....yesterday was an excellent and rewarding days birding, but I got way laid and prevented from posting on Birds2blog by those 'other things' I mention on here from time to time, quite honestly a bloody nuisance but I have to deal with them as a priority over my birding interests.
I was on Harrisend for 2.5 hours and to say I found no Stonechats is both a forgone conclusion and a mere formality I mention it. One of the most notable things about Harrisend today was the number of 23 Willow Warblers encountered, at least 23 Meadow Pipit also counted, though this species is much more difficult to count with accuracy as they are a very flighty bird as opposed to the less so Willow Warbler. Also noted, a single Linnet, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Blackbird, 2 Red Grouse, and a Buzzard.
Small Heath. Steven Cheshire
More interest was generated by 8 Redpoll, two pairs of Redstart, a Green Woodpecker, and a Cuckoo heard somewhere in the Grisedale area. It was also good to see a couple of decent butterflies on Harrisend today in 2 Small Heath. Driving past Street Bridge on the way here I heard a Blackcap and Chiffchaff. The idea that I should call in at Stoops Bridge in Abbeystead was one of my best in recent times as I found the female Pied Flycatcher in and out of the tree hole obviously feeding young, this despite eluding me on previous visits into thinking they had failed to return this year.
I now had to make haste to Barbondale where I was to meet a man who needed to observe some more details about the 10 Pied Flycatchers I saw on Tuesday 24 May....he wasn't disappointed and I reckon Pied Flycatcher numbers will be inflated by up to 28 birds this year at Barbondale, in itself an all time record, but some way to go yet, so....hopefully.
Though I was a little preoccupied on this visit to Barbondale I was pleased to find a pair of Whinchat this time having only found a female previously, also Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Dipper, a Buzzard, and uncounted Redstart and Tree Pipit. I also had excellent views of the Tawny Owl which I had seen on my last visit here on 24 May, today it was unintentionally and unfortunately flushed from its roosting perch.
Birds....they fascinate me in a thousand ways!
And finally....
Everybody's favourite is the Swallow, known and recognised by even the least interested of people in birds. Thanks to DC/SC/BR who all give me permission to use their images on Birds2blog with many thanks.
23 Willow Warblers! I haven't had that many in the combined ten years of watching my patch :-(
ReplyDeleteAn excellent day's birding for you and good to hear Barbondale is on top form. Good news also from Abbeystead with the pied flys back at their traditional nesting hole.
ReplyDeleteAs you say Pete All in all an excellent day for you. Thanks for using the swallow pic. Enjoy the weekend.
Thanks to WB/BR for your continued support and comments on Birds2blog, all helping me to keep up the enthusiasm, sometimes difficult to do if only for the time consumption.
ReplyDeleteWarren
ReplyDeleteWhilst surveying on the Grain peninsula (presumably fairly near you) last year, I tought something was "wrong". Then I realised that I hadnt seen a single territorial Willow Warbler in habitat which would be teeming with them up here. Apologies if I have already posted this - I certainly did "somewhere" in the last 10 months or so!
I've certainly never seen this posted before Pete. An very interesting note which I'll make sure Warren sees.
ReplyDelete