Birding Mid-March....

....Well that's what it was like today where I was with JB when we went to check out the mid-breeding season birds at Barbondale, dark heavy clouds and a cold quite strong wind and not a place I would have come to had I known how unpleasant it was....end of weather whinge!

Male Pied Flycatcher Peter Guy.

It was actually quite calm and sheltered from the wind once I entered the path through the first gate soon to discover 'the' pair of Pied Flycatchers are obviously still engaged in a breeding programme here. Other notables in order of finding were, excellent views of a female Green Woodpecker, 6 Willow Warbler mainly heard, a Grey Wagtail, 7 Redstarts which - with the exception of a pair - were three male and two female individuals, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Dipper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Buzzard, and a single Wren heard in song. I've been taking particular note of 'tits' at Barbondale this year and have noted their near absence from here, today I saw not a single one and in three previous visits this year so far I have had a total of just eleven sightings which - it goes without saying - doesn't mean eleven birds.

Female Pied Flycatcher. Peter Guy.

We decided my having found two - possibly three - Spotted Flycatchers around the River Wenning below Clapham Station on 20 May that we would go to see if there was any sign of them again today but found just one obliging individual perched and flycatching by the bridge, also noted at least 6 House Martins around the cottage, 4 Grey Wagtails, 3 Goldfinch, and 2 Treecreeper. A Kestrel was noted as we drove over Newby Moor.

Thanks to Peter Guy for two excellent images of two equally excellent Pied Flycatchers.

And finally....

Blackburnian Warbler. Mike Watson.

Another look at this stunning bird not just because of how stunning it really is, but did you know the bird was named after a Mrs Blackburn (1740-1793) who was a botanist and owned a museum at Fairfield in Lancashire, England. She had a brother, Ashton Blackburn, who collected a specimen of the warbler. This woman was never married and had a preference to be called Mrs Blackburn as she thought it gave her more standing and authority....well, you learn something every day don't you!  

   

Out of time!

Well this is going to look like a plot to get visitors to view my other blog but I promise you it is not, so please take a look HERE

Singing in the Rain!

Well I certainly wasn't singing in the rain and I did throw in the towel at 1.30pm just a couple of hours after I'd started my day. But first....

A nice photograph of a young male Great-spotted Woodpecker on the lookout for the next meal from its parent, taken at Mere Sands Wood by Gary Jones who's website is HERE ....Thanks for this Gary.

I managed 1.5 hours on Harrisend in a 'hurried' visit on account of the weather which threatened rain from getting out of the car and carried out the threat 15 minutes before I got back to it, so I could never have been regarded as the happiest birder in the UK as I've yet to be happy in the rain and certainly wasn't doing a Gene Kelly routine.

The good news from here was 7 Stonechat, seen as a male and female, and an almost certain - difficult to count - full brood of five juveniles, very mobile and not playing the game by keep disappearing into gorse bush's 2-3 hundred metres away from me plus intermingling with 6 Linnets, a pretty hard observation to get to grips with but my record stands. Also to note, at least 32 Meadow Pipit counted, 2 male Reed Bunting , a Willow Warbler gave good views close by a nest I'd guess, and a Buzzard overhead.

I drove from here to the Hawthornthwaite access track off the Scorton Road having cast my pessimistic hat out of the car window thinking the weather would dry up, but it didn't work and not having got out of the car was home again by 2.30pm.

And now....

A nice image of the Mother Shipton moth, and....

The Yellow Shell moth, both with thanks to Warren Baker who regularly contributes to Birds2blog by making excellent constructive comments. Thanks for your pic's and for looking in on a daily basis, I really appreciate it Warren.

Mega News from RBA.

A Little Shearwater was singing overnight on Lundy, Devon. The bird is of the race baroli which breeds in small colonies on the Azores, Madeira, and Canaries and is rarely seen north of the breeding areas, it is a small version of the Manx Shearwater and is similarly very dark above and white below, it can be heard usually on dark moonless nights with a high pitched laughing voice. The species' true status is very confused by identification problems. It's interesting to note that seven of the nine specimen or trapped records of this race of Little Shearwater were all in the period March-June. The first accepted record of this species was in 1853 off Bull Rock, Co Cork, Ireland, the bird had flown on board a sloop.

Now I had to look up the definition of the word 'sloop' and found it is basically....a single masted, fore-and-aft-rigged boat....well, you learn something every day and I didn't know that, did you! 

And finally....Have you had a look at Pics2blog  ever/recently?

Butterflies....

....Alleluia butterflies that is.

Painted Lady (open/closed) Pete Woodruff.

At last I found two pristine Painted Lady today at Cockersands along with a Wall Brown, five Common Blue, two Peacock, and at least 100 'whites' mainly Large White. It's been quite worrying that I've not been seeing butterflies anywhere/anytime, it's interesting to note that I found 150 Painted Lady (yes that's 150) on 30 May on Clougha/Birk Bank during the 'explosion' last year.

Surprise bird of the day was my first bird of the day which was at Conder Green where a Greenshank was in the creeks, last year the first return bird was on 30 June. It was good to find a Little Ringed Plover - not seen since 24 May - on Conder Pool where the muddy edges are looking pretty inviting now for any passing rarity or any common wader for that matter, the LRP's didn't present any young for viewing until 16 June last year so with fingers crossed there's still time yet, the only worry today was the big ugly Grey Heron preening it's big ugly self on the island, 2 Brown Hare were also around the pool. The Reed Warbler just upstream from the road bridge was heard again, and c.6 House Martins and 3 Swift were over/around River Winds. On the canal basin at Glasson Dock 2 Great-crested Grebe were noted but I've seen no young with them yet and I suspect a breeding failure here.

At Cockersands c.50 Eider were in low water early afternoon and I found little else of note off the headland. From the road I found 7 Tree Sparrow posing the question....where are all the Cockersands Tree Sparrows, 4 Linnet, 2 Skylark, 2 Dunnock, a male Reed Bunting, and deadly silence from the seven Sedge Warblers seen/heard on recent visits here.

Birding can be hard work for a few weeks now but I just felt a rarity coming on today but my doctor having increased my dose is perhaps having me hallucinating. It's my four hour day today which started at 11.00am and ended at 3.00pm this afternoon....part time birding! 

The Cuckoo & The Plug.

Cuckoo. Pete Woodruff.

Not the worlds greatest photograph of a Cuckoo but probably the only one I'll ever have the chance of taking, this one - a juvenile - was on Birk Bank a few years ago being fed by a Meadow Pipit one of the four top host species the others being Reed Warbler, Dunnock, and Pied Wagtail. I stayed with this bird for some time but never did manage a photograph of the Meadow Pipit as it came back time after time with food for this large young bird with the gaping mouth, the second rate equipment I use to take photographs these days doesn't facilitate a speedy action unfortunately.

The Cuckoo is one of our best known summer visitors, like the Swallow and the Robin it is traditionally the bird just about everyone knows and can identify, it arrives back in the UK from its winter quarters during late April and early May. But over the past  25 years breeding Cuckoos in the UK have dropped by at least two-thirds and questions are being asked why, could it be that the host species are breeding earlier thereby reducing the number of nests available for the Cuckoo to parasitize, another question is related to the availability of prey items like (mainly caterpillars) during the breeding season, or a worsening of conditions along their migration routes, or on wintering grounds in West Africa which is where Cuckoos breeding in the UK go to during the winter period. 

I've heard four Cuckoos this summer so far in the areas of, Harrisend, Birk Bank, Cross of Greet, and Middlewood in Roeburndale....I wonder how many I'll hear/see in 2011.

And the plug!....

Blackburnian Warbler. Mike Watson.

Well for starters....beat this one for being a little gem, seen and photographed by Mike Watson on his Upper Texas Coast trip in April this year. Mike has written a fully comprehensive and detailed account with some excellent images of a fantastic visit to this part of the US which I enjoyed looking at and reading....I think you will too.

Marmora's Warbler.

But first a photograph of one of five Common Sandpipers  - including a young bird - seen yesterday in the  Forest of Bowland and photographed by John Bateman....thanks for this John, captured on a not so routine  birding 'flycatcher day'....can't wait until the next time.

Marmora's Warbler. 

Highly unlikely in our area - and most other areas in the UK - but if you find what you think is a Dartford Warbler take a close look as it may well be a Marmora's Warbler like the one currently causing a stir in Gwent and of which the species is superficially like, though along with other differences the MW is more rounded in the body and has a slightly shorter tail.

It's only 28 years ago since the first record of Marmora's Warbler in Britain, a singing male found in a moorland valley in Yorkshire on 15 May 1982, it turned out to be a very obliging individual as it stayed there for just over two months until 22 July. It was ten years later before the second one made an appearance again in Yorkshire at Spurn in June 1992, this was another male as was the third one this time at St Abb's Head in Berwickshire in May 1993, then the last one to be found before today's bird in Wales was in May 2001 at Scolt Head in Norfolk, it was thought this same bird was present for one day later in the month at Sizewell in Suffolk.

You have to wonder just what makes a tiny short-range migrant travel so far, just one of many fascinating aspects of our world of birds, do they somehow forget to 'turn off' their migratory urges to end up being stranded almost a thousand miles out of range. There are those who consider birds reaching Britain to be of the race S.s.sarda found on Corsica and Sardinia.

Flyday 4 June 2010.

Such a coincidence that Phil Slade has some excellent images of the Spotted Flycatcher posted on his blog on the very day that I - along with JB/BT - had a superb day in connection with the 'Flycatchers on a Flyday' in the Forest of Bowland. Always well worth keeping in touch with Phil's blog HERE I can assure you.

The fearless threesome first visited Conder Green where the Little Ringed Plovers aren't getting a mention by anyone and I've not seen any since 24 May, the pool was quiet with just 12 Tufted Duck noted, and the drake Wigeon appears to have found a mate of the same sex, a Reed Warbler was in song just upstream from the A588 road bridge.

So now we're off into the hills where we found 4 House Martins around the bungalow at Christ Church in Abbeystead and JB reported a Spotted Flycatcher here in our absence, a Buzzard was patrolling the skies distant from here. At Stoops Bridge the excellent find of a second pair of Pied Flycatchers on 25 May was updated today by observing the pair obviously feeding young in their natural nest hole, of the other PF's here only the female showed today and was curiously reluctant to enter the nest during our stay for some reason, more excellent news from here was a pair of Spotted Flycatchers found also attending a nest hole, and a Garden Warbler was in song briefly.

In the Marshaw/Tower Lodge area another 2 Spotted Flycatcher seen and I was reliably informed of a pair opposite Tower Lodge....thanks for this Zac and it was good to meet you at last. So a possible/probable six SF pairs seen over that past two visits to this area is excellent news for a bird causing concern on its status. Also noted at least 6 Redpoll, the 'at least' being attributed their extreme mobility, 5 Common Sandpiper included a pair with what appeared to be just one young bird, 3 Redstart, 2 Song Thrush, and singing Blackcap and Mistle Thrush all went to make this upland visit much more than a little worth while.

And finally....

     

A superb action shot of two Black-headed Gulls taking a disliking to each other in view of wildlife photographer Brain Rafferty whose account on this and other recent images and trips can be seen HERE ....Thanks for the pic Brian. 

Following The River.

But first a great image of the Emperor Moth near Girvan in Ayrshire yesterday seen and by kind permission of Colin Bushell who can be found HERE ....thanks for this Colin.

With a native of Wray who also obviously knows his way around the Roeburndale area we followed the River Roeburn from Wray on the east side as far as the footbridge over the river south of Hill Kirks Wood and on to the west side to Barkin Bridge and return via the less attractive road back to Wray. Unfortunately Dave isn't a birder as such and its a little difficult to dawdle quite like I do when you're in the company of someone who just loves to walk....sorry Dave not a complaint you understand.

My day was soon made up early into the walk when I found a pair of Pied Flycatcher, a Cuckoo was heard frustratingly distant and difficult to put a location to but in the Middlewood area, a Little Owl was seen from the road back and by the time we reached Wray again I had heard at least 7 Blackcap. In the village I noted a good number of Swift and up to 14 House Martins were over the school. So, not a great collection of records but a superb walk all the same.

Mega news today via RBA was of a 1st summer singing male Marmora's Warbler still in Gwent as I write at 8.20pm so yet another cause for burning rubber, though a Booted Eagle at Stowmarket in Suffolk hasn't been mentioned again since 1.19 this afternoon.

And finally....

 

An excellent macro image of a coupled pair of Azure Damselflies and....

A Four-spotted Chaser with my thanks to Katie Fuller for both these perfect examples of wildlife photography which you can link to from my sidebar on the left....thanks Katie they are much appreciated.

   

Aldcliffe Wander.

Yellow Warbler. Paul Baker.

Could'nt resist kicking off with this little cracker, the Yellow Warbler, an image from Paul Baker over there in BC Canada.

An engagement I had this afternoon was called off but not until I had arrived on the scene to carry it out....I wasn't at all pleased, people who are so much disorganised that they can't find themselves to let others know whats going on - especially if I'm involved causing me to be on the receiving end of  their inconsiderate attitude - makes me sick to be honest.

So at 2.00pm - in desperation to get a little birding in - I went to do a circuit of Aldcliffe and on to Stodday which took me 2.5 hours. The trees and bushes are completely leaved now and the birds are in the main silently busy breeding which makes them so much more difficult to find and observe, but I managed to see a Whitethroat and hear 2 Lesser Whithroat. At Freeman's Pools I just managed to see the Little Ringed Plover as it went out of view at the east end of the island, and I heard a Sedge Warbler briefly from the embankment. I watched at least 8 House Martins collecting mud from the banks of the River Lune as I had here on 22 April and taking it to their nest site at a house up to 1/4 mile away....the energy of these birds amazes me.

In this 2.5 hours I saw just a couple of Peacock and Speckled Wood, and a Small Tortoiseshell  posing the question....where are all our butterflies?

And....

....another of Paul Bakers little gems, this one the White-crowned Sparrow. Thanks for these two images Paul, cracking birds, cracking photography.

Up to 30 Swift high over Bowerham in Lancaster as I end this post.

The Afternoon Shift.

First things first, and this image of my most favourite raptor the male Merlin is by kind permission of Peter Guy and was taken in an area of outstanding natural beauty the Forest of Bowland.

It was 11.00am before I decided the rain would hopefully cease and I called in at Conder Green to find it all a little quiet. The first bird to note was the local Kestrel which can be seen at almost every visit at the moment obviously nesting nearby. I was more than a little worried at what I saw today as it flew by with prey in its talons with two Redshank in hot pursuit, if the prey was what I reckon it was I didn't like it at all. A pair of Shelduck were accompanied by ten 'balls of fluff', they nest unnoticed each year in the banks of the Conder creeks, the lonesome drake Wigeon is determined to spend the summer on Conder Pool, 2 Reed Bunting were noted, 2 Swift were over, and a surprising 12 House Martins at least are nest building at River Winds.

At Cockersands if I'm to be honest I was hoping some late Sanderling would be putting in an appearance here again this year but not so. A Seal was a first here for me, unidentified Common/Grey due to distance and only a snout above water on brief occasions. Also of note on the circuit, along the headland 14 Eider, and a Wheatear. The return via the road, another first for me was a Tree Sparrow feeding what appeared to be a single young bird, 5 Skylark, 2 Linnet, 4 Meadow Pipit, 9 Stock Dove, and bird of the day a -  rapidly becoming rare - Greenfinch. I wasn't really counting Brown Hares here today but did see at least twelve.

And finally....

The Masked Shrike, a smart image of a smart bird taken in Lesvos this April by globetrotting birder Colin Bushell. Take a look HERE to see and read about more of Colins travels both here and abroad.....Thanks for both these images Peter/Colin they are very much appreciated.

The first record of a Masked Shrike in Britain was that of a bird in Kent in 1905 but this record was rejected following the so called Hastings Rarities Affair. Today there stands just two records of this smart looking bird, that of a juvenile found in Fife in Oct-Nov 2004, and another juvenile on St Mary's, Scilly in Nov 2006.