ribble way path a few times, new for my UK08 list.

A visit to the entrance pool at newton marsh, yeilded this very accomodating lapwing and all the usual suspects. Grazing wigeon, teal, shoveller, mallard, coot, moorhen and a pair of mute swans.

I drove round to the Freckleton side to search for the Glossy Ibis at the Naze pool. No joy again! Blackwits, shelduck and lots of "MAD MARCH" brown hare in the fields being the only sightings of interest.

Down at the estuary were 10 whoopers and 10 mutes keeping distinctly separate, zillions of redshank, cormorant, more blackwits but no pipits or raptors to be found.

I drove onwards to Grannies bay, next to fairhaven lake in Lytham.
2 new scores for the UK08 list.
3 ringed plover and 5 red knot amongst all the redshank and gulls.

I stopped at nearby Lytham crematorium to look for the nesting ring-necked parakeets but nothing seen or heard apart from a GS woody drumming.

So, over Lytham moss without stopping cos it was too busy and on to Marton mere for a last ditch attempt at Long-eared owl.

Absolutely nothing of interest here. Zillions of families with screaming kids etc at the holiday park for Easter probably scares off most birds.
Just when I was leaving, I thought I'd found 2 early whinchat amongst the reeds but on viewing my dodgyscope shots later, they turned out to be female stonechat.

So this will be the last post for March but hopefully I'll be able to hobble about enough by mid-April to get back out birding.