BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND...............................................................RED GROUSE HAWTHORNTHWAITE PETE WOODRUFF

Sunday, 14 July 2013

B is for Bowland....

....as T is for Townson and Friday has become BT day again, we were off into Bowland once again, part of the objective being to look for/check out some House Martin sites.

Looking in on Bea Tarn reservoir a Common Sandpiper gave itself away in flight over the far side, also 2 Great-crested Grebe one of which may well have been on a nest. A walk up the west side of the plantation strip below Catshaw Fell was worth the effort if only to find a Spotted Flycatcher, also a single Redpoll, Goldcrest, Willow Warbler, 3 Coal Tit, and a Buzzard.

At Cam Brow, a small colony has established itself here once again with up to 8 Sand Martin and four nests observed, also of interest were at least 20 Meadow Pipit on telephone wires. At Well Brook Farm a single active House Martin nest seen, this is a former good location for the species, but it seems no longer, further down the Trough Road 4 House Martin nests in the Marshaw Farm complex. Noted in a short period of time in the Marshaw - Tower Lodge - Trough Bridge area, 3 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Common Sandpiper, a Curlew with a fledged young, a Mistle Thrush, 2 Grey Wagtail, and a Coal Tit.


Meadow Brown Marc Heath

Only five butterflies were seen on the day, 3 Small Heath on the fringe of Catshaw Fell, and 2 Meadow Brown on Wyresdale Road east of Lancaster where....


Common Spotted Orchid. Pete Woodruff. 

....900 spikes of Common Spotted Orchid were estimated. I have no knowledge of the history of this orchid at the site, but this must surely be a good year for it. 

And finally....


 Photo Pete Woodruff.

I often visit Bowland and leave having seen something I'd rather I hadn't and Friday was no exception....This is the work of a warped mind having a sick joke.

 Photo Pete Woodruff.    

This was on a post close by to the one above by the same warped mind. The vandalised notices were in place by the access gate to the track on to Catshaw Fell.

3 comments:

  1. I'm surprised someone with the mentality of that 'raptor shooter' can actually write Pete :-)

    May the worst happen to him and his family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Adam....I did have a great day thanks.

    Warren....Well he can't spell 'sights' presumably means 'sites'.

    ReplyDelete