Siskins on the feeders at the van
Crossbill, Thrushgill
A couple of images of the Lune from Crook O'Lune picnic site
The Lune Valley Whoopers at Melling. This is the view with which I need to try and read a ring on a swans leg!
Buzzards at Melling
Mixed gull flock at Hornby giving Starling-like formation flying when spooked by a Peregrine
The River Lune at Halton.
View from the van window this weekend
New (for me) first winter Iceland Gull, Richmond Bank
Pale first winter Herring Gull at Richmond Bank. I couldn't seem to find sod all while I was there but I picked this bird up on five separate occasions!
Two Mute Swans at Moat Lane pool engaged in some lurve....
And then two inquisitive cygnets wandered over to cramp their style...
Green Sandpiper, Rixtonxxxx
Playing catch up again.
Xxx
Weds 23rd Feb
Xxxxx
Little to report today other than 8 Lapwings back on territory at HGF and also here a Great Spotted Woodpecker which was crawling up one of those old, concrete-type lamp posts!
Xxxxx
Thursday 24th Feb
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A Meadow Pipit was with the Skylarks at HGF this morning. At lunch I nipped over to Moat Lane pools. Usual 2 Green Sandpipers present plus a few Tufties. Went back after work but nothing new.
Xxxxx
Friday 25th Feb
Xxxx
Lovely day (says he with lots of sarcasm). Had a day holiday and was really looking forward to it. I had broken a tooth though so the morning was now spent at the dentist. At least I can spend the afternoon gulling at Richmond Bank thought I. That was before I emerged from a farm shop to find I had a flat. Got the jack stuck and had to borrow one from the farmer then spent a few hours in Kwik Fit. I finally rolled up at Richmond Bank in time to see a few birders just leaving. I had also missed, it transpired, a cracking first winter Caspian Gull and superb views of the pale first winter Glaucous Gull. I did manage to find a new first winter Iceland Gull and couldn’t be bothered looking for YLG’s. Too miffed. Around 32 Tree Sparrows in the garden this morning.
Xxxxx
Saturday 26th Feb
Xxxxx
Had a wander around Morecambe with Karen. After lunch I persuaded her that Warton Crag was a good place to go. On arrival the Peregrine tiercel was floating around and one of the Ravens was calling near the nest. Otherwise quiet. Late afternoon I headed over to Hornby where I had earlier seen a large build up of gulls. In one of the fields were around 1600+ Black-headed Gulls and around 140+ Common Gulls. I started to slowly scan through for something interesting when the whole lot went up. The gulls all flocked together very much like a Starling flock, keeping tightly bunched and making allsorts of shapes in the sky. The reason soon appeared – a large Peregrine. Glad to see one here but she could have waited until I found a Med!
Xxxx
Next stop was Melling to have a look at the Whooper Swan herd. 20 swans with just one juvenile – I noticed one was ringed but couldn’t see the characters as the birds are just too far away. A pair of Ravens and a pair of Buzzards circled overhead. Late in the afternoon there were 38 Greenfinches in the Crook O’Lune HP roost – I didn’t stay to see them all arrive though as the England v France rugby match was about to start. A male Siskin also appeared on the feeders. Later that night a Tawny Owl was hooting near the van.
Xxxx
Sunday morning was cold and wet. I decided to wander up to Thrushgill – wish I hadn’t. The further I drove up that hill, the colder and wetter it became. The farmer had also decided to spread nuts all over the roadway near the plantation and his sheep weren’t the slightest bit interested in shifting to let me past. At the plantation there were a few cars – a local stalk / shoot was underway. Anyway I did see a pair of Crossbills in the trees by the farm and a couple of Siskins and 3 Redpolls were also seen. I decided it looked better weather back down the hill so I left. Good choice as the sun had come out everywhere else.
Xxxxx
Playing catch up again.
Xxx
Weds 23rd Feb
Xxxxx
Little to report today other than 8 Lapwings back on territory at HGF and also here a Great Spotted Woodpecker which was crawling up one of those old, concrete-type lamp posts!
Xxxxx
Thursday 24th Feb
Xxxxx
A Meadow Pipit was with the Skylarks at HGF this morning. At lunch I nipped over to Moat Lane pools. Usual 2 Green Sandpipers present plus a few Tufties. Went back after work but nothing new.
Xxxxx
Friday 25th Feb
Xxxx
Lovely day (says he with lots of sarcasm). Had a day holiday and was really looking forward to it. I had broken a tooth though so the morning was now spent at the dentist. At least I can spend the afternoon gulling at Richmond Bank thought I. That was before I emerged from a farm shop to find I had a flat. Got the jack stuck and had to borrow one from the farmer then spent a few hours in Kwik Fit. I finally rolled up at Richmond Bank in time to see a few birders just leaving. I had also missed, it transpired, a cracking first winter Caspian Gull and superb views of the pale first winter Glaucous Gull. I did manage to find a new first winter Iceland Gull and couldn’t be bothered looking for YLG’s. Too miffed. Around 32 Tree Sparrows in the garden this morning.
Xxxxx
Saturday 26th Feb
Xxxxx
Had a wander around Morecambe with Karen. After lunch I persuaded her that Warton Crag was a good place to go. On arrival the Peregrine tiercel was floating around and one of the Ravens was calling near the nest. Otherwise quiet. Late afternoon I headed over to Hornby where I had earlier seen a large build up of gulls. In one of the fields were around 1600+ Black-headed Gulls and around 140+ Common Gulls. I started to slowly scan through for something interesting when the whole lot went up. The gulls all flocked together very much like a Starling flock, keeping tightly bunched and making allsorts of shapes in the sky. The reason soon appeared – a large Peregrine. Glad to see one here but she could have waited until I found a Med!
Xxxx
Next stop was Melling to have a look at the Whooper Swan herd. 20 swans with just one juvenile – I noticed one was ringed but couldn’t see the characters as the birds are just too far away. A pair of Ravens and a pair of Buzzards circled overhead. Late in the afternoon there were 38 Greenfinches in the Crook O’Lune HP roost – I didn’t stay to see them all arrive though as the England v France rugby match was about to start. A male Siskin also appeared on the feeders. Later that night a Tawny Owl was hooting near the van.
Xxxx
Sunday morning was cold and wet. I decided to wander up to Thrushgill – wish I hadn’t. The further I drove up that hill, the colder and wetter it became. The farmer had also decided to spread nuts all over the roadway near the plantation and his sheep weren’t the slightest bit interested in shifting to let me past. At the plantation there were a few cars – a local stalk / shoot was underway. Anyway I did see a pair of Crossbills in the trees by the farm and a couple of Siskins and 3 Redpolls were also seen. I decided it looked better weather back down the hill so I left. Good choice as the sun had come out everywhere else.
Xxxxx
Next I decided to wander up the river at Halton but on the opposite bank for a change. Too many walkers and cyclist here though and not much seen. I did pick up 2 Goldcrests with a tit flock and a Sparrowhawk flew over. On the feeders today by the van were at least 5 Siskins, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Treecreeper which crawled up the peanut feeder. Of note late afternoon was a Moorhen swimming up and down the river at COL while the Greenfinch roost tonight numbered 58.
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