BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND................................................................................................................LITTLE OWL MARTIN JUMP

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Hi Ho....Hi Ho....

....its off to work birding we go!


Barbondale actually, primarily to check out the Pied Flycatcher situation there as the visit on 29 April produced only two birds - a male and female - and I was hoping for some improvement on that score three weeks later.

In fact I found 4 Pied Flycatcher, being three male and a female. Also noted from the 24 species seen in the five hours spent here and about, a Cuckoo called around a half dozen times during my visit, but as on 29 April I failed to locate the bird. 


Redstart. Phillip Tomkinson.

I saw only 3 Redstart, discovered a Nuthatch going into a nest hole, and discovered the same for two nest hole Blue Tits, a Great-spotted Woodpecker put in an appearance four times, a Song Thrush and 4 Mistle Thrush were noted, a Grey Wagtail was on the beck, and a Buzzard and Kestrel overhead. 

In keeping with my recent lack of connecting with the species, I saw/heard no more than 6 Willow Warbler and compared these to last year on 30 April when my little black book notes....'at least fifteen Willow Warbler seen'.


Red Kite. Phillip Tomkinson.

I had info from two independent birders I saw, of a Red Kite briefly on the skyline above the ridge....Shuks! 

On my way back to Lancaster I gave my last thirty minutes of the day to the River Lune at Bull Beck where there appears to be a small but healthy looking Sand Martin colony, with a Common Sandpiper seen, and c.20 Goldfinch around. There was no sign of any Little Ringed Plover here where I found five one day in June last year.

Stonechats.


Adult/Juvenile Stonechat. Ana Minguez.

I have excellent news of Stonechats seen with young over the weekend by the most active and reliable upland birder I know, found at Catshaw, Marshaw, Trough Bank, Hareden, and Pendle. Many thanks JW....I'm obviously not doing my birding justice at this rate.

For the excellent Redstart and Red Kite images, thanks to PT at Wild Snaps and for the equally excellent Stonechats, many thanks to AM at NATURANAFOTOS  

1 comment:

  1. Good news on the Stonechat front Pete, the more that breed up there the more chance I have of getting one on passage down here!!

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