My first visit of the year to the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge trail, came with something of a surprise and a shock thrown in for good measure, and by the time I had completed my 5 hour mini-marathon, I had counted 14 nest boxes which have been erected over the length of c.2 miles between Marshaw and beyond Trough Bridge.
Sunday 12 May 2024
Back To Bowland.
Thursday 9 May 2024
The Birk Bank Circuit.
Tuesday was the anniversary when Steve Graham accompanied me on a circuit of Birk Bank in May 2023. Primarily the reason that day, was to locate a Wood Warbler which had been found a few days earlier in a private woodland. But the hopes of visually finding this locally rare warbler soon died a death, though we did here the distinctive call which is often likened to a spinning coin on a marble slab.
Todays circuit with Steve was a 4 hour experience of some excellent birding which produced 7 Garden Warbler, one up on last years tally of six. Also enjoyed was 5 Cuckoo records which were represented by two audible and three visual, one of which was a female heard to call, then viewed atop of a tree with a Meadow Pipit in attendance and mobbing at times. Six Mistle Thrush seen, including one in flight carrying food into Cragg Wood.
Sunday 5 May 2024
More Probable/Possible in Bowland!
A bit of double checking in Bowland again this week, when amongst other things, I managed a trek half way up Hawthornthwaite Fell with scant reward, to assemble a bit more of a comprehensive list to exceed what is usually the norm for me.
The number of waders presumably there to breed was pitiful, with no more than six birds seen in 2 hours, 4 Lapwing, a single Curlew and an Oystercatcher. There was a build up of 6 Sand Martin around the bank on Catshaw Greave, and 8 Wheatear were seen, one of which was taking a wash and brush up in Cam Brook.
There was a better count of 18 Meadow Pipit compared to eight on my last visit 24 April, 2 Wren, a pair of Mistle Thrush were something of a surprise, 3 Red Grouse, male Reed Bunting, and a Wood Pigeon, 2 Kestrel and a Buzzard. I saw just one male Stonechat, almost certainly one of the two 24 April birds, and I never really expect my first House Martin of the year was going to be seen flying east over a fell in Bowland.
A Grey Wagtail on Cam Brook, and at Cam Brow I heard a Cuckoo to the east which soon flew over the road to the woodlands west of here, also a Willow Warbler in song, and a Red Admiral.
Calling in at Abbeystead, a Dipper was seen flying upstream on the Marshaw Wyre, and 2 Orange Tip butterflies seen. But the excellent news is, that I gathered more evidence to add to my previous claim which now reads, the probability of 5 Pied Flycatcher breeding pairs.
A brief look in on the bog at Birk Bank hopefully for a Large Red Damselfly was fruitless despite the warm sunny May day, but a single Green Hairstreak and a small colony of Ashy Mining Bee were of note. A Cuckoo heard distant was probably around the Ottergear Bridge area.
I'm grateful to Ian, Howard, and Martin, who by coincidence sent me images on the same day, and all taken in Bowland....They are much appreciated.