By way of a change.

I thought my best bet was to pay a visit to Leighton Moss today, I really wanted to get into the uplands and must do so in the next few days with one or two locations in mind, but the weather isn't up to it at the moment and the plan was to be able to dodge the showers between hides, as it happens -  apart from some nasty stuff around 11.00am - the day wasn't all that bad and there was no showers to dodge.

Two photographs today have nothing whatsoever to do with the post or my birding, but they are 'gooduns' and liven up the blog no end. 

Bluethroat. Gary Jenkins 

My records are of mainly predictable birds and there are some I didn't see but had hoped to, but as always an enjoyable change of non 'cutting edge' stuff which began in the Public Hide where I noted a male and female Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, a 'good number' of Swift, and a pair of Greylag with six young. Notable was just five wildfowl being three Pochard and a pair of Tufted Duck, a Coot had two balls of fluff in tow under the watchful eyes of the two brutish Greater Black-backed Gulls nesting on the island. From the road end of the causeway I heard a Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff.

At the Grisedale Hide a Little Egret put in a brief in flight appearance, a 'few' Gadwall, and 2 Red Deer generated some excitement to a full hide, a drake Garganey eventually put in a brief three minute appearance and promptly disappeared probably for the next three days being the elusive creature it is. The Garganey is an annual summer visitor to Leighton Moss but there are no 100% breeding records at the reserve. At the centre I heard a Chiffchaff.

At the Eric Morecambe/Allen Hides I counted 23 Avocet, c.220 Black-tailed Godwit, at least 8 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, and 2 Skylark. As I was about to leave I noted three ducks fly in which halted my exit and turned out to be two drake and a female Garganey. From the path here I heard a Garden Warbler and Whitethroat, and during my visit I inevitably heard Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler. 

On the way home I called in at Teal Bay to find 3 Whimbrel, 8 Eider, 8 Red-breasted Merganser, and 2 Whitethroat.

And finally....

Puffin. David Cookson    

Not just a photograph of Puffins but of two involved in a dispute of sorts brilliantly captured by DC.

Routine stuff with a WOW!

Whinchat. Brian Rafferty



Well there was two WOWS actually but one didn't develop into anything and the other probably wouldn't have been a WOW to many other birders but certainly was for me when I found a Whinchat this morning on Jeremy Lane one day earlier than last years 10 May bird and close to the same fence post again this year. I'm pretty certain this little gem above has been on Birds2blog before but thanks BR anyway....great stuff as ever. 

With just the Monday time limits for birding I thought the best bet was some routine Conder/Cockersands stuff, and at Conder Green the pool was uninspiring save 5 Wigeon drakes obviously intent on summering here, also 4 Greylag appear to have taken a liking to the place too. On the circuit a Greenshank was in the creeks and small birds of note were a Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, and 6 House Martin counted today at River Winds, I'll get to grips with some accuracy sooner or later with these birds.

Cockersands was void of waders but as I set off on the circuit with a peer into some nooks and crannies I noted 12 Eider on the estuary and 5 Whimbrel of note. I counted 4 Whitethroat and 4 Sedge Warbler, and noted 2 Skylark, no more than 6 Tree Sparrow, and 2 Linnet. I was lucky to get back to the motor at the lighthouse cottage before one of the forecast downpours arrived. A few minutes after it had cleared the second WOW arrived in the form of c.200 small waders at which point I began to hope the KP was still with them but a full hours grilling - they were very mobile but kept returning - proved them to be around 130 Dunlin and 70 Ringed Plover.

Willow Warbler. David Cookson 

I watched a solitary Swift for several minutes from our kitchen window this evening and as always felt familiar at the sight of this mysterious creature which has lived close to man for centuries, nesting under the roofs of our houses, whilst so little is know of them other than that they hide away in their dark nests otherwise spending their entire lives on the wing, flying millions of miles in a lifetime. So difficult to grasp in human thinking that once out of the nest the fledged birds so supremely adapted for their aerial life that they fly between here and South Africa for three whole years perhaps without ever stopping, before returning here to build a nest and raise chicks of their own.

If ever a bird brought me to claim....'birds fascinate me in a thousand ways'....the Swift does.

STOP PRESS.

KENTISH PLOVER (COLOUR RINGED) AT BOWNESS-ON-SOLWAY IN CUMBRIA AT 6.30pm THIS EVENING.

Moorland Fires.

Twite. Phil Slade.



With the recent moorland wildfires - and the risk of more, especially if this dry weather continues - we're finding more and more open access areas closed in the attempt to minimise the risks. These fires will have undoubtedly affected many species including the Nightjar, Dartford Warbler, and Woodlark. Heathland in the South of England is important for these birds and fires in other parts of the UK will without doubt have affected lots of ground-nesting birds.

One bird to single out of all this is the Twite which could have seen a large percentage of this species affected in the North of England where nesting Twite are confined to the South Pennines, where around 100 pairs nest in small colonies. These birds used to occur much more widely in England, but for varying reasons they have declined, but have hung on to this area because of the abundance of hay meadows rich in seeds. It is thought that these recent fires could have affected more than a third of the English population, and this a bird seen as one of the most threatened species in the country even without these devastating fires.

We've been having some rain in the past couple of days, lets hope this has dampened down the tinder dry moorlands, grasslands, and heaths and that the breeding season can continue in the safety of fire free areas like these.

And finally....

Common Flameback. Kah Wai

A pretty smart looking woodpecker with a name which does the bird no justice in my opinion, seen on a recent visit by Kah Wai to Malim Nawar in Malaysia, with an excellent video below in which Kah Wai describes the bird seen nest excavating as 'cool' and quite rightly so. 

 

Brown Flycatcher!

Pied Flycatcher. Brian Rafferty.

I always enjoy the almost daily trawl through my blog list and had the added interest in finding BR's latest post was concerning his two visits to Barbondale this week in which - to add even more interest for me - he had included an excellent image of the Pied Flycatcher (PF) above. This bird is the very one about which I made the comment in one of my recent posts 'Rewards of Barbondale' in which I put in a 'beware' comment regarding the likelihood that the unwary would record this individual as a female PF when in fact it is a 1st summer male.

This bird is the first 'brown' 1st summer male PF I've ever knowingly seen and initially fooled me into recording it as another female, but on getting closer to the bird to afford better views I soon noted the white spot on its forehead clearly visible in BR's photograph and given even better views would no doubt have seen extensive white on the outer webs on tertials. So....another lesson learned in that the 'brownest' of 1st summer male PF's are seen as 'very similar' to females and I have to wonder just how many of these might I have previously seen and be unaware of at the time.

Redstart. Brian Rafferty.

BR sang the praises of Barbondale very much as I do every time I visit the place referring to it as a delightful walk along the elevated path to look down into the ancient wet woodland in which I recall once recording thirteen notable species of birds in a single visit. Thanks to Brian Rafferty for the Pied Flycatcher and Redstart photographs.

No sign again today of the Kentish Plover at Cockersands.

The Latest News....

....and a couple of pics from the currently absent PS the first of which is an excellent mugshot of the lovely Linnet, and the second a Red-throated Pipit from a trip abroad.

You will have noticed I'm struggling again today for a title with at least a little originality and as you see failing miserably!!

Linnet. Phil Slade



With JB/BT as is the norm we first went to Aldcliffe and Freeman's Pools where we observed two Little Ringed Plover, it was something of a worry to see these two little creatures running around in a panic as two Carrion Crows appeared intent on finding the eggs one of the birds had only moments earlier been sitting on. So unfortunate that these birds have enough natural predation to contend with in order to succeed in their breeding attempts without the inconsiderate people using the pool and island as a place to 'have fun' as of late. At Aldcliffe Whitethroat and 2 Swift of note.

At Conder Green, a Lesser Whitethroat gave me excellent - if brief - views, also Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Greenshank, and a Little Ringed Plover seen in flight only. A pair of Great-crested Grebe are nesting on the canal basin at Glasson Dock. On Jeremy Lane a Wheatear in the field was presumed with brief views as  'Greenland' given the date.

At Cockersands, another Wheatear, 3 Whitethroat, a male Reed Bunting, 4 Skylark, 2 Stock Dove, and a Black Swan which posed the question....is this the same bird as seen at Glasson Dock and off Moss Lane in November 2010/January 2011. On Gulf Lane yet another Whitethroat, and c.150 Carrion Crows were noted feeding in a field presumably not to the pleasure of Mr Farmer.

On Pilling Marsh c.300 Pink-footed Geese still, a Wall Brown and at least 8 Common Blue butterflies around the car park. At Fluke Hall, 5 Whitethroat brought the days total to at least eleven seen/heard, also Skylark and 5 Wall Brown. At least 8 Swift were high over Bowerham in Lancaster this evening.

And finally....

Red-throated Pipit. Phil Slade  

The Cockersands Kentish Plover I suspect has not been seen today and not since yesterday as reported at 10.40am. 

Back down to earth.

Dunlin. Brian Rafferty

I spent the best part of six hours at Cockersands today - including a circuit - in the hope of a second bite of the Kentish Plover, it was reported on the RBA pager service as being present at 10.40am but be assured it has not been seen since - up to 8.40pm - despite several birders searching. To be truthful I was pretty miffed at having grilled at least 900 Dunlin and 100+ Ringed Plover a 'good few' times to no avail, but....thats the reality of birding and you've just got to keep on plugging away at it.

Also of note at Cockersands, 15 Whimbrel, 28 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 4 Knot two of which were in their brick red plumage. On the circuit I noted 3 Whitethroat, 4 Sedge Warbler, 6 Tree Sparrow, a Chiffchaff, and a Skylark is the only one of two I've encountered to date this spring in the Cockersands area. On my way here I saw a Whitethroat on Jeremy Lane along with IT who I've not seen or heard of for some time....good to see you today IT. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock if I hadn't seen the 5 Eider hauled out of the river I'd have drawn a blank for anything of note.

Whitethroat. Phillip Tomkinson

At Conder Green it took me just a couple of minutes to see that Conder Pool was also void of almost anything though I note a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gull appear to have laid claim to one of the islands, bad news for all concerned. In the creeks 14 Black-tailed Godwit in stunning summer red, a Greenshank, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, and 4 House Martin today appears to be the total so far at River Winds.

And finally....

Dotterel. David Cookson     

Three more brilliant photographs which are much needed to enhance Birds2blog with thanks to BR/PT/DC. 

Before and after....

....the KP discovery.

Whitethroat. Pete Woodruff

I was with JB yesterday and before the discovery of the Kentish Plover at Cockersands we had gone to Conder Green where at least 3 House Martins had returned to River Winds, a single Swift over, and a singing Garden Warbler and Whitethroat were at the picnic area, the latter I even managed one of my almost acceptable photographs. In the creeks it was good to see a Greenshank here still, also a Spotted Redshank appears to have almost completed its amazing and unique transformation to black breeding plumage. 

Whimbrel. John Bateman



At Cockersands up to 15 Whimbrel, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit in stunning summer plumage, as were 2 Knot, a solitary Grey Plover, c.330 Oystercatcher, c.180 Dunlin, c.50 Ringed Plover, and 4 Eider by the lighthouse. Small birds of note, a Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Dunnock....The rest was after the KP find and was the continuation of what JB and I had planned for today at the off, but be warned....

If you're proposing any upland birding/walking take note of the sign in the pic above which - if you're prepared to stand by the regulations - will bar you from any open access area in the forest of Bowland until it rains for who knows how long they want it to....this'll be a blow to the Ring Ouzel listers. With hindsight it was an unwise decision to go into Bowland when I already knew the way was thus barred at the entrance to the access track up Clougha/Birk Bank. But I did end up hearing a singing Pied Flycatcher just up from Trough Bridge opposite the track on to Winfold Fell, and also noted a 'classic' White Wagtail on the stream by the cattle grid at Marshaw with one or two Green Hairstreak also of note, otherwise the visit was a damp squid.

Bluebells at Abbeystead. Pete Woodruff.

The Bluebell show is excellent at the moment but there was a big disappointment at Stoops Bridge in Abbeystead where the Pied Flycatchers don't appear to have returned, perhaps we can hope for some late arrivals. A Garden Warbler and Blackcap were both in full voice and competing for songster of the year award....great stuff!

In my book today was a monumental one and including all the above....Long Live Cockersands.

KP....

But this is definitely not nuts!

I'm at Cockersands at around mid-day today and guess what, I have my recorders hat on and I'm even counting the guardians of Plover Scar the Oystercatchers and other birds when two elderly people pass by and ask....'are you looking at anything interesting'....at the very precise time I've got my lamps on a bird which instantly isn't a Ringed Plover of which there are about fifty....'everything is interesting'....I replied politely....'but do you mind if I talk to you without taking my eyes away from the telescope as I'm trying to assess the bird I just found which looks interesting to say the least'.

Now lets be straight about this, if you're looking at Ringed Plovers and all of a sudden you come across a similar looking bird which is obviously not a Ringed Plover or Little Ringed Plover, you're looking at a 'goodie'. By now I have my mobile in my hand and I'm calling a birder who's crossed my mind before in similar circumstances and who I know will probably be 'available' with no traffic to negotiate, and is known - if only to me - as a bit of a Jenson Button at the wheel but most importantly he knows what he's talking about and I love birders who know what they're talking about. 

So whilst having in mind that I don't want to end up the only birder to see this bird before it buggers off, I'm telling this guy he'd better get down the road to Cockersands 'cos I've got a 'plover' in my sights and I need him to agree with me when I tell him what this bird is.

There was actually another who ran through my mind but I thought he was in Egypt, Morocco, or somewhere exotic like that, but I was wrong and he came too, all of which was really the icing on the cake for me.

Kentish Plover. Fylde Bird Club

Certainly deja vu for me....It was a female Kentish Plover, like the one at Teal Bay 19 November 1994.

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.

Flux is here.

This is definitely going to be short....and not related to birds into the bargain.



Flux is the title of Richard Shillings new book about which I'm saying nothing more other than you should read about it and the two examples of his art below HERE  

Three Stars For Spring.

Lots of visitors to Birds2blog know about the artwork of Richard Shilling and have publicly and privately thanked me for pointing them in his direction.

Dandelion Sun

Richard has to put up with my remarks about how amazingly creative he is and how he always leaves me speechless when I see what he's 'come up with next'. If you haven't already experienced his works I'd recommend you do so now....it'll be a new experience for you.

Hope I got these titles right Richard.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!....but may not be doing so until Tuesday.