Them Thar Hills

No I am not referring to the 1930s comedy featuring Laurel and Hardy but to the hills I was wandering around in east Lancashire surveying today. It was very clear and a beautiful day for a wander, but I did have a job to do, but there's nothing to say that you can't enjoy it!

 Dean Clough Reservoir with Pendle Hill behind

Several of the fields that I walked across were full of thistles that had seeded and I thought the farmer is going to have a bit of a problem with thistles in his pastures next year! However, it was good for Goldfinch and I had 20-30 in two flocks feeding on the thistle heads.

 Goldfinch

Meadow Pipits flushed from the rushy pastures and I probably had 60-80 and I also had 2 Tree Pipits go over. I couldn't see them, only hear them, as is often the case. Swallows were quite numerous and I had about 40 moving through during the day. Some were swooping low to feed over Dean Clough Reservoir.

 Meadow Pipit

On the reservoir itself I had 5 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Gadwall and along the bank 3 Grey Wagtails. I flushed a Little Owl from a ruined building and had cracking views as it perched up in a tree and looked back at me. It was then back to the car and back to the office. The only down side of spending time in the field is that the more time you spend out leads to more time writing up indoors! Then again I suppose it could be worse! 

 Little Owl