No Go....

....and another four pics, two of a couple of birds,one of which your not likely to ever see unless you intend going off on a trip to Malaysia perhaps.

If you're planning a trip into the Forest of Bowland the 'no go' is related to some info in my comments in yesterdays post where my man RS tells me of a sign at the gate to the access area on Clougha informing the visitor that the area is currently off limits due to extreme fire risk. If there is a fire risk in the Clougha/Birk Bank area it follows there will now be several areas in the FOB which are likewise off limits....Mmmmm!!

As for the pics....

Scaly-breasted Munia.

And....

Brown Shrike. 

The Scaly-breasted Munia I reckon you're not likely to ever see in the UK but who knows. The Brown Shrike does have records in the UK the first one being in 1985 at Grutness, Shetland where an interesting tale is attached to this sighting. A bird found in 1981 at another location on Shetland was thought by the finder to have been an Isabelline Shrike but the BBRC rejected the record whilst considering it to have been a Brown Shrike. Amazingly four years later the same person flushed a shrike with a black mask and bill, and with a bright supercilium, identical to the bird he'd seen in 1981....it was indeed a Brown Shrike having given the same man a rare second chance.

And two more pics with no waffle this time....

Four-spotted Chaser

And....

Large Red Damselfly.

Thanks to Kah Wai for the birds....and to Cliff Raby for the Chaser and Damselfly.

Its Saturday....

....and as usual my birding is sidelined by 'other things' - yes there are 'other things' in life - and I have to get on with them like it or not. But never mind all that....

Please take a look at the video below whilst making sure you treat yourself to some more excellent photography, video's, and sound recording's on Hugh Harrop's Shetland Wildlife website, including the recently added Isabelline Shrike video which brilliantly illustrates why this bird is also known as the 'butcher bird' and which you can see along with others via the link from this Lapland Bunting video. My thanks to Hugh Harrop for allowing us to share these.

Lapland Bunting from Hugh Harrop on Vimeo.

Notes.

I've been contacted by a regular to Birds2blog who has given me some really interesting information regarding yesterdays post 'Clougha/Birk Bank' in which I described the truly magnificent panoramic view from the summit of Clougha Pike on days with perfect visibility. I have been told that on two occasions when he has reached the top to take in the view, he has actually identified two jutting peaks to the left of the Isle of Man as the Mourne Mountains in N.Ireland. It has been suggested next time I'm up on Clougha looking through by binoculars from the summit on a perfectly clear day, that I should look carefully to see if I too can add these mountains to an already amazing sight. Thanks for this BD, much appreciated for your interest in Birds2blog, your comments and info.

MEGA NEWS.

Locally, a Great Grey Shrike was found along the path to the Allan Pool Hide at Leighton Moss on Thursday and a couple of excellent pics can be seen of the bird in the 'Photos' section HERE with thanks to Steven Grimshaw.

Nationally, an 'albatross' species was reported on the RBA pager service flying west past Salthouse in Norfolk at 1.25pm.

And finally....

I could never have believed I would be making this confession on the world wide web, but since the good, the bad, and the ugly have been discarded from The X- Factor I've been glued to the television for in excess of two hours for the past Saturday evening or two. As I like to think of myself of at least average intelligence I find this very worrying and I'm going to have to deal with it as best can, but I tell you what....there's some pretty good talent on there, but following a very tough contest with some very tough and excellent challengers I'm predicting  - at this moment in time - Cher Lloyd to be the winner at the end of it all.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING !