Photos:
Common Tern plus Little Ringed Plover peeping out from behind a Tufted Duck at Moat Lane pools, Rixton
Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker and Pheasant at Crook O'Lune HP
Various gulls at Heysham
Bar-tailed Godwits and Knot at Teal Bay, Morecambe
Pied Wagtail at Abbeystead
Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper and Goosander with young at Bull Beck
24th June
HGF this morning was overcast and gloomy. Not much to report other than the two pairs of GCG’s have rebuilt their nests and the third still incubating. Wonder how long these will last?
A Yellow Wagtail was feeding on insects in the middle of the road on Holcroft Lane as I travelled in to work.
Late afternoon I visited Rixton. Pretty much as was. Yellow Wagtail and Corn Bunting seen over the mosses. Little Ringed Plover and the two Common Terns on the pools. Quite a few Swifts and House Martins today too! The carrot? field at the bottom of Holly Bush Lane now holds 45+ Lapwings – these numbers have been building up over several weeks and are presumably non or failed breeders. The Crow flock is also building back up with three figure numbers present today.
Yellowhammer and Coal Tit in the garden today.
HGF again this evening – two nests were flattened again….
25th June
HGF this morning – yesterday evening’s flattened grebe nests were rebuilt again. Then headed north to the van. Karen decided to go and visit the Peregrines at Warton Crag this afternoon while we were out and about. The pair were perched up in the far corner of the quarry – sad that all three breeding attempts have failed this year. Otherwise the place seemed devoid of birds and birders – it was pretty wet. Earlier we had driven around Kilington Lake and not been able to see the lake from the road due to the rain! Fortunately the services are handy for refreshments. Why does coffee and cake taste better when its wet?
In the evening with slightly better weather I took Bill for a walk to Forge Bank weir (Halton Mills weir). Some signs have been put up indicating the footpath will be closed shortly while building of the new eco houses takes place. Bu**er!
Anyway there was plenty to see with a Common Sandpiper bobbing around in its usual area, a Kingfisher flashing down river and a juvenile Dipper up near the nest site. Around 70 Swifts were feeding over the river but curiously no Sand Martins. A Goosander also flew over.
Heading back to the car park I could hear a Robin cracking up near the fishermens hut. I stood and stared into the trees and suddenly realised a Tawny Owl was staring back at me from a low branch in a Sycamore. It was very dark due to shadows so the camera didn’t capture much and I ended up just standing and watching the owl. Eventually it got fed up of the audience and flew off.
26th June
Got up this morning and headed off to Heysham. The north harbour wall seemed deserted except for a few large gulls. A single Redshank was on the wooden jetty but nothing else. A brief seawatch over high tide seemed futile – nothing moved. I quickly got the gut feeling this was a waste of time and headed off to Morecambe.
There were a few birds at Broadway with a flock of 40 Eiders (mostly sub-adult birds) plus some Curlews and a couple of roosting Red-breasted Mergansers. At Teal Bay there was more action with 48 Bar-tailed Godwits scattered around (including a summer plumaged stunner) plus Curlews, Oystercatchers and some Knot. Oh and lots of Crows!
I then went over to Bull Beck. There were quite a few Common Sandpipers including a family group of 5. I stood and watched the antics as an adult would find some food and then be immediately mobbed by the youngsters. I got the impression the adults were trying to get away….
Three Little Ringed Plovers (all adults) were flitting around and a female Goosander and her brood of six were fishing at the river edge. A Garden Warbler was singing nearby and several Coal Tits moved through the trees. There is a narrow wooden footbridge over a small stream here. Bill occasionally gets dizzy spells (one of his many ailments) and crossing back he unfortunately chose this moment to have one and fell off the bridge! Fortunately he landed in two feet of water with soft mud beneath but the look on his face was a picture!
Late afternoon I called in at Tower Lodge while passing through. After ten minutes of scanning I located a pair of Spotted Flycatchers – then the heavens suddenly opened and I retreated back into the car. A couple of Nuthatches were also seen plus a Grey Wagtail in the brook. Driving back I diverted briefly via the road alongside Hawthornthwaite fell which comes out nr the car park at Abbeystead. The rain meant nothing much was visible but going past the farm I noticed a male Redstart in one of the hawthorn hedges. I also spotted a Kestrel and a Buzzard having a tiff near Gresgarth Hall. At the van, 27 House Martins moved through the field while two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, male and a juvenile, were in the trees around the van.
HGF this morning was overcast and gloomy. Not much to report other than the two pairs of GCG’s have rebuilt their nests and the third still incubating. Wonder how long these will last?
A Yellow Wagtail was feeding on insects in the middle of the road on Holcroft Lane as I travelled in to work.
Late afternoon I visited Rixton. Pretty much as was. Yellow Wagtail and Corn Bunting seen over the mosses. Little Ringed Plover and the two Common Terns on the pools. Quite a few Swifts and House Martins today too! The carrot? field at the bottom of Holly Bush Lane now holds 45+ Lapwings – these numbers have been building up over several weeks and are presumably non or failed breeders. The Crow flock is also building back up with three figure numbers present today.
Yellowhammer and Coal Tit in the garden today.
HGF again this evening – two nests were flattened again….
25th June
HGF this morning – yesterday evening’s flattened grebe nests were rebuilt again. Then headed north to the van. Karen decided to go and visit the Peregrines at Warton Crag this afternoon while we were out and about. The pair were perched up in the far corner of the quarry – sad that all three breeding attempts have failed this year. Otherwise the place seemed devoid of birds and birders – it was pretty wet. Earlier we had driven around Kilington Lake and not been able to see the lake from the road due to the rain! Fortunately the services are handy for refreshments. Why does coffee and cake taste better when its wet?
In the evening with slightly better weather I took Bill for a walk to Forge Bank weir (Halton Mills weir). Some signs have been put up indicating the footpath will be closed shortly while building of the new eco houses takes place. Bu**er!
Anyway there was plenty to see with a Common Sandpiper bobbing around in its usual area, a Kingfisher flashing down river and a juvenile Dipper up near the nest site. Around 70 Swifts were feeding over the river but curiously no Sand Martins. A Goosander also flew over.
Heading back to the car park I could hear a Robin cracking up near the fishermens hut. I stood and stared into the trees and suddenly realised a Tawny Owl was staring back at me from a low branch in a Sycamore. It was very dark due to shadows so the camera didn’t capture much and I ended up just standing and watching the owl. Eventually it got fed up of the audience and flew off.
26th June
Got up this morning and headed off to Heysham. The north harbour wall seemed deserted except for a few large gulls. A single Redshank was on the wooden jetty but nothing else. A brief seawatch over high tide seemed futile – nothing moved. I quickly got the gut feeling this was a waste of time and headed off to Morecambe.
There were a few birds at Broadway with a flock of 40 Eiders (mostly sub-adult birds) plus some Curlews and a couple of roosting Red-breasted Mergansers. At Teal Bay there was more action with 48 Bar-tailed Godwits scattered around (including a summer plumaged stunner) plus Curlews, Oystercatchers and some Knot. Oh and lots of Crows!
I then went over to Bull Beck. There were quite a few Common Sandpipers including a family group of 5. I stood and watched the antics as an adult would find some food and then be immediately mobbed by the youngsters. I got the impression the adults were trying to get away….
Three Little Ringed Plovers (all adults) were flitting around and a female Goosander and her brood of six were fishing at the river edge. A Garden Warbler was singing nearby and several Coal Tits moved through the trees. There is a narrow wooden footbridge over a small stream here. Bill occasionally gets dizzy spells (one of his many ailments) and crossing back he unfortunately chose this moment to have one and fell off the bridge! Fortunately he landed in two feet of water with soft mud beneath but the look on his face was a picture!
Late afternoon I called in at Tower Lodge while passing through. After ten minutes of scanning I located a pair of Spotted Flycatchers – then the heavens suddenly opened and I retreated back into the car. A couple of Nuthatches were also seen plus a Grey Wagtail in the brook. Driving back I diverted briefly via the road alongside Hawthornthwaite fell which comes out nr the car park at Abbeystead. The rain meant nothing much was visible but going past the farm I noticed a male Redstart in one of the hawthorn hedges. I also spotted a Kestrel and a Buzzard having a tiff near Gresgarth Hall. At the van, 27 House Martins moved through the field while two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, male and a juvenile, were in the trees around the van.
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