tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64206619996564807642024-03-18T20:33:37.086+01:00The Hairy BirderTales of birding, ringing and observing natural history around the north of England and beyond.The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.comBlogger1790125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-86174929910451269242024-03-18T20:32:00.005+01:002024-03-18T20:32:59.040+01:00Avoiding A Soaking<div style="text-align: left;">Saturday morning, I headed to the coastal farm fields at Rossall, hoping for a bit of migration action, and there was some, not a huge amount, but it was migration. I headed out from my car under five oktas cloud cover, with a 10 - 15 mph south-easterly wind, and it was a tad cold. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">From the off, <b>Meadow Pipits</b> were heading north, and I had 63 in total. Other visible migrants included a <b>Chaffinch</b>, four <b><i>Alba </i>Wags</b>, six <b>Magpie</b>s, 12 <b>Woodpigeons</b>, six <b>Jackdaws</b>, 22 <b>Pink-footed Geese</b>, four<b> Linnets</b>, a <b>Dunnock</b>, a <b>Goldfinch</b>, three <b>Skylarks</b>, two <b>Collared Doves</b>, 5+ <b>Siskins</b> (stratospheric calling birds), and four <b>Starlings</b>. Not a bad selection of species 'on vis', even if the numbers were somewhat low. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFLNGtJlrgUdHNWtWhZGNLUGPztknE5Rmayxqmcr1HhlxAkJsl4iDdZBSyktcfNXW90nheLMdd2inmiT3v5HSAnf4wVqJYbTAevQ3-z02sI4N2ah-jY44O2yUetjxxiTGMqs6NK1ohjfTg_r5L4b8hlxTl1_BW9rTG_yTQUPt8RQG5zgn3dE93LN_RvPI/s4092/Meadow%20Pipit%204.%2018.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="4092" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFLNGtJlrgUdHNWtWhZGNLUGPztknE5Rmayxqmcr1HhlxAkJsl4iDdZBSyktcfNXW90nheLMdd2inmiT3v5HSAnf4wVqJYbTAevQ3-z02sI4N2ah-jY44O2yUetjxxiTGMqs6NK1ohjfTg_r5L4b8hlxTl1_BW9rTG_yTQUPt8RQG5zgn3dE93LN_RvPI/w400-h294/Meadow%20Pipit%204.%2018.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Meadow Pipit</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The sea was quiet with 11 <b>Eiders</b>, two <b>Cormorants, </b>two<b> Shelducks</b> and a single <b>Red-throated Diver</b> still in winter plumage. The only grounded migrants that I had, other than about ten Meadow Pipits, were two males and a female <b>Stonechat</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3gPl7HUx42YDMNORt-lH396ZpKp21hWDLlpzaIjDv17vyuG1JHxYrRBmaldAHfZCb_wf99subQC7Nb2KrNmszC6xp2UYmGAMriKW5V7mvXrRTnCQM7L606wc4zoDme0e0bnsE4HF3jE_LxEqi-7zhfsmRphwbQ6v_Dr4bT6Ds_uF3Cj-TIck6nJlLnNM/s4153/Stonechat%202.%2018.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="4153" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3gPl7HUx42YDMNORt-lH396ZpKp21hWDLlpzaIjDv17vyuG1JHxYrRBmaldAHfZCb_wf99subQC7Nb2KrNmszC6xp2UYmGAMriKW5V7mvXrRTnCQM7L606wc4zoDme0e0bnsE4HF3jE_LxEqi-7zhfsmRphwbQ6v_Dr4bT6Ds_uF3Cj-TIck6nJlLnNM/w400-h288/Stonechat%202.%2018.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stonechat</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">As I walked along the track to the south, with adjacent mature hedge and rather full ditch, I heard a splashing sound behind me. I turned round expecting to see a Mallard, or Moorhen, but was confronted with a pale, long-winged bird, using its wings to pull itself through the water. Even though it was only a split-second, time seemed to stand still, and at first, I couldn't compute what the bird was, because it was completely out of context. It was a soggy <b>Barn Owl</b>! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">My rucksack, tripod, bins, camera, and coat were off in a jiffy, and I was going to enter the ditch to pull the Barn Owl out. However, I think because I came along, it gave it the impetus to try and move along the ditch, and just as I was about to slide into the water, it managed to grab hold of some low hanging Hawthorn branches and pull itself out. It climbed along the tangle of Hawthorn branches, struggling to make much headway, but then did a short flight to the other side of the bank, and out into the sunshine. I walked back along the track, and round the end of the hedge, but the Barn Owl had gone, so it had obviously managed to fly away. A good deed done, and on the plus side, I managed to avoid a soaking!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Why the Barn Owl was in the water I'm not entirely sure. Barn Owls sometimes drown in cattle drinking troughs, and it is thought that they are attacking their own reflection, thinking it is another Barn Owl in their territory. The ditch was covered in Duckweed, so this bird would not have been able to see its reflection, and after a chat with Will, he wondered whether it had gone after an amphibian, and I think he is probably right. A Frog could well have been moving through the Duckweed, and the choked, green surface of the water will have looked solid to the poor Barn Owl.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">On my way home I called in at the Nature Park, to see if there were any Sand Martins and Wheatears, and there wasn't. Skylarks and <b>Cetti's Warblers</b> were singing, and on the pools were 22 <b>Coots</b>, three <b>Little Grebes</b> (two singing), 18 <b>Tufted Ducks</b>, a pair of Great Crested Grebes and a male <b>Shoveler</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmgcegLHiMw9X29kqyprU12oJq5t30ofniwCtVUQlRkQ_YgUHxcjdBGOVrWsf85tYp9JV6EciG6ca-7VT4uWi15NgVCBoBnrrX2XoJsvEDPh8IEjn1XTydAQPirJg2YQztDdIzb4y-uI5j1Eqc_sW5BMpccOMSGk3LDLPxRdJt0u-BZiRVvNhfKIL-4Lz/s4608/Tufted%20Duck%202.%2018.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmgcegLHiMw9X29kqyprU12oJq5t30ofniwCtVUQlRkQ_YgUHxcjdBGOVrWsf85tYp9JV6EciG6ca-7VT4uWi15NgVCBoBnrrX2XoJsvEDPh8IEjn1XTydAQPirJg2YQztDdIzb4y-uI5j1Eqc_sW5BMpccOMSGk3LDLPxRdJt0u-BZiRVvNhfKIL-4Lz/w400-h300/Tufted%20Duck%202.%2018.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tufted Duck(s) above & below</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthLVY1c5Ibf-blS_vqIKDlItne9-sxLRfHUHNHURo8zV0KliOJ0kiG3i50V1LziHE55heCVpm-8vV7skclFqtK7HT0FtRm73uww5PEZfS5Mz_-FduUl27X3WASaV8UFbvbLUbDd26Q2lH66D6nbvLzBYAMt53ms_UhCUUw2j2XiLzS1Y5hnpgTF8qxXGa/s4608/Tufted%20Ducks%201.%2018.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthLVY1c5Ibf-blS_vqIKDlItne9-sxLRfHUHNHURo8zV0KliOJ0kiG3i50V1LziHE55heCVpm-8vV7skclFqtK7HT0FtRm73uww5PEZfS5Mz_-FduUl27X3WASaV8UFbvbLUbDd26Q2lH66D6nbvLzBYAMt53ms_UhCUUw2j2XiLzS1Y5hnpgTF8qxXGa/w400-h300/Tufted%20Ducks%201.%2018.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday afternoon Gail and I had a walk along the Wyre estuary from the Quay. We had 6 oktas cloud cover, with a light south-easterly wind. It was very warm on our outward leg, but cooler on our return leg.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The tide was starting to run in, and 185<b> Redshanks</b> were roosting on some of the higher sections of mud. We had 35 <b>Oystercatchers</b> flying upstream to their roost, and at their roost site on Arm Hill, we counted at least 400 roosting. There was still plenty of mud at Great Knott, but only 81 Oystercatchers on there. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A <b>Small Tortoiseshell</b> butterfly on the wing, and that was it. We've got our last wintering bird survey to do tomorrow, and the forecast isn't great. We are going to do it tomorrow anyway, because the forecast for the remainder of the week, and into next week isn't any better. Fingers crossed they get it wrong!<br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-48278755802574090322024-03-14T20:12:00.003+01:002024-03-14T20:12:30.576+01:00Boxes Again<div style="text-align: left;">I suppose this wouldn't be a natural history blog, if I didn't complain about the weather from time to time, and just as sites were starting to dry out, it's raining again! There we go, complaint over...for now! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mondays are a bit tied up for Gail and I, because we look after our grandson Alex, but on the Monday just gone, the weather actually dried up in the afternoon, and even the sun attempted to make an appearance. We bundled him into his car seat, threw the pram in the boot, and headed up to Larkholme. The plan was to have a wander along the sea-front with Alex in his pram, stretch our legs at the same time. My bins and notebook are always with me, and I did wonder whether an early Wheatear might make an appearance. It didn't.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The tide was just turning, and the sea was flat calm, perfect conditions for a cetacean or two perhaps, but that wasn't to be either. I only had my bins with me, so I was very limited as to what I could see and identify without my scope. At least 24 <b>Eiders </b>were drifting slowly on the mill pond, and then I picked up a small duck (small in comparison to the Eiders) heading north. Luckily for me, as it headed north it was coming closer to shore, and I could see that it was a male<b> Scaup</b>. Not what I was expecting when we decided to take Alex for a walk!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A <b>Grey Wagtail</b> and a few <b>Meadow Pipits</b> were feeding in the wet grassland, and eight <b>Turnstones</b> were on the stone armour along the shore. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It had been five days since we called at the Nature Park to check the water levels, and as it was quite sunny again on Tuesday afternoon, Gail and I decided to have a look on the pools to see if there were any early Sand Martins about. There wasn't. The water level in our ringing area had dropped, from five days ago, but it was still too flooded to get into the Willow scrub. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Again, the tide was on the turn, and there have been some big tides over the last few days, in the region of 10.6 metres, and these completely cover the saltmarsh. Gail spotted a <b>Skylark</b> on the edge of the saltmarsh feeding on seeds from some of the saltmarsh plants, and I managed to get a few photographs of it. We were enjoying watching it, until a dog walker asked us what we were looking at, and his dog flushed it. When we told him we were looking at birds, he said his dog chased birds! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2vbf3WJektGH_Br6802SUGYRtBOEqiXfCbXVlmSPXLeNw9clmmCp2Yr0sqGdljwMXe5dXQ8e8Qa709RDZsJ3IXV8FGV1LvOvnf3E3f5JneAtIv8iRvtJhEHYTcu-R8nliYyYTTO_u4a9ZS3CHeXMfULTapRenyz3InDR16tiZJNCPxJo0NOIzoXc1zy1/s3989/Skylark%201.%2014.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2886" data-original-width="3989" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2vbf3WJektGH_Br6802SUGYRtBOEqiXfCbXVlmSPXLeNw9clmmCp2Yr0sqGdljwMXe5dXQ8e8Qa709RDZsJ3IXV8FGV1LvOvnf3E3f5JneAtIv8iRvtJhEHYTcu-R8nliYyYTTO_u4a9ZS3CHeXMfULTapRenyz3InDR16tiZJNCPxJo0NOIzoXc1zy1/w400-h290/Skylark%201.%2014.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Skylark (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnXmhJlqOaxBsaa5mt_hUAAn6rX9lylaL6tyr_yrfUaih0_gaTSg8wrlZO11h9N90OHlSA_e-_vs-KLAtis-As0-48W2jpsl1C2IsHWaLnI-m7X6CdZpjGa1Ns4Rjznm6MSkx6w3L5tADbkvdmnwg3FmeVwHgPjBLyfhlnkk_EPcpgC0CZEDKdLSEW_cc/s3694/Skylark.%2014.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2692" data-original-width="3694" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnXmhJlqOaxBsaa5mt_hUAAn6rX9lylaL6tyr_yrfUaih0_gaTSg8wrlZO11h9N90OHlSA_e-_vs-KLAtis-As0-48W2jpsl1C2IsHWaLnI-m7X6CdZpjGa1Ns4Rjznm6MSkx6w3L5tADbkvdmnwg3FmeVwHgPjBLyfhlnkk_EPcpgC0CZEDKdLSEW_cc/w400-h291/Skylark.%2014.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, there were at least two Skylarks singing, and a further five birds feeding on some short-cropped grass. We had a look through the Gulls on the pools, and counted 80 <b>Herring Gulls</b>, 14 <b>Lesser Black-backed Gulls</b>, four <b>Great Black-backed Gulls</b> and five <b>Black-headed Gulls</b>. No spring white wingers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Other counts from the pools included 25 <b>Coot</b>, the continually photographed pair of <b>Great Crested Grebes</b> that the 'Toggers' can't leave alone (how many full-framed shots of a Great Crest do you need?), 12 <b>Mallards</b>, five <b>Tufted Ducks</b> and five<b> Little Grebes</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQemAU1HBZ5fPZ52BFd3L4iJpPk36Fg1H_ol2q8qhhQU8fx45VnhOTN1OttKNvd2OMFXwUGrE207mXPRaZSBAW5TqvDyhIT15xRYSosemYA0AurPQKvU4_Wv5pATccmrK-5tv4QZBhoZGao2M_2SXIXVQcFWVKHgnT15VgkFDKlt6iiR015rTliFmjV03K/s4178/Great%20Crested%20Grebe%201.%208.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="4178" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQemAU1HBZ5fPZ52BFd3L4iJpPk36Fg1H_ol2q8qhhQU8fx45VnhOTN1OttKNvd2OMFXwUGrE207mXPRaZSBAW5TqvDyhIT15xRYSosemYA0AurPQKvU4_Wv5pATccmrK-5tv4QZBhoZGao2M_2SXIXVQcFWVKHgnT15VgkFDKlt6iiR015rTliFmjV03K/w400-h290/Great%20Crested%20Grebe%201.%208.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Great Crested Grebe</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">At least two <b>Cetti's Warblers</b> were singing, and also on the passerine front we had a fly-over R<b>ock Pipit </b>(pushed off the saltmarsh), three <b>Reed Buntings</b> and a pair of <b>Stonechats</b>. On the river were seven <b>Wigeon</b>, and a group of <b>Black-tailed Godwits</b> and <b>Knots</b> were heading back downstream as the tide fell. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday, Gail and I headed to our friend's farm where we have 30 nest boxes up for Tree Sparrows. They are not all used by Tree Sparrows of course, with the boxes closer to the yard being favoured by them. We checked all the boxes, and they were in fine fettle, and we only had to replace two. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We had a look on the wetland, and we had c.200 <b>Teal</b> and a <b>Little Egret</b>. A <b>Chiffchaff</b> was singing from the woodland where we have some of our boxes, and a pair of <b>Buzzards</b> were displaying. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It's looking wet again tomorrow, but there's a chance that it will be fit to get out Saturday morning. That's the issue at the moment, it just seems to be an hour here, or a couple of hours there, when it's fit enough to get out. </div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-20673852112245676902024-03-09T16:03:00.000+01:002024-03-09T16:03:25.117+01:00Birds, Bikers and Boxes<div style="text-align: left;">On the last day of February, this year a date that only comes around every four years, I had a solo outing along the Quay and Wyre estuary. It was a cold morning, with full cloud cover, and a brisk south-westerly wind, and an in-coming tide. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The <b>Redshanks</b> were being pushed to the drier areas of the Quay, and totalled 251, which is quite a good count for the site. <b>Oystercatchers</b> had already cleared out, and all that were left, were just five birds. The tide had nearly covered Great Knott, and as a consequence, only about 200 birds were on here. Oycs could be seen flying upstream, and were heading to a roost site on the other side of the river. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Just two <b>Teal</b> were in the Quay, and 62 <b>Wigeon</b> were in the channel, and other than a bedraggled looking female <b>Peregrine</b>, that was it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">When I first got to the Quay, I had to wait in my car for a heavy shower to pass over, and this is when Gail phoned me with some sad news. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I don't do celebrity. I respect talented musicians, or academics, and I have my conservation heroes, like Ian Newton, and the late, great Derek Ratcliffe, but that's about it, apart from two guys who ride motorbikes, and cook food that looks like you would eat it, rather than some of the so-called celebrity chef's offerings. Stuffed pea, with a berry jus anyone?</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail phoned me to say that Hairy Biker, Dave Myers, had sadly passed away after a two-year battle with cancer. We have been watching their latest series, The Hairy Bikers Go West, and although Dave did look poorly at times, we honestly thought that he was on the mend, so it came as a real shock.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I had the pleasure of meeting the Hairy Bikers a number of years ago now, when Gail and I went to see them at a sold-out performance at Blackpool's Winter Gardens. Gail is a real fan of the Hairy's, and we had managed to secure seats on the second row, on the edge of the central isle in the stalls. During the interval, I noticed an 'official' photographer knelt on the stage taking pictures of the audience, and the camera was pointing at yours truly more often than not.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I have a resemblance to Dave, and if I had £5 for every time I have been asked "are you Dave Myers", I could retire. We have been in remote places, like castle Eilean Donan, in Highland for example, having coffee and cake, and a member of staff has come up to me and asked if I was Dave from the Hairy Bikers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">When the Bikers came back on stage after the interval, Si King came to the front of the stage and said "we need a volunteer to help with this next bit, and that will be you sir", pointing at me at the same time. I climbed up on stage with Si exclaiming to Dave that I must be his long, lost brother, and Dave ran across the stage shouting "brother", and gave me an enormous hug. I spent the next ten minutes on stage with them, helping with a daft Houdini act, where Dave was in padlock and chains, and it was my job to check everything was secure. Of course, they were setting me up, because every time I said that a padlock and chain was secure, it would come undone. Gail thought it was hilarious, and after getting over my initial surprise, I did enjoy it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Dave was a lovely bloke, and he is gone far too soon. Rest in peace fella.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of mentions of some garden wildlife over this past week or so. We now have <b>Frog</b> spawn in our pond, and up to press, there are over six Frogs every night in the pond, so hopefully we might get a little more. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjAicdwly6iYvxm-3sjG6gQ-KF6qahZsFuBVJ7CpY2EgddVc9Wb9k9IFoEF3Hu9OBgucrMfyGZyvwVVyAM3yJWSVScG0n6wrDn2173XaqiTaL44PpHhkHq6kzrfzi3aljrjwhKe94yTeXGjK6fEey44hy55XPnFCKUfTkNf-TXpQXhefRey5Q-KwHsiHi/s4000/Frog%20Spawn.%204.3.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjAicdwly6iYvxm-3sjG6gQ-KF6qahZsFuBVJ7CpY2EgddVc9Wb9k9IFoEF3Hu9OBgucrMfyGZyvwVVyAM3yJWSVScG0n6wrDn2173XaqiTaL44PpHhkHq6kzrfzi3aljrjwhKe94yTeXGjK6fEey44hy55XPnFCKUfTkNf-TXpQXhefRey5Q-KwHsiHi/w300-h400/Frog%20Spawn.%204.3.24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Frog spawn</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We also had an avian terminator in the garden one afternoon, in the form of a male <b>Sparrowhawk</b>. I looked out of the window and thought the garden looked quiet, and there perched up in the apple tree was this little fellow below!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaA75LPTa0ua5McXNa0BujEiIZbgAZS6yfh71UXPs5b4CzCvQv8pOJcmvpdYVAauwCF5xl6AJBNU9eNwkuAMea-WijNc7Zcu2vyYLTZbPmwjAAMlVZJIDB4BOqDFBsGmbNJwQGi5WgEu73hot7FokWmtcXrWkWwNIOQP296dYYmj-R5UyV1j8kZivJQWo4/s4608/Sparrowhawk%201.%204.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaA75LPTa0ua5McXNa0BujEiIZbgAZS6yfh71UXPs5b4CzCvQv8pOJcmvpdYVAauwCF5xl6AJBNU9eNwkuAMea-WijNc7Zcu2vyYLTZbPmwjAAMlVZJIDB4BOqDFBsGmbNJwQGi5WgEu73hot7FokWmtcXrWkWwNIOQP296dYYmj-R5UyV1j8kZivJQWo4/w400-h300/Sparrowhawk%201.%204.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sparrowhawk</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the first day of the month, Gail and I visited our Pied Flycatcher nest box scheme in the Hodder Valley in Bowland. We have 43 boxes up, and we replaced two that were looking a bit tired, and put another two up, making 45 boxes in total now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgy3mPdgDkAP3CbYuIecbnWhXPSg2je6hN6-qRC5k9Lx76-sAapk8SLCc18Jf6zUKBGgHYoEJdk1SjCOIfwzps6ybgylBsiLRQqPrEtdNKg5_GM2Cj6gxHJtbYVRZ59EOzB9lEcJabnoT3AxvI-dXkPcpwNBLlflBiKTRLviS5ggd_5DVa6REKuR7KsixK/s4000/Nest%20Box.%204.3.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgy3mPdgDkAP3CbYuIecbnWhXPSg2je6hN6-qRC5k9Lx76-sAapk8SLCc18Jf6zUKBGgHYoEJdk1SjCOIfwzps6ybgylBsiLRQqPrEtdNKg5_GM2Cj6gxHJtbYVRZ59EOzB9lEcJabnoT3AxvI-dXkPcpwNBLlflBiKTRLviS5ggd_5DVa6REKuR7KsixK/w300-h400/Nest%20Box.%204.3.24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our 45th box on site</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The sound-scape as we walked amongst the trees, was that of displaying <b>Curlew</b> from the fields at the top of the valley sides. In the bottom of the valley, a female <b>Goosander</b> flew upstream, and we also had two <b>Jays</b>, a <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b>, two <b>Siskins</b>, a singing <b>Goldcrest</b> and two <b>Brown Hares</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A few plants were starting to show, with flowers appearing on the <b>Dog's Mercury</b> and <b>Lords-and-Ladies</b> were more obvious on the still relatively bare woodland floor in places. Splashes of colour were provided by <b>Scarlet Elfcup</b>, and this colourful fungus was scattered throughout the woodland. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvTBQKnzZrcjxelVSUWFCOdYFIZJKAYKBo4ljGSMizaI-3D_Gz6OMW1BXYFgwtK78j2tOA7v5s3mkfXn_g3rMNpfA8wAWyLhtNBflM46ybj5V9zphW8Ms18U9FJ2Ecw3StzefDxTQxTM67mAWFl4p627q7bsbkIGp0b_G_awc0KQpcGMIb-Zgf68LwsXx/s4000/Lord's%20and%20Ladies.%204.3.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvTBQKnzZrcjxelVSUWFCOdYFIZJKAYKBo4ljGSMizaI-3D_Gz6OMW1BXYFgwtK78j2tOA7v5s3mkfXn_g3rMNpfA8wAWyLhtNBflM46ybj5V9zphW8Ms18U9FJ2Ecw3StzefDxTQxTM67mAWFl4p627q7bsbkIGp0b_G_awc0KQpcGMIb-Zgf68LwsXx/w300-h400/Lord's%20and%20Ladies.%204.3.24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lords-and-Ladies</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Y0FS1wSO8v63lhaNS7oDWios-WNCnReFsUH57mbiGQkYqY60CYNJ0rdoqtuOFc7C4Gb7w_VGj0_tDxOPnCCIPnHptscMne6f4MijANObSj8tGuYYJcnJ61kiSsQ1SWyjvGNhmo79A7hxoqXuo8DlSPTHi1eaogmjMLTHaEVV0mSR0gGI0kh0kq7N_otz/s4000/Scarlet%20Elf%20Cup.%204.3.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Y0FS1wSO8v63lhaNS7oDWios-WNCnReFsUH57mbiGQkYqY60CYNJ0rdoqtuOFc7C4Gb7w_VGj0_tDxOPnCCIPnHptscMne6f4MijANObSj8tGuYYJcnJ61kiSsQ1SWyjvGNhmo79A7hxoqXuo8DlSPTHi1eaogmjMLTHaEVV0mSR0gGI0kh0kq7N_otz/w300-h400/Scarlet%20Elf%20Cup.%204.3.24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Scarlet Elfcup<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few days ago, I had a meeting at my client's farm near Slaidburn, again in Bowland. I got there early, and had a drive round in my car to see what I could see. There is a good network of tracks on the farm, and you can drive round using your car as a mobile hide. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Curlews and <b>Lapwings </b>had started to arrive back on the farm, and I had four and six of each, a lot more to arrive yet. Oystercatchers were in greater numbers, 26 were alongside the main pool in the central wetland complex. As was a <b>Little Egret</b>, which is regular now, and I must admit it still looks odd in this upland landscape. Two species of raptor, and an honorary raptor; two <b>Buzzards</b>, a <b>Kestrel</b> and a <b>Raven</b>. A male <b>Stonechat</b>, also made it into my notebook. Always a good species to see. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoZ7OU6S2jX1800-3oW0QF6nv-taFnD0SneMQDTXRdoe4YwHgfKD5LydHdi0Fw46SuJJeTRIT7Vlnr3xWb4e3U_lGGkz1WmGNOLyRFtGhcgIibpwoYH1EQN6WfgowV9k2lZNNxt31T2niaHwdLQmw_kQ-dZ-YWBb8TEjL9jqTdWCPqIkdm0NO6k1jruIH/s4608/Davison's%20Wetland.%208.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoZ7OU6S2jX1800-3oW0QF6nv-taFnD0SneMQDTXRdoe4YwHgfKD5LydHdi0Fw46SuJJeTRIT7Vlnr3xWb4e3U_lGGkz1WmGNOLyRFtGhcgIibpwoYH1EQN6WfgowV9k2lZNNxt31T2niaHwdLQmw_kQ-dZ-YWBb8TEjL9jqTdWCPqIkdm0NO6k1jruIH/w400-h300/Davison's%20Wetland.%208.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Part of the main pool at my client's farm</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCz9Cs4uBZsv_Igkb93byonPgWoUAXmSgWSxzA1hMOMxeeok72s7J2prgOwu_DEwaVIiMhnqHVOxvNRWOz8MvEhh5sy2Ygu-QUNCH33vekH8GJmvpTIcMeBFV_avKyaGfY0f0TKQ-7XsqlK3chC1FuRuSHkMn1AguuK6so9btcRbgSmjDXwwjAMiL5FkAp/s4608/Oystercatcher%201.%208.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCz9Cs4uBZsv_Igkb93byonPgWoUAXmSgWSxzA1hMOMxeeok72s7J2prgOwu_DEwaVIiMhnqHVOxvNRWOz8MvEhh5sy2Ygu-QUNCH33vekH8GJmvpTIcMeBFV_avKyaGfY0f0TKQ-7XsqlK3chC1FuRuSHkMn1AguuK6so9btcRbgSmjDXwwjAMiL5FkAp/w400-h300/Oystercatcher%201.%208.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Oystercatcher<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The following day I was at my wintering bird survey site, south of the Ribble, for the penultimate visit. It was quite a crisp, clear morning with a sharp easterly breeze. I added a new species for the site, for the survey period, in the form of a <b>Great White Egret</b>, and had seven of their '<b>Little</b>' cousins. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Woodpigeon</b> numbers were still relatively high, with a total of 103, and a group of 18 <b>Fieldfares</b> had tagged onto a feeding flock of <b>Starlings</b>. A number of Starling flocks, 1,900 birds in total, were arriving from the northwest and heading south at first light, and I'm guessing that they were coming from the large roost under one of the piers at Blackpool. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zgTnVwKBtlyZgBO0UBV65kv29PjmWrESLnZnaU-oztfa7yQbUN1w4n0hYXTkLJkkIutQy0WVbV_HwIajuS9E4mjHN6dvfBMIgYfau1sHYh-r4onwbPQH3K7Zxs7-NIeLXWJlQ8JCW-vG37R3NvT0zM_FdHwV_HvOMS5de8hv2_TA30ectnClPlf6JJ54/s4608/Woodpigeon.%204.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zgTnVwKBtlyZgBO0UBV65kv29PjmWrESLnZnaU-oztfa7yQbUN1w4n0hYXTkLJkkIutQy0WVbV_HwIajuS9E4mjHN6dvfBMIgYfau1sHYh-r4onwbPQH3K7Zxs7-NIeLXWJlQ8JCW-vG37R3NvT0zM_FdHwV_HvOMS5de8hv2_TA30ectnClPlf6JJ54/w400-h300/Woodpigeon.%204.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Woodpigeon</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fourteen <b>Skylarks</b>, included four singing individuals, and <b>Shelducks</b> had increased to ten. <b>Tree Sparrow</b> numbers had also increased, and I had nine, very vocal birds as I walked my transect. <b>Linnets</b> numbered 77, and other bits and pieces included a Sparrowhawk, two Kestrels, a male Stonechat and a Buzzard. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I were back at the Quay a few days ago, and it was a gloriously sunny, but cold morning. Wader numbers were down as it was low tide, and we just had 30 Redshanks and nine Oystercatchers. We noticed that <b>Common Whitlowgrass</b> was flowering, and it won't be long before lots of other plants start flowering as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Towards the end of the week, we paid at visit to the Nature Park to oil the padlocks on the gates that give us access to the site, check the water levels in our ringing area, and carry out some management work if possible. We managed to complete two out of the three tasks that we set ourselves. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The padlocks were all oiled, and the last padlock on the gate into our ringing area needed a bit of persuading to unlock, but it is now well and truly oiled, and ready for the spring. The water levels were very high, as expected, and we couldn't even get our car to where we normally park, let alone walk into our net rides. We will keep checking on a weekly basis, until the water levels have dropped enough for us to get in, but it could take a few weeks. We tried to coppice a few Willows in a less flooded area, but the bow waves of walking through the water was spilling over the top of our wellies, so we just coppiced one large Willow and called it a day. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Close to where we coppiced the large Willow we flushed five <b>Snipe</b>, and around the pools over the rest of the site we recorded four singing <b>Cetti's Warblers</b>, 24 <b>Coots</b>, five <b>Little Grebes</b> (two singing), 14 <b>Tufted Ducks</b>, 130 <b>Herring Gulls</b>, two <b>Great Black-backed Gulls</b>, a pair of <b>Great Crested Grebes</b>, a pair of <b>Mute Swans</b>, 19 <b>Mallards</b>, nine <b>Black-headed Gulls</b>, two <b>Lesser Black-backed Gulls</b>, six <b>Canada Geese</b> and ten Wigeon on the river.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_JtPn2DW3-BQk0SgcsLEXA1KmpRQwabhWxYr0Mxx0mHt6_P4ffGEi7lS4aNHhgvKb60cOIDIup4YCwd74ccv6CcwmKxIQTWaR8sHnPzz7qYJVXbqbY0NRThxAIahP4mvz64E16COlQsVoZLJA_uiSpWSDfHVQJJTvADkpEYresM07zcYMqeQbXGVgh2p/s4094/Great%20Crested%20Grebe.%208.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3019" data-original-width="4094" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_JtPn2DW3-BQk0SgcsLEXA1KmpRQwabhWxYr0Mxx0mHt6_P4ffGEi7lS4aNHhgvKb60cOIDIup4YCwd74ccv6CcwmKxIQTWaR8sHnPzz7qYJVXbqbY0NRThxAIahP4mvz64E16COlQsVoZLJA_uiSpWSDfHVQJJTvADkpEYresM07zcYMqeQbXGVgh2p/w400-h295/Great%20Crested%20Grebe.%208.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Great Crested Grebe</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhOXVPK-aJZ5hk71agumuabcUiXwXaez8Yo_O2GWMq7oPQq4tiGtqZTbBx9n1uJA34L0bPU7A3V5Go8x_ZUH_FeI_YFQjl2nUzhPI4m7e41G9RrvneT8e4KH6sTnmU4fXA98JrSBk7coFECLySCiI4lD_1tLlJGPWtadT7Jd1zi3ANiy-dkyarcGYaUyL/s4234/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull.%208.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3063" data-original-width="4234" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhOXVPK-aJZ5hk71agumuabcUiXwXaez8Yo_O2GWMq7oPQq4tiGtqZTbBx9n1uJA34L0bPU7A3V5Go8x_ZUH_FeI_YFQjl2nUzhPI4m7e41G9RrvneT8e4KH6sTnmU4fXA98JrSBk7coFECLySCiI4lD_1tLlJGPWtadT7Jd1zi3ANiy-dkyarcGYaUyL/w400-h289/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull.%208.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Lesser Black-backed Gull</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVOHxKmkbFE8UHhOgoPQvHn5GrX7vVo53ZczJdahVtJ6_fYMbquctqYdJQqEtmRdxIvxRpfzbuw6TGBPGVYBUyvBqUwzKybYldqO7uXMLANBi8LEeO5MUHKtS-6O1Y9pjiaD4dCnGzPL3-vWi1hZjItFWPCO-o7e4sJ0LDLjj6w34vt5RuA059z_stKWz/s4195/Little%20Grebe.%208.3.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3139" data-original-width="4195" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVOHxKmkbFE8UHhOgoPQvHn5GrX7vVo53ZczJdahVtJ6_fYMbquctqYdJQqEtmRdxIvxRpfzbuw6TGBPGVYBUyvBqUwzKybYldqO7uXMLANBi8LEeO5MUHKtS-6O1Y9pjiaD4dCnGzPL3-vWi1hZjItFWPCO-o7e4sJ0LDLjj6w34vt5RuA059z_stKWz/w400-h299/Little%20Grebe.%208.3.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Little Grebe</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A pair of Skylark were in suitable habitat, and a male Stonechat may or may not have been a migrant. A <b>Raven</b> over, and that was about it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It is looking a bit unsettled this coming week, but there are a couple of mornings that look okay, and the first Wheatears, Sand Martins and Sandwich Terns will be due this week. Something to look forward to. <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-27318164240007443932024-02-28T16:11:00.002+01:002024-02-28T16:11:39.324+01:00What Happened To February?<div><div style="text-align: left;">What did indeed happen to February, it seems to have disappeared in a flash! I started my last blog post by stating that it had been twelve days since my last post, so I have surpassed myself, because it has been 26 days now since my last post. A record for me, but not one to boast about! I haven't been lying idle, just the opposite, it's just I haven't found the time to sit at my computer for an hour or two. I will make every effort to improve going forward. And as spring is just around the corner, I am desperately looking forward to the first migrants making an appearance. For that very reason, Spring may well be my favourite season, but come back at a later date, and I might be saying the same about Summer or Autumn!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Since my last post, Gail and I visited our winter bird survey site, south of the River Ribble in West Lancashire, and it was fairly quiet. The period December - January is often the quietest with these surveys, with things hopefully picking up for the last two surveys next month. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our first survey was on 7th February under 6 oktas cloud cover, with a light east-southeasterly breeze. And for the first time in a while, we had a few <b>Woodpigeons</b>, totalling 81 birds, with 24 of their <b>Collared Dove</b> cousins. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pjN5oRc_CeCGv5mhLZR5gbeyku6JWMR-qf-yPjypPAoOWPEmAwF2VDtnsAzs6LkviRyfuMKMUs_poEYHszne3Hlha0owYK3CunA5EFKr3w1e-4hHLncJdnnb4-6map9ItRJwY5axDdDQMZV_HI4-Frm0h4Q9ZsWvkWc0cN2JbOkwOSQvDuZarEGhoUnX/s4608/Collared%20Dove%201.%206.4.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pjN5oRc_CeCGv5mhLZR5gbeyku6JWMR-qf-yPjypPAoOWPEmAwF2VDtnsAzs6LkviRyfuMKMUs_poEYHszne3Hlha0owYK3CunA5EFKr3w1e-4hHLncJdnnb4-6map9ItRJwY5axDdDQMZV_HI4-Frm0h4Q9ZsWvkWc0cN2JbOkwOSQvDuZarEGhoUnX/w400-h300/Collared%20Dove%201.%206.4.19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Collared Dove</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Golden Plovers</b> have been a feature over the last few visits, with flocks of birds generally heading high and west, and this morning we had 238 of these cracking waders. A flock of just eight <b>Lapwings</b> was only the other wader species we had. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXufMdrSvJfoVoG28oH0AbTLhSuZR1JC4wxtHNxt933uMOMMrWc5XODDtlzhpWLSwh461_W9pRr15_NgOug1aVALdue6p77SZo92DkrYfMhWz7MgYiFRgjnuDvgdVqVvBp1vaCQqn9yjegkR_qPqzama56tEq1REUU308v-wWhOJZqyX1F7aGgoaWJ-0N/s3320/Lapwings%203.%2021.11.20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2490" data-original-width="3320" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbXufMdrSvJfoVoG28oH0AbTLhSuZR1JC4wxtHNxt933uMOMMrWc5XODDtlzhpWLSwh461_W9pRr15_NgOug1aVALdue6p77SZo92DkrYfMhWz7MgYiFRgjnuDvgdVqVvBp1vaCQqn9yjegkR_qPqzama56tEq1REUU308v-wWhOJZqyX1F7aGgoaWJ-0N/w400-h300/Lapwings%203.%2021.11.20.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lapwings</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Lots of birds are starting to sing now, and <b>Robins</b> were very noticeable this morning, with at least 5 in fine voice. Eight <b>Tree Sparrows</b> is our highest count for the site so far, and is probably as a result of them getting a little bit more territorial as we edge closer to Spring. Four <b>Little Egrets</b> on this area of relatively intensively managed farmed land was a good total, and it was nice to see eleven <b>Shelducks </b>in one of the bare fields of black sand. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB_dNuzFUDd12-FNQLkb4IOM7cOwOQBJ16AoEVuv9petYVskqlsOqxpdWOKNu_vdmoaZ7LCrWemk4CYFRcOwD2GeeZcaAhO19KRFjgICjo6b5mqWe80golPKmBxlXmXa-oaJBEB1IoCkU0YckwNnsdC8c6PxtOl6PIvbxvWCKvg0aLHxx7upF2cEu9kXI/s4608/Robin%202.%2013.2.22.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB_dNuzFUDd12-FNQLkb4IOM7cOwOQBJ16AoEVuv9petYVskqlsOqxpdWOKNu_vdmoaZ7LCrWemk4CYFRcOwD2GeeZcaAhO19KRFjgICjo6b5mqWe80golPKmBxlXmXa-oaJBEB1IoCkU0YckwNnsdC8c6PxtOl6PIvbxvWCKvg0aLHxx7upF2cEu9kXI/w400-h300/Robin%202.%2013.2.22.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Robin</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Two species of raptor, a male <b>Kestrel</b>, and the best bird of the morning being a female <b>Merlin</b> flying over carrying food. Two <b>Song Thrushes</b> in song at the same time, and six <b>Whooper Swans</b> west, brought a pleasant few hours to an end. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KtuR5nklq7_9NrJQf7CKM8MtDzliE-NV0fo7XHnJY9GpA-4kL9ynHy2KyROKad8QffewogoqKZR6YguHgBvRj-uz9MQkMZoByYc-9BaH2dPubFr4m2rOzMApF3C7OeN8sYrRhb9gbNc1S8WGzhcM12GKKL9X5I91075Dt2NJ7X38Wgk66T-ouS6ufWA9/s3718/Whooper%20Swans.%2026.11.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="3718" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KtuR5nklq7_9NrJQf7CKM8MtDzliE-NV0fo7XHnJY9GpA-4kL9ynHy2KyROKad8QffewogoqKZR6YguHgBvRj-uz9MQkMZoByYc-9BaH2dPubFr4m2rOzMApF3C7OeN8sYrRhb9gbNc1S8WGzhcM12GKKL9X5I91075Dt2NJ7X38Wgk66T-ouS6ufWA9/w400-h299/Whooper%20Swans.%2026.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Whooper Swans</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few days later, we had a ringing session at our feeding station at Nateby, near Garstang. It was quite a bright morning with, once again, a light east-southeasterly wind, as we put the net up at the feeding station. We ringed 25 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Redwing - 1 (first ringing record for the site)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 6</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 11 (4)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Chaffinch - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tree Sparrow - 5 (1)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Dunnock - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As we arrived, it was great to see a <b>Barn Owl</b> hunting over the camping field. Hopefully, the box will get used this year, as last year was the first year that they didn't breed at the farm for many a year. In fact, Robert has put a second box up in a different building in the yard. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have said before, that Tree Sparrows are the main reason for the feeding station, and in addition to the birds we ringed, there were at least 21 birds zipping backwards and forwards between the yard and the wood. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Both Song and <b>Mistle Thrush</b> were singing, and a <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b> was at the feeding station. After we had packed up, we had a look on the wetland and there were 52 <b>Wigeon</b>, 50 <b>Teal</b>, two <b>Shovelers</b> and 85 <b>Common Gulls</b> in an adjacent field. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the 13th February we were back at our wintering bird survey site, this time with full cloud cover, but the wind was now a moderate southerly. Golden Plovers numbered only 60 flying west, but Lapwings had increased to 52 heading north. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Surprisingly, our Woodpigeon count was exactly the same as last time, with another 81 recorded. Seven <b>Stock Doves</b> were the first for a while, and Collared Doves were steady away at 29. The numbers of <b>Skylarks</b> weren't as high as earlier in the winter, but the 16 that we recorded did include three singing birds. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Linnet</b> numbers had increased again, and we had a flock of 57, but only one Tree Sparrow this time. Three species of raptor were a Kestrel, <b>Sparrowhawk</b> and a <b>Buzzard</b> drifting east. The two Song Thrushes were singing again, and 20 <b>Fieldfares </b>in a flock of Starlings was a nice surprise. A male <b>Stonechat</b> added some colour to the dried grasses that it was perched upon, and seven <b>Long-tailed Tits </b>are worth mentioning. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few days ago, Gail and I carried out our last ringing session for the winter at our feeding station. As we put the net up, it was obvious that there were fewer birds, and also the two large feeders hadn't gone down very much. The two large sunflower heart feeders were empty, and they probably empty in one day. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our catch reflected the numbers of birds at the feeders, and we just ringed four birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldfinch - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 2 (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After we had packed up, we took the ladder into the woodland to take down the two trail cams we had up on two owl-type boxes. One camera captured a <b>Tawny Owl</b> looking into a chimney-type box, and the other some Stock Doves looking at the box where they nested last year. The aim of setting up the cameras was to see if we had any Grey Squirrels looking at the boxes, and fingers crossed we haven't! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our garden pond has been busy with Frogs these past few weeks, with a peak of six males last night. Six might not sound like a lot, but our pond is only 85 x 65 x 28 cm, so it is small. No females as yet, but both Gail and I, and the male Frogs, are keeping our fingers crossed for their return!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We carried out another rescue of a queen <b>Buff-tailed Bumblebee</b> a few days ago, but this time from our neighbour's drive. I was unloading some logs from the boot of my car, when I noticed her grounded on our neighbour's drive. I picked her up, and took her through to our garden. I made up a solution of one part sugar to five parts water, and fed her the sweet solution. After a few minutes of feeding, she started to buzz, and then she was up and away. Hopefully she will find somewhere to start a new colony soon.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9VjTECg2pqhaj82ZCsSYBVYnu49xTVk6sqTKN6rBcZk9EfvO2DX1R-lxKOunSCIG709HCoUUsDKj3dDhX7iVSClLbQpFpa1vHQiEo4GHEdP1P9kJeKnnVE_w-2HAMMcc3J8t8yIkun9kCkjuN_C5P_VUKFAKhkuWbbpU0E3XTooe8KPEZUp2H-t4bR8G/s4000/Buff-tailed%20Bumblebee.%2028.2.24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9VjTECg2pqhaj82ZCsSYBVYnu49xTVk6sqTKN6rBcZk9EfvO2DX1R-lxKOunSCIG709HCoUUsDKj3dDhX7iVSClLbQpFpa1vHQiEo4GHEdP1P9kJeKnnVE_w-2HAMMcc3J8t8yIkun9kCkjuN_C5P_VUKFAKhkuWbbpU0E3XTooe8KPEZUp2H-t4bR8G/w300-h400/Buff-tailed%20Bumblebee.%2028.2.24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee. If you look closeley you </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">can see her tongue lapping up the sugary solution </span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We received a phone call from the picture framers to say that our picture of a Ringed Plover, by brilliant Orkney wildlife artist, Tim Wootton, was ready to collect. When we went in, he said to me, "I think you'll like it, in fact I nearly kept it...lol". And the picture framer has done a fantastic job. I have posted a picture of it below, and I hope you agree.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Mt6R3tBeL6SAHqH0SK3PnmJmb8BLtSJBHGxUshaj184CoHnN0eNrNfe29QTTHgV_uqBTOUjjqwXuwp0jawtpzp8-5Y7CjtR7YPTdm_lPpWAC7nHuALBE5k5A1EbNdsly0dQDiE4nOheoKx263GWvWJq8f55Qj6h4rKfSN-ai3Zg1DXU1T1gE20CEqh4M/s3292/Ringed%20Plover.%2028.2.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2677" data-original-width="3292" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Mt6R3tBeL6SAHqH0SK3PnmJmb8BLtSJBHGxUshaj184CoHnN0eNrNfe29QTTHgV_uqBTOUjjqwXuwp0jawtpzp8-5Y7CjtR7YPTdm_lPpWAC7nHuALBE5k5A1EbNdsly0dQDiE4nOheoKx263GWvWJq8f55Qj6h4rKfSN-ai3Zg1DXU1T1gE20CEqh4M/w400-h325/Ringed%20Plover.%2028.2.24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">These past few days has seen me building eight boxes for Pied Flycatchers for our nest box scheme in Bowland. I had two boxes in stock, so we have ten boxes available as replacements for any dilapidated boxes, when we carry out our maintenance check at weekend. I've posted some pictures of various stages of construction below. You will see that the first few shots were taken outside, as I like to build them outside if it is dry, so I can keep my eyes skywards for any birds going over. The final day when I was adding plates and fasteners, I had to work in my garage as it was raining. In case you were wondering, I didn't have anything of great interest flying over, other than a few <b>Pink-footed Geese </b>heading north. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lAfBNAOCHeMQwHE3-laX9WobuRTTFB2lgFho97Kxocx3Rf7c7StObaba_ukJMrh4kfz58IU9liOw32Wt0bv5OxqNdJvctjUJr30kDXTAQTnYzx2Un8viomcHBO0LSpCObUy-MKohImSKTCxG_VnCnJROZjMKFyFZ5_ZKOSuMZf02iIstNG6ZKA-U1vCp/s4000/Boxes%201.%2028.2.24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lAfBNAOCHeMQwHE3-laX9WobuRTTFB2lgFho97Kxocx3Rf7c7StObaba_ukJMrh4kfz58IU9liOw32Wt0bv5OxqNdJvctjUJr30kDXTAQTnYzx2Un8viomcHBO0LSpCObUy-MKohImSKTCxG_VnCnJROZjMKFyFZ5_ZKOSuMZf02iIstNG6ZKA-U1vCp/w400-h300/Boxes%201.%2028.2.24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4HDyxNAQUWUCc8kefKIanVLmMNfqmC8VYnzYXZOi0IZjiugh2-9htrIM9fEegoRFAldyWqIGpK8PBVq-zVB_1B9uF3lpfGbg7MY4e33HkAoKAnDY2ak7v6h_TKvBBnk9cnQzeFQyZtlo-HCCbitcA_2fhgRS151IYYQuK_-6di2jKdksJCALY3yjw6-q/s4000/Boxes%202.%2028.2.24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4HDyxNAQUWUCc8kefKIanVLmMNfqmC8VYnzYXZOi0IZjiugh2-9htrIM9fEegoRFAldyWqIGpK8PBVq-zVB_1B9uF3lpfGbg7MY4e33HkAoKAnDY2ak7v6h_TKvBBnk9cnQzeFQyZtlo-HCCbitcA_2fhgRS151IYYQuK_-6di2jKdksJCALY3yjw6-q/w400-h300/Boxes%202.%2028.2.24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IWvTPephamHnC-AxWXUwQ56B9gbAB48ykKJ7hvfKFacSXpFk2TNYz27P-9L904lES4ZFJSNUbuxnbVUBF42r_vTHYiTL4GDiCUnBeAaLAVClHNatglCvxvSOQSy_AbbPaRxcM_SJMkoUtfrnW8UVDs2kHtY6HUpQCr0y2sRiMcqIJ8g0b1Zply05dx7t/s4000/Boxes%203.%2028.2.24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1IWvTPephamHnC-AxWXUwQ56B9gbAB48ykKJ7hvfKFacSXpFk2TNYz27P-9L904lES4ZFJSNUbuxnbVUBF42r_vTHYiTL4GDiCUnBeAaLAVClHNatglCvxvSOQSy_AbbPaRxcM_SJMkoUtfrnW8UVDs2kHtY6HUpQCr0y2sRiMcqIJ8g0b1Zply05dx7t/w400-h300/Boxes%203.%2028.2.24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpSRGramcdt3YhkoHyWhqunbZiSGFxkxEIuW2GWcbH_l5LYvB6QRfLi8-V3REqJP2NzPvd3CGlZ0bb3K2v4faoxMvvjlHT8q3PoKg5lCj9J55tAAPtiz_6RHUkxlA46eHjTfgB5QQnLuQTY8tsl_2UPZSDyEP3BaWiumhHEezJYqCkWbRqk6d1CdXtGSj/s4000/Boxes%204.%2028.2.24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpSRGramcdt3YhkoHyWhqunbZiSGFxkxEIuW2GWcbH_l5LYvB6QRfLi8-V3REqJP2NzPvd3CGlZ0bb3K2v4faoxMvvjlHT8q3PoKg5lCj9J55tAAPtiz_6RHUkxlA46eHjTfgB5QQnLuQTY8tsl_2UPZSDyEP3BaWiumhHEezJYqCkWbRqk6d1CdXtGSj/w400-h300/Boxes%204.%2028.2.24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5pe3HlC0L9t59lsWSLSfhH7AglNyWboVgY8ACO6hKKimPaVg8gqT0bV9iJ28TgsyOKnMDtz9U-h0pDKFsiFK4NDzw0pHj6QuWKlwxbMBFYDcJB91xIyvx7M1MlHKPDy3qmP_yY6JKkaqZGt3kVqucIJRmhqK3AZzkK6wWOvMSguEzvp_sy4Ut3g5aC-t/s4000/Boxes%205.%2028.2.24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5pe3HlC0L9t59lsWSLSfhH7AglNyWboVgY8ACO6hKKimPaVg8gqT0bV9iJ28TgsyOKnMDtz9U-h0pDKFsiFK4NDzw0pHj6QuWKlwxbMBFYDcJB91xIyvx7M1MlHKPDy3qmP_yY6JKkaqZGt3kVqucIJRmhqK3AZzkK6wWOvMSguEzvp_sy4Ut3g5aC-t/w300-h400/Boxes%205.%2028.2.24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We received notification this week from the BTO about one of our Blackbirds. Ian ringed it in his Fleetwood garden on 14th September 2016, and it was found freshly dead in another garden in Fleetwood on 23rd February 2024, making her at least 7 years and 5 months old. When Ian ringed her, he aged her as a '3', which means that she hatched during the calendar year of ringing. So, she was probably at least a couple of months older perhaps, than the 7 years 5 months. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The maximum age from ringing for a Blackbird is 15 years, 2 months and 5 days, set in 2000. The typical lifespan is 3 years, so 'our' Blackbird did well in reaching 7 and a half! <br /></div></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-72075253051075816682024-02-02T20:50:00.001+01:002024-02-02T20:50:19.557+01:00A Good Deed<div style="text-align: left;">It has been twelve days since I last posted, and for that I apologise, but I have been busy getting all my natural history records up to date, for various individuals and organisations, via various forms of online submission. There are records for the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) via BirdTrack, and records of mammals, butterflies, dragonflies and orchids can also be entered via this programme, records of moths and plants for the local record centres through iRecord, and then personal ornithological highlights for the County Bird Recorder. I have been out in the great outdoors, but I haven't had time to post on here. January every year is like this. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Just under ten days ago, Gail and I had a walk from the Quay and along the Wyre estuary. It was one of those cold, grey days, and the tide had virtually covered all the mud in the Quay. A flock of 180 <b>Redshanks </b>were hanging on, with water up to their knees, and they would soon be pushed off. In fact, that was the ornithological highlight of our walk, other than a female <b>Peregrine</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm-tRW5la4ThbQevE4Jeq3hamhARn96bqezgGEvlnDkMY__nfjgxK3SRfJ5Gmhe0vJ01X3On5FqFTFTS2P1d54J6066xhfLpb1jOzHCHmxMcdHiGwMsUmQwM1XR2j0qnMyC8p3TG2zVQ-htEnzhH0MYstWquggMsGgh4QiM1-GlkCCq4PMl78j8mxl1SU/s3928/Peregrine%204.%202.2.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3928" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYm-tRW5la4ThbQevE4Jeq3hamhARn96bqezgGEvlnDkMY__nfjgxK3SRfJ5Gmhe0vJ01X3On5FqFTFTS2P1d54J6066xhfLpb1jOzHCHmxMcdHiGwMsUmQwM1XR2j0qnMyC8p3TG2zVQ-htEnzhH0MYstWquggMsGgh4QiM1-GlkCCq4PMl78j8mxl1SU/w400-h303/Peregrine%204.%202.2.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Peregrine</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">On our way back to our car, I spotted something just off the path, from the corner of my eye, and I could see it was a Bumblebee. From her jizz, I could see that she was alive, but she certainly looked moribund. I picked her up, and carried her back to the car. She was a beautiful queen <b>Buff-tailed Bumblebee</b>, and it wasn't the right time to be out and about. On decent days during the winter, queens can emerge from their hibernation, but this wasn't one of those days, or it didn't look like it to me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Back at the car, Gail placed her in a small plastic container, and we headed home. We had to call in at Asda for a few bits of shopping, so we left her in the plastic container on one of the heated seats in the front. The plan when we got her home was to try and revive her with some sugar-water, and a warm, but this wasn't necessary. As soon as we reversed into the drive, she was very active within the container. She was buzzing beautifully, with that deep sounding, throb of a buzz that only Bumblebees make. As soon as I lifted the lid off the container, she was away. Our good deed for the day. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of days later I was at my wintering bird survey site, with fellow Ecologist Rachel. It was a bitterly cold morning, with a stiff WSW wind, but at least it was sunny. These wintering bird surveys in January are usually quiet, unless you are in a good coastal or wetland location, and this morning was no exception. I am just going to list the highlights from our three-hour survey, which were, ten <b>Shelducks</b>, 24 <b>Whooper Swans</b>, eleven <b>Skylarks</b>, 359 <b>Pink-footed Geese</b>, 29 <b>Woodpigeons</b>, 30<b> Linnets</b>, 35 <b>Golden Plovers</b>, a <b>Mistle Thrush</b>, a <b>Grey Wagtail</b>, eleven <b>Pied Wagtails</b>, a <b>Buzzard </b>and a <b>Kestrel</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Last weekend, I headed to the Point for a sea watch, and to see what was roosting on the incoming tide. I had nearly full cloud cover, with a 15 mph south-westerly wind, and the visibility out in the bay was fairly poor. It's been a while since I had been here, and I had almost forgotten how awful the disturbance to the birds from people walking their dogs on the beach was. There were several people during the two hours that I was there, on the beach, with their dogs running around flushing everything. One dog in particular was out of control, and it would home in on a single wader and chase it for as long as it could, and then move on to another one. The owners were trying to control it, but it was completely ignoring any attempt they made to get it back on its lead!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">All it would take, would be to cordon off a couple of sections of the beach at high tide where the waders roost, where no access is allowed over the high tide period, and the waders could then roost safely without any disturbance. Funnily enough, as I was walking off site, I bumped into fellow Pied Flycatcher enthusiast, Mark, who was recording any disturbance to the waders as part of some work for Natural England, looking at wider recreational disturbance in Morecambe Bay, so fingers crossed something positive might come out of Mark's surveys. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Talking of waders, it always surprises me that some still manage to roost, and over the high tide period I had 87 <b>Oystercatchers</b>, 339 <b>Sanderlings</b>, 62 <b>Dunlins</b>, 55 <b>Ringed Plovers</b>, 74 <b>Turnstones</b> and two cracking <b>Purple Sandpipers</b> roosting with the RPs and Turnstones. Nice! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYHrwtMO_aAOC48WIBBZ5iMXRu6dqvsNVl7oqcKaBUMvX84Gpx1SE_0SAjMWH3Ak31VmzV_LnUIRs9E0QAnH6YKOouqgbA5xJcI2BMaxWq3jgXu2SYQQrRpxbb7tHeokLVkrqP3e2uVxVpEyJIfsKVLvoHQxtGNERB8VkAsA7fKjWpc4tPHObbQQ6Kh_s/s4608/Purple%20Sandpipers%20&%20Ringed%20Plovers%201.%202.2.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYHrwtMO_aAOC48WIBBZ5iMXRu6dqvsNVl7oqcKaBUMvX84Gpx1SE_0SAjMWH3Ak31VmzV_LnUIRs9E0QAnH6YKOouqgbA5xJcI2BMaxWq3jgXu2SYQQrRpxbb7tHeokLVkrqP3e2uVxVpEyJIfsKVLvoHQxtGNERB8VkAsA7fKjWpc4tPHObbQQ6Kh_s/w400-h300/Purple%20Sandpipers%20&%20Ringed%20Plovers%201.%202.2.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Purple Sandpipers and Ringed Plovers</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiX7qtUuJFPwUWk8V3Jdp5rT1IcUnIRw3bt2C_b2LBVbevzi3HwLZEhEKy5cu19_7EhvzsedDpGYP-r5qFEjvoiibblsKwYtaynbVWu-PnVQNP1c_rUwjBzHfnLZuiDjRl3uwJwvXcsTOH8TXyhG4pl3ImfBhjtOd-8J9VzsgpluUieE4-EAdMMA-U4wyG/s4608/Sanderling%201.%202.2.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiX7qtUuJFPwUWk8V3Jdp5rT1IcUnIRw3bt2C_b2LBVbevzi3HwLZEhEKy5cu19_7EhvzsedDpGYP-r5qFEjvoiibblsKwYtaynbVWu-PnVQNP1c_rUwjBzHfnLZuiDjRl3uwJwvXcsTOH8TXyhG4pl3ImfBhjtOd-8J9VzsgpluUieE4-EAdMMA-U4wyG/w400-h300/Sanderling%201.%202.2.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Mainly Sanderlings<br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The sea was very quiet, and all I had was 15 <b>Cormorants</b>, five <b>Eiders</b>, a <b>Common Scoter</b>, a <b>Red-throated Diver</b>, a <b>Shelduck </b>and 112 Pink-footed Geese heading north. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Over the past few nights, we've had a froggy chorus coming from the garden, and on one particular wet night, a couple of evenings ago, the frogs were very vocal. So, we are hoping for some frog spawn and wee tadpoles in our little pond this year. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I was at my client's farm in Bowland a couple of days ago with a colleague from the RSPB. As Hilary and I were having a walk round some of the breeding wader fields, and looking at how the habitat was shaping up for the forthcoming breeding season, we had two <b>Barn Owls</b> constantly hunting, and this was at about 10:30 a.m. Of course, Barn Owls will hunt during the day, and there is usually a reason to force them out during these times, and I suspect that all the wet weather of late has been preventing them from hunting, so on this rare dry day of late, they will have been forced, by hunger, to hunt during full daylight. We chatted to John and Russell who are on the farm most days completing habitat works, and they have seen them quite a bit recently in the day, so I suspect they are indeed a pair of hungry owls. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I had a walk along the Wyre yesterday morning, and it was another grey day, with a stiff westerly wind, but it did brighten up towards the end of our walk. A number of <b>Teal</b> and <b>Wigeon</b> were along the edge of the river, with 42 Wigeon close to us, but in the distance I could see a lot more. I was travelling light without my scope, so counts further away eluded us. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The highlight of the morning was the interaction between a pair of Peregrines and a pair of <b>Ravens</b>. The Peregrines, particularly the larger female, were not happy with the close proximity of the Ravens, and every time one of the Ravens was more out in the open, the female Peregrine would stoop at, dive bomb, chase, and just generally harass the two Ravens. The Ravens were engaging in some courtship and pair bonding, and were stood side by side preening each other, or touching each other's beaks, and at the same time were making a kind of low warbling sound. I say 'warbling', because it was nearer a warble, rather than their usual harsh croaking call. Gail and I just stood spell-bound, soaking up this magical moment. It was the contrast between the drama of the battle between the two species, and the intimate moments between the two Ravens that made it so special. Eventually, the Ravens could only take so much of the sorties from the female Peregrine, and decided that it wasn't the place to try and get all romantic with each other, and flew off. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhEVi-2AmpNHwVa6CULgZ76uljX2BYVb_Flti99xBn4MVwIojeeMciA5AM5KyT2Epuf_m9GgSFewKMyfg3X77K4_VUc7ucPvVvdvFotAG4AO0cPsucik0rFcvtTLegsD7kOCmHnIiZRUVyCBDOg3QZAiIWHsSGZkFFK7gURITSAUYmW9UKp_0JRGkQYEf/s4171/Ravens%201.%202.2.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4171" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhEVi-2AmpNHwVa6CULgZ76uljX2BYVb_Flti99xBn4MVwIojeeMciA5AM5KyT2Epuf_m9GgSFewKMyfg3X77K4_VUc7ucPvVvdvFotAG4AO0cPsucik0rFcvtTLegsD7kOCmHnIiZRUVyCBDOg3QZAiIWHsSGZkFFK7gURITSAUYmW9UKp_0JRGkQYEf/w400-h295/Ravens%201.%202.2.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Courting Ravens</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PmYtsn2Z7SrSlvh9CG_xmgE0hnd3bte7dhJkyRzy28fii6h1nJT8YtARSqzHjtTIEBnmzyuYWbWRwLJjF4XrQPEIMLsSn2Qq1OomIzzTj4sxHYF2MDWzqLGKolGEvs4arH4OZGMgM4R7BjpP047loMXK7g0y5gv4ISCbW1IgKRSb_jYOmPcEZr1SxmfU/s3998/Peregrine%203.%202.2.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2914" data-original-width="3998" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PmYtsn2Z7SrSlvh9CG_xmgE0hnd3bte7dhJkyRzy28fii6h1nJT8YtARSqzHjtTIEBnmzyuYWbWRwLJjF4XrQPEIMLsSn2Qq1OomIzzTj4sxHYF2MDWzqLGKolGEvs4arH4OZGMgM4R7BjpP047loMXK7g0y5gv4ISCbW1IgKRSb_jYOmPcEZr1SxmfU/w400-h291/Peregrine%203.%202.2.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Watchful Peregrine (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51WMre_-gS2hVIliigAp0yHaWWIIk6kX3ogo1roG5JA_IXTnSDSmScbdOKmseb26ick2XjW4ZzxJWPhSeVoXo0B2x_QLpbkye3loo5irGHuPMnHOc9GaE9yEpenTkyoaN-TzOYWrII3NhIyymejyxPpfWCqYRsT9fPHO4Czl0U552beGPlPR3fTq7ONgt/s3866/Peregrine%202.%202.2.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="3866" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51WMre_-gS2hVIliigAp0yHaWWIIk6kX3ogo1roG5JA_IXTnSDSmScbdOKmseb26ick2XjW4ZzxJWPhSeVoXo0B2x_QLpbkye3loo5irGHuPMnHOc9GaE9yEpenTkyoaN-TzOYWrII3NhIyymejyxPpfWCqYRsT9fPHO4Czl0U552beGPlPR3fTq7ONgt/w400-h291/Peregrine%202.%202.2.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast isn't looking great for the next ten days or so, and I seem to be saying that all the time just recently, but I'm sure there will be a window or two to get out and about.</div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-74666646259199153772024-01-21T16:23:00.003+01:002024-01-22T18:43:41.898+01:00Gulls<div style="text-align: left;">On Friday, Gail and I took part in the Winter Gull Survey (WinGS), as organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). WinGS is a long running monitoring programme which has taken place approximately every ten years since 1953, however there has been a gap of nearly twenty years since the last survey, so this latest survey is much-needed. The project's overarching aim is to provide robust information on the numbers and distributions of wintering gulls, many of which are of conservation concern, and appear on either the Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC) Red or Amber list. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite4eqWdEGiIEgSLS7EhXAFXAzRkiJ69M0fEo1iC6MiQj5Yox4Hh7mcXtGJulE7rptW7sXutfn694T3F9NQi4blgriWw5DwrMq8WqNTp4jzyyMsTU-N275U8RghYj8esGEUFhTWqCWJX54hzZoJ-shDvU95BTx_bI8WMpkHNlUX9onWcpc-ica_IQjkUDY/s3648/Herring%20Gulls%202.%2030.10.10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite4eqWdEGiIEgSLS7EhXAFXAzRkiJ69M0fEo1iC6MiQj5Yox4Hh7mcXtGJulE7rptW7sXutfn694T3F9NQi4blgriWw5DwrMq8WqNTp4jzyyMsTU-N275U8RghYj8esGEUFhTWqCWJX54hzZoJ-shDvU95BTx_bI8WMpkHNlUX9onWcpc-ica_IQjkUDY/w400-h300/Herring%20Gulls%202.%2030.10.10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Herring Gulls, but obviously not from Friday's Gull survey</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The key count date for the survey is today, 21st January, but counts can be completed a week either side of this date. Gail and I opted to do our survey overlooking the Wyre estuary on Friday, 19th January, as the forecast for the weekend, particularly today was awful. And as I type, we have heavy rain with gale force south-westerly winds. I'm glad we completed the survey on Friday! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKwnIOMyV_H7TUWI1a1bNYNIwoCWIIgYF1zeUSp0dXexW4dO2jG_p-X5LRNoePS_htlPgP3_JC0RaFVus0hY4DwKgVc1mfbOj1op5UvKNJJdla4YQn-bFtIA7rUnMOD2eJAzcX_G6IXfI8EmUFPrdqiZqQUVLbBspaE5G2W3fggp-386Ui9OMy8Q3bA83/s4608/Wyre%20Estuary.%2021.1.24.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKwnIOMyV_H7TUWI1a1bNYNIwoCWIIgYF1zeUSp0dXexW4dO2jG_p-X5LRNoePS_htlPgP3_JC0RaFVus0hY4DwKgVc1mfbOj1op5UvKNJJdla4YQn-bFtIA7rUnMOD2eJAzcX_G6IXfI8EmUFPrdqiZqQUVLbBspaE5G2W3fggp-386Ui9OMy8Q3bA83/w400-h300/Wyre%20Estuary.%2021.1.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The view from our vantage point</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'll jump straight to the results, and tell you that we recorded 51 <b>Black-headed Gulls</b>, 2 <b>Common Gulls</b>, 10 <b>Great Black-backed Gulls</b>, 1,029 <b>Herring Gulls</b> and 1 <b>Lesser Black-backed Gull</b>. During the survey we had 6 oktas cloud cover, with a 20 - 25 mph WSW wind. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Luckily, we could shelter from the wind at the base of Fleetwood's Lower Lighthouse, affording us great views over the Wyre estuary. We surveyed from 1430 until 1640, and it was the last three quarters of an hour or so, where we had the most Gull action. Gulls, mainly Herring Gulls as you can see from our results above, were arriving on flight-lines and roosting on the sea out in the mouth of the estuary. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">However, there were far more Gulls roosting at three different locations that we could see from our vantage point, but these were well beyond the boundaries of our survey area. Thousands of Gulls were roosting at these three locations; King Scar Island, Cocker's Dyke and off Fluke Hall. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">King Scar Island, is a shingle island that has formed to the northwest of the Wyre Estuary, 3.8 km NW of our VP, probably since the date of the last WinGS. Looking west from our VP we could see streams of Gulls flying out to King Scar Island to roost, and the shingle ridge was covered in thousands of roosting Gulls. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The two other large roosts were to the east of us, out on the expanse of mud and saltmarsh, at a distance of 3.4 km (Cocker's Dyke) and 5.3 km (off Fluke Hall), and again, well beyond our survey area. Just like King Scar, thousands of Gulls were involved, and I understand that somebody will be counting at Cocker's Dyke tomorrow. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We had an enjoyable couple of hours, and besides the Gulls we had a few bits and pieces. As we were busy counting Gulls, we did not count the huge number of <b>Oystercatchers</b> on Great Knott on the other side of the estuary from us, but there were a lot! Other wader species included <b>Redshank</b>, <b>Turnstone</b>, <b>Curlew</b>, <b>Dunlin</b>, <b>Sanderling</b> and <b>Grey Plover</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the mouth of the estuary, were four <b>Red-breasted Mergansers</b>, six <b>Eiders</b> and a <b>Guillemot</b>. The Guillemot was closely attended by two 2nd winter Great Black-backed Gulls, and was acting particularly menacing towards the Guillie. One individual Great Black-backed Gull made several attempts to attack the Guillemot, but the Guillie was a feisty little bird, and managed to fend off the attacks. As the Great Black-backed would hover over the Guillemot, the Guillie would rise out of the water, almost jumping in to the air, and strike at the Great Black-backed Gull. Eventually, the Gulls gave up, and flew-off, leaving the Guillie in peace. A female <b>Teal</b> flew out of the estuary and along the shore to our west, and as the tide was rising, 32 <b>Wigeons</b> headed upstream. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast is looking a bit mixed for the coming week, and if possible, we have a wintering bird survey to get in, but it's looking likely that it will be towards the end of the week, and we have to top-up at our feeding station as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On this day in 2007, I had a rare trip north, with my friend Graham J, to see a rare bird near Callander in Perthshire. The rare bird in question, was a male <b>Barrow's Goldeneye</b>, and we had good views of it, eventually, as it displayed to a group of five female <b>Common Goldeneyes</b>. In addition to the Barrow's Goldeneye, we also had a few other good birds as well, including two <b>Dippers</b>, five <b>Siskins</b>, three <b>Bewick's Swans</b>, a female <b>Goshawk</b>, two <b>Common Redpolls</b>, a <b>Red Kite</b> and two <b>Common Crossbills</b>. Not bad for a few hours winter birding. <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-68150659193128561752024-01-17T12:47:00.002+01:002024-01-17T12:47:26.947+01:00Before The Snow<div style="text-align: left;">Down here on the Fylde we had some snow this morning. There is nothing significant about that, but it is useful as a demarcation as far as the blog is concerned in terms of the period covered by this post. As is usual for this part of Lancashire, the snow had virtually disappeared nearly as soon as it had settled! We are back to the windy, wet stuff now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Just about a week ago today, Gail and I were on the south side of the Ribble carrying out the first January visit at our wintering bird survey site. We had clear skies, with a light to moderate east-northeasterly wind, a ground frost, and it was quiet. With high pressure settled over the UK for a few days now, it has been pleasant to be out under the cold, wintery sun, but birds have been thin on the ground. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">At this time of year, the post-dawn movement of birds leaving their overnight roosts is very much kept to a minimum. We didn't have any <b>Whooper Swans </b>flying over this morning, but we did have a group of 46 feeding in a field to the north of our survey site. Along the edge of the dyke that forms the northern boundary of our site, we had a pair of <b>Stonechats</b>, and they were new in for the winter. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GC_16-r2_polZL9bFLpP-WBtWOPuMesq3bZvWGqogCC5g-16RhBo-vBZpBL4uJcz867igzkBru8G4jIcMm1QSIP3UxqIH0Cs92TYrzcvFOoMQ3jXjCXSC3HAsr4FAzZIQkcWEshqLUowlEq_5bleZy6bv-FIfeYWGn_hn_aMur_7yRB2q6zdIrIDrMCz/s4608/Stonechat%206.%2023.11.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GC_16-r2_polZL9bFLpP-WBtWOPuMesq3bZvWGqogCC5g-16RhBo-vBZpBL4uJcz867igzkBru8G4jIcMm1QSIP3UxqIH0Cs92TYrzcvFOoMQ3jXjCXSC3HAsr4FAzZIQkcWEshqLUowlEq_5bleZy6bv-FIfeYWGn_hn_aMur_7yRB2q6zdIrIDrMCz/w400-h300/Stonechat%206.%2023.11.18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stonechat (male above & female below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggz1-ZIbpUsLFVZTDvBv1QgGFg527FQaNaJ_zpZBp8OcHqdZJaFHHD43DMq81OjtHA2Tih3q5NVG8w-uOk6UnGCVLGaSywfasor3n4s3HW7W1XGlN5Gi-C_tm6R2d-IYhV4aZJdoi7pfg3HQsXjbk9QxJz34xI0hxcj8FU8nBFzSd40ShkheRC2LxnJOUa/s4608/Stonechat%20female%202.%2023.11.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggz1-ZIbpUsLFVZTDvBv1QgGFg527FQaNaJ_zpZBp8OcHqdZJaFHHD43DMq81OjtHA2Tih3q5NVG8w-uOk6UnGCVLGaSywfasor3n4s3HW7W1XGlN5Gi-C_tm6R2d-IYhV4aZJdoi7pfg3HQsXjbk9QxJz34xI0hxcj8FU8nBFzSd40ShkheRC2LxnJOUa/w400-h300/Stonechat%20female%202.%2023.11.18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We follow our VP watch, by walking a transect, and on our return leg we came across a <b>Starling</b> singing his heart out from on top of a telegraph pole, and he was throwing a few other species into his repertoire. His song included elements of Blackbird, House Sparrow and Oystercatcher, and it was a pleasure to listen to him for a few minutes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The cabbage field, that forms the main part of our survey area, had a few passerines feeding between the rows of rotting veg, and included 60 <b>Skylarks</b>, nine <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, 46 <b>Pied Wagtails</b>, 14 <b>Linnets</b> and a <b>Grey Wagtail</b>. A walk around the perimeter of this field added five <b>Brown Hares</b> and we also put up three <b>Snipe</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Interestingly, we didn't observe any geese this morning, but we did have eight <b>Fieldfares</b>, 40 <b>Lapwings</b> and two <b>Little Egrets</b> over.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">At weekend we had a ringing session at the feeding station on our good friend's farm near Nateby, and we ringed 38 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets): </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 4 (6)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tree Sparrow - 7</div><div style="text-align: left;">Siskin - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldfinch - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Robin - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 11 (7)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Chaffinch - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Chiffchaff - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 7</div><div style="text-align: left;">Nuthatch - 1 </div><div style="text-align: left;">Dunnock - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Treecreeper - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWz8FUOuGPMXrw1oQDQjVcO_RshYTxY5YZsGI1BZDpSMYAEqjj2zDWCCsb7Ym04FL5iifnuVYP8m6ED4CL1WTQfiq5JsnH70WgsmS-ioR6_lHzhWRlzIHozFnpipG3rtm-jHDWwEde9AQlLfgveW4y1zA_C6_MhiSFtIz-p_Vt1QyeuNnepFwSp9b04Mdx/s4038/Siskin%201.%2016.1.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="4038" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWz8FUOuGPMXrw1oQDQjVcO_RshYTxY5YZsGI1BZDpSMYAEqjj2zDWCCsb7Ym04FL5iifnuVYP8m6ED4CL1WTQfiq5JsnH70WgsmS-ioR6_lHzhWRlzIHozFnpipG3rtm-jHDWwEde9AQlLfgveW4y1zA_C6_MhiSFtIz-p_Vt1QyeuNnepFwSp9b04Mdx/w400-h289/Siskin%201.%2016.1.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Siskin</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ajo9yGyBLI21DPbXfGmylK__EmAZIRhsAtEgh_MC1Hdf6GIVj_p6twTlW2eglVcw_cTcPQc4GKf54UDl2YF6NEZzL4Glh68joicgOtbke58qpi2d1uubOQbrMZka_DcbdO4Ec4jxL6orbJsE74dWmxZi4J6v71UWWJlQhkUy-T1BWzxmFz6Mkmgr6DhG/s4397/Chiffchaff.%2016.1.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3148" data-original-width="4397" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Ajo9yGyBLI21DPbXfGmylK__EmAZIRhsAtEgh_MC1Hdf6GIVj_p6twTlW2eglVcw_cTcPQc4GKf54UDl2YF6NEZzL4Glh68joicgOtbke58qpi2d1uubOQbrMZka_DcbdO4Ec4jxL6orbJsE74dWmxZi4J6v71UWWJlQhkUy-T1BWzxmFz6Mkmgr6DhG/w400-h286/Chiffchaff.%2016.1.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Chiffchaff<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Both<b> Chiffchaff</b> and <b>Siskin</b> were new ringing records for the site, and I think that the Chiffie was the first that I have ever ringed in January. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of days ago, we were back down by the Quay and on the Wyre estuary. It wasn't forecast to rain, but we had to shelter in the car for five minutes until the rain stopped! The tide was running in as we set off, and when we were back at the Quay just over an hour later, most of the mud was covered. The tide pushed any wildfowl out of the creeks, and pushed the waders on to ever diminishing areas where they could feed, and we had 105<b> Redshanks</b>, ten <b>Mallards</b>, 23 <b>Teal</b>, three <b>Black-tailed Godwits</b>, a <b>Curlew</b>, 21 <b>Wigeon</b> (plus 77 'high' downstream) and 4 <b>Knot</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A male <b>Peregrine</b> was good to see, and we had a Siskin over, so perhaps the cold weather is moving a few of them around. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We have got our Winter Gull Survey (WinGS) to do this weekend, and at the moment it is forecast to be wet and windy. Fingers crossed that it will improve before then, but there is some shelter to keep us out of the rain where we propose to count from. I'll let you know how we get on. </div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-50664563771212060202024-01-08T21:17:00.002+01:002024-01-08T21:17:25.142+01:00Kicking The Year Off<div style="text-align: left;">I don't celebrate new year, and in fact most years Gail and I are in the land of nod well before midnight. There are two dates, or times in the year, that are important to me, and these are the two solstices. For me, the winter solstice is the new year, and our ancestors thought the same. They are a fundamental part of the natural rhythm of the seasons, and not some date constructed and imposed upon us. Being connected to nature, and being in tune with the changing of the seasons is all that matters, as far as I am concerned, and we try to live by the seasonal changes in the natural world. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Having said all that, I am writing a blog post with a title <i>Kicking The Year Off, </i>which hints that I might be looking at our forays into the natural world at the start of the year, and I suppose that is true. It is very hard not to get carried along by modern life, and it isn't easy to stop the world and get off. We do try!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I know I don't really need to tell you this, but the weather through December has been awful, with prolonged periods of wind and heavy rain, and thwarting any meaningful attempts to get out in the field. So, as far as December is concerned, I don't have anything else to add since my last post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">If I kept a year list, and I don't, nor am I criticising anybody that does, it is each to their own, but I would have started the year with a species that I don't normally see on the 1st January, and that is a <b>Barn Owl</b>. On New Year's day, we were taking our Grandson, Alex, home. It was just coming dark, and as we headed along a lane close to home with a wide grass verge, backed by a mature Hawthorn hedge, a Barn Owl came drifting along in the gloom. I love the buoyant flight of a Barn Owl, constantly lifting and dropping, and almost looking like it could get blown away on the merest whisper of a breeze. They are 'all head', or that's how they look to me, with those large eyes and facial discs, as if the rest of the body has been designed to carry that head, because that's where all the prey detecting kit is found. Superb!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We've had three walks from the Quay and down the Wyre Estuary since the start of the year, making the most of the cold, calm, frosty weather we have at the moment. In fact, we have signed up for the British Trust for Ornithology's (BTO) Winter Gull Survey (WinGS), as the Wyre Estuary site forms part of this local patch of ours. So, on 21st January, for a couple of hours leading up to dusk, we will be counting all the Gull species flying downstream to the estuary to roost. We are really looking forward to it. Gail is going to design a recording sheet to take into the field, so I can shout out the numbers and species of Gulls as they fly past, and she can quickly enter them onto the sheet. Team work. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiARKTICxLYEccJQFYr-xglGY0C6Qlc0X7rQqzSmae_igUliuvJTE-R0Ml3ZqpZC7CtDhxZKSMd_Xw1FYOGcaJRKnj2xQQv2WQeXxqMZPpjtfFH7mEcB8AeotenJCxQulBFV0irb6e-hSS3RqeXU-a88gTZL5ocW30l3nfkANAbDF0rG1XHY61Pa-glYV/s4608/Wyre%20Estuary%204.%207.1.24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiARKTICxLYEccJQFYr-xglGY0C6Qlc0X7rQqzSmae_igUliuvJTE-R0Ml3ZqpZC7CtDhxZKSMd_Xw1FYOGcaJRKnj2xQQv2WQeXxqMZPpjtfFH7mEcB8AeotenJCxQulBFV0irb6e-hSS3RqeXU-a88gTZL5ocW30l3nfkANAbDF0rG1XHY61Pa-glYV/w400-h300/Wyre%20Estuary%204.%207.1.24.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Wyre estuary</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our first walk along the Quay was on 4th January, and we encountered the over-wintering <b>Common Sandpiper </b>close to the boats in the Quay itself. In fact, a <b>Chiffchaff </b>further along gave it more of an early spring-like feel. I'm feeling a sense of Deja vu as I write this, because I know I have said that before. We are just carrying on it would seem, where early December left off. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUOe67HN1QJlSSudaiG_bmW7N6t50giKTM_yhO-gaW6SrsdjpMAzJxsvhQ_SVBk80dkld9PJ-YgyX-By8lKV2iMRc1W4n7rotqtzFkFSDJ57-e1wpahFFaRicaxmDUqYBeJQEOV-OiGjXpJOGQRJoAcc4p-dm1jKj0wW8tB-tdp_kFi40mVAO2Fg4gXr-/s4608/Chiffchaff%201.%203.12.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUOe67HN1QJlSSudaiG_bmW7N6t50giKTM_yhO-gaW6SrsdjpMAzJxsvhQ_SVBk80dkld9PJ-YgyX-By8lKV2iMRc1W4n7rotqtzFkFSDJ57-e1wpahFFaRicaxmDUqYBeJQEOV-OiGjXpJOGQRJoAcc4p-dm1jKj0wW8tB-tdp_kFi40mVAO2Fg4gXr-/w400-h300/Chiffchaff%201.%203.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chiffchaff</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few wildfowl were in the channels, namely 22 <b>Mallards</b>, six <b>Teal </b>and 58 <b>Wigeon</b>. That's the birds taken care of, the only other thing I will mention is that we found some <b>Ragwort </b>and <b>Smooth Sow-thistle</b> in flower. It was our intention to take part in the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland's (BSBI) New Year Plant Hunt, but the weather was absolutely appalling on the survey dates, so it was impossible for us to take part. Maybe next year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUUlOlG64zKI1dUbjWyjr570oxxlSy11bYpVeJ_Qj93cYu_Z3U1FZgQuKeJkGTPDBhiVdftlTK_F7W60MBZyrB1ttNe5hZRxNrRMH2IvabEFk5LoY0xE_eT1jjdKjjej4mDZDNEttgSimO4FVhcBAIPTw2qgbKwT2OMrD7c4hOfdcced3easKuZMdurl_/s4608/Wigeon%201.%203.12.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUUlOlG64zKI1dUbjWyjr570oxxlSy11bYpVeJ_Qj93cYu_Z3U1FZgQuKeJkGTPDBhiVdftlTK_F7W60MBZyrB1ttNe5hZRxNrRMH2IvabEFk5LoY0xE_eT1jjdKjjej4mDZDNEttgSimO4FVhcBAIPTw2qgbKwT2OMrD7c4hOfdcced3easKuZMdurl_/w400-h300/Wigeon%201.%203.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wigeon</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were back at the Quay the following day and both the Common Sand and the Chiffie were still in residence. Wildfowl numbers were similar with 20 Mallards, two Teal and 46 Wigeon, but there were a few more waders with 52 <b>Redshanks</b> and eight <b>Oystercatchers</b>. Out in the mouth of the estuary on the muscle beds of Great Knott, Oystercatchers here numbered at least 900. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">On 6th January, under clear skies with no wind, we were at our friend's farm near Nateby for a ringing session at the feeding station. We were fairly busy, so birds recorded whilst we were walking back and forth to the net, extracting birds, ringing them etc were limited, but we did have twelve <b>Redwings</b>, 20 <b>Tree Sparrows</b>, a <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b>, two <b>Fieldfares</b> and a <b>Raven</b>. All this was to the soundscape from the wetland of calling Teal and Wigeon. A few days earlier, when we had called to top the feeders up, there were at least 40 - 50 Wigeon and about 300 Teal on the wetland.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We ringed 25 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Chaffinch - 4</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tree Sparrow - 9</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 3 (5)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 9 (8)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Coal Tit - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Nuthatch - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Dunnock - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIrbUrkyJPX9SMV2Jrn2V8txuqKPIl4JTokCguoI8vLXyZFSLfcA_xbBVcD06hOrBrD3jGcq0e7AiUph3a0SPj8v-Wmqmf7b-mMdqwFBglVcbJT2crTpKcm3qls_VGx-fC3bKFpoaX1rQ1OCbjw8Bg_S1AXSBZmaUHS9iecQypWWX-fXYErNPg8dgJ2yk/s4000/Tree%20Sparrow.%205.11.08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIrbUrkyJPX9SMV2Jrn2V8txuqKPIl4JTokCguoI8vLXyZFSLfcA_xbBVcD06hOrBrD3jGcq0e7AiUph3a0SPj8v-Wmqmf7b-mMdqwFBglVcbJT2crTpKcm3qls_VGx-fC3bKFpoaX1rQ1OCbjw8Bg_S1AXSBZmaUHS9iecQypWWX-fXYErNPg8dgJ2yk/w400-h300/Tree%20Sparrow.%205.11.08.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tree Sparrow</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We have got a busy week coming up, but hopefully we'll be back at the feeding station next weekend for another ringing session. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Our final recent walk along from the Quay was yesterday, and we had a few more waders. High tide was at about 0730, and we got there at about 1000. The tides at the moment are very low, just over 7 metres, so all of the mud in the Quay doesn't get covered. There were 55 <b>Black-tailed Godwits</b>, 332 Redshanks (Quay & estuary), seven Oystercatchers, 40 <b>Golden Plovers</b> (flying downstream), six <b>Dunlin </b>and six <b>Knot</b>, which are always good to see feeding in the Quay. Out on Great Knott, we estimated that there were somewhere in the region of 1,300 Oystercatchers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Nothing out of the ordinary, but it was grand to be out stretching our legs in the sunshine. We've got a wintering bird survey on the other side of the Ribble tomorrow, so we are looking forward to that, but it will be a cold one!</div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-77771502456729781432023-12-21T12:05:00.000+01:002023-12-21T12:05:04.735+01:00A Sad End<div style="text-align: left;">We received notification recently, that one of our Redwings had been recovered in Spain. I ringed <b>Redwing</b> RL06461 at the Nature Park on 14th November 2021, and I aged it as a 1st calendar year bird, so sometime during the summer of 2021 it hatched somewhere in Scandinavia, but of course we don't know where. When I caught it for ringing on 14th November, it would almost certainly have not reached its wintering area, as I caught it with another 22 Redwings, two Song Thrushes and a Fieldfare, just as it was getting light, and these birds were on the move. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5696RjxMzeTC9cLwulqhzCSVoMFV_I-0sTOaT4-mE1Os6MTl3EE4eAwlY7BEcB1QRVOojNSNnOIluWlmQGDC5QdHoae4w8tNxw_7p1khukuQ9eVGNwwKHnO0Q8D1XZ1X31sYh1EycjJfhmVewbiHJsW8zmgLcaeZJZCwa-7REvePbFCwCiYcuXm3hRkb/s4128/Redwing.%2031.10.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5696RjxMzeTC9cLwulqhzCSVoMFV_I-0sTOaT4-mE1Os6MTl3EE4eAwlY7BEcB1QRVOojNSNnOIluWlmQGDC5QdHoae4w8tNxw_7p1khukuQ9eVGNwwKHnO0Q8D1XZ1X31sYh1EycjJfhmVewbiHJsW8zmgLcaeZJZCwa-7REvePbFCwCiYcuXm3hRkb/w400-h300/Redwing.%2031.10.17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Redwing, but not RL06461</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Where this gorgeous bird was in 2022, we do not know, but what we do know, is that in the spring of 2022 it would have crossed the North Sea and returned to Scandinavia, back to where it hatched, and probably paired up with another Redwing, and hopefully successfully reared some chicks. In the autumn of that year, it would have left Scandinavia, and headed further south and west to winter in a milder area of Europe. Redwings show poor winter site fidelity, and can winter in different countries from year to year. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It would have made another return journey to Scandinavia in the spring of 2023 from its wintering area, and hopefully it would have reared another brood of chicks from some swampy ground, in an area of birch or mixed woodland, perhaps with pines and spruces, or in some birch scrub, with dwarf willow and juniper. And again, in the autumn it would have set off south. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">On the 2nd November 2023, RL06461 was in Gaintza in northern Spain, 1,208 km south of where I had the pleasure of encountering it at the Nature Park. On this day, it was to meet a sad end, because instead of encountering an individual with a passion for the natural world, it encountered a f*ckwit with half a brain cell and a shot-gun, who decided that for a giggle they would shoot this delightful thrush. It was probably shot that day in the company of hundreds of other Redwings, Fieldfares and Song Thrushes, not dissimilar to the morning when our paths crossed two years ago, when I had the privilege of handling this Norse wanderer, and spending a couple of minutes in its company. This beautiful Redwing weighing just 58 grams was shot just for fun, not for food, and by somebody who would probably cite 'tradition' for their motivation, when in reality, their motivation is a joy in killing. What a sad world we live in, where our beleaguered wildlife needs all the help it can get, and not obliteration by some twisted individuals.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoe-eVBTXZIzEX3Wzh9rhm5u7o4nCryALEQ7dSRBlTHkg0Pc7EmLC6h3lYft3RtWi6Q3b6uMKdJv-mQUoK5rJlWQAtF-r1wbHP8Lk6qAxABLw0SFFqcVzylzX71gLh5G_zq3u1oXG6euMqswY-gnx8TG8sfPieyODkRre1naanD_yBVwsuazSKO4a2KmW/s1570/Redwing%20RL06461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1570" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoe-eVBTXZIzEX3Wzh9rhm5u7o4nCryALEQ7dSRBlTHkg0Pc7EmLC6h3lYft3RtWi6Q3b6uMKdJv-mQUoK5rJlWQAtF-r1wbHP8Lk6qAxABLw0SFFqcVzylzX71gLh5G_zq3u1oXG6euMqswY-gnx8TG8sfPieyODkRre1naanD_yBVwsuazSKO4a2KmW/w400-h240/Redwing%20RL06461.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The fateful journey of Redwing RL06461</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A week ago, Gail and I were back at our wintering bird survey site, and it was a fairly quiet morning. It was clear and cold, but not frosty, with the northerly wind, and we did our VP sheltering behind the car. The cabbage field still holds a number of birds including 44 <b>Skylarks</b>, 49 <b>Linnets</b>, 69 <b>Woodpigeons</b>, 34 <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, a <b>Grey Wagtail</b> and 14 <b>Pied Wagtails</b>. Walking around this field after our VP, we also flushed two <b>Snipe</b> from a ditch. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Thrushes were once again thin on the ground, and we only had twenty<b> Fieldfares</b>, seven Redwings and a male <b>Blackbird</b>. Just to the north of 'our', field was a flock of 417 <b>Canada Geese</b> that left the field in dribs and drabs for about three quarters of an hour after first light. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLo0BxLdBxXeIEjAuUz4V5AQDkvXaYY5d2A7BWHg8azC8Y65lxxwoGeVN8pPn3BA7ufvQW4Q13goTMVpXl3rkzoKlwpCoUlWhzndGHyrtzYmrTRwb8S0YiRIRFUmnr14XZ0sXxgYYcQ250Y7JxotLNPcUbad6MFWk3tCDf7Gb4gQ79_bA5zNfGJ4CA_tzJ/s4076/Fieldfare%2027.%2013.3.22.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3085" data-original-width="4076" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLo0BxLdBxXeIEjAuUz4V5AQDkvXaYY5d2A7BWHg8azC8Y65lxxwoGeVN8pPn3BA7ufvQW4Q13goTMVpXl3rkzoKlwpCoUlWhzndGHyrtzYmrTRwb8S0YiRIRFUmnr14XZ0sXxgYYcQ250Y7JxotLNPcUbad6MFWk3tCDf7Gb4gQ79_bA5zNfGJ4CA_tzJ/w400-h303/Fieldfare%2027.%2013.3.22.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fieldfare</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our transect revealed little else other than two <b>Tree Sparrows</b>, a <b>Little Egret</b>, 14 <b>Lapwings</b>, five <b>Whooper Swans</b>, two<b> Stock Doves</b> and 110 <b>Pink-footed Geese</b>. On the way home we called at the feeding station to top the feeders up, and again our two big 20 kg feeders were virtually empty. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We have had a couple of walks along the Wyre estuary from the Quay these past few days, but it has been fairly quiet. We had the usual numbers of waders, with 97 <b>Redshanks</b>, 62 <b>Oystercatchers</b> and a single <b>Dunlin</b>. Wildfowl included 16 <b>Teal</b>, eleven <b>Mallards</b> and 40 <b>Wigeon</b>. The only raptor we recorded was a <b>Sparrowhawk</b> crossing the river, and<b> Twite</b> numbers had increased to sixteen, and ten <b>Long-tailed Tits</b> were in what we call the Buddleia scrub on the old ferry car park. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We've had a few more trips to our feeding station, and again there's lots of birds visiting based on the fact that the 'big feeders' are emptying quickly. Wildfowl have now returned to the wetland, and there was at least 200 Teal, 30 Wigeon and ten <b>Shovelers</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I purchased another piece of artwork this week, in fact it arrived yesterday, from uber talented Orkney artist Tim Wootton. You can see below the beautiful painting of a Ringed Plover, and I think it is superb. So, thank you Tim.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANWhr6zTMUyaY0aM1lxYqjMqBzj1rzERXrbrWuZwbkj7YtoPNbvC8zztfPFtKJkG7FKK0nKM-xytS2ainOqSjs8h1glXR-IBeUn03htlsFiAtU_ektNYIoV04rCWmLoCHV4W-66efBlq_EkHZPYFaxZ4cffC4qLPorv6W1_xLkkPSKB5YpimIktRMk8hF/s3535/Ringed%20Plover.%2021.12.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2471" data-original-width="3535" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANWhr6zTMUyaY0aM1lxYqjMqBzj1rzERXrbrWuZwbkj7YtoPNbvC8zztfPFtKJkG7FKK0nKM-xytS2ainOqSjs8h1glXR-IBeUn03htlsFiAtU_ektNYIoV04rCWmLoCHV4W-66efBlq_EkHZPYFaxZ4cffC4qLPorv6W1_xLkkPSKB5YpimIktRMk8hF/w400-h280/Ringed%20Plover.%2021.12.23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">How good is this Ringed Plover?</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">It just remains for me to wish you Solstice Greetings, and we can all celebrate the return of the sun! <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-19046364922372122232023-12-08T21:09:00.006+01:002023-12-21T16:01:17.733+01:00Raptors<div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I had two intimate and amazing encounters with two species of raptor this week. First up, was a stonking male <b>Merlin</b> when we were out completing a wintering bird survey on Wednesday, at our survey site south of the Ribble Marshes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were stood at our vantage point, on a cold and crisp morning, when I picked up a male Merlin coming in from our left. The field that we overlook is full of cabbages, and these cabbages are more than a bit rotten now! I think the combination of rotten plant material, plus it being a weedy crop, is creating a good seed and invertebrate food source for a number of passerines. In the field on this morning were 25 <b>Skylarks</b>, 34 <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, a <b>Grey Wagtail</b>, 30 <b>Linnets</b> and seven <b>Pied Wagtails</b>, at least.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">As the Merlin flew over the field, no more than fifteen metres from us, it was flushing these birds left, right and centre. Whether that was the hunting technique that it was employing, or whether it was pure chance, these birds were being flushed by the Merlin, and this was his opportunity for some breakfast.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">He would climb high into the sky, and then turn, flipping over (a stall turn I would have called it in my brief flying days) and then dive towards the ground, pulling up at the last moment to see if he could flush any birds. He did flush some birds, but only gave a half-hearted chase, and then he would climb, and try again. This seemed to go on for quite some time, but in reality, it was probably only for about two minutes. Gail and I just stood there in awe, with our mouths wide open watching the amazing spectacle in front of us. He then headed back west from the direction he came. Stupendous! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I didn't get any pictures I'm afraid, mainly because I was enjoying the show, and he was too fast! I did try and get some video footage, but it was useless. The picture below is of a Merlin chick from a brood of three, that I had the pleasure of ringing with a dear friend of mine, sadly no longer with us, fourteen years ago. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgwndXZ-3WpLvacF9Z9hKBEEGzFUnwPl6i407Bc_zgarcmMYS4RA1OUsSblqxwl9rNMpEzoavo_lbX4sRdeul10HZbFnkBqv7Hc8915RMEjhqTOCCl2BVfO3L7f9ne_yuSAQbRhFES_CogwM57HGtLWMic5wvbj0MCyMwpl4AUXkrbGS2IkiT-X3Keo3fa/s4000/Merlin%201.%202009.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgwndXZ-3WpLvacF9Z9hKBEEGzFUnwPl6i407Bc_zgarcmMYS4RA1OUsSblqxwl9rNMpEzoavo_lbX4sRdeul10HZbFnkBqv7Hc8915RMEjhqTOCCl2BVfO3L7f9ne_yuSAQbRhFES_CogwM57HGtLWMic5wvbj0MCyMwpl4AUXkrbGS2IkiT-X3Keo3fa/w400-h300/Merlin%201.%202009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">A gorgeous Merlin chick</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Raptor number two, was a female <b>Sparrowhawk</b> in our back garden this afternoon. Gail and I had just finished a late lunch, and I walked into the kitchen just before 2:00 p.m. and in the garden in front of the Hedgehog house, I could see a female Sparrowhawk devouring a pigeon sp. I shouted Gail, and she ran in to enjoy the rather gruesome spectacle. I think she had only just taken the pigeon, and for the next hour and fifteen minutes she fed on it continually. Watching her through our bins, we could see her crop getting bigger and bigger, as she was getting fuller and fuller!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">After this 75-minute marathon eating session, she eventually flew off, and I went out to have a look at the remains of the prey. I could see that it was a Woodpigeon that she had taken, and she had stripped the carcass to the bone. No wonder her crop was full. I had a look in my copy of Professor Ian Newton's book <i>The Sparrowhawk, </i>and he states that to cope with large meals, Sparrowhawks have a capacious crop, which in the female can hold up to 45g, with a further 10 g in the gizzard! And I suspect that she was full to capacity.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It was a dreich afternoon as we watched the Sparrowhawk, and the photograph below was taken through a grubby, rain splattered conservatory door, but you get the idea. What a fabulous encounter we had with two stonking species of raptor. By the way, if you like raptors I can thoroughly recommend Ian's book, it is absolutely fascinating, and Ian has a gift in being able to put across scientific work in a very readable, and enjoyable way. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwr5xxLgxvXV_pP-Dgx2F_ArkdtL_Nw6d7BRTp6_ItY_UFRV1ClVksNnOD4IIRKkSFzBWRLymr2ur1FBji1FY6Esy5YpOog5_gvpsOioxbl9cVlfbjYFM1H8Cvk1M1YfY2c9RjybjaPKx3yH6G4cIqDEGiUx84-igMBRb0thJKyBC7fzx5nUq_nClGa7M/s4608/Sparrowhawk%201.%208.12.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwr5xxLgxvXV_pP-Dgx2F_ArkdtL_Nw6d7BRTp6_ItY_UFRV1ClVksNnOD4IIRKkSFzBWRLymr2ur1FBji1FY6Esy5YpOog5_gvpsOioxbl9cVlfbjYFM1H8Cvk1M1YfY2c9RjybjaPKx3yH6G4cIqDEGiUx84-igMBRb0thJKyBC7fzx5nUq_nClGa7M/w400-h300/Sparrowhawk%201.%208.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Female Sparrowhawk devouring a Woodpigeon</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to the fabulous Merlin at our wintering bird survey site, we did have two <b>Kestrels</b>, but no other raptors. The cabbage field also attracted a <b>Redshank</b>, and I was surprised when I heard it calling, and dropping into the field. I watched it for a while through my scope, and it seemed to be finding plenty of food, so those rotting cabbages must have been attracting invertebrates, even on a cold December morning. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Another odd cabbage field encounter, was a <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker </b>that we had flying over and heading northwest. Where it was heading to, I'm not sure. A few <b>Whooper Swans</b> and <b>Pink-footed Geese</b> were moving around, and we even had a <b>Black Swan</b> fly past with two <b>Mute Swans</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I topped our feeding station up this morning, nothing to report really, other than there is obviously lots of birds using it as one of our 20 kg seed feeding bins had emptied since Saturday. The other 20 kg feeder was half empty, and as we expected, the two, six port, sunflower seed feeders were empty, but we suspect that they empty within a couple of days.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It is looking a bit windy and unsettled for the next few days, but it looks like improving conditions by the middle of next week. Fingers crossed for some more raptor encounters. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Over on the right you will see that I have updated the ringing totals for Fylde Ringing Group up until the end of November. Two new species for the year were ringed during November and these were Crossbill and Nuthatch. In fact, the four Crossbills that were ringed by Will at Oakenclough were a new species for the group. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Below you will find the Top 5 ringed for the month and the Top 10 'Movers & Shakers' for the year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Top 5 Ringed in November</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1.Chaffinch - 35</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Greenfinch - 27</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Blue Tit - 24</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Great Tit - 17</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Tree Sparrow - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Top 10 Movers and Shakers</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Goldfinch - 198 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Blue Tit - 140 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Chaffinch - 125 (up from 4th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Great Tit - 103 (up from 5th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Sand Martin - 101 (down from 3rd)</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Greenfinch - 79 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Meadow Pipit - 45 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Lesser Redpoll - 43 (up from 9th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">9. Linnet - 40 (down from 8th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">10. Redwing - 37 (straight in)<br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-51701197165792317732023-12-03T19:14:00.002+01:002023-12-03T19:14:30.304+01:00From Estuary to Feeding Station<div style="text-align: left;">In the past four days Gail and I have had two visits down to the Wyre estuary and Quay, and it has been cold. No snow for us, thankfully, but plenty of frost. Both our visits coincided with high tide, and during our second visit, the tide started to drop.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">When we had a walk along the Quay and estuary late Thursday morning, there was just a couple of small areas of mud remaining, and crammed in on these areas were fourteen <b>Oystercatchers</b>, 54 <b>Redshanks</b> and 51 <b>Black-tailed Godwits</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The high tide was pushing the wildfowl out of the saltmarsh vegetation, and they continued to feed, presumably on seeds floating in the water. We had twelve <b>Teal</b>, 26 <b>Mallards</b> and 46 <b>Wigeon</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngNjKUR3je1fIsbkufHIWdBBvMGojWOW_LyKznoAAhGEzOSOwJzkMLHojQP-rdD5e4bUQnbRGGGbA42xXNaD39MOUO5I2Tvzp3h-KX4e_rrBmvzxUvCieaI4Brzj3zBusJfmRA9zIPfKE7PagQQiy20nIyFj82GTx5c7zNhomqT0fi88Zw-M2-rDnqBO0/s4608/Wigeon.%203.12.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngNjKUR3je1fIsbkufHIWdBBvMGojWOW_LyKznoAAhGEzOSOwJzkMLHojQP-rdD5e4bUQnbRGGGbA42xXNaD39MOUO5I2Tvzp3h-KX4e_rrBmvzxUvCieaI4Brzj3zBusJfmRA9zIPfKE7PagQQiy20nIyFj82GTx5c7zNhomqT0fi88Zw-M2-rDnqBO0/w400-h300/Wigeon.%203.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wigeon</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were back the following day, but this time in the afternoon, and it was a gloriously bright, crisp afternoon, and the wind had dropped, making it feel quite pleasant in the sun.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The tide was fully in when we set off on our walk, and on the return leg it had started to fall. The saltmarsh vegetation was fully covered, and we had fewer wildfowl than yesterday, with twenty Mallards, two Teal and two <b>Shelducks</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiWunMLiQ3uvC51NoeGAfKsHSNvSwsK6CSeH-HsB3UCp9GgtqJ6_4e8JqYicfXe1qAtsLR0MuUaJwiVajVfwF488nb76bnUTvAxGca5JE_5iYiyc_Y1ywdjhaaSEUDoMOEO1D0yz6WqPWArdsP-CeKVsxdQNYZBLAqB3VpULEb-8ycDluS404s8XGof-7/s3989/Mallards.%203.12.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2959" data-original-width="3989" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiWunMLiQ3uvC51NoeGAfKsHSNvSwsK6CSeH-HsB3UCp9GgtqJ6_4e8JqYicfXe1qAtsLR0MuUaJwiVajVfwF488nb76bnUTvAxGca5JE_5iYiyc_Y1ywdjhaaSEUDoMOEO1D0yz6WqPWArdsP-CeKVsxdQNYZBLAqB3VpULEb-8ycDluS404s8XGof-7/w400-h296/Mallards.%203.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mallards</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">As we turned the corner from the Quay to the estuary, and started heading downstream, we had a new species for the year for the site, in the form of a group of five <b>Twites</b>. A number have been feeding all winter so far on the other side of the estuary, but these were the first on 'our' side. Always a pleasure to encounter. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSvw3J1Y4Fj_oyr85sv7wAV01bHInQIWYOctRkrLNYrJaeelhSmzrRlVqRTDBW3-f_uTES1ELDA0mPoTtXDDyRyHgZMZ2GIWiZUr0aih-YRpqIAb6yoPh82rkpi_UM-A9UMsX9RqajCcwVWvthF1Fsnk2kIMWgvyrm0eYwQqSmK9asY07MolGI5YS9zsB/s3451/Twite%201.%206.4.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2821" data-original-width="3451" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSvw3J1Y4Fj_oyr85sv7wAV01bHInQIWYOctRkrLNYrJaeelhSmzrRlVqRTDBW3-f_uTES1ELDA0mPoTtXDDyRyHgZMZ2GIWiZUr0aih-YRpqIAb6yoPh82rkpi_UM-A9UMsX9RqajCcwVWvthF1Fsnk2kIMWgvyrm0eYwQqSmK9asY07MolGI5YS9zsB/w400-h328/Twite%201.%206.4.19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Twite</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">From the scrub that has started to take over the old ferry car park, we could hear a <b>Chiffchaff</b> calling, and eventually it worked its way fairly close to us, so we could see it, as well as hear it. The Chiffie, combined with the <b>Common Sandpiper</b> that we had, made it seem more like an early March afternoon, rather than December!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhusFwLPFJYj4NXNhrb7u0uFuhFQZfigHLmUA_n3sFy4jRAcXH1iCCLLEKy8Hmv9zmnJKUup6paTMyBFTh6fUVl63RT3kn2E5p4LQmAPd35HPahImULTB2iUK1XSOLsI12S5ksWIIzCVEP0SXgHzcaQtuw1ndhKBSOUzLBvZWIUljd6rMkcZ6qO7ITEbN/s4608/Chiffchaff%201.%203.12.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhusFwLPFJYj4NXNhrb7u0uFuhFQZfigHLmUA_n3sFy4jRAcXH1iCCLLEKy8Hmv9zmnJKUup6paTMyBFTh6fUVl63RT3kn2E5p4LQmAPd35HPahImULTB2iUK1XSOLsI12S5ksWIIzCVEP0SXgHzcaQtuw1ndhKBSOUzLBvZWIUljd6rMkcZ6qO7ITEbN/w400-h300/Chiffchaff%201.%203.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chiffchaff</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">As the tide dropped, an area of mud appeared on the edge of the estuary where the channel runs into the docks, and a few waders dropped in. We sat and watched a lovely assortment of seven <b>Dunlins</b>, 37 Black-tailed Godwits, two <b>Curlews</b>, nineteen <b>Knot</b> and an Oystercatcher. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday, we had a ringing session at our farmland/woodland feeding station on our friend's farm, and it was another chilly one. We always start later in the morning at the feeding station to give the birds chance to feed before we start, and we only ever ring for a couple of hours, so there is plenty of time for the birds to feed after we have packed up. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We ringed 20 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Chaffinch - 2 (3)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 5 (8)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tree Sparrow - 4</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 4 (4)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Robin - 1 (1)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldfinch - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Dunnock - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 1 </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRGwvTvUwJ5lb4cRrU9HeElj2j4HHO8mAiSERU8EiJbpny_X3co4CV6nymVWccjdB9o8nQFquwGas5N3nseRLlwnNdyEmoeAasQNrSufqT4W_OwprlrBwxWqLbc0LghSMtK-DjxISqXaahTTs38Ci0IcOHX0cTxkDBHcmRazOIk_MjiVbn8t0AXzJqaTx/s4608/Goldfinch.%203.12.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRGwvTvUwJ5lb4cRrU9HeElj2j4HHO8mAiSERU8EiJbpny_X3co4CV6nymVWccjdB9o8nQFquwGas5N3nseRLlwnNdyEmoeAasQNrSufqT4W_OwprlrBwxWqLbc0LghSMtK-DjxISqXaahTTs38Ci0IcOHX0cTxkDBHcmRazOIk_MjiVbn8t0AXzJqaTx/w400-h300/Goldfinch.%203.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Goldfinch</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">From our ringing table base, we could see birds moving from the feeding station that our friends Robert and Diana have in their farmhouse garden, to our feeding station at the edge of some woodland, and in addition to the four <b>Tree Sparrows</b> ringed, there was at least twenty birds moving backwards and forwards. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Just after we had put the net up, we could see a <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b> perched up on a branch adjacent to one of the seed feeders, and attempting to extract some sunflower hearts from one of the ports. A few <b>Siskins</b> could be heard from around the feeding station, but none were seen. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We had very few winter thrushes, just two <b>Fieldfares</b> and singles of <b>Redwing </b>and <b>Mistle Thrush</b>. Next to where we had placed our ringing table, three <b>Moorhens </b>(below) were on the grass adjacent to a ditch, so I threw a few handfuls of seed out, and they came running in and had a good feed. Note to self; feed the Moorhens on subsequent visits. Two <b>Grey Herons</b>, 172 <b>Pink-footed Geese</b> and a <b>Goldcrest</b> all made it on to the pages of my notebook, but very little else. It was then time to retire to the warmth of our friend's farmhouse kitchen, where we were treated to a pot of steaming hot coffee, and bacon egg and barms! Thanks Robert and Diana. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy0e3Hpw5B9IlgCgPAzczTUePXGzxdUrDn4SLkIuiDltFPJKdE2y4SVxvCZ5Sn_Mb_dqh7ppxLtxsOMiYlQ9iArtdIegje5SZUyDiEJMFehZ5vizXL9GSSiGEB5lKioMMP7XF3YNfShDqyIIERl8BLtRu59HYcR4ZI9qavKbVMjIHmC6d3cYAeg0uWrdb/s4608/Moorhens.%203.12.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy0e3Hpw5B9IlgCgPAzczTUePXGzxdUrDn4SLkIuiDltFPJKdE2y4SVxvCZ5Sn_Mb_dqh7ppxLtxsOMiYlQ9iArtdIegje5SZUyDiEJMFehZ5vizXL9GSSiGEB5lKioMMP7XF3YNfShDqyIIERl8BLtRu59HYcR4ZI9qavKbVMjIHmC6d3cYAeg0uWrdb/w400-h300/Moorhens.%203.12.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-61255376589261582812023-11-26T21:11:00.006+01:002023-11-26T21:16:36.819+01:00Feeding Station Fortunes<div style="text-align: left;">Under beautiful clear, sunny skies, Gail and I had a ringing session at our feeding station yesterday morning, and ringed 77 birds. Before I get to our feeding station fortunes, I want to rewind to about ten days ago, when funnily enough we were at our feeding station!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We had called at our good friends Robert and Diana's farm, near Garstang, where we have our feeding station, to top the feeders up, something we will have to do at least twice a week between now and the end of March. The 'big green' feeders still had seed in, which is a good job as they hold 20 kg in each, so the feeding station was still holding lots of birds. We duly filled the feeders up, and then had a look on the wetland.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It was pleasing to note that wildfowl numbers had increased and we had 300 <b>Teal</b>, 20 <b>Shovelers</b> and 80 <b>Wigeon</b>. On a neighbouring farm, I could see a flock of 80 <b>Common Gulls</b> in a wet field, probably taking advantage of invertebrates brought to the surface by a higher water table. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of days later, Gail and I had a walk along the Wyre estuary from the Quay, under six oktas cloud cover, and a light south-westerly wind. The tide was out, and consequently very few waders were in the Quay, just eleven <b>Oystercatchers</b>, six <b>Redshanks</b> and a <b>Knot</b>, which is unusual here. When we got close to the mouth of the estuary, we could see on the mudflats on the east side of the estuary at least 400 Oystercatchers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A few wildfowl were on the river, and as we headed back upstream the tide was just starting to turn. We had 52 Wigeon, two<b> Eiders</b> (adult and imm. male) and 29 <b>Mallards</b>. The only other thing of interest we would add before we got back to the car was a couple of <b>Little Egrets</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zv5I3YcWDmpirl81ykZoyNrqdAMmsN2iOmjsmYL4a060adQTMmI_JgXZ-zvrsVjOUMpEgzxMBM-kZSnACXc_cewWbhPBgRdDnMZeRLx0rMj9AJaFWzJGCluNW3MiEiOYOjh4MpUexqIYOoCbj7f7bv-KiojYjewPxaYzqK5jVH3PPzhMFrA_wqE27pYG/s3934/Eider%203.%2022.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2891" data-original-width="3934" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zv5I3YcWDmpirl81ykZoyNrqdAMmsN2iOmjsmYL4a060adQTMmI_JgXZ-zvrsVjOUMpEgzxMBM-kZSnACXc_cewWbhPBgRdDnMZeRLx0rMj9AJaFWzJGCluNW3MiEiOYOjh4MpUexqIYOoCbj7f7bv-KiojYjewPxaYzqK5jVH3PPzhMFrA_wqE27pYG/w400-h294/Eider%203.%2022.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Eider</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The following afternoon we headed to the RSPB's Ribble Discovery Centre, as we wanted to buy a couple of their seed feeders for the garden. We already have two, but we wanted to be able to take the two feeders down to clean, put up two clean ones, and keep doing this on rotation. Now, the feeders that the RSPB sell are not the cheapest, but they are the best quality of any feeders that I have seen. Seed feeders purchased, plus a few Christmas cards, we decided to have a walk around the lake. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">To be honest, I didn't manage to fill the pages of my notebook with much, other than a <b>Goldcrest</b> with a flock of sixteen <b>Long-tailed Tits</b>, or perhaps the group of 37 <b>Black-headed Gulls</b> roosting out on the water. I photographed one of the Black-heads that was perched on a tyre acting as a fender, to keep boats away from the outflow, and when I had look at the image on my computer screen, I could see what looked like a crab holding on to the bird's belly! Have a look on the pictures below and see what you think. Click to enlarge. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAQ9Ih2o229QgZzS_e5gbHuqGy2oBhq5NKxOAACf2gecHjN6or5-AiUQRl6QIc_HydAW98fK4zwVICxRQSS7BgwWaXshkcmoq0WA1mMOCfpUO8mEXL_lVYG48PbcEJIrVxXVXsZsQRBw4iA0WdhotWYJ9rVS5a_NKj6gW2sYaSIONQOMxyTsA_A2pH4fP/s4200/Black-headed%20Gull%201.%2022.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4200" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAQ9Ih2o229QgZzS_e5gbHuqGy2oBhq5NKxOAACf2gecHjN6or5-AiUQRl6QIc_HydAW98fK4zwVICxRQSS7BgwWaXshkcmoq0WA1mMOCfpUO8mEXL_lVYG48PbcEJIrVxXVXsZsQRBw4iA0WdhotWYJ9rVS5a_NKj6gW2sYaSIONQOMxyTsA_A2pH4fP/w400-h291/Black-headed%20Gull%201.%2022.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Black-headed Gull and 'friend' (above & below).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRKaQliRV8BeHrVtyB0RMon9nFOTxHea8nPNZzLMzQFmDF8RoCiEvRogth7AvZIbRfkeZVfMVgWSRxtMLMRj6f9u0Qir63Xc-5nkgbCh-EOuKu6VgGGJtk-YaGFNUlUbl2t3JFyVMFWQX05Qmu_IxzcHl1Tx4GjTrew7WiGR1YAF1mOn3guO_1sioyH57/s3846/Black-headed%20Gull%202.%2022.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2813" data-original-width="3846" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRKaQliRV8BeHrVtyB0RMon9nFOTxHea8nPNZzLMzQFmDF8RoCiEvRogth7AvZIbRfkeZVfMVgWSRxtMLMRj6f9u0Qir63Xc-5nkgbCh-EOuKu6VgGGJtk-YaGFNUlUbl2t3JFyVMFWQX05Qmu_IxzcHl1Tx4GjTrew7WiGR1YAF1mOn3guO_1sioyH57/w400-h293/Black-headed%20Gull%202.%2022.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Earlier in the week, I headed up to my client's farm in Bowland to collect the trail cams that Gail and I had put out two weeks earlier. I have yet to go through footage caught on the cameras properly, but a quick flick through some of them is showing lots of footage of Roe Deers and Brown Hares, but I'll report more on this at a later date. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had a few birds as I drove round collecting the cameras, including a <b>Buzzard</b>, a <b>Kestrel</b>, two <b>Ravens</b>, and my first Little Egret for the site. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The following day we were back at the feeding station topping the feeders up again, and there seemed to be plenty of <b>Tree Sparrows</b>, <b>Chaffinches</b> and <b>Greenfinches</b> visiting the feeders. On the wetland the numbers of wildfowl had dropped, and we had 28 Shovelers (actually increased), 212 Teal and 31 Wigeon. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Friday morning, Gail and I completed the second November visit to our wintering bird survey site south of the Ribble, and it was cold, with a keen north-northwesterly wind, with four oktas cloud cover. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just beyond the field that is the main focus of our surveys, a flock of 151 <b>Canada Geese</b> were feeding from first light, and as the morning wore on, they left in small groups until they were all gone. We had some <b>Pink-footed Geese</b> over, 357, but it was the <b>Whooper Swans</b> that made the morning. Not particularly large numbers, 58 in total, but just the spectacle of these magnificent birds flying over us, some very close, with their evocative, bugling calls. Magical!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE8k8rynJtahnn12IojuRswT9xg8p98U4rakMGGERCNhG_dhmSjm2dOLJxDMfsp9m6Z0veqYwNREGlGe3RFOd80WV1IIhAZ-I2kU7BZMoMGDK96IsqeLf8LtWrPylStoC5VwSQGq1okjYDFQ8KVgkqlscAjIin2rpnkNXXdeW00K41jEaDLGVnarjKVF9/s4195/Pink-footed%20Geese.%2026.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3168" data-original-width="4195" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE8k8rynJtahnn12IojuRswT9xg8p98U4rakMGGERCNhG_dhmSjm2dOLJxDMfsp9m6Z0veqYwNREGlGe3RFOd80WV1IIhAZ-I2kU7BZMoMGDK96IsqeLf8LtWrPylStoC5VwSQGq1okjYDFQ8KVgkqlscAjIin2rpnkNXXdeW00K41jEaDLGVnarjKVF9/w400-h303/Pink-footed%20Geese.%2026.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pink-footed Geese</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qunlnZnq30m34i5sRgKNoc6cCVpXAKD9PIukI-Ahk4CC8YRVACr8yXhDXNioCueIF8Lk7y8TVWnjoFQhgH4YIzqRHr9O12MHdXSTE6Xhh7BkIrOpe1wTAg-o_Fy6iqGjAyRqY9yXAlcHEDRpq2UWhYFxEpjMDESv4Cprx2X285PoS4GiyV7kwgtsNEX-/s3937/Whooper%20Swans%201.%2026.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2861" data-original-width="3937" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qunlnZnq30m34i5sRgKNoc6cCVpXAKD9PIukI-Ahk4CC8YRVACr8yXhDXNioCueIF8Lk7y8TVWnjoFQhgH4YIzqRHr9O12MHdXSTE6Xhh7BkIrOpe1wTAg-o_Fy6iqGjAyRqY9yXAlcHEDRpq2UWhYFxEpjMDESv4Cprx2X285PoS4GiyV7kwgtsNEX-/w400-h291/Whooper%20Swans%201.%2026.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Whooper Swans (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvj1oLQ_7dvC_F6dxw83DjkPeJZZfpx4LojAwzzA8lHPtD_K0Fxq5rxKqgXwcpFHb3JKY6oK7FN9TQTNPd7y2SjYgjUwwIqBjjRtFw0zDQCB165uI0Ca0MN1tuRqo1_IkKGYsOtwfhzyKSOxohbdx8AN3JiMnJhLjLx2XXYhh8cGL5y6LdCG-pUcoK78z/s3718/Whooper%20Swans.%2026.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="3718" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvj1oLQ_7dvC_F6dxw83DjkPeJZZfpx4LojAwzzA8lHPtD_K0Fxq5rxKqgXwcpFHb3JKY6oK7FN9TQTNPd7y2SjYgjUwwIqBjjRtFw0zDQCB165uI0Ca0MN1tuRqo1_IkKGYsOtwfhzyKSOxohbdx8AN3JiMnJhLjLx2XXYhh8cGL5y6LdCG-pUcoK78z/w400-h299/Whooper%20Swans.%2026.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">As always, there were a number of <b>Skylarks</b>, 34 this morning, in 'our' field, and 37 Chaffinches and 21 <b>Goldfinches</b> were still feeding in the sunflower crop. Three Little Egrets was our best total for these small, adorable egrets, so far this winter, and it was good to see a couple of Kestrels on site. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Back to our feeding station fortunes. As I said before, Gail and I had our first ringing session at our feeding station yesterday, and we managed to ring 77 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tree Sparrow - 15</div><div style="text-align: left;">Chaffinch - 13</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 13</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 12 (3)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 20 (4)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldfinch - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Nuthatch - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Dunnock - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Coal Tit - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZm7HPhj55QxjwquroE-BDxdMhY4HHC77z5aIM-mnOdhWJpr1V8KETWZxMngWEGNswh_f_2AkLNIeHzH_jdSgWX7JOGFxFU8HSQcrH5JkvB78y9XzGnvcOxy9rGF7cbH27Xwnm7JJ_nsFoNXTFcUJ5jP39XY9j2CO9UpQaVZe_oJTmSTmytF9orgFUFzz/s4015/Nuthatch.%2026.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="4015" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZm7HPhj55QxjwquroE-BDxdMhY4HHC77z5aIM-mnOdhWJpr1V8KETWZxMngWEGNswh_f_2AkLNIeHzH_jdSgWX7JOGFxFU8HSQcrH5JkvB78y9XzGnvcOxy9rGF7cbH27Xwnm7JJ_nsFoNXTFcUJ5jP39XY9j2CO9UpQaVZe_oJTmSTmytF9orgFUFzz/w400-h290/Nuthatch.%2026.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nuthatch</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were only ringing for a couple of hours, as we don't like to keep the birds away from the feeders for too long, and as you can imagine we were quite busy. In fact, we were too busy to do any 'birding' as such, and the only additional information entered into my notebook are observations of two <b>Nuthatches</b> and a <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We were thrilled that we managed to ring fifteen Tree Sparrows, as this is the main purpose of the feeding station, which is to monitor the wintering population of this red-listed species. We hope to generate some data on survival, by recapturing birds that we have ringed from the nest boxes that we provide, but they were all new birds this morning. In addition to this, we are also helping to ensure that adult birds can get access to food over winter to aid in their survival, part of the 'big three' that conservation organisations such as the BTO and the RSPB talk about; a safe place to nest, insect for chicks during the summer and seed over winter. And the farm provides all of these three elements. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">All good and interesting stuff, well we think so anyway. </div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-26891689414009395982023-11-11T19:12:00.004+01:002023-12-03T19:15:13.337+01:00Trail Cams and Feeding Station<div><div style="text-align: left;">It has probably been nearly two weeks since I last posted, but I haven't been idle, it is more a case of trying to find time to sit down in front of the computer. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Since I last posted, Gail and I have been keeping an eye on the Wyre estuary and walking along the Quay. Rather than go into any great detail, I will just list the highlights, which were, 80 <b>Redshanks</b>, 38 <b>Mallards</b>, 20 <b>Turnstones</b> roosting, three <b>Teal</b>, a <b>Little Egret</b>, 280 <b>Pink-footed Geese</b>, two <b>Grey Wagtails</b>, thirteen <b>Shelducks</b>, eleven <b>Oystercatchers</b>, two <b>Black-tailed Godwits</b>, two <b>Rock Pipits</b> (new in), 17 <b>Whooper Swans</b> and two <b>Ravens</b>. Nothing exciting, but pleasant to be out nevertheless, particularly with all the wet weather we have been having of late. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YHebTcPp4ylKeZrM1UQb2TQzVs030-Jtb_UGzOnZf1aeOLnC-NwDHGfhO-WvM2JSDjLapkTQXf2KODOvd8TrpD19336ClUxkpL897xojF_XzP32YWkvR_JPTzfSXNc35C7wTU7g-c7-TY-5NKTIq7Y_bBN61B7eW_OuxR0ENptWSUOcsf-gyFQazrc43/s3928/Whooper%20Swans%201.%2010.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2915" data-original-width="3928" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YHebTcPp4ylKeZrM1UQb2TQzVs030-Jtb_UGzOnZf1aeOLnC-NwDHGfhO-WvM2JSDjLapkTQXf2KODOvd8TrpD19336ClUxkpL897xojF_XzP32YWkvR_JPTzfSXNc35C7wTU7g-c7-TY-5NKTIq7Y_bBN61B7eW_OuxR0ENptWSUOcsf-gyFQazrc43/w400-h296/Whooper%20Swans%201.%2010.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Whooper Swans</span><br /></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few days ago, Gail and I headed to my client's farm in Bowland, near Slaidburn, to set up six trail cams in the main areas where we have breeding waders, to try and attempt to see how much Fox activity there is at the moment, and of course it will be interesting to see if the cameras catch anything else. I'll keep you posted. We will leave the cameras up for about 10 - 14 days, and then bring them back in and see what we've managed to capture. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYNymd3cqma86oVl35Ak8IB-dtHhSZ5SnwyknKv-KagNQn3nDK3f69xXfDITiMCs_Pwe_nel3htMX6UNxSboID0CC8Sdr9xDxhaD4kBm3Gs7-XrYbA4BeXUEpMuP7B-L1MFBfCe8Ep6Cuwr6TC4O1q-8nAD849ECx5itF2oJA8NZgvRhg4d8Cs1uPu2XR/s4000/Trail%20cam%20-%20Procters.%2010.11.23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYNymd3cqma86oVl35Ak8IB-dtHhSZ5SnwyknKv-KagNQn3nDK3f69xXfDITiMCs_Pwe_nel3htMX6UNxSboID0CC8Sdr9xDxhaD4kBm3Gs7-XrYbA4BeXUEpMuP7B-L1MFBfCe8Ep6Cuwr6TC4O1q-8nAD849ECx5itF2oJA8NZgvRhg4d8Cs1uPu2XR/w300-h400/Trail%20cam%20-%20Procters.%2010.11.23.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the trail cams that we put out</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Whilst setting the cameras up, it was a morning of sunshine and showers, and although we weren't birding in 'anger', we did have a few bits and pieces. Down here on the Fylde, we haven't really had any numbers of <b>Fieldfares</b> as yet, so it was nice to encounter a flock of at least 80, with twenty <b>Redwings </b>mixed in. In fact, along some of the lanes close to the farm, we were putting up lots of Thrushes from berry laden Hawthorn hedges. Just two species of raptor, a <b>Kestrel</b> and two <b>Buzzards</b>. In the field with numerous scrapes in it, I expected to perhaps see some wildfowl on a couple of the larger scrapes, but there was just twenty Mallards with a single Teal. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkq7Ck0zjtLLwEp3fYihMpV6PZrjiWuLDjxgXlRAlFe5O0bP2KJmy7sLn7KJLKXGrVvTuYqRuf28Q2OVafHZGKrtX5-oEng2_YPPFcZ2Awx5sLGwp3EHldwqhKYUh3oKsM-fR-ah4b1CLvZGbjkJTWlNHsuCEX2Fr2Z82VPZenHvh6VoU160rG4WH18VLm/s4000/Rainbow%20-%20Procters.%2010.11.23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkq7Ck0zjtLLwEp3fYihMpV6PZrjiWuLDjxgXlRAlFe5O0bP2KJmy7sLn7KJLKXGrVvTuYqRuf28Q2OVafHZGKrtX5-oEng2_YPPFcZ2Awx5sLGwp3EHldwqhKYUh3oKsM-fR-ah4b1CLvZGbjkJTWlNHsuCEX2Fr2Z82VPZenHvh6VoU160rG4WH18VLm/w400-h300/Rainbow%20-%20Procters.%2010.11.23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The sunshine and showers created this rainbow</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The following day, Gail and I were at our good friends Robert and Diana's farm, near Nateby, to set the feeding station up for the winter. With Roberts help we made light work of it. We put up two, six port sunflower hart feeders, and two large, five port seed feeders, that hold 20 kg of see in each! Within five minutes of putting the feeders up, the first birds were coming to them, in the form of a <b>Chaffinch</b> and a <b>Robin</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTmJQHN9s_otSaJKZjsBVeAqTI7-0OqzN2m_5pbA-4NOK3H4HdcmerojEZ8VTgHk4GIGKVeIdusRYoiUEN3z4CCiMclq3odjHckKIYDe-tqx5S8hJ5g8hdlx4DVDwT9swPSnITw7XWoASWO_KU66fg8po0iL5GxXrZANk1q20sUfBKudkmYzMWEIPnt1C/s4000/Feeding%20station%201.%2010.11.23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTmJQHN9s_otSaJKZjsBVeAqTI7-0OqzN2m_5pbA-4NOK3H4HdcmerojEZ8VTgHk4GIGKVeIdusRYoiUEN3z4CCiMclq3odjHckKIYDe-tqx5S8hJ5g8hdlx4DVDwT9swPSnITw7XWoASWO_KU66fg8po0iL5GxXrZANk1q20sUfBKudkmYzMWEIPnt1C/w300-h400/Feeding%20station%201.%2010.11.23.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Feeding station (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdt_PYbsZMgTMjy-jxDd3u1BlYfgDSdkiFgjhFbJXxyg273V2yhEbkfx1n6a05n0iAoTcQu8LjgvfHUgTdfKj7QeUy03rxxGR5TGlKXfrILYKvuyqAeJv5ZWy2L73lUPN4yjJK1Np6bRId1XVx3_v9cU4ZsP3nKzdyC94mNDdhvQBYYJ8Xnscxe4LzADI/s4000/Feeding%20Station.%2010.11.23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdt_PYbsZMgTMjy-jxDd3u1BlYfgDSdkiFgjhFbJXxyg273V2yhEbkfx1n6a05n0iAoTcQu8LjgvfHUgTdfKj7QeUy03rxxGR5TGlKXfrILYKvuyqAeJv5ZWy2L73lUPN4yjJK1Np6bRId1XVx3_v9cU4ZsP3nKzdyC94mNDdhvQBYYJ8Xnscxe4LzADI/w300-h400/Feeding%20Station.%2010.11.23.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">There was a few Fieldfares here as well, about thirty, and out on the wetland were at least ninety Teal and twenty <b>Wigeon</b>. We look forward to our first ringing session for the winter at the feeding station.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday morning Gail and I carried out our first November visit to our wintering bird survey site south of the Ribble. It was a glorious morning with clear skies, and it was calm. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was just getting light when we arrived, and a number of birds were obviously moving from their overnight roosts to feeding areas, including 46 <b>Collared Doves</b>, 67 <b>Black-headed Gulls </b>and 18 <b>Jackdaws</b>. Geese and Swans were represented by <b>Canada Geese</b>, Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swans, and we had 180, 407 and 23 of each respectively. We had a flock of ten <b>Golden Plovers</b> head north, and fifteen of their <b>Lapwing</b> cousins. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">There was less <b>Skylarks</b> around this morning, and we only had thirteen in the cabbage crop. Similarly, numbers of <b>Linnets</b>, <b>Meadow Pipits</b> and <b>Pied Wagtails</b> in the same crop had dropped, and we had ten, thirteen and seven of each. The best bird we had in the cabbage crop was a 1CY <b>Wheatear</b>, which will be one of my latest ever. You can see a record shot of it below. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjN01e47oRYIlrYKC1s7DFwc9biw-XTUj6l3ADKTCla48NMvGKYt6-TOiMOL66-OOmvfqXGi3V4eSbT1ER2UEwUnDvtE-8-PAu2ejWRW0uMrrPhLmqrBmC8OnodE3eHXH-m82hgQKB5aTjAIxwAWgT0iT57m-ukEtd0_Iv1Y9waTeXrjQcLS7Ogq3QFJDJ/s4139/Wheatear.%2010.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2895" data-original-width="4139" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjN01e47oRYIlrYKC1s7DFwc9biw-XTUj6l3ADKTCla48NMvGKYt6-TOiMOL66-OOmvfqXGi3V4eSbT1ER2UEwUnDvtE-8-PAu2ejWRW0uMrrPhLmqrBmC8OnodE3eHXH-m82hgQKB5aTjAIxwAWgT0iT57m-ukEtd0_Iv1Y9waTeXrjQcLS7Ogq3QFJDJ/w400-h280/Wheatear.%2010.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wheatear - honest!</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">As well as observing from a vantage point, we also walk a transect, and in the small field of sunflowers, which are really going over now, we had fifteen Chaffinches and twenty <b>Greenfinches</b>. Close by three <b>Tree Sparrows</b>, two Fieldfares and a Grey Wagtail made it from the map, onto the pages of my notebook. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">From our VP, we picked up a 1CY <b>Marsh Harrier</b>, but it was distant, but we could have reasonable views through the scope. The only other raptor that we had was a female <b>Sparrowhawk</b>, and other than a Little Egret that was it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">This morning, Gail and I headed to the Nature Park for probably the last ringing session at this site until the new year. It was cold and clear when we arrived with a light NNE breeze, that was barely detectable. We were hoping for a few thrushes, but there wasn't really any on the move. We had four Redwings go over and six Fieldfares, but that was it. In fact, I kept popping my head outdoors last night for a listen but couldn't hear any Redwings going over.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcTRf1dNrc0oz8Z7JUdJCs7N_Q2hGnLKnT3r0z-AniVwcsT6EcP27QBLJNkpW8_tcvzQcjn4KSjkJ4FsfIRDXAdBSUZLjcS8OX5uwzR60cHo2QurP-RFirlWCaSZfBcoaxjmcS8DgEbbormHMddZYfeCL9M3r3jhtF3eqWxO6fV7hkAdJW7GzIW0LxmCt/s4608/Fleetwood%20Marsh%20NP.%2011.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcTRf1dNrc0oz8Z7JUdJCs7N_Q2hGnLKnT3r0z-AniVwcsT6EcP27QBLJNkpW8_tcvzQcjn4KSjkJ4FsfIRDXAdBSUZLjcS8OX5uwzR60cHo2QurP-RFirlWCaSZfBcoaxjmcS8DgEbbormHMddZYfeCL9M3r3jhtF3eqWxO6fV7hkAdJW7GzIW0LxmCt/w400-h300/Fleetwood%20Marsh%20NP.%2011.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the pools at the Nature Park</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The first species in my notebook was Golden Plover, and this was a flock of 34 that we had heading south-west. In fact, other than the Goldies, the vis was limited to three <b>Woodpigeons</b>, 24 Jackdaws and two Sparrowhawks. We had a walk from the ringing station, to have a look on one of the pools and flushed six <b>Snipe</b>. From the ringing station we could hear two <b>Water Rails</b> calling from the margins of the same pool. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Cetti's Warblers</b> were ever present, and we ringed our 14th for the site for the year, and in addition to the bird that we ringed, at least two were giving their explosive song. In addition to the moving Sparrowhawks, we had a <b>Kestrel</b>, and other birds that we recorded included a Raven, three <b>Song Thrushes</b>, six<b> Long-tailed Tits</b> and a female <b>Stonechat</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We ringed 24 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Song Thrush - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Redwing - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wren - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldcrest - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - 1 </div><div style="text-align: left;">Robin - 1 (1)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldfinch - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Long-tailed Tit - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uObTQKrtZmXPdU2CG2qTejh6pXAtYCX49Jwz4Hyz7pfPDPskePUhEgSjEuukqo_ALNVdnCKKeIg10ArGWTa6eNIIFxfxYItrwDjJMBMvOKW8L1auLlZjzwPbR5SK337ZiNS58uT02_oWVGTuhziCdD4Ap0YztOxLpVdS7nOxtXaz_dRVRr4Wu9idSUQi/s4608/Goldfinch.%2011.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uObTQKrtZmXPdU2CG2qTejh6pXAtYCX49Jwz4Hyz7pfPDPskePUhEgSjEuukqo_ALNVdnCKKeIg10ArGWTa6eNIIFxfxYItrwDjJMBMvOKW8L1auLlZjzwPbR5SK337ZiNS58uT02_oWVGTuhziCdD4Ap0YztOxLpVdS7nOxtXaz_dRVRr4Wu9idSUQi/w400-h300/Goldfinch.%2011.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Goldfinch</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIVoMx8_ol7dX7jQTSsu6DUqgXi8rl9sJ_HWB1yrQyRdaY_LJQoVvVw8AR8xHdG6N4v4u3uZQnhnvaeMRmUlv_xBw9Yno8RgRdPIptIj9dBqE5pVkIJOMvBE2iRJm3h_PTMMtq0dAteDphbdweEw6YtDmcsLDZ6PFoaeo9tl4w0jPeyucFAQQAm5l1O-t/s4608/Greenfinch.%2011.11.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIVoMx8_ol7dX7jQTSsu6DUqgXi8rl9sJ_HWB1yrQyRdaY_LJQoVvVw8AR8xHdG6N4v4u3uZQnhnvaeMRmUlv_xBw9Yno8RgRdPIptIj9dBqE5pVkIJOMvBE2iRJm3h_PTMMtq0dAteDphbdweEw6YtDmcsLDZ6PFoaeo9tl4w0jPeyucFAQQAm5l1O-t/w400-h300/Greenfinch.%2011.11.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Greenfinch<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">As always, the forecast is looking a bit mixed for the coming week, but fingers crossed that there will be a few windows of opportunity to get out.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I bought a superb piece of original art this week, from a hugely talented wildlife artist based on Orkney, Tim Wootton. We were so lucky in managing to secure the beautiful painting of a Woodcock, from an online exhibition that Tim is currently hosting. Thrilled is an understatement! You can see a snap of the painting below. We can't wait to get it framed and displayed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oTzPun7FAfHPLOLNyFenSNMlfsxcy9Y9bGM9QZHEM_OktP3BT3_4YeGsQQo44n7EF1xsYjfcvroC6VfTVXBbvrZdPlh1ZrVN21LDgJPo85NWr-GDVdZIwirrFH3eloEz1_675A8FjgUX0a2y0ZYp3poWVBD8Wt5eswRoREXyzf2D1EIeOQRMLqgHUqeE/s3732/Woodcock%20painting.%2010.11.23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2693" data-original-width="3732" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7oTzPun7FAfHPLOLNyFenSNMlfsxcy9Y9bGM9QZHEM_OktP3BT3_4YeGsQQo44n7EF1xsYjfcvroC6VfTVXBbvrZdPlh1ZrVN21LDgJPo85NWr-GDVdZIwirrFH3eloEz1_675A8FjgUX0a2y0ZYp3poWVBD8Wt5eswRoREXyzf2D1EIeOQRMLqgHUqeE/w400-h289/Woodcock%20painting.%2010.11.23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Woodcock</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over on the right you will see that I have updated the ringing totals for Fylde Ringing Group up until the end of October. Three new species for the year were ringed during the month, and these were, Redwing, Brambling and Great Spotted Woodpecker.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Below you will find details of the 'Top 5 Ringed in October' and the 'Top 10 Movers and Shakers for the Year'.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><u>Top 5 Ringed in October</u></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>1. Goldfinch - 83</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>2. Chaffinch - 56</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>3. Redwing - 28</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>4. Linnet - 21</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>5. Blue Tit - 17</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><u>Top 10 Movers and Shakers for the Year</u></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>1. Goldfinch - 193 (same position)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>2. Blue Tit - 116 (up from 3rd)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>3. Sand Martin - 101 (down from 2nd)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>4. Chaffinch - 90 (up from 6th)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>5. Great Tit - 86 (down from 4th)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>6. Greenfinch - 52 (straight in)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>7. Meadow Pipit - 45 (down from 5th)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>8. Linnet - 40 (straight in)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>9. Lesser Redpoll - 39 (down from 7th)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>10. Reed Bunting - 31 (same position) </span><span><br /></span></span></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-5694312290782150522023-10-27T10:54:00.000+01:002023-10-27T10:54:28.682+01:00Too Clear?<div style="text-align: left;">It wasn't too clear on Sunday morning when Gail and I were having our usual walk along the estuary, in fact we had five oktas cloud cover, with a 10 mph westerly wind. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think I have said before, that the Quay isn't the best location for observing vis, and it was mid-morning, but we did have five <b>Grey Wagtails</b>, three <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, 225 <b>Pink-footed Geese</b>, five <b>Skylarks</b> and two <b>Chaffinches</b> over.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">On the mud in the Quay were 101 <b>Redshanks</b>, a <b>Common Sandpiper</b>, a <b>Curlew</b>, two <b>Black-tailed Godwits</b>, five <b>Oystercatchers</b>, four<b> Grey Herons</b> and two <b>Little Egrets</b>, plus in the creeks 19 <b>Mallards</b>, two <b>Teal</b> and two <b>Wigeon</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Raptors were represented by <b>Kestrel</b> and <b>Peregrine</b>, and both making use of artificial structures. And that was it bird-wise. We did have a new species of plant for us for the site for the year, in the form of <b>Bilbao Fleabane</b>,<b> </b>we think! This takes our total of vascular plant species recorded, excluding grasses, to 75. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Monday, Gail and I were south of the Ribble carrying out our second October visit to our wintering bird survey site. It was fairly clear here, with three oktas cloud cover, and a 10 mph easterly wind. As we start our vantage point (VP) survey from first light, the first birds are often birds just flying over that are exiting a nearby roost. Birds falling into this category, were the 112 <b>Black-headed Gulls</b> and 111 <b>Collared Doves </b>we recorded. We had a further 25 Collared Doves during the morning, taking our grand total to 136. This is the most Collared Doves that I have recorded for some time. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Part of our survey square includes a fairly large field with cabbages in that are past their best now, and with the spacing of the cabbages it is a fairly open, weedy crop, attracting Skylarks and <b>Linnets</b>. We had 58 Skylarks and 166 Linnets in this field. Another field that held a number of finches, was a small field of sunflowers, and in here were roughly 50 each of Chaffinch and <b>Greenfinch</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just two species of raptor this morning, a Kestrel, and a <b>Merlin</b> early on that shot east. It was difficult to discern which birds were truly moving on vis, or moving between feeding areas, but in the vis category, we recorded eight Skylarks, four Chaffinches, two <b>Siskins</b>, 45 Pink-footed Geese (very high) and eight <b>Whooper Swans</b>. A flock of 46 <b>Fieldfares</b>, our first of the autumn, that headed north-east, I think were perhaps heading to feeding areas. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We had 87<b> Lapwings</b>, and with them were two <b>Golden Plovers</b>, and a single <b>Goldcrest</b> and four <b>Tree Sparrows </b>were the best of the rest. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Two mornings later, Gail and I were at the Nature Park under clear skies, with a light north-easterly breeze. In fact, I would have recorded it as calm, if it wasn't for the nearby wind-turbine facing north-east and turning slowly! We got there an hour before sunrise, again in the hope that we might catch a few Redwings, but as last time, as we drove round opening the gates on to the site, we couldn't hear any calling. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmezp1xI66ywO9xR67Y3P5pnMVQPAOsN3OQxk5ufdkwKiQQqYu77UOrPByvShvKjolueUIvuhZQ4So9DeTWe_LyHqYJPdTREJEzM2WIpwSVt5k_RR7hs5DzAmRbux8ZoI7b5mhy1pKoodgXNjZDmdQvcEL257Ho-OhebbaICI4ld3JG-nUnsuPA7bXdccZ/s4000/Sunrise%20FMP.%2027.10.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmezp1xI66ywO9xR67Y3P5pnMVQPAOsN3OQxk5ufdkwKiQQqYu77UOrPByvShvKjolueUIvuhZQ4So9DeTWe_LyHqYJPdTREJEzM2WIpwSVt5k_RR7hs5DzAmRbux8ZoI7b5mhy1pKoodgXNjZDmdQvcEL257Ho-OhebbaICI4ld3JG-nUnsuPA7bXdccZ/w400-h300/Sunrise%20FMP.%2027.10.23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunrise</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Even after we had put the first net up, and switched on the MP3 players, we still hadn't heard a Redwing. Shortly after putting the second net up, we started to hear some Redwing calls. As we were putting the nets up, about 2,000<b> Starlings</b> exited the roost, and these were the first that we had recorded for a few weeks. It might be that later in the autumn and into winter they exit the roost earlier, to ensure that they maximise feeding opportunities during the less daylight hours that are available. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the end, we didn't have many Redwings at all, perhaps 35 - 40, with four Fieldfares, and I wondered whether it was too clear? Our vis totals would support this theory, with just fourteen Whooper Swans, a Siskin, 136<b> Jackdaws</b>, 31 Greenfinches (dropped in) and two <b>Meadow Pipits</b>. If I remember correctly, Ian Newton in his excellent book <i>Bird Migration </i>states that about 70% of day-flying migrants are flying beyond the range of our sight and hearing, so on clear days like this, it probably is too clear to record anything, as everything will be very high. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Pink-footed Geese were calling from before sunrise, as they start getting noisy on their estuarine roost, before noisily heading off to foraging areas. It wasn't until later in the morning, that we started seeing any, 287 to be precise, and these were high-flying migrant birds. A flock of 47 Golden Plovers south was noteworthy, and probably the only noticeable grounded bird we had was a Goldcrest.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We ringed 24 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Redwing - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackbird - 1 (continental bird)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Reed Bunting - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - 2 (2)<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackcap - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Chaffinch - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 14 </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2RR95FwSkbMd8GfS4QUkOEiyPTsVLrVd2aUIOE99IATWPb1cQLNreTxpoWCIOvpwkEMel-2-Rr-RdanVqGoMkti2-VQD7PFbYeBz789OmYaz-YyX1Ze8YMYNl9zbyRaz0JW1yVNGmJ0xnK9LAfyOV9aTShFHiO4sPzyImYSusPeTVSETPqSiXc-jAJoN/s3780/Blackbird.%2027.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2733" data-original-width="3780" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2RR95FwSkbMd8GfS4QUkOEiyPTsVLrVd2aUIOE99IATWPb1cQLNreTxpoWCIOvpwkEMel-2-Rr-RdanVqGoMkti2-VQD7PFbYeBz789OmYaz-YyX1Ze8YMYNl9zbyRaz0JW1yVNGmJ0xnK9LAfyOV9aTShFHiO4sPzyImYSusPeTVSETPqSiXc-jAJoN/w400-h289/Blackbird.%2027.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Continental male Blackbird</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GcT3eyuStsOg4N4O1Z0hQCVCkuUN3fl_7Vg4LXRinJWc8cGe3eL06lMfSL45DTu8hOP_z4F8uEu-15rlLK463w99uYw-Za4EVOh4mrgoMTSiEwr7i0407SQz1GKMiqxqkCUiheoL-hzq0_YMh90aFjaifLRGJaKs99NLr3mAPLoy7UsaAoEcUqoBjVBg/s4608/Redwing.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GcT3eyuStsOg4N4O1Z0hQCVCkuUN3fl_7Vg4LXRinJWc8cGe3eL06lMfSL45DTu8hOP_z4F8uEu-15rlLK463w99uYw-Za4EVOh4mrgoMTSiEwr7i0407SQz1GKMiqxqkCUiheoL-hzq0_YMh90aFjaifLRGJaKs99NLr3mAPLoy7UsaAoEcUqoBjVBg/w400-h300/Redwing.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Redwing<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">And that was that. The forecast is looking okay for some birding tomorrow morning, but after that it is looking a bit unsettled. We have probably got about another 2 - 3 weeks of autumn migration left, so I'll be keeping everything crossed for some decent weather.<br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-1416276129198398772023-10-19T11:29:00.001+01:002023-10-19T11:29:18.570+01:00A Few More Visitors From The North<div style="text-align: left;">At weekend Gail and I were back on the Wyre estuary adjacent to the Quay, and it was another glorious, if not cold morning, with clear skies and a cool 10 mph north-westerly wind. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_STvz9jGXYeLJnnrWAg7m85cPk7kYwJ6dJHGumzG-bHuq1UwjEmds7Xc5dzsSSohZNW47DrxbqvND35SzV5Zc3OWTcr5RBRcIatvly1bDOJ8kTooVBE-2IuCdQwliKr9pRrmQSDMUXMlziFok_dJwtAEep_keEK__MJuBzaFqDnu8qHU8zDZsz631oZaV/s4608/Wyre%20Estuary.%2017.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_STvz9jGXYeLJnnrWAg7m85cPk7kYwJ6dJHGumzG-bHuq1UwjEmds7Xc5dzsSSohZNW47DrxbqvND35SzV5Zc3OWTcr5RBRcIatvly1bDOJ8kTooVBE-2IuCdQwliKr9pRrmQSDMUXMlziFok_dJwtAEep_keEK__MJuBzaFqDnu8qHU8zDZsz631oZaV/w400-h300/Wyre%20Estuary.%2017.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Wyre estuary</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The tide was running in again, and the usual wader suspects gathered on diminishing areas of exposed mud to frantically feed before the tide covered everything. There are two areas where they linger to feed before the tide eventually pushes them off these areas; within the Quay itself, in some of the muddy creeks, and on an area of exposed higher sediment on the edge of the river where the channel runs into the Quay. We recorded 30 <b>Oystercatchers</b>, with a further 50 flying upstream, 149 <b>Redshanks</b> and 30 <b>Turnstones</b>. The most interesting wader species that we had in terms of the late date, was a <b>Common Sandpiper</b> that we flushed from underneath the old ferry pier. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We had our first couple of <b>Wigeons</b> for the autumn/winter, and <b>Mallard</b> numbers had increased to 23. There was very little vis, but then again, we were there later in the morning, just 28 <b>Jackdaws</b>, six <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, two <b>Skylarks</b>, three <b>Whooper Swans</b> and a <b>Chaffinch</b> all heading south-ish. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of butterflies were on the wing in the form of very worn individuals of <b>Peacock</b> and <b>Comma</b>. And that was that, a pleasant hour or two in the sunshine. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63iQVP-ORjAcu0pGALYy6F3SHRKCm5GMpwKZlPp46Pl7_vVzgagJIdJ750O_pJOq3N6UI8jwWdQc10cNUfB4EYKM8-b7PXHiB5rAmdJs6Jpybe6ZiU79vvEdhvluyLgCxYiowolcbE5hdTpWwHD7ImzXF88SZHfqt8kLopSlDstC7mXcG5uc5pGjk_-Br/s3702/Comma.%2017.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2792" data-original-width="3702" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63iQVP-ORjAcu0pGALYy6F3SHRKCm5GMpwKZlPp46Pl7_vVzgagJIdJ750O_pJOq3N6UI8jwWdQc10cNUfB4EYKM8-b7PXHiB5rAmdJs6Jpybe6ZiU79vvEdhvluyLgCxYiowolcbE5hdTpWwHD7ImzXF88SZHfqt8kLopSlDstC7mXcG5uc5pGjk_-Br/w400-h301/Comma.%2017.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Apologies for the unusual angle of this photo of the worn Comma that we had.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It was sunning itself on vegetation well above the height of my head! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbO4FRdaxnqPWxGj1KIlI2q5DLr01WoavXJ820Kb_z0yPjQCjud6-enGf2jJReFUoeDePtjtWBvAz1eP1ZAETfK0JBJZGtHAjRo0PePUhSjO_SPXl3Yyw5gKaxiavfcMkaNoQNxvznWLEANrctBdKzA9w1lbydSvGh6sVRgoWsm_BPo2G73kA6jYClGUno/s4134/Peacock.%2017.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2977" data-original-width="4134" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbO4FRdaxnqPWxGj1KIlI2q5DLr01WoavXJ820Kb_z0yPjQCjud6-enGf2jJReFUoeDePtjtWBvAz1eP1ZAETfK0JBJZGtHAjRo0PePUhSjO_SPXl3Yyw5gKaxiavfcMkaNoQNxvznWLEANrctBdKzA9w1lbydSvGh6sVRgoWsm_BPo2G73kA6jYClGUno/w400-h288/Peacock.%2017.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Peacock<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The following morning, I was at the Nature Park, and the conditions were completely different, the wind had swung round to the south-east and I had complete cloud cover. I got there at about 6:30 a.m., so I could ensure that I could get a couple of mist nets up in the dark in the hope of a few Redwings, but I didn't hear any calling. I had been listening periodically the night before from home, but nothing was going over. So that didn't bode well!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">From pre-dawn, and throughout the morning, I could hear <b>Pink-footed Geese </b>calling. The pre-dawn birds will have been roosting on the river and then calling as they flew off towards feeding areas. I did see a few high-flying birds heading south, but these just numbered 150. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to the Pinkies, there was a little bit of visible migration, and this included a few more visitors from the north, including three <b>Bramblings</b> that I had heading southeast. My vis totals, excluding the Pinkies and Bramblings, were five <b>Woodpigeons</b>, eight <b>Goldfinches</b>, 163 Jackdaws, three <b>Carrion Crows</b>, nine <b>Redwings</b> (there were a few around), three Chaffinches, three <b>Greenfinches</b>, two <b><i>Alba </i>Wags</b>, five <b>Skylarks</b>, a <b>Grey Wagtail</b> and five <b>Meadow Pipits</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFecXIzw9SVUUmeEoCgMK1fgc-rxODdV1Lq1nQFg6Lu268UfFtz7TSU1NTc__JZ-nM98Y_oLcMYZHFlPY4csw24D_Lczm6PK78KVahLao5yupXttBNXrUVVerf0dEfXxHM8O1uN6EoYt21kitaDXgHA6gPXDS2R431IrclF7C5YCE0pUPQXxZYODDlV_6o/s4222/Jackdaws.%2017.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3195" data-original-width="4222" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFecXIzw9SVUUmeEoCgMK1fgc-rxODdV1Lq1nQFg6Lu268UfFtz7TSU1NTc__JZ-nM98Y_oLcMYZHFlPY4csw24D_Lczm6PK78KVahLao5yupXttBNXrUVVerf0dEfXxHM8O1uN6EoYt21kitaDXgHA6gPXDS2R431IrclF7C5YCE0pUPQXxZYODDlV_6o/w400-h303/Jackdaws.%2017.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jackdaws on visible migration...honest! </span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">As always, a couple of <b>Cetti's Warblers</b> were singing as I put my nets up, and I ringed 21 birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldfinch - 11</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackcap - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Reed Bunting - 7</div><div style="text-align: left;">Chaffinch - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MFtuZxY5bz7-5zab7Ke7YZamBw4HumitbUwtunQWUSTiG322iWBv5TTLe2DVBBF2Lhc-CJaq-8aBRXoXvpyl88sSjdcgw_wXfW6rwGBWGtBRn0wVh7en4Y5-rY0BCkKTOBlPvqHISQaR61rMC33HFtHPFgViNumtxTJ4VsTbJhaHw5dASG6SfXY6zvqn/s4608/Goldfinch.%2017.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MFtuZxY5bz7-5zab7Ke7YZamBw4HumitbUwtunQWUSTiG322iWBv5TTLe2DVBBF2Lhc-CJaq-8aBRXoXvpyl88sSjdcgw_wXfW6rwGBWGtBRn0wVh7en4Y5-rY0BCkKTOBlPvqHISQaR61rMC33HFtHPFgViNumtxTJ4VsTbJhaHw5dASG6SfXY6zvqn/w400-h300/Goldfinch.%2017.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Goldfinch</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The best bird that I didn't ring, was a <b>Woodcock</b> that escaped from one of my nets before I could get to it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast is not looking great for the next few days and I've got a wintering bird survey to do and six trail cams to set up on one of my clients' farms. I will have to keep checking and hope for a weather window! <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-41346672953425590062023-10-13T14:12:00.002+01:002023-10-13T14:12:46.767+01:00Visitors From The North<div style="text-align: left;">This past week or so has seen the arrival of visitors from the north, both at night and during the day. Just over a week ago, Gail and I were at our wintering bird survey site south of the Ribble, and we had full cloud cover with a 15 mph south-westerly wind.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The feature of the morning was very much geese, some native and some non-native! Throughout the morning <b>Canada Geese</b> were constantly arriving from all directions to forage in fields surrounding our vantage point, and in total we had 1,163. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">All the activity from the Canada's interested a few <b>Pink-footed Geese</b>, and eleven dropped in to join them, but the rest of the Pink-footed Geese that we recorded, were flying over, heading south, and we had a further 688. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFBfKe0XEYuZ_1F594Eb1MWX-NOnpr2XKOJCLy8sZBJwU11H6Ejebft42QVpG_iuuA4W11N18Yqzee2_s0f_FEYJeyJVTp5FXU5FY9mxM5yOsoPkPSYVwlo_NT-5c8-8qx1dZvA139ZP04g744RBAopUTpjtUi9cMWnph4J4JyxAborFfiyK4E-mWCHCS/s3789/Pink-footed%20Geese.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3789" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFBfKe0XEYuZ_1F594Eb1MWX-NOnpr2XKOJCLy8sZBJwU11H6Ejebft42QVpG_iuuA4W11N18Yqzee2_s0f_FEYJeyJVTp5FXU5FY9mxM5yOsoPkPSYVwlo_NT-5c8-8qx1dZvA139ZP04g744RBAopUTpjtUi9cMWnph4J4JyxAborFfiyK4E-mWCHCS/w400-h260/Pink-footed%20Geese.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pink-footed Geese</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the subject of fly-overs, we did have some vis in the form of 13 <b>Skylarks</b>, four <b>Tree Sparrows</b>, five <b>Greenfinches</b>, 16 <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, a <b>Chaffinch</b>, a <b>Goldfinch</b>, and two <b>Swallows</b>, all moving south-ish. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I always like to mention <b>Ravens </b>when I see them, because they are one of my favourite birds, and this morning we had a single fly past giving its evocative croaking call. Superb! Waders were thin on the ground with just ten <b>Lapwings</b>, and raptors similarly so, with just two <b>Kestrels</b>. <b>Collared Doves</b> are always in good numbers here, and we recorded 32 this morning. Anecdotally, I don't seem to see anywhere near as many Collared Doves as I used to, say 20 years ago, so I must do a bit of research and see if they are indeed declining.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Over the past five days, Gail and I have had two walks along the Wyre estuary, via the Quay, and the first was exactly five days ago. It was a cool overcast morning, with a 10 - 15 mph south-easterly wind. Out on the mud within the Quay were 122 <b>Redshanks</b>, eleven <b>Oystercatchers</b> and a single <b>Turnstone</b>. The Turnstone was splodging around in the mud, not where I would normally expect to see a Turnstone. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vfJQJlpjapk9d4Jkwg68HxltAnGpqJhAyPxWFcix-p5dxs8tCURnM7AMCohWWzm87CIc8rR_BAlzVMIRKF6AssPPTamglg7JZO0bkbm9_uMfJIKv7j-broqfGg2abJj7v6QegsPutsTNSHkzcPQJonsxSitVxnwiyHCGM_PfkUIXFQ-Qq5hGpdF8vnYJ/s4043/Turnstone.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3028" data-original-width="4043" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vfJQJlpjapk9d4Jkwg68HxltAnGpqJhAyPxWFcix-p5dxs8tCURnM7AMCohWWzm87CIc8rR_BAlzVMIRKF6AssPPTamglg7JZO0bkbm9_uMfJIKv7j-broqfGg2abJj7v6QegsPutsTNSHkzcPQJonsxSitVxnwiyHCGM_PfkUIXFQ-Qq5hGpdF8vnYJ/w400-h300/Turnstone.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Turnstone</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The vis was light, but it was mid-morning when we were there, and we had three Skylarks, nine Meadow Pipits, a <b>Jackdaw</b> and 200 Pink-footed Geese, all south. Grounded migrants were limited to two<b> Goldcrests</b>, and fifteen <b>Long-tailed Tits</b> flying high to cross the Quay looked a little odd. Oh, we had a Raven as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We then went to have a look at an area of scrub that is northwest of the Nature Park, that Fisherman's Friends, you know the manufacturers of those disgusting lozenges, plan to extend their factory on to. Wyre Borough Council (WBC) seem recently to have been passing planning applications where ecology will very much be damaged, I suspect in a bid to work around Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). BNG should have been introduced in November this year, and the basic premise of it is, is that any development should have at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity after the development has been completed. The shower of sh*te that we have in government in the UK at the moment, in a desperate bid to try and gain votes in next year's general election, have put back BNG until at least February next year. So, I suspect those councillors and planners at WBC that lack a moral compass, or have a conscience, are rushing all these applications through before BNG bites. Shocking, but unsurprising for a bunch of ecological hooligans like Wyre Borough Council.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The habitat that Fisherman's Friends plan to destroy in the name of greed, is a cracking area of scrub. Now, as far as BNG is concerned, this area of scrub would be classed as 'habitat mosaic', which is one of the most biodiverse habitats, on a parr with ancient semi-natural woodland for example, and as you can imagine, trying to achieve a gain of at least 10% in biodiversity after you have cleared this rich habitat mosaic, and plonked a factory on top of it would be impossible, and the development wouldn't go ahead. But low and behold, those bandits at WBC have passed it. No surprise there! I prefer to refer to Wyre Borough Council as..., well..., think of the worst swear words that you can think of beginning with W, B and C, and you'll be on the same lines as me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">From the pictures below, you can see how rich, and diverse the scrub looks, and Gail and I had planned to have a good mooch around on it. Impossible, as those manufacturers of nausea inducing lozenges, have fenced the site off with a security fence that a military installation would be proud of, and posted some goon in a high vis jacket to keep a watchful eye over the site. We did have a <b>Cetti's Warbler</b> (protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act) singing from the site, and a number of <b>Migrant Hawker </b>dragonflies were utilising the site to hunt over. I will write to WBC and express my objections, and concerns, and point out the errors of their ways, but when the bureaucrats at Wyre Borough Council are in leagues with the devil, there probably isn't much point, bit I will. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYBF0sBGslURwT9M7XQTf0QlC5tFfvt0VVyMB6TsheBl2rZUd1L8dI35N6soj6605IZDKxTkX__9jrq6O3F3WxUC_3hafnm67JT341ncYvyrUxz2wotsdsCIDa_TYdJ47mXZd_bwHe3dze9M7CYZmmiNST6UepGp5uZhS04ltRE8qMs0GFHtQBEsPL-GP/s4608/Windward%20Ave%20Scrub%201.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYBF0sBGslURwT9M7XQTf0QlC5tFfvt0VVyMB6TsheBl2rZUd1L8dI35N6soj6605IZDKxTkX__9jrq6O3F3WxUC_3hafnm67JT341ncYvyrUxz2wotsdsCIDa_TYdJ47mXZd_bwHe3dze9M7CYZmmiNST6UepGp5uZhS04ltRE8qMs0GFHtQBEsPL-GP/w400-h300/Windward%20Ave%20Scrub%201.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Habitat mosaic, soon to be destroyed in the name of greed</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7YbC97mgSka38VH9Ro-P6gZYexkFl_qUcmYLFG1NR0PMgws3LxjENLnTBilqMeH0hxO8-VimCy3HZXVduJFvUHbRGjMaXc-f6NpVJHrnd2KjIrPvYdkiiHTdTn-zpjgvYf3NPmXFK0V8sx-M1CCPN3mAQ0PBR8QM1bXsfSp4CaMYN3xs2XNvTOov_HSd/s4608/Windward%20Ave%20Scrub%202.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7YbC97mgSka38VH9Ro-P6gZYexkFl_qUcmYLFG1NR0PMgws3LxjENLnTBilqMeH0hxO8-VimCy3HZXVduJFvUHbRGjMaXc-f6NpVJHrnd2KjIrPvYdkiiHTdTn-zpjgvYf3NPmXFK0V8sx-M1CCPN3mAQ0PBR8QM1bXsfSp4CaMYN3xs2XNvTOov_HSd/w400-h300/Windward%20Ave%20Scrub%202.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Remember, for every foul tastng lozenge purchased, it is a contribution</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">towards biodiversity destruction<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">And it isn't just biodiversity that WBC are happy to destroy for a fast buck, it is archaeology as well. Just 2 km south of the proposed Fisherman's Friends funded, and Wyre Borough Council enabled, biodiversity trashing, WBC have just passed a planning application for 158 houses on a nationally important historical site. You couldn't make it up. The site is called Bourne Hill, and recent archaeological work by Oxford Archaeology North have found evidence of occupation from the Iron Age, through to the Roman era and on to medieval times. It is classed as a Romano-British settlement. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Besides authorising the whole-scale destruction of the archaeology, those numpties at WBC are also driving rough-shod over the ecological concerns. The land adjacent to the site, and I'm talking directly north of the planned 158 houses, in fact abutting the proposed development, is an important feeding area for wintering Pink-footed Geese. In fact, it is so important, that the numbers of Pinkies using this land makes this block of land functionally linked to the Wyre Estuary SSSI, Morecambe Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) and RAMSAR site. In fact, Natural England (NE) have classed it as high potential functionally linked land. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">What is functionally linked land I hear you ask? This is an area of land occurring outside a designated site which is considered critical to, or necessary for, the ecological or behavioural functions in a relevant season of a qualifying feature (species), for which a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) or RAMSAR (internationally important wetland) site has been designated. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">What do Wyre Borough Council think of this? Well, nothing actually. There is no doubt, and I say this from 47 years' experience of bird recording, both as a birder and as a professional Ornithologist, that this development will disturb the wintering Pink-footed Geese, therefore having a negative impact on the ecological and behavioural functions of these highly designated, protected and hugely important sites for nature. And yes, you heard it right, Wyre Borough Council think absolutely nothing about that. Nationally important historical site, internationally important numbers of wintering Pink-footed Geese, just means that this land is ripe for development according to the eco-hooligans at WBC. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A local pressure group has been formed that is trying to prevent the development from happening, and their Facebook page has already generated a great deal of interest and outrage, with over two thousand followers. They are called Save Bourne Hill, and if you are a user of Facebook, I implore you to take a look and if you can, get involved and object to this horrendous proposal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I am going to hand over to the Save Bourne Hill group for a few paragraphs, and let you hear some of their words about Bourne Hill. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Bourne Hill is unique. It was left by the Ice Age glaciers and has survived ever since; it is the only existing 'drumlin' hill on the otherwise flat Wyre peninsula, and the only one that still exists as a natural, open space …but now developers intend to destroy it forever.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />Bourne Hill was home to our earliest local ancestors, thousands of years ago, when it was surrounded by water, reeds and woodland carr; an area of unsurpassed biodiversity, home to millions of birds, fish and wild animals. It was, and still is, the only natural vantage point from which we can still see all the surrounding hills and moorland, where the first people lived.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />Bourne Hill has featured throughout history, from the very first account of life in Roman Britain, when Ptolemy wrote of the enigmatic port of the Setantii, the Iron age tribe who lived here. The Romans came and went, the Vikings came and stayed, the Normans took over, battles were fought, and eventually Bourne Hall stood upon the Hill, mentioned in the Domesday book and many local tales.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />Archaeologists have found evidence of all this and more, including Iron Age roundhouses, early metal working, and of every period since, from the Middle Ages to WW2. Rt hon Mr Paul Maynard, MP, has applied for the site to be listed as a National Monument, due to its unique cultural significance.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />Ecologists have identified the habitat of protected species on Bourne Hill and its' environs, which have been separated and sold for construction projects. Bats and birds rely on the trees, shrubs and grassland, including wintering geese and swans of international importance, as well as local nesting birds, and the land has waterways where Great Crested Newt and Water Voles are both endangered. Some of their precious habitat has already been lost, and all of it will be disturbed or totally destroyed by construction.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />As thousands of local people raise their voices in opposition to the destruction, developers have rushed into construction on Bourne Hill and many other local green field sites, in a bid to beat the deadline for the law on Biodiversity Net Gain, which was due to come into force in November 2023, but has been delayed until 2024. This should force developers to pay for measures to guarantee that every construction scheme creates more biodiversity than it destroys, making such vandalism of nature virtually impossible, but already the construction companies are finding ways to evade responsibility for their actions, while greenwashing their marketing pitch with false promises of sustainable housing.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />We the people who care about this land, invite everyone, everywhere, to join together with us, to save our disappearing natural world, starting right now, at home, wherever we live.<br />We share this country and this world. Together, we can save it. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Right, back to those visitors from the north. At the beginning of the week, I had two back-to-back ringing sessions at the Nature Park, on my own on Monday, and with Gail on Tuesday. I ringed just three birds on the Monday, but a more respectable 31 birds on the Tuesday. Below I have lumped the totals together for the 34 birds ringed:</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Redwing -10</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 5</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackcap - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 7</div><div style="text-align: left;">Long-tailed Tits - 9</div><div style="text-align: left;">Robin - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMeGjikf8ieRDeWMOkp3VlTowVHzGKHGoHo94VvtTDd45vEeYQ3b2tD5MoC3oWXOzcXROFss3L4IOKCWh_zgEmpXDxU5gbA07qTSlmnj41YkxPucuANhWedOCyUsgjKOb0LAuoLL06mP0krsQM-cCSzr1vx23kziw25O6fgllI_imM14LLMBT8JPs7916/s4608/Redwing.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMeGjikf8ieRDeWMOkp3VlTowVHzGKHGoHo94VvtTDd45vEeYQ3b2tD5MoC3oWXOzcXROFss3L4IOKCWh_zgEmpXDxU5gbA07qTSlmnj41YkxPucuANhWedOCyUsgjKOb0LAuoLL06mP0krsQM-cCSzr1vx23kziw25O6fgllI_imM14LLMBT8JPs7916/w400-h300/Redwing.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Redwing</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5WrPH_97qywTi68AnRvADMlVc1GCNck-s9_8kPGfZnwigmZKZWyKw6BijKfLAmP-oDxfYA9-BWhrZXNelWVmkVG7rpUujJTwXMd_RlV1P1O1YGG87e7DLB4rbGbKB3Xe20nizaqeMF196M8nI84AHNbE09hjJErl5ynCIJ4vI1PrgOd1hqV-XaXtX_z0/s4608/Greenfinch.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5WrPH_97qywTi68AnRvADMlVc1GCNck-s9_8kPGfZnwigmZKZWyKw6BijKfLAmP-oDxfYA9-BWhrZXNelWVmkVG7rpUujJTwXMd_RlV1P1O1YGG87e7DLB4rbGbKB3Xe20nizaqeMF196M8nI84AHNbE09hjJErl5ynCIJ4vI1PrgOd1hqV-XaXtX_z0/w400-h300/Greenfinch.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Greenfinch</span> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Going back to that Monday ringing session, I had full cloud cover, with a 10 - 15 mph westerly wind, not the best conditions for the arrival of visitors from the north. There were <b>Redwings</b> calling in the darkness as I put the nets up, and I recorded 22 at most during the morning. There was virtually no vis at all, and I suspect it was probably a bit murky out in both Liverpool and Morecambe Bay, so all I will mention is the two singing Cetti's Warblers singing as always. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Gail and I arrived on site on Tuesday morning, it was misty, and I didn't hold out much hope, but as I unlocked the first gate in the darkness, to access the site, I could hear Redwings calling. We had nearly full cloud cover, and it was calm at first, but as the morning moved towards noon, a south-easterly breeze picked up. And as you know, we did ring a few Redwings, eight on this morning to be precise, and my notebook reminds me that we had 81 in total. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There was a bit more vis compared to the day before, and Jackdaws were the main feature of our vis totals. We had 110 Jackdaws, 25 Meadow Pipits, a Goldfinch, 20 Skylarks, two Swallows, a <b>Siskin</b>, eight Pink-footed Geese, and an <b><i>Alba </i>Wag</b>, heading anywhere between east and west, via south.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A <b>Sparrowhawk</b> caused some excitement early on as it shot through the willow scrub, ducking and diving, veering left and right, in his (it was a young male) bid to flush out something for breakfast. A <b>Golden Plover</b> that was heard and not seen caused some excitement as well, as we don't often record them over the Nature Park. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A few Migrant Hawker dragonflies were on the wing as the day warmed, and we caught one in one our mist nets. Thankfully, they are easy to extract, and within a few seconds it was on its way. Thinking about it, that might have been the first Migrant Hawker that I have extracted, as it's usually Brown Hawkers that we catch at this site. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday, Gail and I had our second walk of the week along the Wyre Estuary and Quay, and we had more visitors from the north. Just as we were setting off on our walk, we had a flock of twelve <b>Whooper Swans </b>heading south, and they were calling away, with that fantastic bugling call, that very much evokes wild places. A sight and sound that our ancestors at Bourne Hill thousands of years ago would have been familiar with. And a sight and sound that WBC want to ensure that you can no longer hear on this peninsula of the Wyre. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97l1SI4xSEGzTFyhRaTZxscgHfz6W5jmOlJUysjXuqdCR8aCJts3W7NjIkCuQyZ8zEnbtMMKAcSOz_Gjv1y4hyRr91BNEsC5TOe3oGn_QZuiYYNCdrzhQACehGvLMJZ5II2a6aaBkipagbQ5WyH3JqC_1MQYkRMxDYK6mi79Aw3u8jX2tsPiF5_5-j_v2/s4136/Whooper%20Swan%201.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3229" data-original-width="4136" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97l1SI4xSEGzTFyhRaTZxscgHfz6W5jmOlJUysjXuqdCR8aCJts3W7NjIkCuQyZ8zEnbtMMKAcSOz_Gjv1y4hyRr91BNEsC5TOe3oGn_QZuiYYNCdrzhQACehGvLMJZ5II2a6aaBkipagbQ5WyH3JqC_1MQYkRMxDYK6mi79Aw3u8jX2tsPiF5_5-j_v2/w400-h313/Whooper%20Swan%201.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Whooper Swans</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We had a further four Whooper Swans head south, plus six Skylarks, three <b>Magpies</b> (high flying birds), six Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail and a <b>Red Admiral</b> butterfly. The Red Admiral was very much migrating, it was at altitude and belting south. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lQ1wUj7tssy66yekMVOGl7gT1BAG69PR4v3WTyFSG0qc7tdKS4AsyaqyPBFZgMRPNXYn2KO6ywRKu6nMaB2wgS5mB_9TEbYGuNN_KNLg-vYAaPi7LX5nhE04fze-YQ4tvKU5u2HnvJFjXuLwsHfNAS7_OEWOAl0lIScZMpikh7xqds9SeIrmPTUjh36u/s4608/Wyre%20Estuary.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lQ1wUj7tssy66yekMVOGl7gT1BAG69PR4v3WTyFSG0qc7tdKS4AsyaqyPBFZgMRPNXYn2KO6ywRKu6nMaB2wgS5mB_9TEbYGuNN_KNLg-vYAaPi7LX5nhE04fze-YQ4tvKU5u2HnvJFjXuLwsHfNAS7_OEWOAl0lIScZMpikh7xqds9SeIrmPTUjh36u/w400-h300/Wyre%20Estuary.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The view from our usual spot</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The tide was running in as we sat down on our usual spot to watch the ebb and flow of the river, and the birds that it pushed ever closer. There were 191 Redshanks, 23 Turnstones, six Oystercatchers and four <b>Little Egrets</b>. Two of the Little Egrets walked towards each other, with the light reflecting off the water as the back drop, they paused to look at each other, when their paths crossed, and continued walking in opposite directions. I wish I had photographed the whole moment, but I hope the couple of pictures below give you an idea of the spectacle.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkutzaz6n-C2GOgqydTVMnNPbAzf6lJj8aGok4egCQ_S2h_7WLKjxLFdjdIdamG9V9fr8CMLo8BPwW1AZ2Q-a9WpkU8ivzNW4q4AluvYTyTmpNEmM3DkmdaNSLSk2BEjDVFOEoWJKQ8An_o34T7wwTzVuPxELonTVNFtLsgGU8TvxS_f8xIOUfen6gDS_q/s4608/Little%20Egret%202.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkutzaz6n-C2GOgqydTVMnNPbAzf6lJj8aGok4egCQ_S2h_7WLKjxLFdjdIdamG9V9fr8CMLo8BPwW1AZ2Q-a9WpkU8ivzNW4q4AluvYTyTmpNEmM3DkmdaNSLSk2BEjDVFOEoWJKQ8An_o34T7wwTzVuPxELonTVNFtLsgGU8TvxS_f8xIOUfen6gDS_q/w400-h300/Little%20Egret%202.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Silhoutted Little Egrets (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSQam1-yiEujdqe_ZUGDjdoJ5REUJqNhfO3mnmkeSsqiLYGjqav-lM_wU1nGPvqyas5qquNOPsoENJWuF7U4weYYbztX6Rt3SxRZfpEEd84k5TbgOJ2sdAKSezxS4Dd-SSi1vUdLuPMEuvXb86ouiPmzR1AVwqGqSh9zza8seQUmGfFumn4wET8cVf_HM/s4608/Little%20Egret%203.%2012.10.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSQam1-yiEujdqe_ZUGDjdoJ5REUJqNhfO3mnmkeSsqiLYGjqav-lM_wU1nGPvqyas5qquNOPsoENJWuF7U4weYYbztX6Rt3SxRZfpEEd84k5TbgOJ2sdAKSezxS4Dd-SSi1vUdLuPMEuvXb86ouiPmzR1AVwqGqSh9zza8seQUmGfFumn4wET8cVf_HM/w400-h300/Little%20Egret%203.%2012.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail missed the <b>Kingfisher</b> that sped low over the water of the Quay. The views weren't great as I was looking into the sun, so it was just the call, and the jizz that told me that it was a Kingfisher. Great to record nevertheless. The only grounded migrant that we had was a <b>Chiffchaff</b>, and as always, I must mention that we had a Raven. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast is looking okay from Sunday onwards, so I have plans to go birding, ringing, surveying and setting up some trail cams on my clients' farm in Bowland. As always, I will let you know how I get on. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And if you can, have a look at what's going on with Bourne Hill, and write a letter of objection to your MP, or whoever you like, if you think it can help. <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-70341063680179249692023-10-03T12:00:00.001+01:002023-11-14T14:47:32.640+01:00Typical Mid Autumn Fare<div style="text-align: left;">I can't believe that it has been over a week since my last post, particularly as we are in Autumn! However, it reflects on the weather over this past week, which has been marginal at best, and atrocious at worst. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Between my last post and now, I was only out in the field once, and that was a few days ago when Gail and I were at Lytham Hall for one of their excellent local history talks. And the person giving the talk was a birder himself. Before the talk, we managed to have a forty-minute walk around the grounds, but it was quiet. Two <b>Grey Wagtails</b>, a late <b>Migrant Hawker</b> and <b>Common Darter</b>, two <b>Nuthatches</b>, and singles of <b>Song Thrush</b> and <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b>, and that was it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday morning, was my first morning's ringing since I was out with my old friend Graeme on 23rd September. I was at the Nature Park for 0630, and was greeted with full cloud cover and a 10 mph westerly wind. However, the fly in the ointment was the murky conditions out in the bay, and I suspected that there would be very little going over, and I was right. It is autumn after all, so I soldiered on. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The constant soundscape to the Nature Park is the almost continuous explosive song of <b>Cetti's Warblers</b>. I have mentioned this before, but it is hard to get a handle on how many are singing, because they move around the reeds and scrub so much. I put three in my notebook, which is probably inaccurate, as I ringed two!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As stated above, there was no, well next to no, visible migration. The only vis I had were three high-flying <b>Magpies</b> heading south-east, some <b>Pink-footed Geese</b> that I could hear but couldn't see, and a handful of <b>Meadow Pipits</b> and a single <b>Chaffinc</b>h. A few <b>Greenfinches </b>must have been going over as I caught some via an MP3 playback of their song. They aren't on site, but as soon as I put the player on, they appear! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLFWcc78E0uqpWJGptZb8stTUYawhjJqoYpOhIhRE-T_iWwVP9JpmT2TxHP9HMcaxlL-G5hfTDO3qzaKxcBLMS0BsFt1uGhCL_iUxYjDv9KJzkZnotHD8KLbsfjTehqzHdlAOii9xMn7K1aIYSYy2nL7hqwNAN8L_ZECMVPyKhDa8dVwkAUWyuTGry4Eo/s3812/Greenfinch.%203.10.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2801" data-original-width="3812" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgLFWcc78E0uqpWJGptZb8stTUYawhjJqoYpOhIhRE-T_iWwVP9JpmT2TxHP9HMcaxlL-G5hfTDO3qzaKxcBLMS0BsFt1uGhCL_iUxYjDv9KJzkZnotHD8KLbsfjTehqzHdlAOii9xMn7K1aIYSYy2nL7hqwNAN8L_ZECMVPyKhDa8dVwkAUWyuTGry4Eo/w400-h294/Greenfinch.%203.10.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Greenfinch; this bird is in moult, and you can see the feather debris (like dandruff)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">on its plumage </span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A single Song Thrush and <b>Raven</b>, six <b>Long-tailed Tits</b> and a flock of 30 - 40 <b>Goldfinches </b>are virtually all that made it into my notebook. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I ringed 23 birds as follows:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wren - 3</div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldcrest - 4 (there must have been some grounded migrants)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 7</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 3</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Robin - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Reed Bunting - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Goldfinch - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkJ83aI45y1loDYeR0Y_JUllQ2MRHmFOIWux7H0MI0YoxOnyULEpClQHjH8MWDwB09EV_I8FkfUnsiy2-OCb8vlV_V1VH7X-qS87lHKybrolc3wWVEI3t2liKm3kHayO4w6dkbyXgpF40JZePpP4YeoGFnsb2bFORIdKWjKuv99MauDpPhOHjv3Rk_FTs/s3955/Goldcrest.%203.9.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2824" data-original-width="3955" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkJ83aI45y1loDYeR0Y_JUllQ2MRHmFOIWux7H0MI0YoxOnyULEpClQHjH8MWDwB09EV_I8FkfUnsiy2-OCb8vlV_V1VH7X-qS87lHKybrolc3wWVEI3t2liKm3kHayO4w6dkbyXgpF40JZePpP4YeoGFnsb2bFORIdKWjKuv99MauDpPhOHjv3Rk_FTs/w400-h285/Goldcrest.%203.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Goldcrest</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I are south of the Ribble tomorrow for our first October visit of the wintering bird survey we are completing, so we are looking forward to that, even though it is work for me. And the rest of the week, until Saturday, is looking unsettled. However, at the moment the forecast over the weekend is looking like I'll be able to get out, perhaps both days. I hope I haven't just jinxed that! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">In September's <i>British Birds </i>under the 'News and Comment' section, there was an interesting piece about Cuckoos being unable to shift their annual migration. It said that new research from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has revealed why Common Cuckoos are unable to shift the timings of their annual migration response to a changing climate. The research showed that Cuckoos must wait for the arrival of spring rains in West Africa, the timing of which has remained constant, before they can cross the Sahara. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">This constant timing of rains in Africa, juxtaposed with the shift towards an earlier spring in Europe, has resulted in the Cuckoos' arrival on their breeding grounds being out of sync with peak availability of prey and the breeding cycle of many of their host species. This lack of response has been linked to severe population declines in some migratory species. For Cuckoos, the results suggest that they may be exposed to a greater risk of death as they are forced to travel in unfavourable conditions to make it to their breeding grounds on time. This increased mortality could be one mechanism through which populations are impacted. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Providing better-quality habitat at strategic locations along Cuckoo migration routes is one way in which the species could be helped to complete its migration in a more timely and less energetically costly way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Over on the right, you will see that I have updated the ringing totals for Fylde Ringing Group up until the end of September. Five new species for the year were ringed during the month, and these were, Wheatear, Jay, Bullfinch, Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Below you will find the 'Top 5 Ringed in September' and the 'Top 10 Movers and Shakers' for the year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Top 5 Ringed in September</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Goldfinch - 44</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Meadow Pipit - 28</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Linnet - 18</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Great Tit - 17</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Blue Tit - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Top 10 Movers and Shakers for the Year</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Goldfinch - 110 (up from 3rd)</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Blue Tit - 99 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Great Tit - 74 (up from 4th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Meadow Pipit - 39 (straight in)</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Chaffinch - 34 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Lesser Redpoll - 28 (up from 8th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Reed warbler - 27 (down from 5th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Pied Flycatcher - 23 (down from 7th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">9. Reed Bunting - 21 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Chiffchaff - 21 (up from 10th) <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-13563466258681565302023-09-24T15:29:00.000+01:002023-09-24T15:29:11.081+01:00Rain<div style="text-align: left;">I think I finished my last blog post on a positive note about birding in the rain, and how the conditions looked good to drop in a migrant or two. I did go to the cemetery in the rain the following morning, as it was raining on a south-easterly wind, and the rain had come in later in the night, so I was hopeful. However, I did not record a single migrant. If it wasn't for the fact that I like to do complete lists of everything I see or hear, so I can enter a 'complete list' of my sightings on the BTO's BirdTrack, I wouldn't have entered anything in my notebook! The only thing I will mention is that I had a <b>Grey Wagtail </b>over, south. Rain will feature again in this post.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Just over a week ago, I ran my moth trap for one of my sporadic moth trapping sessions, and I caught nineteen moths of nine species; eight <b>Large Yellow Underwings</b>, a <b>Setaceous Hebrew Character</b>, a <b>Light Brown Apple Moth</b>, three <b>Common Marbled Carpets</b>, a beautiful <b>Burnished Brass</b> (see picture below), two <b>Lesser Yellow Underwings</b>, a <b>Snout</b> (it does what it says on the tin), a <b>Spruce Carpet</b> and a <b>Square-spot Rustic</b>. I also caught a <b>Cinnamon Sedge</b>, which is a species of caddisfly. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnubIm-fy4f3YJT2G_WHf59QVeRBRPnaQjw_A1pyyLzAu81SnJCDIZWV4xdWSSJcjaYB5adp3kRLs-9kDWRGbci5tirriqqkhdzZH7fjZiw1qG2C8Zbj7dfLi7KxeX-E6xzm-4MqQHghwZv2LU0aXuVkOXFpKFnE3953R1WBXTR_oAEYPgODnxBE8eTTDI/s4000/Burnished%20Brass.%2024.9.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnubIm-fy4f3YJT2G_WHf59QVeRBRPnaQjw_A1pyyLzAu81SnJCDIZWV4xdWSSJcjaYB5adp3kRLs-9kDWRGbci5tirriqqkhdzZH7fjZiw1qG2C8Zbj7dfLi7KxeX-E6xzm-4MqQHghwZv2LU0aXuVkOXFpKFnE3953R1WBXTR_oAEYPgODnxBE8eTTDI/w300-h400/Burnished%20Brass.%2024.9.23.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Burnished Brass</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">On the subject of invertebrates, I had a couple of walks along the Quay during the past week. And on my first walk, I photographed a hoverfly species. I see them often, and they are very common. I have narrowed it down to either <i><b>Syrphus ribesii</b> </i>or <i><b>Syrphus vitripennis</b></i>, I think! If it is indeed one of those two species, to separate them you need to see the colour of the hind femur (top part of leg)! And I didn't. The only other inverts that I had were a couple of <b>Red Admirals</b> and several <b>Common Drone Flies.</b> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxbhpAGHMfiQgIyeS6dRy6GuhITaEG7iiFbmHfKm4zclHdGDiQB2M3lH694W2K5QtkK7Bg84wkr8fAx8jRXVSjFLGoILOa9-zmFc73hLvCdelBsft7GOh0vCuE3Wg8Uq1vg17SBncVHdjMlxtTd4lnmDNBTzwa70OVS_MXrHh8VJJiwoGtEJoRvJU9nfS/s3676/Syrphus%20ribesii%20-%20vitripennis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2534" data-original-width="3676" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxbhpAGHMfiQgIyeS6dRy6GuhITaEG7iiFbmHfKm4zclHdGDiQB2M3lH694W2K5QtkK7Bg84wkr8fAx8jRXVSjFLGoILOa9-zmFc73hLvCdelBsft7GOh0vCuE3Wg8Uq1vg17SBncVHdjMlxtTd4lnmDNBTzwa70OVS_MXrHh8VJJiwoGtEJoRvJU9nfS/w400-h276/Syrphus%20ribesii%20-%20vitripennis.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Syrphus ribesii/vitripennis</i></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKDmRZ2QNGGghhXsbkjWpx2Kl_QqI8Fn2ESFZX6bzMtF-sjdiKAv8sm1Zu7FnqDPkNfEeaMRw4JAcNxeC1tkuY92EYibqgqvRutfnBikVVbvuIEehGSul933SRUKxlXB_FDFF-iU0NEVbzCcfiWLSNpEJgxaafYVK-mNfPREWH8Tdz-2B5NyxHuYQR2Xg/s4608/River%20Wyre.%2024.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKDmRZ2QNGGghhXsbkjWpx2Kl_QqI8Fn2ESFZX6bzMtF-sjdiKAv8sm1Zu7FnqDPkNfEeaMRw4JAcNxeC1tkuY92EYibqgqvRutfnBikVVbvuIEehGSul933SRUKxlXB_FDFF-iU0NEVbzCcfiWLSNpEJgxaafYVK-mNfPREWH8Tdz-2B5NyxHuYQR2Xg/w400-h300/River%20Wyre.%2024.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Wyre estuary alongside the quay</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Two <b>Little Egrets</b> were feeding out on the mud of the estuary, and a female <b>Teal </b>was floating in the Quay on the incoming tide. As the tide continued to run in, it pushed more waders on to areas that were uncovered, and I had 80 <b>Redshanks</b>, fifteen <b>Oystercatchers</b>, with a further 79 heading downstream, and two <b>Black-tailed Godwits</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkAWt6rPS7I1NUlZOnkFa9iPUz1wItOR7UsDGuo3_nvbJnzBZg2oV5dQ5Kuy0CPfNa-Ml4oRjlKRNv04RR-4mr_vGgmDEORyLdpRelzCH9Z5fINUCsRdzkeYmAbn6F2JQvGmUtD9kJHXGQHbWEGgG20MIplij4DJCAdlB18Zj_dsXJyJupiUyU41HBJic/s3782/Little%20Egret%201.%2022.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="3782" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkAWt6rPS7I1NUlZOnkFa9iPUz1wItOR7UsDGuo3_nvbJnzBZg2oV5dQ5Kuy0CPfNa-Ml4oRjlKRNv04RR-4mr_vGgmDEORyLdpRelzCH9Z5fINUCsRdzkeYmAbn6F2JQvGmUtD9kJHXGQHbWEGgG20MIplij4DJCAdlB18Zj_dsXJyJupiUyU41HBJic/w400-h308/Little%20Egret%201.%2022.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Little Egret</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAg7NIHD9s67DMhzQ-nV1GMTxfoxAqHPTqbVEztA_E51tHlvtinGSxSVjWpZFFb4yCEuivTzSfCNxFg1tu3n_HjZmxBbMzIHoaawfJiRTGnmHxCtQEqiWjEFUlnSzSFgDDDK3VJRIquuG1UyfIaP--jUJNm22UJfss-Exp9F1-punWBfwpuzbtJ7wLe__/s3998/Redshanks%201.%2024.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3115" data-original-width="3998" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAg7NIHD9s67DMhzQ-nV1GMTxfoxAqHPTqbVEztA_E51tHlvtinGSxSVjWpZFFb4yCEuivTzSfCNxFg1tu3n_HjZmxBbMzIHoaawfJiRTGnmHxCtQEqiWjEFUlnSzSFgDDDK3VJRIquuG1UyfIaP--jUJNm22UJfss-Exp9F1-punWBfwpuzbtJ7wLe__/w400-h311/Redshanks%201.%2024.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Redshanks<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A few days later, I was back at the Quay and dodging the rain showers. I was on site at a similar time, just after lunch, and the tide was well on its way once again. Redshanks were feeding along the water's edge, before being pushed off onto roosting areas, and I had 349 of them. Just six Oystercatchers this time, with 20 heading downstream, and 25 <b>Turnstones </b>with some of the roosting Redshanks was noteworthy. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHlgrEc8qssAy_b03trRYgWu6KCBzfy9aZPpOSIpq5kVb-lm8rskgeBonArDlM3ijI_VnxjckGXQcAsDLtGVQ8Wx1TwdsFQoM1VImlu2ncpt2muNhwWGpUEKRGagKN1isr1T395raNXIV_tIiMXm2dMLCH4tEotesle6Nege-O46g5cJWqVRQgKUfdenx/s4608/Redshanks%204.%2024.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHlgrEc8qssAy_b03trRYgWu6KCBzfy9aZPpOSIpq5kVb-lm8rskgeBonArDlM3ijI_VnxjckGXQcAsDLtGVQ8Wx1TwdsFQoM1VImlu2ncpt2muNhwWGpUEKRGagKN1isr1T395raNXIV_tIiMXm2dMLCH4tEotesle6Nege-O46g5cJWqVRQgKUfdenx/w400-h300/Redshanks%204.%2024.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Redshanks just holding on as the tide runs in</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday I had a ringing session at the Nature Park with a good old friend of mine, Graeme, and I think the last time I was out ringing with Graeme was in 1996, when he was a member of our ringing group, and before he moved to East Sussex. So, we had 27 years of catching up to do!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yesterday morning was the only weather window that we had to do some ringing, so under 6 oktas cloud cover, with a marginal 2 - 3 NW wind, we put a few nets up. I think Graeme must have brought some luck with him, as we managed to ring 32 birds, which isn't half-bad for this site of late:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Robin - 3</div><div style="text-align: left;">Grey Wagtail - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Reed Bunting - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackcap - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Greenfinch - 14</div><div style="text-align: left;">Dunnock - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Chiffchaff - 6</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Between putting the birding/ringing world to rights, ringing, and processing the birds, we did try and monitor anything that was moving. I suppose the best migrants that we had were three <b>Redwings</b> that dropped out of the sky when some rain came in. In fact, they might be my earliest ever, but I'll need to check. As the wind was a north-westerly direction, this was bringing the <b>Pink-footed Geese</b> in, and we had at least 465 go over, most of them very high. It was probably the same conditions that brought and dropped the Redwings, and because of this they were very probably Icelandic birds. The rain played its part again, and we had to close the nets for a short while until the rain cleared. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Besides the Pinkies, there wasn't a great deal of vis, just a handful of <b>Meadow Pipits</b>, Grey Wagtails and <b>Woodpigeons</b>. Two 'cronking' <b>Ravens</b>, two singing <b>Cetti's Warblers</b>, four <b>Snipe</b> and a <b>Kestrel</b>, were the best of the rest. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast isn't looking great for next week, but as ever I will make the effort to get out.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It was interesting, and alarming, to read in August's <i>British Wildlife, </i>that the brilliant columnist for the 'Conservation News' section, Sue Everett, shares my utter concern that tipping points in climate change are being made. Any Naturalist of a certain age, who has kept detailed notes throughout this period, will have seen the plethora of bird and invertebrate populations disappearing from the pages of their notebooks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Sue writes, will 2023 be the year when humanity finally realises the dangers of climate change to the continued existence of our species? My concern isn't for humanity, but more for the amount of mass extinction that we will cause for species across the planet on our one-way ticket to oblivion. She goes on to say that the fear, supported by evidence, is that tipping points are being reached, beyond which there is no return without effective carbon caption and storage coupled with halting the use of fossil fuels.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Global temperature has reached a level not experienced for 125,000 years, and there is a 98% likelihood (Sue is more optimistic than me) that the Paris Agreement of 1.5 degrees C will be breached within the next five years. I give it a 100% likelihood! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Already in 2023, temperature records have been smashed; June was the warmest June globally since modern record-keeping began in 1880. The five hottest Junes have all occurred since 2019, and this year, in July, the world experienced its hottest day ever recorded. Also in July, Europe recorded its highest ever temperature, 48.2 degrees C in Sardinia. Extreme marine heatwaves are being experienced in the North Atlantic Ocean, and global average sea-surface temperatures reached unprecedented levels in June and July, with 38.3 degrees C recorded in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida Keys, and this may break the record for the highest global sea temperature.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">You've only got to look at the number of Southern Ocean bird species that are turning up in UK waters in the last few years. And the numbers of Great and Cory's Shearwaters off the southwest coast of England this summer were unprecedented. In this same area, record sea temperatures were experienced, 3 - 4 degrees C higher than normal for June. Rising sea temperatures will inevitably precipitate huge changes in ocean chemistry and marine ecosystems, as well as in patterns of oceanic circulation. And the large numbers of these 'big Shears' will have been as a result of this.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">On that happy note................. <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-88385495675041440092023-09-14T20:15:00.000+01:002023-09-14T20:15:09.876+01:00Big Skies<div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I started a wintering bird survey off last week, on the mossland south of the Ribble marshes. We had six oktas cloud cover, with a light easterly wind. We did an hour's VP, followed by an hours transect (an opportunity to stretch our legs) and then another hour's VP. Our survey site is within an area of farmland used for growing vegetables, so it is flat with big skies, and the fields are bounded by ditches, rather than hedgerows. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The two most numerous species that we recorded were the 425 <b>Canada Geese </b>and 225 <b>Woodpigeons</b>. In addition to the Woodpigeons, we had eight <b>Stock Doves</b> and 21 <b>Collared Doves</b>. As our survey was from first light, most of these birds were heading from roost sites to foraging areas. There was some vis, but it was light, just nine <b>Swallows</b>, 14<b> Meadow Pipits</b>, three <b>Goldfinches</b> and four <b>Linnets</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next to where our VP is located, is a field that has been tilled and recently sown, and 78 <b><i>Alba </i>Wagtails </b>were feeding in this field, before moving off east about an hour after first light. We had three species of raptor during the survey; a <b>Buzzard </b>that was feeding on a prey item on top of a fence post (Grey Squirrel or a Rabbit), a <b>Kestrel</b> and a gorgeous <b>Hobby</b> that belted low, northeast. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Last weekend we had a ringing session at the Nature Park. Whilst putting the nets up under clear skies, with no wind, it felt like another clear-out morning, and our ringing totals supported this assertion. We ringed just eight birds as follows (recaptures in brackets):</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Chiffchaff - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sedge Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Lesser Whitethroat - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackcap - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 2 (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - (1)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The numbers of <b>Starlings </b>roosting looks to have increased, and we made a very rough estimate of perhaps 4,000 birds. <b>Cetti's Warblers </b>gave their explosive song, at least three were singing, as was a migrant <b>Chiffchaff</b>. The vis was next to nothing, with just a handful of Meadow Pipits over, plus a single <b>Grey Wagtail</b>. We could hear some <b>Pink-footed Geese</b> calling, but they remained unseen. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Four days ago, we made the first of two recent visits to the Quay, and as usual we were there mid-morning and we had four oktas cloud cover, with a light south-easterly wind. The tide was running in, but there was still plenty of mud exposed, and out on the mud were 115 <b>Redshanks</b> and 14 <b>Oystercatchers</b>. A few Grey Wagtails headed south, but that was it in terms of vis. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We didn't think that there were any grounded migrants until we encountered a very confiding first-winter <b>Wheatear</b> on the wall of the quay. It wasn't bothered by our presence at all, and perhaps it hadn't come across many people, because Wheatears tend to breed in fairly remote places, whether it's in the uplands of the UK, or in Iceland etc. We really enjoyed the ten minutes that we spent in this bird's company, and I think this epitomises the pleasure of observing a local patch on a regular basis. It doesn't have to be some rare waif or stray to give you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, just a gorgeous, not so humble Wheatear perhaps. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJXE2xKOSjwqbqbpVlRRyXvsIT4zR2akmlBw5WVbV-9cCcbiAJFOPpLPoQX8D1w3AjZgZyBrwW9xmMqGrfN0E9ULxeUoRVMKQF6sDn2mMH3yuXzPevWb1Qmkp6X-225IsGhQwe1vetLKNkMLE9shoDInCdP1HElWj1f3pCW0KjPdOzs-Msc0Hcjc9NXNp/s4250/Wheatear%201.%2011.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="4250" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJXE2xKOSjwqbqbpVlRRyXvsIT4zR2akmlBw5WVbV-9cCcbiAJFOPpLPoQX8D1w3AjZgZyBrwW9xmMqGrfN0E9ULxeUoRVMKQF6sDn2mMH3yuXzPevWb1Qmkp6X-225IsGhQwe1vetLKNkMLE9shoDInCdP1HElWj1f3pCW0KjPdOzs-Msc0Hcjc9NXNp/w400-h280/Wheatear%201.%2011.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wheatear (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xiurk4jV5gC0MGJ-eRpuvuBFsrAFAmJ7_nvPW5aH6B5vInIj8fJyWNRxo3_GdIYCponDpq7o_gj2S4F9NcLJF4SnLpDJQKnFt99smKSQkKBcJCgKI6rRyRI31LflcRiZvxdgHlnh5oxYsj3Zy2-9j126ohNmbTF9lpe1pWW0TrZuoKliQbK6tGAvn1_2/s4126/Wheatear%202.%2011.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3073" data-original-width="4126" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xiurk4jV5gC0MGJ-eRpuvuBFsrAFAmJ7_nvPW5aH6B5vInIj8fJyWNRxo3_GdIYCponDpq7o_gj2S4F9NcLJF4SnLpDJQKnFt99smKSQkKBcJCgKI6rRyRI31LflcRiZvxdgHlnh5oxYsj3Zy2-9j126ohNmbTF9lpe1pWW0TrZuoKliQbK6tGAvn1_2/w400-h297/Wheatear%202.%2011.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were back in the land of the big skies yesterday, and it was a typical <i>season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom-friend of the maturing sun </i>kind of September morning. It was nippy, clear, and calm at first light. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Once again lots of Canada Geese were flying into various locations to feed, and we had a total of 485. In addition to the Canada's, we had 37 <b>Greylags </b>and 111 Pink-footed Gese headed west. We had 15 <b>Lapwings</b> out on the moss, and they were accompanied by 22 <b>Golden Plovers</b>, one of my favourite waders. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">There was some vis, but it was hard to untangle it from birds moving from roosts to foraging areas. Our best guess was that we had eight <b>Skylarks</b>, seven <i>Alba </i>Wags, 24 Meadow Pipits, a <b>Reed Bunting</b>, four Grey Wagtails, five <b>House Martins</b>, six Swallows and a Linnet moving anywhere between a south-westerly or south-easterly direction. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Woodpigeons were the second most abundant bird species and we had 128, with a supporting cast of six Stock Doves, and eleven Collared Doves. No Hobby or Kestrel this week, just the same Buzzard in the same location, but without any prey this time. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We made our second recent visit to the Quay this morning, and it was fairly cloudy with a light easterly wind. When we got there, the tide had nearly covered all of the mud in the Quay and in the estuary, and a few waders were sitting it out on whatever exposed substrate they could find. We had thirty Redshanks, and then when the tide had nearly covered everything, a flock of 247 dropped in on some mud on the side of the channel into the quay, but they were soon shifted by the quick running tide. Six Oystercatchers, three <b>Common Sandpipers</b> and seventeen <b>Turnstones </b>were associating with the Redshanks. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOn3ErFax3-8GiaMN8jf8ZpSjIUV77eKDcBcUVixTjUoOqFeCD8tdZ0fxXGSZ1atqUZO6h6qb9tpAQ55SOUEbWExF6dfdhdCsp9xeJ31Jzl1F8yT9-vp1DDkdYpf0-XBPnzH4FqCBo1-V3BFReTILa3T0zkK4HYA5gnufo3nuc-6viQfXqm4_hN2x4Vpp/s4608/Wyre%20estuary%201.%2014.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOn3ErFax3-8GiaMN8jf8ZpSjIUV77eKDcBcUVixTjUoOqFeCD8tdZ0fxXGSZ1atqUZO6h6qb9tpAQ55SOUEbWExF6dfdhdCsp9xeJ31Jzl1F8yT9-vp1DDkdYpf0-XBPnzH4FqCBo1-V3BFReTILa3T0zkK4HYA5gnufo3nuc-6viQfXqm4_hN2x4Vpp/w400-h300/Wyre%20estuary%201.%2014.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Wyre estuary</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We had just got to the point where the Quay wall turns, and forms the western bank of the estuary, when we heard what sounded like a lot of <b>Sandwich Terns </b>calling. A large flock were wheeling in the air and heading upstream, and we estimated that about 120 birds were involved. The largest number of Sandwich Terns that I have seen at this location.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEMoPby3laYrWDS8uFeWuvZ24ly8chPqkIZJ2JDqnFMu-jwqOiKpJvrfZxzV_yi4fDh_KxyH-bw6oVZZROPnfCmZWNCGuue8dNlvG4d7ge2S4xaQIVR5wNjXS37ic2XmHK2en73Ynsi5g7oxsLzl_thWHz_XWO69NQvMhG54fzmAARu0HQxQ0KWD1LF0q/s4398/Sandwich%20Terns.%2016.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3205" data-original-width="4398" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEMoPby3laYrWDS8uFeWuvZ24ly8chPqkIZJ2JDqnFMu-jwqOiKpJvrfZxzV_yi4fDh_KxyH-bw6oVZZROPnfCmZWNCGuue8dNlvG4d7ge2S4xaQIVR5wNjXS37ic2XmHK2en73Ynsi5g7oxsLzl_thWHz_XWO69NQvMhG54fzmAARu0HQxQ0KWD1LF0q/w400-h291/Sandwich%20Terns.%2016.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sandwich Terns</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We sat in our usual spot on the wall overlooking the estuary, and the Terns started to return. They were diving into the water to feed, and nearly every dive seemed to be a success, as they lifted off the water with a small fish secured in their bill. We chatted to a local fisherman, and he said that there were a lot of Whitebait about, and Whitebait are the immature fry of fish such as Herrings and Sprats, so this is probably what the Terns were catching. A few of the Terns landed on some exposed shore before the tide covered it, and after a few minutes of enjoying the antics of the 'Sarnies', they headed downstream towards the mouth of the estuary. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was time for us to continue our walk, and as we were passing a patch of Bramble, I noticed a darter fly in and land. And I was very surprised to see that it was a mature male <b>Black Darter</b>! According to <i>Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland </i>by Steve Brooks, and illustrated by Richard Lewington (an excellent book by the way), the larval habitat of Black Darter includes shallow, acidic, nutrient-poor pools with abundant emergent vegetation on heathland, moorland and bogs. However, the adult is a wanderer, and can undertake migratory journeys, and therefore is likely to appear far from water, or in locations that do not support breeding populations. Hence, our sighting this morning! Anyway, it was a cracking little beastie, and I have included some pictures of it below. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMQJFudzDsI6_-7Ly7vjUNgBIX0Gj1iEWdM7JrbW6gohUpc8PAULKd1oW50Ay2Zfcn24DAFj3l3i4NEjbP920U2AGqlWvnD-Ixlp4HUoJexBfeO6IWMNJf-D_x7xSbytFfN7AxNvidxn3-jVmwM46M6UVTGJuixx25HTTSiU58aiHFC_Q7PZIqlN2OJiP/s3949/Black%20Darter%202.%2014.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2860" data-original-width="3949" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMQJFudzDsI6_-7Ly7vjUNgBIX0Gj1iEWdM7JrbW6gohUpc8PAULKd1oW50Ay2Zfcn24DAFj3l3i4NEjbP920U2AGqlWvnD-Ixlp4HUoJexBfeO6IWMNJf-D_x7xSbytFfN7AxNvidxn3-jVmwM46M6UVTGJuixx25HTTSiU58aiHFC_Q7PZIqlN2OJiP/w400-h290/Black%20Darter%202.%2014.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JEVXiFtljb5_jJlzaRQCErJHr82i922GecMDomHMTDyt3EJd9dGA4g9FbC186GbL2RC_g5svHSUs_yPfCeVrl8gYwRgCFlmwSVaESzrNaKFWPdmWuITKA_Ez_BudykwCyp17iL4b9NBzSyzsP_DUuT473uenay2w3Wb3F1nSxO-bZ2e-rC_aEg3_w_RV/s3953/Black%20Darter%203.%2014.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2713" data-original-width="3953" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JEVXiFtljb5_jJlzaRQCErJHr82i922GecMDomHMTDyt3EJd9dGA4g9FbC186GbL2RC_g5svHSUs_yPfCeVrl8gYwRgCFlmwSVaESzrNaKFWPdmWuITKA_Ez_BudykwCyp17iL4b9NBzSyzsP_DUuT473uenay2w3Wb3F1nSxO-bZ2e-rC_aEg3_w_RV/w400-h275/Black%20Darter%203.%2014.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3kiKLMhpnqME9V3MzsbBslpjFhYh4fTFVskidFFx1SzwyIdr3qxXw29xG5Djg2M6clkVv1sVgBJE3Z8eS3v8yCZug4MEYftunLpZt3sRLJCXazyk23or1yvCiCvods8zTrrAmi3o81ObXNnGuw7rziuSBIPYxA1T1TwjQwJyX9BTuRcADRj1yp5iziNL/s3656/Black%20Darter%204.%2014.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2559" data-original-width="3656" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3kiKLMhpnqME9V3MzsbBslpjFhYh4fTFVskidFFx1SzwyIdr3qxXw29xG5Djg2M6clkVv1sVgBJE3Z8eS3v8yCZug4MEYftunLpZt3sRLJCXazyk23or1yvCiCvods8zTrrAmi3o81ObXNnGuw7rziuSBIPYxA1T1TwjQwJyX9BTuRcADRj1yp5iziNL/w400-h280/Black%20Darter%204.%2014.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Few butterflies were on the wing, other than seven <b>Small Whites</b> and a <b>Small Copper</b>. On our return leg we had a singing Chiffchaff, which was of course a migrant, and it made me think that perhaps the same weather had brought both it and the Black Darter to the site. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRmrFcjmLErSREFQLKJYz8bSLs_cwsJJdKJHsrquKPZ-yLkiRHju38cfi0Nkk4Guyfks31c6fBoD6WSMEfqvj9JKktZGJHsvDI0l1hd26f6N9FDtdBCyMUJoSsLy0C-I2G3cu5nmACM4yeuktPmIYUmFkFFxq52xseqBXGvZG4z1QiAMaPKWugyrfj9as/s3648/Small%20Copper%201.%2014.9.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2590" data-original-width="3648" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRmrFcjmLErSREFQLKJYz8bSLs_cwsJJdKJHsrquKPZ-yLkiRHju38cfi0Nkk4Guyfks31c6fBoD6WSMEfqvj9JKktZGJHsvDI0l1hd26f6N9FDtdBCyMUJoSsLy0C-I2G3cu5nmACM4yeuktPmIYUmFkFFxq52xseqBXGvZG4z1QiAMaPKWugyrfj9as/w400-h284/Small%20Copper%201.%2014.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Small Copper</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">There is some rain coming in after dark this evening, and it might well still be raining at first light tomorrow, so I might get up early and see if it has dropped any migrants in. <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-7999541302909595012023-09-02T20:05:00.006+01:002023-09-17T19:52:45.639+01:00More Tales From The Riverbank<div style="text-align: left;">Gail and I had two walks along the quay this week, and we got it right the first time, but our timing was out on our second visit. On our first visit, five days ago, the tide was falling, and just like the week before, a few waders were dropping in on the newly exposed mud. We had 470 <b>Oystercatchers</b>, that either flew downstream, or stopped off on the mud, before heading downstream again. Three <b>Little Egrets</b>, 39 <b>Redshanks</b>, a <b>Common Sandpiper</b> and thirteen <b>Curlews</b> were with the Oystercatchers, and seven <b>Sandwich Terns</b> headed towards the mouth of the river as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqtO5_J5B1d8TmCmMGnFoICATPneFacWxDSx__b_HGdlJZmcEdPFF15W8sU8m15u9H4ZQr9-qO6pK6NI6hpepXYunotnpIf-zYqFuMwdlZKvok_j-jUzR8Mzo8WhYaW4sHSxEdkRhLbRUWldFF5ja12OhnK2PFaIrgy-tm8luOxp6Y4No8UMlmxBkd9LT/s4041/Redshank.%202.9.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3018" data-original-width="4041" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqtO5_J5B1d8TmCmMGnFoICATPneFacWxDSx__b_HGdlJZmcEdPFF15W8sU8m15u9H4ZQr9-qO6pK6NI6hpepXYunotnpIf-zYqFuMwdlZKvok_j-jUzR8Mzo8WhYaW4sHSxEdkRhLbRUWldFF5ja12OhnK2PFaIrgy-tm8luOxp6Y4No8UMlmxBkd9LT/w400-h299/Redshank.%202.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Redshank</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QXbQblMQVEbhrNjPD2BIuQvE7uMpe8TRUXoUeWc6Xd2S4w7TtFjK90lYoEcWGJjJGltFQdqXHKRuydnmhyyHE2R8_acneKdbRW5hJRHcbvJzIt1DSist6bjW2HWvEQOu7YW7vxCiYjso1RsFztB74hDWBNmFzUzXLqKk9V2sI3JRjiGeA70vtX0kwagK/s4072/Little%20Egret%20&%20Oystercatcher.%202.9.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="4072" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QXbQblMQVEbhrNjPD2BIuQvE7uMpe8TRUXoUeWc6Xd2S4w7TtFjK90lYoEcWGJjJGltFQdqXHKRuydnmhyyHE2R8_acneKdbRW5hJRHcbvJzIt1DSist6bjW2HWvEQOu7YW7vxCiYjso1RsFztB74hDWBNmFzUzXLqKk9V2sI3JRjiGeA70vtX0kwagK/w400-h281/Little%20Egret%20&%20Oystercatcher.%202.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Little Egret and Oystercatcher</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A few butterflies were on the wing; 14 <b>Small Whites</b>, two <b>Red Admirals</b>, and a single of the day flying moth, <b>Silver Y</b>. The most interesting insect that we had, was an Ichneumon wasp species, possibly <i><b>Dusona falcator</b>, </i>but only possibly! I only managed to get one picture of it, and you can see this below. The picture does not do this fantastic beastie justice, as in flight, you could see that above the black tip to its abdomen, it was bright yellow, and you can't see this in the photograph<i>. </i>Before I could get a better picture, it was off!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGbcY5FEq5xv90sH0SGJ1iNM3YLPYAHJMxsjn97Rygt4_JcKswccFPWA7bU9s4YBMmxnBqHeKkH-1sPRQogLE10HBhaVRUIEgO6zGyz9GTb3f1a3mZ92h-UYDueyyxd-P6MkGyVUbnfGEfOHYmoX5Sxkrqm9pq5g3fJWnJrB-lizLRJFfbj-DHAtTcs8H/s3758/Dusona%20falcator.%202.9.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2684" data-original-width="3758" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGbcY5FEq5xv90sH0SGJ1iNM3YLPYAHJMxsjn97Rygt4_JcKswccFPWA7bU9s4YBMmxnBqHeKkH-1sPRQogLE10HBhaVRUIEgO6zGyz9GTb3f1a3mZ92h-UYDueyyxd-P6MkGyVUbnfGEfOHYmoX5Sxkrqm9pq5g3fJWnJrB-lizLRJFfbj-DHAtTcs8H/w400-h286/Dusona%20falcator.%202.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dusona falcator </i>possibly!</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The <b>Rowan</b> trees along the quay are full of berries, and as we passed them walking back, three juvenile <b>Blackbirds</b> were feasting on them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Two days ago, we made our second visit to the quay, but we got our timing all wrong, and the tide was in. Not a scrap of mud to be seen, and consequently not a wader to be seen. We killed some time by having lunch in a cafe overlooking the mouth of the river, but even after that, on our return leg, there still wasn't any mud exposed. We could see that the tide was dropping, but not enough. I think we need to consult the tide tables next time. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Five Red Admirals, a <b>Common Darte</b>r, five Small Whites, a Silver Y, and two <b>Small Tortoiseshells </b>were on the wing, and that was about it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast was okay for Gail and I to go ringing at the Nature Park this morning, but with clear skies overnight, and still clear just before 6:00 am, when we arrived on site, I wasn't hopeful for many birds. It was definitely a clear-out night/morning, and too early yet for any reasonable amount of visible migration. At this time of year, most local breeding summer migrants have moved on, and any numbers of continental migrants have yet to arrive. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We put a couple of nets up and kept our fingers crossed, but our predictions proved to be correct. We ringed seven birds as follows:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Whitethroat - 2 (11 for the site for the year, and 6 more than last year's total of 5)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - 1 (8 for the site for the year, and equals last year's total)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackcap - 2 (10 for the site for the year, and just 1 short of last year's total)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Reed Warbler - 1 </div><div style="text-align: left;">Wren - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowRRJ71D9L6WG8Z1uQhJkzi_qKbKBQxkEl4C5v-S3sh0-OtOgQrp3Ei0lvdvmiyFGxM3vGXkabIUKaNUrOSPnpNPoNMiJ27WVcLni3R8PKbOh9cXNIHrTreZdKtCbHv8GYMgTJnDeNwKDa--orYiV_iAmZQ24-Il17ndYu093vb4iOH9zsob5YTpr43Tr/s4125/Blackcap%20-%20male.%2026.8.21.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2936" data-original-width="4125" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowRRJ71D9L6WG8Z1uQhJkzi_qKbKBQxkEl4C5v-S3sh0-OtOgQrp3Ei0lvdvmiyFGxM3vGXkabIUKaNUrOSPnpNPoNMiJ27WVcLni3R8PKbOh9cXNIHrTreZdKtCbHv8GYMgTJnDeNwKDa--orYiV_iAmZQ24-Il17ndYu093vb4iOH9zsob5YTpr43Tr/w400-h285/Blackcap%20-%20male.%2026.8.21.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Blackcap</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The <b>Starlings</b> were exiting their roost at the exact time that Gail and I were putting the nets up, so the 2,000 that I put in my notebook was mostly guesswork, and I suspect that there were considerably more than this. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We had a <b>Grey Wagtail </b>and a <b>Tree Pipit</b> south, and that was it for vis. A <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b> is always noteworthy here, but they are getting more frequent. And that was it!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the afternoon we had a walk through the Larkholme Grasslands to see if there were any dragons around the ponds. We had two Common Darters, two <b>Emperors</b> and a male <b>Migrant Hawker</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3Rief7PipiXu6_WclGQ1aMZvNe9dobD2xKm3LXzW5Xg3Lvt1sLds-ZO0QzJu8T2srpCHNDC-CQKhjB2YILZP40k_hmCNkVdY5K0rWJunVDBco1SgHb0JPFH8GK9ooyzu_L-IrVi2b0cnFQ4B6VBK8gXmvNA_HMmaI-tc7D7EQfmUXGMtE15eJ-MXV1IA/s4038/Common%20Darter.%202.9.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2798" data-original-width="4038" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3Rief7PipiXu6_WclGQ1aMZvNe9dobD2xKm3LXzW5Xg3Lvt1sLds-ZO0QzJu8T2srpCHNDC-CQKhjB2YILZP40k_hmCNkVdY5K0rWJunVDBco1SgHb0JPFH8GK9ooyzu_L-IrVi2b0cnFQ4B6VBK8gXmvNA_HMmaI-tc7D7EQfmUXGMtE15eJ-MXV1IA/w400-h278/Common%20Darter.%202.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common Darter</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QaCGQ_4I7KFhRv7bqpx7WvPZUhxNF2WMCW3iWc0UYO_zfm-y39eSloYoEVB7LTI2Xd1R0O3LvYAd-zbVwbL7qPZPTouw7IOfgG9cCC75vgyBIW77-R8dljU8EEqJiga7KxZT8OY5_gadlgHpv3Al6cUjdeC3-zgUTPcpgs_y4rHH1IGcF-42eVK3tEfk/s4263/Migrant%20Hawker%201.%202.9.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3195" data-original-width="4263" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QaCGQ_4I7KFhRv7bqpx7WvPZUhxNF2WMCW3iWc0UYO_zfm-y39eSloYoEVB7LTI2Xd1R0O3LvYAd-zbVwbL7qPZPTouw7IOfgG9cCC75vgyBIW77-R8dljU8EEqJiga7KxZT8OY5_gadlgHpv3Al6cUjdeC3-zgUTPcpgs_y4rHH1IGcF-42eVK3tEfk/w400-h300/Migrant%20Hawker%201.%202.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Migrant Hawker (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofadUM6gyGBNLr5ScwBYdj0Kza26Xk2IY9slIAEqTq7dwFJWmkTcUAANZ1YnONT7QnZYt3RvTiwFj6ocRFSv1XKrFWwq-h0yBZCpNG7icBi8EBjIEusapIvn_nZUVczbIBnQ16cXUGkSTBMAwYnDJkeEI9juydJ97CKZOBQCoQzc0cuhNVazDTDxUmpJE/s3964/Migrant%20Hawker.%202.9.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2896" data-original-width="3964" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofadUM6gyGBNLr5ScwBYdj0Kza26Xk2IY9slIAEqTq7dwFJWmkTcUAANZ1YnONT7QnZYt3RvTiwFj6ocRFSv1XKrFWwq-h0yBZCpNG7icBi8EBjIEusapIvn_nZUVczbIBnQ16cXUGkSTBMAwYnDJkeEI9juydJ97CKZOBQCoQzc0cuhNVazDTDxUmpJE/w400-h293/Migrant%20Hawker.%202.9.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">It is looking settled for most of next week, but it will be clear skies for most of the time, meaning that any migrants will pass straight through. If we get a suitable morning, we will have another try. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I follow an excellent blog called <i>North Downs and Beyond</i>, and I can thoroughly recommend it if you like a good read about nature and conservation. Its author, Steve is a brilliant all-round naturalist, and I have posted many a link to some of his posts on here before. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A couple of weeks ago he wrote a post entitled <i>Impotent </i>about how he feels about climate change, and a lack of action by both individuals and government, and I can totally relate to it. You can read Steve's post <a href="http://northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2023/08/impotent.html">HERE</a>, and it is well worth a read, as are all his posts, but this summed up the way I feel very well.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Over on the right you will see that I have updated the ringing totals for Fylde Ringing Group up until the end of August. Three new species for the year were ringed during August, and these were Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Linnet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Below you will find the top 10 'movers and shakers' for the year, but I haven't produced a top 5 ringed during August as only one species made it into double figures.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Top 10 Movers and Shakers</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Sand Martin - 101 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Blue Tit - 85 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Goldfinch - 66 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Great Tit - 57 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Chaffinch - 26 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Reed Warbler - 26 (up from 7th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">7. Pied Flycatcher - 23 (down from 6th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">8. Lesser Redpoll - 18 (down from 7th)</div><div style="text-align: left;">9. Reed Bunting - 16 (same position)</div><div style="text-align: left;">10. Chiffchaff - 13 (down from 9th) </div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-26706417349061333562023-08-28T21:01:00.000+01:002023-08-28T21:01:51.188+01:00Tales From The Riverbank<div style="text-align: left;">I don't want to repeat myself, but it has been another quiet week since I last posted, some eight days ago. We have been out, walking the quay and the riverbank on several occasions, and we even ran our light trap for moths in the garden a couple of times. And this past week I finished with a sea watch from the coastal farm fields, but more of that later. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">As I said above, we ran our moth trap twice this last week, and the catches were poor in terms of species, but quite large for us in terms of numbers, thanks to a number of <b>Large Yellow Underwings</b>. We added eight new species for the garden, in the form of <i><b>Rhomboid tortrix</b>, <b>Acleris hastiana</b>, </i><b>Copper Underwing</b>, <b>Bird-cherry Ermine</b>, <b>Rosy Rustic</b>, <b>Vine's Rustic</b>, <b>Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix</b> and <b>Garden Rose Tortrix</b>, and incidentally, we just caught one of each of these eight species. Over both days the combined totals of the other moths we caught were, 96 Large Yellow Underwings, four <i><b>Agriphila geniculeas</b>, </i>a <b>Bright-line Brown-eye</b>, two <b>Lesser Yellow Underwings</b>, a <b>Common Rustic</b>, a <b>Garden Carpet</b>, five <b>Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings</b>, a <b>Flame Shoulder</b>, and a <b>Setaceous Hebrew Character</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkL6Wwzf0E63iq-wfUP3ce4PKMw_DLgS6exZBIjA86MTXKw6xDJIBf0t-z-qfTGsSRszqvTpPRX_I7YdCjVb5WeWumjiaa9lfODcBF8BJizjutqDI9c61AdEjrarL3cwGC3w56DykB3qoB3Yo2VEPceKWGgVS2Jhb4AavCJ8s3Abx7FI6TqmpjonQOpb7/s4608/Large%20Yellow%20Underwings.%2022.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkL6Wwzf0E63iq-wfUP3ce4PKMw_DLgS6exZBIjA86MTXKw6xDJIBf0t-z-qfTGsSRszqvTpPRX_I7YdCjVb5WeWumjiaa9lfODcBF8BJizjutqDI9c61AdEjrarL3cwGC3w56DykB3qoB3Yo2VEPceKWGgVS2Jhb4AavCJ8s3Abx7FI6TqmpjonQOpb7/w300-h400/Large%20Yellow%20Underwings.%2022.8.23.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">A few of the Large Yellow Underwings</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I noticed some larvae were munching my Willows, and after a bit of research I identified them as <b>Lesser Willow Sawfly</b> <i>Nematus pavidus. </i>They aren't rare, in fact they are very common, but it is one of the joys of looking at invertebrates in that virtually everything is new. Well, it is to me anyway! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqH0jqLN9j_RD0Hi4rWrVjd696GGxSJJr-txFT-8P4o_dISwLIImk2c4oN3_3XzPPcCJc6iTB2AH7lZg7nNpdTszbg4H8pWRPS_Po2EsHXPQUuFTvS50-psyyGjMZGulcxLCK2uobbCQamerXupqUwOA3QLotlOAGdXxDpknthE8l_KdDRISnJNNXNL3c/s3976/Lesser%20Willow%20Sawfly.%2022.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2921" data-original-width="3976" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqH0jqLN9j_RD0Hi4rWrVjd696GGxSJJr-txFT-8P4o_dISwLIImk2c4oN3_3XzPPcCJc6iTB2AH7lZg7nNpdTszbg4H8pWRPS_Po2EsHXPQUuFTvS50-psyyGjMZGulcxLCK2uobbCQamerXupqUwOA3QLotlOAGdXxDpknthE8l_KdDRISnJNNXNL3c/w400-h294/Lesser%20Willow%20Sawfly.%2022.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lesser Willow Sawfly</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">During the week, Gail and I had a wander along the quay, and along the bank of the River Wyre to Fleetwood. All our visits were mid - late morning, and all our visits were fairly quiet, with the exception of visit number three. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Our first visit was very quiet, even though the southerly wind seemed to give the impression that there might be a migrant or two about, but there wasn't. Looking back at my notebook as I write, it was meagre pickings, and all I will mention is the eighteen <b>Redshanks</b> and fourteen <b>Oystercatchers</b> out on the mud. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXUwTUiqopQA1dEDIuG84wYpmnAu7NvVBTtF9crmw_SPHVCShssjJsFCcSXApojNCfokdp7_jU3zKfoX5tb8e2HbuT9dlXT5nGs-MmxGcDC134d0kcN_NB2R3CEEYJPOH1op85aHghEON4YZdrrqpjZxe3ZxiP7VRox6eTZqCQj-USy14WViGNwciF2ok/s4608/Oystercatchers.%2027.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXUwTUiqopQA1dEDIuG84wYpmnAu7NvVBTtF9crmw_SPHVCShssjJsFCcSXApojNCfokdp7_jU3zKfoX5tb8e2HbuT9dlXT5nGs-MmxGcDC134d0kcN_NB2R3CEEYJPOH1op85aHghEON4YZdrrqpjZxe3ZxiP7VRox6eTZqCQj-USy14WViGNwciF2ok/w400-h300/Oystercatchers.%2027.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Oystercatchers</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">For visit number two, the wind had swung round to the northwest, and for some reason, even though it felt a little cooler, a few common butterflies were on the wing. We had seven <b>Small Whites</b>, five <b>Common Blues</b>, two <b>Red Admirals</b> and a <b>Small Tortoiseshell</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne6E88kzDK6jCsvUarxLpHTkZ337NI8JDMlhg4hkbqlhDqCnAcLDhkABNIACEiEiDuM8gmDO1-qj4PoJ4zTvWmgooZ7OsJRu3l_XmLF0Y94S4EifwheY3GybH8Df1eD9HFZXCEel90JinD2v4usbF0wwAfsq1byRUJ7AHayvC9PKRHTKQoPh8tX6Kb2ep/s4418/Red%20Admiral%204.%2027.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3257" data-original-width="4418" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjne6E88kzDK6jCsvUarxLpHTkZ337NI8JDMlhg4hkbqlhDqCnAcLDhkABNIACEiEiDuM8gmDO1-qj4PoJ4zTvWmgooZ7OsJRu3l_XmLF0Y94S4EifwheY3GybH8Df1eD9HFZXCEel90JinD2v4usbF0wwAfsq1byRUJ7AHayvC9PKRHTKQoPh8tX6Kb2ep/w400-h295/Red%20Admiral%204.%2027.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Red Admiral (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZitIq3io3k1s_rzpVt-FRNKX6N-dR5kmHxd-QYocn8c6Rtqhey_VoLyn-OBENfMs8YV4pSaBMMjMEDL8KqIShYeU0Jiswh84O1XPolT7pZ32ze4JEG1zuTAMSKfAHMlfQJ2z-3_mWCNLUX6xH3mev-0-sKzYQ4yjJQhlhGSZuRcjV8QNIdHG7OShE5tcb/s4299/Red%20Admiral.%2027.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3233" data-original-width="4299" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZitIq3io3k1s_rzpVt-FRNKX6N-dR5kmHxd-QYocn8c6Rtqhey_VoLyn-OBENfMs8YV4pSaBMMjMEDL8KqIShYeU0Jiswh84O1XPolT7pZ32ze4JEG1zuTAMSKfAHMlfQJ2z-3_mWCNLUX6xH3mev-0-sKzYQ4yjJQhlhGSZuRcjV8QNIdHG7OShE5tcb/w400-h301/Red%20Admiral.%2027.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ten <b>Swallows</b> were in the air at one point, alarm calling away, but we couldn't see/find what had upset them. By the way they were behaving, we suspected something mammalian, rather than avian. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Our third visit, which was in fact yesterday, coincided with a falling tide, and we did have a few birds. It was overcast with a chilly north-westerly wind. There were a number of waders feeding in the quay itself, and along the river's edge in the main channel as the tide fell, exposing foraging areas. There were also birds flying downstream. Some stopped off for a few seconds before heading off again, but others just motored past. I've lumped my totals together for all three scenarios, and we had 112 Oystercatchers, 287 Redshanks, a <b>Whimbrel</b> and three <b>Curlews</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7jSKAe7clnlBKG1hfoblmV7wpJkSCRwQ7Vy1WESgimCf4QH5zSRj6kH-CrgiJP2vpNA2i21Hh1GSw_6A6-zM3YZa-G7T0bZlRvluOQ8Sytb2DMSYMcNDZYquLHdeMB940utClz0eqCBKcVcIUuyQrNqk4W_CJZGsB8MEfX4IvU-0S5jxGIMRLm_9CaZ3/s4234/Whimbrel%202.%2027.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3128" data-original-width="4234" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7jSKAe7clnlBKG1hfoblmV7wpJkSCRwQ7Vy1WESgimCf4QH5zSRj6kH-CrgiJP2vpNA2i21Hh1GSw_6A6-zM3YZa-G7T0bZlRvluOQ8Sytb2DMSYMcNDZYquLHdeMB940utClz0eqCBKcVcIUuyQrNqk4W_CJZGsB8MEfX4IvU-0S5jxGIMRLm_9CaZ3/w400-h295/Whimbrel%202.%2027.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Whimbrel</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">As we neared the mouth of the river, we could see onto one of the muscle beds, or scars as they are known, and there were at least 800 Oystercatchers, along with four <b>Little Egrets</b>. This is obviously where all the birds flying downstream were heading. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to the waders heading downstream, we also had 33 <b>Sandwich Terns</b> doing the same. We watched all this activity as we sat on the side of the quay wall overlooking the river. As we were sat watching the natural world go by, a flock of thirty <b>Starlings</b> dropped in just a few metres from us, and they were busy feeding on invertebrates amongst the sparse vegetation along the sea wall. All of a sudden, they were in the air, and a juvenile <b>Kestrel</b> made a very clumsy attempt at catching one, and then perched up on the quay just a few metres from us. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgts0TeMRtl1bgl6AkKiczwpQO279SzwM8SlETCTTp926HN7-71N0IltOOni5WY5tiJWYQaNlIHUQNAKYNGHPsabuJJGxeUN695hqeTJaicwoAtirkAEzrI2xJFr1rB5rrtZaGneH7htQJopI6uaYcLq5GSHRalU_qjOIawX2fWJ_pydvrrfD5F-SSqtDLY/s4608/Kestrel%202.%2027.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgts0TeMRtl1bgl6AkKiczwpQO279SzwM8SlETCTTp926HN7-71N0IltOOni5WY5tiJWYQaNlIHUQNAKYNGHPsabuJJGxeUN695hqeTJaicwoAtirkAEzrI2xJFr1rB5rrtZaGneH7htQJopI6uaYcLq5GSHRalU_qjOIawX2fWJ_pydvrrfD5F-SSqtDLY/w400-h300/Kestrel%202.%2027.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The juvenile Kestrel (above & below). You will need to look carefully!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5xs4GbaOHBnoF4Cz8MmPRyOp0Dq3dGBW-9FBXo_CtDv96mbSlO6zOfTVj4J-cshJhaW0sy9c9T92Ym5HX81mppTauVQuK6ULxeAFTDTq68nvghn2GtY_mbNywhyHrXBkCbSsretTm5dYpNGYdPgW7aX5Vf4-4iPLuQvZPe1WY4bxO7fXkETdP4TplJuO/s4608/Kestrel%203.%2027.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5xs4GbaOHBnoF4Cz8MmPRyOp0Dq3dGBW-9FBXo_CtDv96mbSlO6zOfTVj4J-cshJhaW0sy9c9T92Ym5HX81mppTauVQuK6ULxeAFTDTq68nvghn2GtY_mbNywhyHrXBkCbSsretTm5dYpNGYdPgW7aX5Vf4-4iPLuQvZPe1WY4bxO7fXkETdP4TplJuO/w400-h300/Kestrel%203.%2027.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">It looked quite comical as it had a bit of a walk about amongst the same vegetation that the Starlings were feeding in. I suspect that if it could have found a large enough invertebrate morsel it would have taken it, but it would have been a poor substitute for a Starling! Whilst we were sat watching the Kestrel, a few Swallows were flying back and forth hawking for insects, and the young Kestrel made a few half-hearted, or poorly executed, attempt of catching a Swallow. The Swallows weren't in any danger!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A male <b>Peregrine</b> was on his usual high tide perch, and now that the tide was dropping, he headed off towards the mouth of the estuary in search of a wader to feed on. On the seaweed encrusted slopes of the sea-wall, Gail spotted a white rump 'bouncing' away, that belonged to a migrant <b>Wheatear</b>. The only other migrant passerine that we had was a juvenile <b>Whitethroat</b> that we encountered on our return leg. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8BsrUwNXMF8zfgo87-lSd9_QyG3HthvkXEulZjAtHyA3_VGEOJkGjTbmtsrPPcfghKWI-_9R6uV4EXV8TFawaWwCseCvDKbFUvvpRDD3FMGjocNWj64ggzoUyUo_FpW_1bN7aGLuepBDmd9trpBnRl1sBZgi9c329i8r4t_oJ0WvNMi073gaE4SGy6Tw/s4174/Wheatear%201.%2027.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3078" data-original-width="4174" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8BsrUwNXMF8zfgo87-lSd9_QyG3HthvkXEulZjAtHyA3_VGEOJkGjTbmtsrPPcfghKWI-_9R6uV4EXV8TFawaWwCseCvDKbFUvvpRDD3FMGjocNWj64ggzoUyUo_FpW_1bN7aGLuepBDmd9trpBnRl1sBZgi9c329i8r4t_oJ0WvNMi073gaE4SGy6Tw/w400-h295/Wheatear%201.%2027.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wheatear</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was a solo outing this morning for me, to the coastal farm fields to have a look over the sea on the in-coming tide. I had 6 oktas cloud cover, with a force 3 - 4 north - westerly wind. Whilst it remained cloudy the visibility was fairly good, but when the clouds cleared a little, there was a heat haze making the visibility not so good.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I didn't really expect it to be 'rocking', so when my first bird was a close-in dark morph <b>Arctic Skua </b>heading north, I thought that maybe it might rock a little bit, but it didn't really. There was a supporting cast of 61 Sandwich Terns, 47 <b>Common Scoters</b>, 48 <b>Gannets</b> and a <b>Shelduck</b>, and that was it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The most unusual birds I had at sea, were a group of five white herons, quite a long way out, heading north. I couldn't make out what they were at all, but I assume that they were Little Egrets. It wasn't a particularly strong north-westerly wind, but they were making slow progress, and I picked them up again a few minutes later and two climbed, and peeled off from the other three, but I couldn't see where they headed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As the tide ran in, there were a number of <b>Turnstones</b> roosting on the rock armour just off-shore, and I counted 134 in total. The only other waders I had were twelve Oystercatchers and a couple of <b>Sanderlings</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXmOrhwwi78JrjVNE6WxPUhk6lw8t3OYLiCsv2-xx9InHDe2e9ukFP0LD9aVRDCkJ-ozlBVXXdSbI42p4ojeptbXqTrskzLp7zdTeITDJ5QO0U8CV1Z4Ozo7fM5_q-gPuB09JGtdy_icI70uMgAjg26DlQOFg00VhT-3U4AkkKs9vL1PxyVvtbE-Jm5Ak/s4608/Turnstones.%2028.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXmOrhwwi78JrjVNE6WxPUhk6lw8t3OYLiCsv2-xx9InHDe2e9ukFP0LD9aVRDCkJ-ozlBVXXdSbI42p4ojeptbXqTrskzLp7zdTeITDJ5QO0U8CV1Z4Ozo7fM5_q-gPuB09JGtdy_icI70uMgAjg26DlQOFg00VhT-3U4AkkKs9vL1PxyVvtbE-Jm5Ak/w400-h300/Turnstones.%2028.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Turnstones</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I had a walk round the farm fields and hedgerows after I had finished my sea-watch, and the only migrant I had was a single Whitethroat. A group of fifteen <b>Common Gulls</b> roosting on the front fields with some Black-headed and Herring Gulls is worth mentioning. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not sure why, but I called in at the cemetery on my way home, as I knew there wouldn't be any migrants, but I suppose it's the fact that it is autumn after all, that made me call. And there weren't any migrants!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The weather is looking quite unsettled for the coming week, and I don't know how many blog posts of late that I have ended with that statement! It will be what it will be, and Gail and I will endeavour to make the most of it. <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-29399134203808209332023-08-20T10:33:00.000+01:002023-08-20T10:33:49.078+01:00Quiet<div style="text-align: left;">It has been a quiet week, and Gail and I have struggled to populate the notebook with sightings, but we have been trying. The week started off with a couple of nesting bird checks for work, and these were completed in sometimes trying conditions with plenty of heavy rain. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast for Wednesday morning was good enough to tempt us to have a ringing session at the Nature Park, and at first light we had almost clear skies with a light northerly wind. When putting a couple of nets up, it felt like a bit of a 'clear-out' morning, and our ringing totals backed this up. We ringed eleven birds as follows:</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Reed Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 3</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sedge Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Whitethroat - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wren - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blackbird - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq32Ia7rBABz4_5kLQQB5LEWYNjV_l_0lB5_8CoCr8HyBlEaeAXbJpDT8xI4vfXXoi01Wx6ow-8RIFje8O8HbyPY4IdIi4abp1qUT4TmI4oHV2NfusWvUJ6Cr4ld-RS0G7mBFRG4tPQ0TaGQMY7dju5Gey6-9ErEL44l6NlbZ0ULI486VK8VV0SLmn8Wyx/s4077/Reed%20Warbler.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2930" data-original-width="4077" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq32Ia7rBABz4_5kLQQB5LEWYNjV_l_0lB5_8CoCr8HyBlEaeAXbJpDT8xI4vfXXoi01Wx6ow-8RIFje8O8HbyPY4IdIi4abp1qUT4TmI4oHV2NfusWvUJ6Cr4ld-RS0G7mBFRG4tPQ0TaGQMY7dju5Gey6-9ErEL44l6NlbZ0ULI486VK8VV0SLmn8Wyx/w400-h288/Reed%20Warbler.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Look at the bill on this gorgeous Reed Warbler</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-3qKFXhu0CjTmDOiXBA28GDNRIqULWENCfBHb7TDYoGV8DSQvvDzz3GB8GJHvTCELjz6WW0utqVr_F_RAeaLzlMey-rcGUokh2yPHEA3gf2UVFsZHxTK3czGutc72FnZWYEzkHlJFh8JSw2EL8ehuriqsc6IXGUxK7fK8IhcbzNCgQTuNPBlFHtZe-qH/s4125/Sedge%20Warbler.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="4125" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-3qKFXhu0CjTmDOiXBA28GDNRIqULWENCfBHb7TDYoGV8DSQvvDzz3GB8GJHvTCELjz6WW0utqVr_F_RAeaLzlMey-rcGUokh2yPHEA3gf2UVFsZHxTK3czGutc72FnZWYEzkHlJFh8JSw2EL8ehuriqsc6IXGUxK7fK8IhcbzNCgQTuNPBlFHtZe-qH/w400-h289/Sedge%20Warbler.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Sedge Warbler</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvO5A5pySzLOj7t-3pcW-Cvc3jCdYoqdU0xxuQWPsbWK1NtL8Q8cBfiXdXwmNFIcSDtMompDwUOhzDX3TX5F493ZEHTvKeATQEaY0u_s_P5unCg9CZ50IwI7_Hn9aXGRbY4B_jVEmxM7U-TYYp8pRa34nv9cA12UBPRZGFDxx-VrdpEM3DpQRgIn3fry9/s4608/Whitethroat.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdvO5A5pySzLOj7t-3pcW-Cvc3jCdYoqdU0xxuQWPsbWK1NtL8Q8cBfiXdXwmNFIcSDtMompDwUOhzDX3TX5F493ZEHTvKeATQEaY0u_s_P5unCg9CZ50IwI7_Hn9aXGRbY4B_jVEmxM7U-TYYp8pRa34nv9cA12UBPRZGFDxx-VrdpEM3DpQRgIn3fry9/w400-h300/Whitethroat.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Whitethroat<br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">As usual, as we were putting the nets up the <b>Starlings</b> exited their reedbed roost with the usual whoosh, and when you are close to them the noise of their wings as they swirl around, sounds like waves rolling onto the shore. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A few <b>Swallows</b> seemed to be heading north into the wind, as they often do, and a hovering <b>Kestrel</b> is the only other thing of note worth mentioning. However, we do count everything we see and hear, so we can enter a complete count on the British Trust for Ornithology's (BTO) <i>BirdTrack. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Over that following evening we ran our light trap in the garden, for one of our not so regular moth trapping sessions. We trapped 35 moths of 16 species; 2 <b>Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing</b>, 2 <b>Willow Beauty</b>, 15 <b>Large Yellow Underwing</b>, 2 <b>Common Carpet</b>, 1 <b>Common Plume</b>, 1 <b>Marbled Beauty</b>, 1 <b>Setaceous Hebrew Character</b>, 2 <b>Brown House Moth</b>, 1 <b>Yellow Shell</b>, 1 <b>Dotted Clay</b>, 1 <b>Flame Carpet</b>, 1 <i><b>Agriphila latistra</b>, </i>2 <i><b>Agriphila geniculea</b>, </i>1 <b>Garden Carpet</b>, and 1 <i><b>Acleris notana/ferrugana</b>. </i>We also had a 'moth trap intruder' in the form of the caddis fly, <b>Mottled Sedge</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPLtIxdeJpVG-9CpONjeVP8ppPImjtiWqHkoUa5o_eCbb33GK_-Eu_IcjljO6tI7LVWWnrENzZ0OnSZ9cXsKZVi8yhFIoZiz2MtbE1KqhsTm46PBdBYbGtM4fyhA-E8hDj6DM_hixM3HLMT-IoxTPABAW0aNNHOTK1VTNvLYFlfe0dQxn0PKin58NC68j/s3933/Common%20Carpet.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2906" data-original-width="3933" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPLtIxdeJpVG-9CpONjeVP8ppPImjtiWqHkoUa5o_eCbb33GK_-Eu_IcjljO6tI7LVWWnrENzZ0OnSZ9cXsKZVi8yhFIoZiz2MtbE1KqhsTm46PBdBYbGtM4fyhA-E8hDj6DM_hixM3HLMT-IoxTPABAW0aNNHOTK1VTNvLYFlfe0dQxn0PKin58NC68j/w400-h295/Common%20Carpet.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common Carpet</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCNpl0FJFzYnoMjDii5aUW7m1D7Q144-dhxudNHf0S3P39es9uKOuhB_BRhoRfe4USYSF3-2DhKBeGTOvZzEZ3iZwX-VGfMMFRnhVE7M3cTZCYFmv7dl1XnDqYdT22rnYbNCcZjnDr58jTeftAAO_lbW0N2j7DiK6u9EbwI9fdbro0unA7rufgoKCnW6F/s3475/Setaceous%20Hebrew%20Character.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2525" data-original-width="3475" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCNpl0FJFzYnoMjDii5aUW7m1D7Q144-dhxudNHf0S3P39es9uKOuhB_BRhoRfe4USYSF3-2DhKBeGTOvZzEZ3iZwX-VGfMMFRnhVE7M3cTZCYFmv7dl1XnDqYdT22rnYbNCcZjnDr58jTeftAAO_lbW0N2j7DiK6u9EbwI9fdbro0unA7rufgoKCnW6F/w400-h291/Setaceous%20Hebrew%20Character.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Setaceous Hebrew Character</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-A_SusuccDtV_vGvs_TQSlpn8kFLfehyWgVL4fVF6v6s7BYC5V-1kMXKqioRLNpdr4rd11KYTUqhlbXuV5b_GKzufhPv1opZFNtmQ8BLnr-A5JN67nvZEuzRG1kjytIl7CiBhTcNAaSa2iSiyVnKjbxSIIzKLj6Dd_0RPnkJ-y1gfGklhoxMKjXN8V_Zd/s4135/Willow%20Beauty.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3036" data-original-width="4135" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-A_SusuccDtV_vGvs_TQSlpn8kFLfehyWgVL4fVF6v6s7BYC5V-1kMXKqioRLNpdr4rd11KYTUqhlbXuV5b_GKzufhPv1opZFNtmQ8BLnr-A5JN67nvZEuzRG1kjytIl7CiBhTcNAaSa2iSiyVnKjbxSIIzKLj6Dd_0RPnkJ-y1gfGklhoxMKjXN8V_Zd/w400-h294/Willow%20Beauty.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Willow Beauty<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">On Friday morning I had a solo outing around the coastal farm fields. I was there for first light under 6 oktas cloud cover with a 3 - 4 easterly wind. The tide was a long way out, so I dispensed with any thoughts of sea-watching, and had a walk around the fields and hedges instead. It was quiet, very quiet, and even though I counted absolutely everything, I haven't much to report here.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As I walked along the sea wall there were several <b>House Martins</b> and Swallows continually flying up and down the length of the wall hawking insects, as a number of flies were on the wing. Over 200 <b>Herring Gulls</b> were out on the shore, and a <b>Little Egret </b>fed in one of the tidal pools. I looked for a few plants, but didn't record anything unusual, or should I say, anything that I could identify that was unusual for me! Some <b>Sea Holly</b> was flowering, and these are one of my favourite coastal plants, in fact one of my favourite plants full stop. I think it is a combination of their beauty, and adaptability of their harsh environment that makes them one of my favourites. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNc7FYYf24FZgm3F8jOz6ysCibEzkZ5sWb7TvjOd-CLboul0jYaa-MMi0qi_X7G5Xyh7UPcIT49-12hRgsouqpbG_gJWeoQAJc8bm_zLlnP7oC2ilPsZtH9OyPNJRINr_fkFcQSlpxqMtw8D4FS8t24yJdg6OC3cszENrEJG6bTC4jajqCfi2LjcGBSrRI/s4350/Sea%20Holly%201.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3117" data-original-width="4350" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNc7FYYf24FZgm3F8jOz6ysCibEzkZ5sWb7TvjOd-CLboul0jYaa-MMi0qi_X7G5Xyh7UPcIT49-12hRgsouqpbG_gJWeoQAJc8bm_zLlnP7oC2ilPsZtH9OyPNJRINr_fkFcQSlpxqMtw8D4FS8t24yJdg6OC3cszENrEJG6bTC4jajqCfi2LjcGBSrRI/w400-h286/Sea%20Holly%201.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sea Holly (above & below)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8DJWrqDOCz_S-kLKCMFJB86HRpXbIkCBGsV6tZ0f35KJXnEodoYgovMvgi8zrgzFj4cFHbzZDsIbmEhi527Nv7E0VMjGA5MY5ygCbFSpBQ555NwjsIdAkfSPxXkZSWjr-7GGnahCF1KOPz042PYIyNSePJmn65q8GOsDRVQveCFjvbvFlKBPGVgeOm6f/s3652/Sea%20Holly.%2018.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2762" data-original-width="3652" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8DJWrqDOCz_S-kLKCMFJB86HRpXbIkCBGsV6tZ0f35KJXnEodoYgovMvgi8zrgzFj4cFHbzZDsIbmEhi527Nv7E0VMjGA5MY5ygCbFSpBQ555NwjsIdAkfSPxXkZSWjr-7GGnahCF1KOPz042PYIyNSePJmn65q8GOsDRVQveCFjvbvFlKBPGVgeOm6f/w400-h303/Sea%20Holly.%2018.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had a saunter through Larkholme Grasslands, and it was another quiet hour here also. Swallows were hawking insects along this stretch of coast as well, and again about 200 Herring Gulls were on the shore. I had two Little Egrets feeding in a tidal pool, so when I saw those five Little Egrets exiting their roost last week, they were very probably heading to some of the tidal pools along this stretch of coast. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I found some more Strawberry Clover, but they are probably in the same tetrad as the coastal farm fields, and that was it. I told you it was quiet!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i></i><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The forecast is a bit of a mixed bag over the next week, which is typical when I don't have any work next week and could get out lots. I think it is called Sod's law! <br /></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-10730421731557220142023-08-13T15:21:00.000+01:002023-08-13T15:21:06.934+01:00Warblers and Strawberries<div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not the most committed moth trapper, and can run my light trap a couple of times in a week, or a couple of months between sessions! I ran my light trap about a week ago, and not since (I know shame on me), and caught just fourteen moths of seven species, but <b>Nutmeg</b>, <i><b>Hypsopygia glaucinalis</b> </i>and <b>Mouse Moth</b> were new species for the garden, so I was pleased about that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">During the past week, Gail and I made two visits to the Quay on the Wyre, to see if we could catch up with a few butterflies and plants. I think the real reason was so that Gail could pick some Blackberries, so I'm looking forward to an apple (from our garden) and blackberry crumble, or such like. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our first visit was fairly early in the morning, so just a handful of butterflies were on the wing; six <b>Small Whites</b>, two <b>Common Blues</b> and two <b>Red Admirals</b>, and a day flying <b>Silver Y</b> moth. The tides were very high earlier in the week, around the 10 metre mark, which means that they go out along way, and areas of mud that aren't regularly exposed are exposed. This attracted 97 <b>Oystercatchers</b>, 19 <b>Redshanks</b>, 160 <b>Herring Gulls</b>, eight <b>Lesser Black-backed Gulls</b>, three <b>Great Black-backed Gulls</b>, two <b>Grey Herons</b> and a <b>Little Egret</b>. And a walk along an estuary in August wouldn't be complete without a calling <b>Whimbrel</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwbYUCpk1NHT75uUhpv0qG2JtfZKNLV1A9HXdklJhQg6ujZnfPgvn0UYv0Hj4px10QjTDrbm4TzNp3_HPt3XHQMxWsLgUL8_OV4Qwlj5ldNe_-3ZIhDwb_FT4j_N7gRcv8d57EhIzsR52bhQ5i3ZzcOznEfFHEUYrvbFo8UxgA8saZlcGWw7yZ8dkWrqR/s3800/Herring%20Gull.%2011.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2524" data-original-width="3800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwbYUCpk1NHT75uUhpv0qG2JtfZKNLV1A9HXdklJhQg6ujZnfPgvn0UYv0Hj4px10QjTDrbm4TzNp3_HPt3XHQMxWsLgUL8_OV4Qwlj5ldNe_-3ZIhDwb_FT4j_N7gRcv8d57EhIzsR52bhQ5i3ZzcOznEfFHEUYrvbFo8UxgA8saZlcGWw7yZ8dkWrqR/w400-h266/Herring%20Gull.%2011.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Herring Gull</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWdKLNR1sHmMKJsbzMH4rxryRJWygdxuwW1ze35-U-Cf_vKsrAgleui2fFLPoo40cKtnwAQnNBjd1DIDqsQKqwh2bJ-qFdnxysoSlrdtiytA-uMNYECPNax7yuDFcry2qp9oTTyY5OK1ctfpbXW3ke1NiZ1ZkXT7nAuHebIjfTuMpDrNMN_-z8OxFlPJj/s4389/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%201.%2011.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3194" data-original-width="4389" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWdKLNR1sHmMKJsbzMH4rxryRJWygdxuwW1ze35-U-Cf_vKsrAgleui2fFLPoo40cKtnwAQnNBjd1DIDqsQKqwh2bJ-qFdnxysoSlrdtiytA-uMNYECPNax7yuDFcry2qp9oTTyY5OK1ctfpbXW3ke1NiZ1ZkXT7nAuHebIjfTuMpDrNMN_-z8OxFlPJj/w400-h291/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%201.%2011.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Lesser Black-backed Gull</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jnA1o-rK2WUu4F4V9Pj8k9U2gWZHnsQ3bY-MzyQklO7Re9VtYf6-rqTP87-Ww8wlAshjAoLi9QYfXgMRCegqs2PmKsK2y8TnwqOI9jRwsHuOacE4pVj9sghgya9BYuDyYZdva5a1juFWYhTBE1mB53GGurkGu_oPkXrEstISIq5LU8nLXrGNcLcVP5xt/s3779/Silver%20Y.%2011.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="3779" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jnA1o-rK2WUu4F4V9Pj8k9U2gWZHnsQ3bY-MzyQklO7Re9VtYf6-rqTP87-Ww8wlAshjAoLi9QYfXgMRCegqs2PmKsK2y8TnwqOI9jRwsHuOacE4pVj9sghgya9BYuDyYZdva5a1juFWYhTBE1mB53GGurkGu_oPkXrEstISIq5LU8nLXrGNcLcVP5xt/w400-h283/Silver%20Y.%2011.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Silver Y</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">There's still a few <b>Swifts</b> about, and we had three during our walk, but the best bird was reserved for our return leg, when we flushed a <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b> from some scrub on the quayside. Not a scarce bird by any means, but a new bird for us for the site, and it made our morning! This is the beauty of working a patch, and staying local. That 'Great Spot' gave me the same kicks that I used to get four decades ago, when I had a spell of chasing rarities, and driving hundreds of miles across the UK in pursuit of said rarities.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">This got me thinking about a brilliant, thought provoking blog post from Steve Gale on his excellent blog North Downs and Beyond. He wrote a blog post entitled <i>What did you do during the climate crisis?, </i>and it is well worth a read. You can read it by clicking <a href="https://northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-did-you-do-during-climate-crisis.html">HERE</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Our second visit to the Quay was just a couple of days ago, and it was on a very hot, but blustery, afternoon. We were hoping for a few more butterflies, but the 15 mph south-easterly wind restricted them to just four Small Whites, two Common Blues and two Red Admirals. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We'd just set off, when all the wreck nesting <b>Swallows </b>started alarm calling, and there must have been a good thirty of them in the air shouting at the top of their hirundine voices. And the cause of all this commotion, was a male <b>Sparrowhawk</b> that had dared to flap-glide across the Swallows air space. The Sparrowhawk was duly escorted to the other side of the quay, and peace and quiet returned. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We had our highest count of Little Egrets for some time, with two feeding along the river's edge, and a flock of eight flying downstream towards the mouth of the estuary. At the far end of our walk, at the mouth of the estuary, is the former fishing and ferry port of Fleetwood, and very handily is an ice cream parlour selling Walling's ice cream. In our opinion, you would struggle to find a better ice cream than Walling's, and with a choice of over 40 different flavours it's virtually impossible not to call, particularly on a hot afternoon. I availed myself of two scoops, raspberry swirl and strawberry, and Gail, who isn't as greedy as me, just had one scoop of raspberry sorbet. After this essential pit-stop, we were ready to walk back. Our walk back was quiet, but we did have an adult <b>Mediterranean Gull</b> in the quay. A nice end to a pleasant, if not a hot and sweaty stroll. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wednesday morning dawned with conditions conducive to ringing, so Gail and I found ourselves at the Nature Park at 5:30 am, under 1 oktas cloud cover, with a 5 - 10 mph west-north-westerly wind, putting a couple of nets up in the reedbed and scrub. As we were putting the nets up, some early <b>Brown Hawkers </b>were up and about crashing through the reeds. It's amazing how much noise these large dragonflies make as they move through the vegetation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVRu3igNtZ-oUiZnT3VtMo63InIQik4fD3RB7HnzdzqqXIQS9yr5jVam0UZloF5RCyHGci01xgVWJqYM7kNY65EihdvFRih8g7orsZTeFsuvgFI9fq77PXKAAKx0Em0PCVhbZQPxeQKBndEseU-b2n-lQzyGIcWFRBitaEycuNI0niXd_sTrHQaXoUitj/s4000/Brown%20Hawker.%2024.7.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVRu3igNtZ-oUiZnT3VtMo63InIQik4fD3RB7HnzdzqqXIQS9yr5jVam0UZloF5RCyHGci01xgVWJqYM7kNY65EihdvFRih8g7orsZTeFsuvgFI9fq77PXKAAKx0Em0PCVhbZQPxeQKBndEseU-b2n-lQzyGIcWFRBitaEycuNI0niXd_sTrHQaXoUitj/w400-h300/Brown%20Hawker.%2024.7.11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Brown Hawker</span><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The <b>Starlings</b> were up earlier than usual, so the 700 that we observed exiting the roost, was probably just the last birds leaving. Five Little Egrets went over early, and they were probably exiting a roost as well. They were heading in a north-westerly direction, so were probably heading to feed on the Irish Sea coast. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A few <b>House Martins</b> and Swallows, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a croaking <b>Raven</b> was probably it from a pure birding perspective. We ringed 18 birds as follows (13 being warblers):</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Cetti's Warbler - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Whitethroat - 5</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blue Tit - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Great Tit - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sedge Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wren - 2</div><div style="text-align: left;">Chiffchaff - 3</div><div style="text-align: left;">Willow Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;">Reed Warbler - 1</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xcFNUr-rjxyrTDHODseudhx1XcfxI6pRn3NdL60cibrVRJeJkPrUjy0O7feSHCxt3oziPFjnzmit0iJtvTAj2b9Q4mZqUwBjPrwludqJlxzb8XKNZOiCZtmMujFJJzNAmcANyfxs_kFzPM1Drw81Q2aS6SvWHIQuONY_kQSJKRmyowaLnMKxYYrQtaWh/s3974/Chiffchaff.%2011.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="3974" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xcFNUr-rjxyrTDHODseudhx1XcfxI6pRn3NdL60cibrVRJeJkPrUjy0O7feSHCxt3oziPFjnzmit0iJtvTAj2b9Q4mZqUwBjPrwludqJlxzb8XKNZOiCZtmMujFJJzNAmcANyfxs_kFzPM1Drw81Q2aS6SvWHIQuONY_kQSJKRmyowaLnMKxYYrQtaWh/w400-h284/Chiffchaff.%2011.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chiffchaff</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPjepBcOEaXYb1HIQe9YL7YrePm5MB3nLbZXl6LJdvtp3bd5s_RoQG7SsSe9ue5mY4rbSc3G-Zu0I6baAaWq5-2scyb9utq1-FqyOhWCdESN2Ss_VvBFu37cd6cmg7LzLvvPpIICwLJnn30Ul8V3QEQo_UvbstUCEEhPknyrSRwFxQqEfMcNwHNThgkTF/s3811/Whitethroat.%2011.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2719" data-original-width="3811" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPjepBcOEaXYb1HIQe9YL7YrePm5MB3nLbZXl6LJdvtp3bd5s_RoQG7SsSe9ue5mY4rbSc3G-Zu0I6baAaWq5-2scyb9utq1-FqyOhWCdESN2Ss_VvBFu37cd6cmg7LzLvvPpIICwLJnn30Ul8V3QEQo_UvbstUCEEhPknyrSRwFxQqEfMcNwHNThgkTF/w400-h285/Whitethroat.%2011.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Whitethroat<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">At the end of the week Gail and I were doing our weekly shop (why are you telling us this I hear you ask), and we bumped into Barry and Ellen. Barry is one of those all round brilliant naturalists, and I tend to only bump into him once a year or so. I have known Barry for about 47 years, and when I was a young birder, he was very encouraging to me, and I am forever grateful for that. Anyway, I digress. we were chatting about birds, birders, naturalists, inverts and plants, and Barry asked me if we ever visited Larkholme Grasslands, to which we answered no, even though it is only five minutes from home! He told us that there was a good selection of insects and plants there, so on Friday afternoon we went to have a look.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Larkholme Grasslands is a Biological Heritage Site (BHS), known as a County Wildlife Site (CWS) in other parts of the UK, and it was restored in 2018 when the sea defence work in the area was completed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was a hot afternoon when we visited, but the blustery north-westerly wind meant that any butterflies were keeping low, and we just had five Common Blues, a Small White, a Meadow Brown and two <b>Small Coppers</b> (one of my favourite butterflies). </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzsHRAUZxh3PE5s-1fFX3x56vv8IJcAEipXikmfJMkVmEtXOBOXoLR8585WJGStx3c7wDnQDQNWmtMSnp_YpAk3FQsIDD7UIX1w3I_6tjuQ6LJ3MjbEPWuRgCPqpOr6JlxF3MeAusRkz1n0N9OYE_zhrHVi3w3He_rsi2upcylcjeARFd9IwULssKHMnX/s3840/Small%20Copper.%2011.9.21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2864" data-original-width="3840" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzsHRAUZxh3PE5s-1fFX3x56vv8IJcAEipXikmfJMkVmEtXOBOXoLR8585WJGStx3c7wDnQDQNWmtMSnp_YpAk3FQsIDD7UIX1w3I_6tjuQ6LJ3MjbEPWuRgCPqpOr6JlxF3MeAusRkz1n0N9OYE_zhrHVi3w3He_rsi2upcylcjeARFd9IwULssKHMnX/w400-h299/Small%20Copper.%2011.9.21.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Small Copper</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">A lot of wildflowers have gone over now, but we had species like <b>Lady's Bedstraw</b>, <b>Common Knapweed</b>, <b>Bird's-foot Trefoil</b>, <b>Oxeye Daisy</b>, <b>Chicory</b>, <b>Scentless Mayweed</b>, <b>Purple Loosestrife</b>, <b>Field Scabious</b>, <b>Common Vetch</b>, <b>Creeping Cinquefoil</b>, <b>Red Clover</b>, <b>Sea Campion</b>, <b>Ribwort Plantain</b> and<b> Yarrow</b> to name but a few, but I think you get the picture. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rN3x_F0YEW_6B48_ZZMt8RRYqCguPqGsaziE3MeL1Ftk3_Jw6cYRRdzfWyNlcVWiRL_EEfFPsy-zl548ZrYWgv35HsgBcxkqBAcx7-zbvda1AN-c_Q9BPZ2zg8SWp8VslqWJdNTjrr02f2HBgugFuVzkuHmH1jkdad1n4_OpsNfCCJBPxGpAbJ3ATNOS/s3834/Chicory.%2011.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2772" data-original-width="3834" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rN3x_F0YEW_6B48_ZZMt8RRYqCguPqGsaziE3MeL1Ftk3_Jw6cYRRdzfWyNlcVWiRL_EEfFPsy-zl548ZrYWgv35HsgBcxkqBAcx7-zbvda1AN-c_Q9BPZ2zg8SWp8VslqWJdNTjrr02f2HBgugFuVzkuHmH1jkdad1n4_OpsNfCCJBPxGpAbJ3ATNOS/w400-h289/Chicory.%2011.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chicory</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are two small ponds on the site, and in the first one there were at least 80 Pond Snails sp. At the second pond we had three <b>Common Darters</b>, and at least three <b>Emperor</b> dragonflies. There was at least one female Emperor ovipositing, but the view of her was always slightly obscured by vegetation, so I couldn't get any pictures. And the two battling males, well, they were just too fast for me. Gail and I spent several minutes stood by this pond marvelling at these large, metallic blue and green dragons. I like the way that Emperors seem to be inquisitive, as they will often come and have a look at you when you stand for some time, and these two boys were no exception. Like the Brown Hawker of Wednesday, these large dragonflies crash through marginal vegetation as well, and you often hear them before you see them. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMhy4jpQrzjBQEZhqGhnDh6KDH6Avd9otvHVJxdzP8HkSQfWJR8IvDeKvOqFj7MaJIud4x_zFz5hQsl6YXp1x05Ja0ZPYuC4IYgPXb79SOH9RUjyjnh1FXkQTWG7R1v7KtUZFXmb5fqaRdTpuT0DMiuBMwsQqGvJ3P4ofsaVGUnSdnrPhv6pt_Uu4lO3i/s4102/Common%20Darter.%2012.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2779" data-original-width="4102" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMhy4jpQrzjBQEZhqGhnDh6KDH6Avd9otvHVJxdzP8HkSQfWJR8IvDeKvOqFj7MaJIud4x_zFz5hQsl6YXp1x05Ja0ZPYuC4IYgPXb79SOH9RUjyjnh1FXkQTWG7R1v7KtUZFXmb5fqaRdTpuT0DMiuBMwsQqGvJ3P4ofsaVGUnSdnrPhv6pt_Uu4lO3i/w400-h271/Common%20Darter.%2012.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common Darter</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYAwR-t2G5AmwOeREKAJueoYz5GKaSw2GAMKsNTnpVgcKnP9Ay2Z6nsUU8Nrmfwp8Lc4OS66HCVG3nBFY3hY_11AtEQtzh0F98CIiUFElgv28uWTl-EQW5w1LILmljvitHMEamWefIzsPR0zCiy-NMSEY-IA2l_w9qWmb0V9pJKtbkt2BtktCt_qpIMqm/s4608/Pond%201,%20Larkholme%20Grasslands.%2011.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYAwR-t2G5AmwOeREKAJueoYz5GKaSw2GAMKsNTnpVgcKnP9Ay2Z6nsUU8Nrmfwp8Lc4OS66HCVG3nBFY3hY_11AtEQtzh0F98CIiUFElgv28uWTl-EQW5w1LILmljvitHMEamWefIzsPR0zCiy-NMSEY-IA2l_w9qWmb0V9pJKtbkt2BtktCt_qpIMqm/w400-h300/Pond%201,%20Larkholme%20Grasslands.%2011.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pond 1</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGqQyxghHxfMDNNx5tclyiV_JuG_NwjXGiai8emRpk5oN2f4wMhc-6OzciUYm2dJFGtFGcxSGCIYmoocY6Iu2SfQWLzxV9NyiP4r43oP3Plnf2TevyoaqDgbXYwnMhVP7o-24eVjVyF_3oQU5F9jmVAFcIAOljdaXIv5nz1rylVh-dE9_htOw2GkGF5e2/s4608/Pond%202.%20Larkholme%20Grasslands.%2012.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGqQyxghHxfMDNNx5tclyiV_JuG_NwjXGiai8emRpk5oN2f4wMhc-6OzciUYm2dJFGtFGcxSGCIYmoocY6Iu2SfQWLzxV9NyiP4r43oP3Plnf2TevyoaqDgbXYwnMhVP7o-24eVjVyF_3oQU5F9jmVAFcIAOljdaXIv5nz1rylVh-dE9_htOw2GkGF5e2/w400-h300/Pond%202.%20Larkholme%20Grasslands.%2012.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pond 2</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">We walked back to the car park with calling Whimbrel and <b>Sandwich Tern</b> as a backdrop. The car park is next to the coastal farm fields that I like to bird regularly when I can, and I remembered a visit a number of years ago now, with the late Eric Greenwood, who besides being a lovely man, is probably the best botanist that I have ever known. My signed copy of his <i>Flora of North Lancashire </i>sits proudly on my book shelf. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUhgjh-8HfUqqWZHaaM8D3xSkH0U1LolC_9bu8PJJom_wEWXtnFBfdFm-XnF333M-GNt2FBWxHnx9Oe9MTsXLXbXop08-9b-OW4RokAia5hcaL5SpAeNtp0pkjfJayWqofa9pxlP0fACM0g7YSP63FVXFpzXauKn4zVk_5TQziXqGsgrQ20kj4eN4zZVE/s3297/Flora%20of%20North%20Lancs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3297" data-original-width="2573" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUhgjh-8HfUqqWZHaaM8D3xSkH0U1LolC_9bu8PJJom_wEWXtnFBfdFm-XnF333M-GNt2FBWxHnx9Oe9MTsXLXbXop08-9b-OW4RokAia5hcaL5SpAeNtp0pkjfJayWqofa9pxlP0fACM0g7YSP63FVXFpzXauKn4zVk_5TQziXqGsgrQ20kj4eN4zZVE/w313-h400/Flora%20of%20North%20Lancs.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Eric's <i>Flora of North Lancashire</i></span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">During that visit from several years ago he was pointing out to me some <b>Strawberry Clover</b> that can be found just behind the sea wall. It isn't rare by any means, in fact in his book, Eric describes it as 'occasional', occurring in 28 tetrads. Anyway, Gail and I had a look, and sure enough there it was flowering away in the same place that Eric had pointed it out to me all those years before. It's a funny looking flower, and I always think it looks more like a raspberry than a strawberry! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmSAbztgxf890aGu-TfH8H4AWZFxAsgkE5788MGhWXJSwVJuvEIVj1Zw3Ljfxg3QjUzwrA2n7Z_I4r3i1Gz5vGN9EGCD-CHL4PY-j1CWGMUe7NsZ3mMpCMZHiz1BpOOMU-sTLDCRZhMgCV8MbTJQ3cRLh-vlHsF7J6sf2-aQ8k8B7m7AFjW0kw_GjPCC9/s3893/Strawberry%20Clover%201.%2012.8.23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2821" data-original-width="3893" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmSAbztgxf890aGu-TfH8H4AWZFxAsgkE5788MGhWXJSwVJuvEIVj1Zw3Ljfxg3QjUzwrA2n7Z_I4r3i1Gz5vGN9EGCD-CHL4PY-j1CWGMUe7NsZ3mMpCMZHiz1BpOOMU-sTLDCRZhMgCV8MbTJQ3cRLh-vlHsF7J6sf2-aQ8k8B7m7AFjW0kw_GjPCC9/w400-h290/Strawberry%20Clover%201.%2012.8.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Strawberry Clover</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDEaxTYxyGUTh4afBYimCNXRCJEt72zhm3uqY_M5uqfB4TtitF6IDh6MnwGDTXvXCfthFqLnR1e6h9RTgbEAuRvsNAji5oIDuCLBHAZ5QN-nTMWqcx9qYk0-xS4YW9wABde6aBs_JOR7_MRnea1tNJj7EOQTmVkMWZSdu2qoJyKFOj-vAYDsmVYKW18Oo/s2939/Clover%20distribution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2939" data-original-width="2887" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDEaxTYxyGUTh4afBYimCNXRCJEt72zhm3uqY_M5uqfB4TtitF6IDh6MnwGDTXvXCfthFqLnR1e6h9RTgbEAuRvsNAji5oIDuCLBHAZ5QN-nTMWqcx9qYk0-xS4YW9wABde6aBs_JOR7_MRnea1tNJj7EOQTmVkMWZSdu2qoJyKFOj-vAYDsmVYKW18Oo/w393-h400/Clover%20distribution.jpg" width="393" /></a></div>The distribution of Strawberry Clover in north Lancashire<br /> </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've got two nesting bird checks to do tomorrow, and then I have a meeting Tuesday morning, and then the rest of the week is free. So hopefully, we'll be back out several times during the week.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm beginning to really like the good people of the University of Sussex as I read about another great piece of research they recently carried out alongside Butterfly Conservation. There is widespread concern about the decline in wild pollinating insects like bees and butterflies, and the researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered that moths are particularly efficient night-time pollinators. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Throughout July 2021 they studied ten sites in the south-east of England, and found that 83% of insect visits to Bramble flowers were made during the day. While the moths made fewer visits during the short nights, only 15% of the visits, they were able to pollinate the flowers more quickly. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The researchers concluded that moths are more efficient pollinators than day-flying insects such as bees! While day-flying insects have more time available to transfer pollen, moths are making an important contribution during the short hours of darkness. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The study also highlighted the importance of Bramble, a shrub widely thought of as unfavourable (not by us) and routinely cleared, when in fact it is critical for nocturnal pollinators. So now that we know that moths are important pollinators, we need to ensure that Bramble, and other flowering scrub plants, are encouraged to grow in our parks, gardens, road verges and hedgerows. So, leave some Bramble in your garden if you can please.<br /></div></div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-2881793492650484452023-08-10T20:14:00.000+01:002023-08-10T20:14:10.296+01:00Nest Box Design and Ectoparasite Load<div style="text-align: left;">I never thought that I would write a blog post with a title like that, but I read a very interesting paper recently in Bird Study - Volume 70, Part 1 - 2, February-May 2023 entitled <i>Influence of nest box design and nesting material on ectoparasite load for four woodland passerines </i>by Thomas Blunsden and Anne E. Goodenough. If you check nest boxes every year like I have since 1985, you too would find this paper very interesting. I'll have a go at summarising the findings of the paper, so bear with me! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I suppose the first question, is what is an ectoparasite, and what effect can they have? An ectoparasite is an organism that lives on the skin of a host, and from which they derive sustenance. And nest ectoparasites constitute a threat to the fitness and survival of chicks and parents. These parasites can cause anaemia, a lack of weight gain for chicks and weight loss for adults. The authors go on to say that some ectoparasites can also cause disease, either because they act as vectors, or because puncture wounds or scratches become infected. This can potentially reduce post-fledging survival of young, or post-breeding survival of adults. So, they can have quite a negative impact. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">For passerines nesting in woodland in the UK, the two most important nest ectoparasites are Hen Fleas, and parasitic Blowfly spp. I had never heard of Hen Fleas, and was aware of Blowflies, but didn't really have any understanding of their relationship and impact on nesting passerines. What is important, is that both of these ectoparasites undertakes key stages of their life cycle within nest material alongside their avian host. Hen Fleas synchronise their reproduction with that of birds to enable them to complete two generations during the birds' nesting period. The parasitic Blowflies lay their eggs when the chicks are approximately 30% grown, so that the larvae can take direct meals of blood from the growing chicks, and then pupate within the nest. Because of the potential cost of these parasites on breeding success, Great Tits in Switzerland, in an experiment, actively chose nest sites without Hen Fleas, when they were avialable! When only infested nest sites were availiable, the laying of clutches was delayed, desertion was higher, and hatching success was lower. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3IfgY7ofYhPwfpmh0lYoxxDScrsOr3c0mHfUkjNyqNk-Om1chDRnt5Pvj-d39_WiuYr0_vwWQlYZmOwn9F4OGI-HHbsJCjDe9d6P69nN2d9BNrqeOJilynlAsN7TxYEsSHZhvtQvKqVdbNq3ubHISDfsuzdtdAoQsY38DNKG1kCQ7QNk-JlZnXl2V_ga/s4608/Pied%20Flycatcher%20nest.%2017.5.20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3IfgY7ofYhPwfpmh0lYoxxDScrsOr3c0mHfUkjNyqNk-Om1chDRnt5Pvj-d39_WiuYr0_vwWQlYZmOwn9F4OGI-HHbsJCjDe9d6P69nN2d9BNrqeOJilynlAsN7TxYEsSHZhvtQvKqVdbNq3ubHISDfsuzdtdAoQsY38DNKG1kCQ7QNk-JlZnXl2V_ga/w400-h300/Pied%20Flycatcher%20nest.%2017.5.20.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pied Flycatcher nest and eggs in what looks like an old box</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The authors stated that a number of different parameters can influence the presence and abundance of nest ectoparasites. Bird species is important, as understandably some ectoparasites are host specialists e.g., Hen Fleas are particularly abundant in the nests of tits. Nest type plays a key role as well: open nests generally have a low ectoparasite load but a high predation risk, but birds using natural cavities and nest boxes tend to have a high parasitic load, but low predation risk. Within nest boxes, the fact that birds tend to use the same nest site over successive years can be a major determinant of ectoparasite load, especially for ectoparasites that pupate within the nest or use nest sites to overwinter. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Nest composition and the amount of nest material can also influence ectoparasites. The materials used to construct a nest varies between bird species, with climate conditions, geographic location, and local availability of materials also having an impact. Vegetative material, twigs, bark and dead leaves, is often used to form a structural layer to provide the shape of the nest, while dry grass, feathers, wool and animal hair can provide an insulative lining. I found it interesting that fresh plant material, such as green leaves, are also used by some bird species, possibly because they contain chemical aromatic compounds that fill the air of the nest box, and act as repellents or natural fumigants. A study by Rendell & Verbeek in 1996, found positive correlations between the volume of nest material used by Great Tits and the number of Hen Fleas. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo_QDpVl1Pn5Xu0kSmj5okYKLaDz0bb7094f5xV04vkNaRk9-vBCoW1QaMg62B8Zll5u6v182TRdcQUxe_WcwTVcWYeMNIKTbTQhT2bNApZPWEkqHlzuFiwIVdYGTf4hWUprqt4IoL19PUF1x7H03SwSqdNAe_ieS_eHH72aTPvercurXy1MHNt2A99Tb/s4000/Nuthatches.%2020.5.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo_QDpVl1Pn5Xu0kSmj5okYKLaDz0bb7094f5xV04vkNaRk9-vBCoW1QaMg62B8Zll5u6v182TRdcQUxe_WcwTVcWYeMNIKTbTQhT2bNApZPWEkqHlzuFiwIVdYGTf4hWUprqt4IoL19PUF1x7H03SwSqdNAe_ieS_eHH72aTPvercurXy1MHNt2A99Tb/w400-h300/Nuthatches.%2020.5.18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Nuthatch nest and young</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nest boxes are often used to provide a safe place to nest for certain bird species, and they provide the opportunity to monitor the populations of the bird species utilising them. However, the nest box construction, maintenance or management could affect ectoparasite loads e.g., older nest boxes could have higher ectoparasite loads if parasites overwinter in the box. Also, nest box dimensions can affect nest volume, as larger nests are built in larger boxes, and again this could affect parasite loads, which tend to increase with nest volume. The authors looked at the interrelationships between ectoparasite abundance, bird species, nest box design, amount of nesting material and nest composition. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">They stated that their aim was to advance the understanding of bird and ectoparasite relationships and inform the optimization of nest box design for conservation and management, especially for declining woodland specialists such as the Pied Flycatcher, of which Gail and I are very interested in. The nest boxes studied were 'old' wooden nest boxes, 'new' wooden nest boxes of the same dimensions (like ours for Pied Flycatchers and Tree Sparrows) and 'new' deep wooden nest boxes (thought to be predator proof as the extra depth increases the distance between eggs/chicks and the entrance hole). </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The research took place on a reserve in Gloucestershire, and before the start of the 2019 breeding season, the authors erected 100 new deep nest boxes, and 100 new wooden nest boxes of standard size alongside pre-existing old wooden nest boxes, giving 200 trees with a choice of two nest boxes on them. Territoriality would prevent both nest boxes on a single tree being used. All of the boxes had a 32 mm hole, the same size that we use for both our Pied Flycatchers and Tree Sparrows, and the deeper boxes were 55 mm deeper than the standard size. The rationale for using the deep nest boxes was to mitigate potential increases in predator pressure due to the imminent reintroduction of Pine martens, as well as the existing predation pressure by Grey Squirrels. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Post-fledging, 78 nests were collected for analysis. The nests were weighed, frozen at minus 18 Celsius to kill parasites and preserve them until the nests could be processed. The collected nests were then subdivided between species and nest box design. All the parasites were identified, as well as mosses used in the nest construction, and all tree material was recorded. In addition to this, any animal hair used in the lining of the nests was identified to species level. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyw1K_YgH64YoH11kTFAuSLtsTln8F8qCvmRb2fAn1qle-Njbs8-YcHVkg6bRRZlk0f0ps1xN4fugNYPEnWW74mSDSkFla0t_vaXVfpMRFtYZ3HCRYwHvDQ1XJkqnWXvhbeoR4EEMud4AqYfYJb_VsDJ5ize9CokbMSzjO2ZHXy8fKC1DnE3rGagEYu2S/s4000/Great%20Tit%20pulli%20-%20small.%202009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyw1K_YgH64YoH11kTFAuSLtsTln8F8qCvmRb2fAn1qle-Njbs8-YcHVkg6bRRZlk0f0ps1xN4fugNYPEnWW74mSDSkFla0t_vaXVfpMRFtYZ3HCRYwHvDQ1XJkqnWXvhbeoR4EEMud4AqYfYJb_VsDJ5ize9CokbMSzjO2ZHXy8fKC1DnE3rGagEYu2S/w400-h300/Great%20Tit%20pulli%20-%20small.%202009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Great Tit nest and young</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm going to skip over all the data analysis bit, even though it is hugely important, as it's tricky trying to explain it an understandable way, and that's assuming that I understand all the non-parametric U tests and Poisson distribution, to name but a few. So, I am going to jump straight to the results and discussion. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Where there was a choice of two nest boxes of standard size, there was no significant difference between the number of new nest boxes selected compared to the number of old nest boxes selected. However, when there was a choice of either a deep nest box (predator proof?), or an old nest box of standard dimensions, there was a significant avoidance of deep nest boxes. Given that both new nest boxes of standard dimensions and deep nest boxes were added immediately before the breeding season, it suggests that the dimensions of the nest boxes, rather than age were driving the bird's choice. Very interesting! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In their 'discussion' the authors reported that the abundance of Hen Fleas and Blowfly in the nests of the cavity-nesting bird species that they studied, was influenced by bird species, amount of nesting material, and nest composition. Both ectoparasites were found at their highest loads from deep nest boxes, nests from old nest boxes had intermediate loads, and nests from new nest boxes had the lowest loads. Greater amount of nest material increased the abundance of both ectoparasite species. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It was interesting that the authors noted that nests in deep nest boxes had high ectoparasite loads, and the positive correlation between nest mass and ectoparasite abundance, is likely to be partly connected. They observed that birds nesting in deep nest boxes continued adding nesting material until the top of the enlarged nest was a similar distance to the entrance hole as it would be in a nest box of standard dimensions. A greater amount of nest material increases the habitat available for ectoparasites! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Also, the difference between old and new wooden nest boxes showed that the former had a significantly higher abundance of ectoparasites compared to the latter. This could mean that the ectoparasite load increases with nest box age. Connected to this, was that the authors results suggested that cleaning the nest box was ineffective, perhaps because pupating hen Fleas, for example, are hard to remove if they are within the feather dust at the bottom of the box, rather than within the nest itself. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">At the end of the paper, a couple of key recommendations are made, and they are ones that I will certainly consider in relation to our nest box scheme, and these are that boxes are regularly replaced to keep ectoparasite loads down, and that deep nest boxes are not used, as they result in larger nests, and are associated with increased loads of two ectoparasites. And the behaviour of birds in building up the nest structure in deep boxes, negates the reason for using them in the first place in terms of reducing predation risk, as the nest contents are within reach of mammalian predators. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I was particularly interested in the recommendation to regularly replace boxes, as I tend to replace mine based on their condition. What the authors didn't say, unless I missed it, is how old is an old box, and at what stage does the ectoparasite start to increase, whereby it is having a negative impact on the outcome of the breeding attempt. Mmm...... </div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6420661999656480764.post-43985551979861929372023-07-31T11:11:00.001+01:002023-08-01T12:21:05.207+01:00Weeds<div style="text-align: left;">As far as I am concerned there are no such thing as weeds, they are all wildflowers, but humans like to give things that they don't like, or perceive as a problem, a derogatory name, a name that sums up why something should not be tolerated, liked, or even accepted. But weeds are wildflowers, and they are some of the best wildflowers as far as pollinating insects are concerned. And I have used 'weeds' as my blog title just to be a bit provocative, because I absolutely love 'weeds'!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">As Marillion said, on the song Beautiful, from their stonking album Afraid Of Sunlight:</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Everybody knows we live in a world where they give bad names to beautiful things</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Everybody knows we live in a world where we don't give beautiful things a second glance</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Heaven only knows we live in a world where what we call beautiful is just something on sale </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>People laughing behind their hands as the fragile and the sensitive are given no chance</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>We don't have to live in a world where we give bad names to beautiful things </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>We should live in a beautiful world </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>We should give beautiful a second chance</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, Marillion weren't talking about 'weeds' in their song, but they could have been<i>, </i>as I think the lyrics fit what a lot of people think about these gorgeous wildflowers. <i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you haven't heard Beautiful, by Marillion, you can listen to it by clicking <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjrvJKbq7uAAxXRi_0HHVfrBqgQ3yx6BAgeEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DROuWBdmZhvY&usg=AOvVaw3qS0eilQ4ZPV2V-Dx4hAy-&opi=89978449">HERE</a><i> </i> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my clients recently asked me to provide him with some information on the conservation value of some common 'weed' species, and these were Ragwort, Nettles, Thistles, Docks and Rushes. He was interested to know whether they needed controlling on his farm, and if so where, and by how much. However, to put this into context, on his farm the farming is secondary to, and is there to support the biodiversity on the farm, so in asking me the question he was erring on little or no control, depending on the situation. I carried out a bit of a literature review, and looked at as much information that I could find on the conservation value of these plant species, and learnt a little too. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, it was an interesting piece of work, and I have replicated some of it here in my blog, in relation to some of the insects that I have recorded of late, just to illustrate how important these common wildflower species are to pollinators, and to some see-eating bird species as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Throughout this piece, I will intersperse it with pictures of a variety of species, all utilising these common wildflower species. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Ragwort</u></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are 35 insect species that totally rely on Ragwort for food, including seven species of moth (particularly important for Cinnabar Moths) and seven beetle species. Another 83 species are recorded as using Ragwort, and often it forms a significant food source. There are then a further estimated 50 species of parasite, in turn, feeding on those insects.<br /><br />On top of those 133 species, Ragwort is a significant source of nectar for other insects, including bee species that specialise in feeding on daisies, and many species of butterfly. Government research shows that of over 7,000 plant species in Britain, Ragwort is the 7th most important nectar-producing plant.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqWv993RnknG2AE_IGVYADZumvpGb5Hycw0CovE0QReugNcVSdW7e89lUcJ84u8L37GQNbp0f6zvHB8IcmpfHUXMmq4YJeQHSBwpM2UynLXYzlDMV9dAX2b1HcxgqhU0SZ5NRHdGMwtFwKyANDnsJ7LhyNYhTiKcsExmoYsKAcn5mhQCQGxRe9R06nsWD/s4163/Cinnabar%20Moth%20caterpillars.%2029.7.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2998" data-original-width="4163" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqWv993RnknG2AE_IGVYADZumvpGb5Hycw0CovE0QReugNcVSdW7e89lUcJ84u8L37GQNbp0f6zvHB8IcmpfHUXMmq4YJeQHSBwpM2UynLXYzlDMV9dAX2b1HcxgqhU0SZ5NRHdGMwtFwKyANDnsJ7LhyNYhTiKcsExmoYsKAcn5mhQCQGxRe9R06nsWD/w400-h288/Cinnabar%20Moth%20caterpillars.%2029.7.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Ragwort</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">A new study by researchers at the University of Sussex, has demonstrated that weeds are far more valuable in supporting biodiversity than we give them credit for. This study compared the biodiversity value of plants classified as ‘injurious weeds,' with those stipulated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for pollinator targeted agri-environmental options, such as Red Clover and Wild Marjoram.<br /><br />Their findings show that the abundance and diversity of pollinators visiting weed species are far higher than DEFRA recommended plants. Ragwort has open flowers, that allow access to a wide variety of pollinator species, and they produce, on average, four times more nectar sugar than the DEFRA recommended plant species.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzXNKY_0lzVN9VSS8cAZ9ACjOEKN9-y2ELiou0BSy3nJUm9vPBYdX_yTINLXMW1lZtXaWJiEM65oKV0L5_1MNHP_V6b7iX-TlVEJCEo40iqYpNqMYG8GtLOyooDqFTLG1OtJQyK-TA4cCUWXtv8TOYn62VGa35q916yKd8dF8IxFUihHJUb9Lci5CzDlt/s3877/Common%20Drone%20Fly.%2029.7.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2871" data-original-width="3877" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzXNKY_0lzVN9VSS8cAZ9ACjOEKN9-y2ELiou0BSy3nJUm9vPBYdX_yTINLXMW1lZtXaWJiEM65oKV0L5_1MNHP_V6b7iX-TlVEJCEo40iqYpNqMYG8GtLOyooDqFTLG1OtJQyK-TA4cCUWXtv8TOYn62VGa35q916yKd8dF8IxFUihHJUb9Lci5CzDlt/w400-h296/Common%20Drone%20Fly.%2029.7.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common Drone Fly on Ragwort</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Research shows that Ragwort is toxic to animals. However, what is clear from scientific research, is that actual poisoning is a rare event.<br /><br />Ragwort contains compounds that are poisonous to most vertebrates. These are pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and these substances occur in other plants as well. In fact, they occur in 3% of the world's flora.<br /><br />The question is how much needs to be consumed for an animal to be poisoned. It has been found that it lies between 5 % and 25% of body weight for horses and cattle.<br /><br />Quite often, you will hear people saying that there are automatic legal obligations to treat and remove Ragwort from land, but in fact there are not. It is simply the case that there is nothing in the legislation that says that you automatically must eliminate ragwort from land.<br /><br />Ragwort is mentioned in the Weeds Act 1959, and the Act says:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Where the minister of Agriculture fish and food (in this act referred to as ' the Minister') is satisfied that there are injurious weeds to which this act applies growing upon any land he may serve upon the occupier of the land a notice, to take such action as may be necessary to prevent the weeds from spreading. </i><br /><br />This legislation does not force landowners to control Ragwort, nor does it place an obligation on them to do so. <br /><br />The Weeds Act has been subsequently amended by the Ragwort Control Act, which only provides guidance for the creation of a code of practice. <br /><br />Code of practice: Ragwort:<br /><i>1. The Minister may make a code of practice for the purpose of providing guidance on how to <br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> prevent the spread of Ragwort. <br />2. Before making the code, the Minister must consult such persons as he considers appropriate.<br />3. The Minister must lay a copy of the code before Parliament.<br />4. The Minister may revise the code; and subsections (2) and (3) apply to the revised code.<br />5. The code is to be admissible in evidence.<br />6. If the code appears to a court to be relevant to any question arising in proceedings it is to be taken </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i> into account in determining that question.</i><br /><br />Ragwort is not a notifiable weed that must be reported to someone in authority. The above is the only piece of legislation that can place an obligation on anyone, and it does not say that it is notifiable. There is no requirement in law to notify, inform, or tell anyone of the occurrence of Ragwort anywhere.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzxtMpfvQebommZFSPIs_F7wpA5aoiCXbC3v6dFvyt46-0ffIxFFk5dL57Pska_-QGmOl_c5EHE1Fr1-7C8eeA7zWvtsh9f4ANJqvagzylJYzBL893U1ivE6vLcFzynjbMkwNucCEqXbiOLXHOv5LjX9Bi_WXlm676hc3TWLmaaG8G2YV549_70HE80hB/s4121/Painted%20Lady%201.%203.10.19.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3116" data-original-width="4121" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggzxtMpfvQebommZFSPIs_F7wpA5aoiCXbC3v6dFvyt46-0ffIxFFk5dL57Pska_-QGmOl_c5EHE1Fr1-7C8eeA7zWvtsh9f4ANJqvagzylJYzBL893U1ivE6vLcFzynjbMkwNucCEqXbiOLXHOv5LjX9Bi_WXlm676hc3TWLmaaG8G2YV549_70HE80hB/w400-h303/Painted%20Lady%201.%203.10.19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Painted Lady on Ragwort</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Ragwort seeds are wind-blown, and many people therefore assume that the seeds readily colonise new sites. This is not the case. Research has shown that it is not a common event.<br /><br />Several studies have been carried out into Ragwort seed dispersal. One study found that 60% of the total seeds produced were deposited at the base of the plant, and at 36 metres from the plant there were virtually no seeds deposited at all. <br /><br />Another study showed that, when tested in a variety of conditions, 31% of the seeds travelled only 1 metre, 89% of them 5 metres or less, and none were collected more than 14 metres from the source. <br /><br />It is important to remember when talking about seed dispersal, that the conditions for the seed when it lands is a consideration. It is also important to remember that a plant will on average only produce one offspring. <br /><br />One of the problems is that if Ragwort is pulled up out of the ground, small pieces of roots remain, and these roots can then regrow into new plants.<br /><br />The number of seeds produced by a Ragwort plant is often stated as being 150,000, and this is then built up to make out that this makes the plant a risk for spreading everywhere.<br /> <br />This figure is at the top end of the plant's production, and many plants produce far less than this. The range of seeds produced per plant from two studies gives 4,760 – 117,740 seeds per plant over eight sites, and 7,070 – 20,150 seeds per plant over six sites. An average of 15,897 – 33,095 seeds per plant.<br /><br />There is sometimes a conflict between the need to manage Ragwort and its value to wildlife. It is important to take a balanced view as to whether there is a need to control Ragwort, and decide on any action case-by-case. Ragwort poses the greatest risk to livestock when cut and dried, either in hay, or as arisings from topping. The use of chemical sprays can also make it more palatable in its living form. Where Ragwort is considered to present a risk to livestock, e.g., within a grazing area or hay field, some management might be needed. <br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">On this farm, Ragwort is mainly found alongside some tracks, and in the stoned areas surrounding the ponds, areas where they pose no risk. Ensuring livestock numbers are appropriate, and careful timing of grazing can help prevent Ragwort becoming problematic.<br /><br />You won't be surprised to learn, that my recommendation was that no control of Ragwort should be carried out, due to their high conservation value, unless it is considered it presents a risk to livestock. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vzspqUEuojq0ftImPctdw1F-XAdlzhUCzpngkXjFAq3vbQWcWDXMVax7XHrB7RUZceIgNlUHv25zDquW7F5d8LBEGD8YveIYj_XDXV1Shk3A4AQ2m4eZXhGFYorWNvtEdCbSUL7kMafA-vfOS5K-lKBumuZ6hI2nYQhcwE4vmXdkyMZIpzhsYUMgdr-I/s3758/Gatekeeper.%2025.7.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2754" data-original-width="3758" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vzspqUEuojq0ftImPctdw1F-XAdlzhUCzpngkXjFAq3vbQWcWDXMVax7XHrB7RUZceIgNlUHv25zDquW7F5d8LBEGD8YveIYj_XDXV1Shk3A4AQ2m4eZXhGFYorWNvtEdCbSUL7kMafA-vfOS5K-lKBumuZ6hI2nYQhcwE4vmXdkyMZIpzhsYUMgdr-I/w400-h294/Gatekeeper.%2025.7.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gatekeeper on Ragwort</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Nettles</u></div><div style="text-align: left;">As you know, Nettles are a very common plant, and its preference for damp, fertile and disturbed ground makes it a good coloniser of places enriched by human activities, such as agriculture. <br /><br />However, Nettles are great for wildlife, and the caterpillars of the Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Red Admiral, and Peacock butterflies use them as foodplants. Young Nettles are the food plant of many moth larvae, such as the Snout, Dot, Burnished Brass and Mother of Pearl. Ladybirds feed on the aphids that are found on them, providing an important food source for the Ladybirds. Seed-eating birds feed on them when they set-seed in the autumn. They also support over 40 other insect species. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0F8u11I-AZCOsqlOet1VuQfnvetTusUarTTiNAOVI8uHvyTjR8TZYceG2wrxZG7A6w0cksUpzr8mQ2tyaRn0g3QlT_KvzLOWfq4d1o6QYoX0zNHXWScVreLGbklauAggcpJt9v6_7yurflR55BsXxYbGWN6hPEZsNoAxyhaHrLAUsubcC32wJxfda9SbK/s4353/Red%20Admiral%201.%208.10.20.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="4353" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0F8u11I-AZCOsqlOet1VuQfnvetTusUarTTiNAOVI8uHvyTjR8TZYceG2wrxZG7A6w0cksUpzr8mQ2tyaRn0g3QlT_KvzLOWfq4d1o6QYoX0zNHXWScVreLGbklauAggcpJt9v6_7yurflR55BsXxYbGWN6hPEZsNoAxyhaHrLAUsubcC32wJxfda9SbK/w400-h300/Red%20Admiral%201.%208.10.20.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Red Admiral on Nettles</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />As stated above, Nettles are important habitats for a great range of invertebrates but in large numbers, can threaten important aspects of a grassland habitat and require careful management.<br /><br />Like the Dock, the spread of Nettles normally occurs on bare ground or gappy swards created through overgrazing or poaching, especially in shady areas, around feeding sites and in enriched sites such as dunging areas. Weed seeds can be brought in with supplementary feed and in dung from elsewhere.<br /><br />At my client's farm, it is unlikely that Nettles are, or will become an issue. Less grazing, no applications of slurry, and the future use of composted material will ensure that favourable conditions for Nettles within the meadows and grazed pastures will diminish. So, my recommendation was that no control of Nettles should be carried out due to their high conservation value, and where they do occur, they should be retained because of this.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Thistles</u> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thistles are very important plants for some seed-eating birds, and as a pollen and nectar source for a range of insects. The Goldfinch is the bird most associated with thistles, the seeds of which make up one third of its diet. Within the same family are Greenfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Twite, and Redpoll, which eat thistle seeds, and use thistledown in the nest.<br /><br />Butterflies, including Painted Lady larvae feed on the leaves. Other butterflies such as the White Letter Hairstreak, Peacock, and Meadow Brown use thistles as a nectar source. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqFViZGq_FYObH5lp2Om8iUpvecl6fOX7uazw8qU08qYGFZp_0U8SdtkRylgmr9IpOuo-BbscO-Gz6wnYaZIQckP2-wtUGCL5EC7MBtHDyH-6FauF4xmmhvSgshsLPiszHXvamL-4N_cL8XkCLuPEjvqi3aHkdZL02LqjlF2Z8DyCTXQE3Te5Neo8j5h2/s2048/Peacock%202.%202007.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqFViZGq_FYObH5lp2Om8iUpvecl6fOX7uazw8qU08qYGFZp_0U8SdtkRylgmr9IpOuo-BbscO-Gz6wnYaZIQckP2-wtUGCL5EC7MBtHDyH-6FauF4xmmhvSgshsLPiszHXvamL-4N_cL8XkCLuPEjvqi3aHkdZL02LqjlF2Z8DyCTXQE3Te5Neo8j5h2/w400-h300/Peacock%202.%202007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Peacock on thistle</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Other invertebrates including bees feed on nectar, and use the micro-habitats in and on thistles. The flower head provides the greatest diversity of insects, and the stem is particularly important as an over-wintering habitat.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9GpX1gbkrybah5C1Fqk_G_KZuSdLtDijX0RKVPZVMWiRtmNj2cEhBOAToSYzQ4H7JHlRhH1GObEo6IoHCa-sjESV2PKjaGuaAhLizNhDzRbnuU5cIvLurYXHSVHCyuA9WztanVUmTBHgpXI7xO8v5YzQBzmPJozjST9AV_SVmZGWaIuIyKXNCuRD7QHn/s3496/Buff-tailed%20Bumblebee.%2018.7.18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2646" data-original-width="3496" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9GpX1gbkrybah5C1Fqk_G_KZuSdLtDijX0RKVPZVMWiRtmNj2cEhBOAToSYzQ4H7JHlRhH1GObEo6IoHCa-sjESV2PKjaGuaAhLizNhDzRbnuU5cIvLurYXHSVHCyuA9WztanVUmTBHgpXI7xO8v5YzQBzmPJozjST9AV_SVmZGWaIuIyKXNCuRD7QHn/w400-h303/Buff-tailed%20Bumblebee.%2018.7.18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Buff-tailed Bumblebee on thistle</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">However, in some grassland situations, Creeping Thistle, and Spear Thistle in particular, can become a problem. Other thistles may be rare, valuable to wildlife and unlikely to cause problems.<br /><br />It is a case of knowing which species of thistle that you have, and then deciding whether it is a problem or not.<br /><br />A Creeping Thistle problem should not develop in a dense, well-managed sward of perennial grasses, but when it does occur, it can be very invasive. It only rarely propagates itself by seed, as the fluffy fruit heads often have no fertile fruits. Instead, its root propagation is very efficient, and fragments of rhizome can remain dormant in the soil for years and then appear when there is a gap in the sward. A small cutting can spread into a 20 m patch in just two years.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">For all these wildflower species, I am not calling them weeds anymore, I detailed the control options available to my client where necessary, but I'm not going to bore you with these practical management details here.<br /><br />My advice to my client regarding Thistles, was to only consider controlling them in meadows where there are large numbers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Docks</u><br />Docks are an important plant for a range of insects, such as capsids (type of bug), weevils, beetles, spiders, and many others. But in large numbers, can threaten important aspects of a grassland habitat e.g., species rich meadows, and require careful management. <br /><br />The spread of docks normally occurs on bare ground or gappy grassland swards created through over-grazing, or livestock poaching (where livestock leave hoofmarks creating extensive areas of bare ground), especially in shady areas and around feeding sites, and in enriched areas, such as dunging areas. Weeds can be brought in with supplementary feed and in dung from elsewhere.<br /><br />My advice was to control Docks in both pastures and meadows, where there are large numbers. It is important to control them in species rich meadows, or any meadows where restoration is being considered.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Rushes</u> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Low levels of rush cover are beneficial to breeding birds, as the tussocks provide cover for nesting and for concealing chicks, but heavy infestations have an adverse impact on the value of grazing pasture.<br /><br />Management should be considered when infestations cover more than one-third of a field's area, as its value to breeding waders is reduced.<br /><br />Different wader species select fields with different sward heights. Lapwings select fields with a short sward and scattered tussocks, which will conceal their nests and chicks, but while leaving their all-round view uninhibited.<br /><br />At the other extreme, Snipe prefers a higher level of concealment in taller vegetation. So, a wide variety of sward heights is beneficial. Rushes can provide tussocks which are useful for cover, but if they create dense cover then the field will lack the shorter areas that are useful for feeding.<br /><br />If rushes take up more than one-third of a fields area, then grazing management, which is essential to maintaining the grassland for breeding waders, is made more difficult.<br /><br />At my clients' farm we have a successful track record of managing rushes by topping and aftermath grazing with cattle and sheep. So, I recommended that in any pastures where rush cover is approaching one third of a field’s area, then the rushes should be managed by this method.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">From the above, I hope you can see how important these common wildflower species are, and just to let you know my client decided to follow my advice with a few inputs from his own experience.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I can't believe that the month of July has nearly disappeared, with us only managing to complete one ringing session at the Nature Park. July is probably the joint best month of the year, particularly for warblers, so to only have completed one visit is a huge disappointment. Let's hope that August is better!</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Before the rain came in on Friday, Gail and I had a walk along the Quay at mid-day. We left it until mid-day as it was quite a cool, blustery day, in the hope of a few insects, and the cooler weather (virtually full cloud cover) certainly negatively impacted our butterfly count. We counted six <b>Small Whites</b>, a<b> Gatekeeper</b>, a <b>Common Blue</b>, two <b>Meadow Browns</b>, a <b>Holly Blue</b>, a <b>Red Admiral</b> and two <b>Peacocks</b>. We also had a several <b>Cinnabar Moth </b>caterpillars on some <strike>weeds </strike>, sorry <b>Ragwort</b>, and there were numbers of bees and hoverflies on all the common wildflowers.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZIdKolNo06XyRrlKGbW9rtZWs26GlI_XixJJUpOb-d8ubH9iwHo-ZYUsw-jbq4BAl6OHjGfuIdN-qiRBCaUuABjdVTtYf7MFKheTSdrT6ka_hMmCdRULmeVzA4h7bkUH_YdeLZcsbYU6ZU7onZVwgjJ00KGy4rpSIajKSYF9t9-oiVyJCE_yKo8hk0Kd/s3779/Common%20Blue.%2025.7.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2766" data-original-width="3779" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZIdKolNo06XyRrlKGbW9rtZWs26GlI_XixJJUpOb-d8ubH9iwHo-ZYUsw-jbq4BAl6OHjGfuIdN-qiRBCaUuABjdVTtYf7MFKheTSdrT6ka_hMmCdRULmeVzA4h7bkUH_YdeLZcsbYU6ZU7onZVwgjJ00KGy4rpSIajKSYF9t9-oiVyJCE_yKo8hk0Kd/w400-h293/Common%20Blue.%2025.7.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Common Blue</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Out on the mud was a single <b>Black-tailed Godwit</b>, four <b>Oystercatchers</b> and 22 <b>Redshanks</b>. Roosting/loafing Gull numbers had dropped to ten <b>Lesser Black-backed Gulls</b>, three <b>Black-headed Gulls </b>and 45 <b>Herring Gulls</b>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Two <b>Little Egrets</b> fed along the edge of the river, and we had our first juvenile <b>Shelducks</b> roosting out on the mud at the edge of the saltmarsh; two adults and five juveniles. Two <b>Swifts</b> were worth entering in my notebook, and that was about it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssBR4egcHfsnGrM-lemtAj-KzIkgWnwlr1YWGT-DoiHohqfA4d3nPzezhkFtHD_vFXGks-SHGmo2i3crBUmrnWIjbncEEmkpBZ_LRCb1gvUeo0r6KgQh2tiBV-YyQ53Of-HxfDqXPxnP3Q0pg7jNioZdaieacM_8eKZbUFiRXq270aXJaAp9PNjJ94TYh/s3989/Shelducks.%2029.7.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2932" data-original-width="3989" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssBR4egcHfsnGrM-lemtAj-KzIkgWnwlr1YWGT-DoiHohqfA4d3nPzezhkFtHD_vFXGks-SHGmo2i3crBUmrnWIjbncEEmkpBZ_LRCb1gvUeo0r6KgQh2tiBV-YyQ53Of-HxfDqXPxnP3Q0pg7jNioZdaieacM_8eKZbUFiRXq270aXJaAp9PNjJ94TYh/w400-h294/Shelducks.%2029.7.23.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shelducks</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">And still, it rains!</div>The Hairy Birderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00245986796609261961noreply@blogger.com2