Bowland Lost And Found.

Hawthornthwaite Fell.

I made only three previous visits so far this year and found not one Stonechat, and to turn this into an even bigger disaster found none when I went again last week. This looks like it's going to be a record at the end of the year that I never really wanted to collect, that the Stonechat was never found on Hawthornthwaite in 2018, let alone bred there. 

Merlin@1000-Pattes 

But as I came down of the fell, a bird hidden from my view took off out of the heather little more than 50m ahead of me and flew across the clough to perch, this is as good as it gets in Bowland, it was a stunning male Merlin. The only other birds seen were, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Red Grouse, and 3 Sand Martin flying around.

Harrisend Fell. 

I had made just two previous visits, to see a pair on 8 May, and on my last visit on 5 June I found a lone male, suspecting at the time there was a female somewhere around on a nest. But a much better result when I found 9 Stonechat there this time. 

Of 6 Buzzard seen, five were soaring overhead together, an impressive sight, 2 Kestrel represented the other raptors seen here. A good number of Swallow were feeding over the lower slopes, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Willow Warbler, and at least 5 Small Copper seen. 

It took me 2.5 hours to walk from Marshaw to 1/4 mile east of Trough Bridge and return, to at least enjoy finding a Spotted Flycatcher still up here, and House Martin visiting nests at Tower Lodge, otherwise....dire.

For the two excellent raptor images....Thanks to Brian for the Hobby, and to Noushka for the Merlin.