I was undecided on my birding destination yesterday morning with Bowland as one of the choices in mind, but I opened an e-mail in my inbox with the words Spotted Flycatcher included in the message which made my mind up for me and off I went to do the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge area.
It was exactly a month ago since my last visit there on 30 June, when I made a count of 25 species, yesterday the count was three less than that, notably having seen none of the 'tit' family, and no Dipper amongst other absentees.
Spending an hour at Marshaw was rewarded by good views of 3 Siskin and 2 Lesser Redpoll, 12 Pied Wagtail were together feeding on the grassy bank, and a good number of Sand Martin and House Martin were flying up and down the Marshaw Wyre here, the latter presumably breeding at Marshaw Farm, with hindsight I should have gone to the farm to make enquiries, next time up here I intend to do that.
I later called in at Stoops Bridge in Abbeystead to find a Spotted Flycatcher and a juvenile Robin, the e-mail I received this morning told me of four Spotted Flycatcher here on Wednesday. Up the road a mile away at Christ Church another Spotted Flycatcher was seen as a species which has returned to this church for several years now, and another juvenile Robin seen.
Thanks to DC/WB for the excellent and much appreciated images.
It was exactly a month ago since my last visit there on 30 June, when I made a count of 25 species, yesterday the count was three less than that, notably having seen none of the 'tit' family, and no Dipper amongst other absentees.
Siskin David Cookson
Spending an hour at Marshaw was rewarded by good views of 3 Siskin and 2 Lesser Redpoll, 12 Pied Wagtail were together feeding on the grassy bank, and a good number of Sand Martin and House Martin were flying up and down the Marshaw Wyre here, the latter presumably breeding at Marshaw Farm, with hindsight I should have gone to the farm to make enquiries, next time up here I intend to do that.
On the way up to Tower Lodge and on to Trough Bridge, I counted 4 Spotted Flycatcher, 9 Grey Wagtail seen on the stream, 2 Nuthatch included a juvenile, 2 Song Thrush, and a Goldcrest, Blackbird sightings included a juvenile. Three sightings of Kestrel could possibly have all been the same bird, and I saw just one Willow Warbler which would have made an excellent photograph on a fence line in the same frame as a Spotted Flycatcher and Robin.
Spotted Flycatcher Warren Baker
I later called in at Stoops Bridge in Abbeystead to find a Spotted Flycatcher and a juvenile Robin, the e-mail I received this morning told me of four Spotted Flycatcher here on Wednesday. Up the road a mile away at Christ Church another Spotted Flycatcher was seen as a species which has returned to this church for several years now, and another juvenile Robin seen.
Thanks to DC/WB for the excellent and much appreciated images.
I'll struggle to get images of Spotfly on my patch now Pete, they have gone, probably for good :-(
ReplyDeleteNice that they can still be found with you though mate.