Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.

The weather on Wednesday morning was cloudy, grey, windy, and nothing like what the forecast had been. Hardly to be called suitable for a visit to Bowland, but it turned out decent in the afternoon. In any case I had a man to meet for a survey of Hawthornthwaite Fell, but not until I'd been presented with a brilliant mounted photograph of a female Stonechat complete with a bill full of insects, including a Latticed Heath moth.

There's quality loss from the original in the copy of this excellent photograph, but there's some improvement with a 'clik the pik'. 

Stonechat. Martin Jump.

No Stonechat found on the west side of Hawthornthwaite, but 2 Ring Ouzel gave distant in flight views, before soon disappearing up Catshaw Greave. This sighting came two days earlier than a previous male Ring Ouzel I found here on 20 April 2016.  

Also excellent views of 2 Raven, with 19 Meadow Pipit, 9 Red Grouse, 4 Wren, a Buzzard, Kestrel, and 4 Sand Martin back here and flying up and down the bottom end of Catshaw Greave.

 Upland Bowland. Pete Woodruff.

From Marshaw along and up the east side of Hawthornthwaite, I eventually found a pair of Stonechat, heard my first 4 Willow Warbler, and saw 11 Red Grouse, 12 Meadow Pipit, heard the distant 'chipper-chipper' of 4 Snipe, 3 Mistle Thrush, and a Reed Bunting.

I ended the day with a brief look in at the Tower Lodge area, to note a Grey Wagtail on the Marshaw Wyre, and a Sparrowhawk disappearing into the trees.