BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND......................................................MEDITTERANEAN GULLS CONDER POOL PETE WOODRUFF

Saturday 27 February 2016

On The Up!

A brilliant calm sunny day on Thursday had me off to Bowland for a better day than my last visit here just over a month ago on 20 January when all I chalked up was a measly seven bird species in 4.5 hours - yes, seven species in 4.5 hours - on the very same trundle as today when I took notes of a slightly better 18 species, this time in 5 hours. So, if you have a good memory, you don't really need pen and paper to write down your sightings on a birding trip to Bowland. 

But my day on Thursday started off in fine style when, as I got to the access track to Hawthornthwaite, a bird whizzed across my path to perch on a fence post, it was a smart male Stonechat about two minutes into my day. As I wandered of up the track I was muttering to myself about wanting to find another one, and about three quarters to the summit, another smart male Stonechatso two winter Stonechat on Hawthornthwaite....nice. 


Pheasant. Noushka Dufort @ 1000-Pattes  

Three Red Grouse and a Pheasant were the only other birds I saw on Hawthornthwaite to add to the list of 18 for the day. 



As I started off from Marshaw to Tower Lodge, one of the two Song Thrush I saw was in excellent voice, the brilliant songster can just be seen as a dot atop of this tall tree and was a delight to hear. The Lapwings are on territory in fields by Marshaw Farm, and a Buzzard was overhead, 6 Mistle Thrush were seen along the way, and 18 Fieldfare were a pleasant surprise. Up the track from Tower Lodge, as seen, a Nuthatch, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, and a Robin.

But the day went downhill from here, on the weather scene the day went cloudy and dull, and on the bird scene a wander north from Tower Lodge to Trough Bridge and on towards the track to Winfold Fell unbelievably produced not a single bird in two hours save 6 Red Grouse seen at a distance on the fell.

Bringing up the rear for the 18 species on the day....Chaffinch, Starling, and Wood Pigeon, with 6 Mallard on the Marshaw Wyre. Like I said....no pen and paper needed on upland birding.

Thanks for the Pheasant Noushka, and to Warren for the Song Thrush header, both excellent and much appreciated.  

3 comments:

  1. 18 species ! Very sad reflection on the state of the uplands Pete :-(

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  2. Thought there might have been Coal Tit,Dipper,Pied and Grey Wagtail Pete.

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  3. Warren....The last couple of hours up here which I mentioned in the post, not a single bird heard nor seen. Think about that, its a two mile distance in the same number of hours to add to the previous two hours spent in this area, during which I shouldn't have failed to connect with the four species Martin mentions, plus at least another four species I really should have seen, quite unbelievable but true, first hand experience of birds which are 'missing'.

    Martin....See above with thanks.

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