Interesting that a Cuckoo having arrived on 5 May has already left the UK and was at Orleans in the south of France 4 weeks later on 6 June on it's way back to Africa.
Quite the opposite to the Cuckoo I found yesterday behind the plantation on the track to Hawthornthwaite, which was calling and moving around continuously whilst upsetting 4 Mistle Thrush and others in the process. As I set off up the track a second Cuckoo was in flight NE towards Tower Lodge with a Meadow Pipit in pursuit. When I came back down the Hawthornthwaite track 2 hours later the first Cuckoo was still calling and moving around, and another hour after this I heard a third Cuckoo calling midway between Marshaw and Tower Lodge, no knowing, but this bird was probably the second Marshaw bird seen flying off.
Sand Martin and House Martin were over the Marshaw Wyre opposite Marshaw Farm where I saw 2 Common Sandpiper, and on the Hawthornthwaite track I was soon encouraged by finding a female Stonechat, but false encouragement as it was the only one seen. I heard 2 Snipe 'chipper-chipper', counted 18 Meadow Pipit, saw four pairs of Curlew in the air with their rippling trill, and flushed a pair of Red Grouse with six young all calling as they flew off.
A pair of House Martin are nesting in the front of Tower Lodge, and Swallow at the rear where there was a singing male Blackcap. Between the lodge and Trough Bridge I found at least 10 Grey Wagtail on the Marshaw Wyre, 6 Spotted Flycatcher including one at a tree hole, 6 Willow Warbler, a Treecreeper, Song Thrush, and Coal Tit. On the track towards Winfold Fell I found what was probably the female Stonechat I saw when I was up here on 18 May, which was the first one seen here in many visits over the years.
I noted 30 species on the 6 hour visit, and it was good to meet and share the Marshaw Cuckoo with Fylde birders Maurice, Frank, Barry and Glen who I met at the start of a rewarding day for me in Bowland.
Thanks to Antonio and Noushka for the images of just two of the excellent birds seen today.
Cuckoo Noushka
Quite the opposite to the Cuckoo I found yesterday behind the plantation on the track to Hawthornthwaite, which was calling and moving around continuously whilst upsetting 4 Mistle Thrush and others in the process. As I set off up the track a second Cuckoo was in flight NE towards Tower Lodge with a Meadow Pipit in pursuit. When I came back down the Hawthornthwaite track 2 hours later the first Cuckoo was still calling and moving around, and another hour after this I heard a third Cuckoo calling midway between Marshaw and Tower Lodge, no knowing, but this bird was probably the second Marshaw bird seen flying off.
Sand Martin and House Martin were over the Marshaw Wyre opposite Marshaw Farm where I saw 2 Common Sandpiper, and on the Hawthornthwaite track I was soon encouraged by finding a female Stonechat, but false encouragement as it was the only one seen. I heard 2 Snipe 'chipper-chipper', counted 18 Meadow Pipit, saw four pairs of Curlew in the air with their rippling trill, and flushed a pair of Red Grouse with six young all calling as they flew off.
Spotted Flycatcher Antonio Puigg
A pair of House Martin are nesting in the front of Tower Lodge, and Swallow at the rear where there was a singing male Blackcap. Between the lodge and Trough Bridge I found at least 10 Grey Wagtail on the Marshaw Wyre, 6 Spotted Flycatcher including one at a tree hole, 6 Willow Warbler, a Treecreeper, Song Thrush, and Coal Tit. On the track towards Winfold Fell I found what was probably the female Stonechat I saw when I was up here on 18 May, which was the first one seen here in many visits over the years.
I noted 30 species on the 6 hour visit, and it was good to meet and share the Marshaw Cuckoo with Fylde birders Maurice, Frank, Barry and Glen who I met at the start of a rewarding day for me in Bowland.
Thanks to Antonio and Noushka for the images of just two of the excellent birds seen today.
Hi Pete.. Nice shots of Noushka and Antonio.. Fine!! :-)))
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