BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND......................................................MEDITTERANEAN GULLS CONDER POOL PETE WOODRUFF

Sunday 2 March 2014

Hints Of Spring.

Spring is just around the corner and Friday was as close to it that we've been so far with some good sunny spells and the wind almost disappeared, and with a path which runs along the south side of Freeman's Pools lively with birds it was certainly beginning to sound and look like it. 


Wren Marc Heath

Activity along the tree lined path included....

Wren two displaying
Blue Tit investigating a hole in the side of the old Black Poplar tree
Long-tailed Tit 
Great Tit 
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Robin  
A mixed flock of c.50 Fieldfare and Redwing came into the tree tops and promptly departed so not allowing me to get any ratio on them.

On Freeman's Pools, no more than twenty birds in total....

Goldeneye 2
Little Grebe
Gadwall 
Wigeon 
Teal
Shoveler drake
Little Egret  

A Buzzard came overhead and crossed the river to soar over the old tip, a single Goldeneye was on the river off Marsh Point, and on the marsh, c.250 Pink-footed Geese, and 2 Little Egret. On the wildfowlers pool, less like a lake than of late, 18 Redshank noted, and 6 Tufted Duck had taken to the flood which still resembles a lake though considerably smaller in size.

From here I went south on the coastal path which to be honest was rather uneventful, but on the walk from Aldcliffe - Glasson Dock the totals were....


Dunnock Warren Baker  

13 Blackbird
  7 Robin
  5 Wren
  4 Long-tailed Tit
  2 Dunnock
  2 Greenfinch

Thanks to MH/WB for the excellent images.


WOT NO BLUE BIRDS IN THE POST 


And a couple of pics taken on Friday....

 

One of many scourges of the countryside. 'Human Remains' kindly dumped at the bottom of Aldcliffe Hall Lane, all bundled into bags....how thoughtful!


And one causing me to be puzzled about what this object is set up on the wildfowlers pool. A cylindrical object, appears to be made of hay bound in chicken wire, open at one end possibly both, and placed on a post. I'll reserve my thoughts on this until I find out what it really is....anyone? 

6 comments:

  1. Yep, Spring is creeping ever nearer, although not today though ;-)

    God knows what that thing is on the pool!!

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  2. Hi Pete!
    As much as I appreciate seeing Mark and Warren's birds here too, the dumping is not my favorite pic!!
    I hope you are well and will enjoy a real nice spring soon, after this horrible winter....
    Cheers!

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  3. Yes, we've got plenty of signs of spring in these parts, and the Little Owls are starting to spend time out together, prior to starting the breeding season.

    Not sure about that thing in the pool, but wonder if it might be a device for emitting duck calls to attract the birds so that someone has an easier job of shooting the poor things.

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  4. Warren/Noushka/Richard....Thanks all.

    More on 'the thing' at a later date.

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  5. Pete, the 'thing' is an artificial nesting platform for mallard. These types of things are widely used in North America for wildfowl management and have been used to some success.
    There have been similar structures on the secluded wildfowlers' pool for a few years but this new one is the first to be used in 'reedy corner'. Morecambe Bay Wildfowlers, who own this section of land, are doing quite a bit of work at this site at the moment having entered into a High Level Stewardship scheme. Hope my comments help clear that up!
    http://birdingaldcliffe.blogspot.co.uk/

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  6. Jon.... Thanks for putting me/us in the picture on the 'thing', much appreciated.

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