Patch Ticks

Snipe at Pennington Flash

Greenshank at Houghton Green Flash this morning

Sunset over Winwick from HGF

Field nr Midhops farm. This used to be a reedbed full of Reed Buntings. Not much left now!

Male Yellow Wagtail at HGF

Barn Owl at Risley Moss

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Highlight of the last week has been a couple of patch ticks at HGF. Last Friday evening I rolled up to find a couple of Arctic Terns feeding over the pool. A week later (this morning) and a Greenshank was feeding around the pool. The water level has dropped by about a foot or so leaving a muddy fringe all the way around - it should be good for waders. Single Redshank and Oystercatchers around (possibly other halves on nest) with up to 3 Common Sandpipers. On Tuesday all the Black-necked Grebes had left - on Thursday evening there were 8 present!

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Elsewhere had a great morning out with Jonathan (see his blog for an account) and good views of a Barn Owl at Risley Moss. I did find a Tree Sparrow in Croft but haven't got round to searching the area for a colony yet. On the way home from N Wales (work) I paid a swift visit to IMF where the highlights were 2 drake Garganey and 8 Spotted Redshanks in breeding plumage. 2 Ruff, 2 Greenshanks and lots of Avocets, Blackwits and warblers.

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On the down side, HGF is getting full of kids and litter again. I also noticed this evening that the farmer at Midhops has cut down the reedbeds near his farm - bloody criminal. There is no room for wildlife in this modern world.

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Last night a Sparrowhawk was buzzing around the garden - today a sad pile of feathers indicated the end of a Collared Dove.