Bowland Birds.

 Birdwatchers Code of Conduct.

I'm well aware of this code, it includes requests to refrain from posting information about breeding locations of rare or locally uncommon species. So for once I have decided it best to do the right thing for the sake of a single bird I found on Friday. Hence, the rather bland title....

Bowland Birds.

Friday continued the theme of being the worst May that I can recall in recent years, the weather being best described as crap throughout. I was in Bowland on a day more reminiscent of 27 March than May, cloudy with a cold northerly wind.

I'm getting closer to being convinced the Redstarts are not breeding in the Ash I found them at on 29 April, having returned there on 19 May, and again on Friday with no sign of activity over a 30 minute watch. Another 30 minutes in the woodland, 4 Grey Wagtail, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Warbler, 2 Robin and a Wren.

My visit to one of the many moorland sites I favour, actually put an end to the gloom of the cloudy cold day, when a brilliant male Ring Ouzel with its white half-moon across the breast, took to the wing, to soon go to ground out of sight....For me, it was like a ray of sunshine!

Also seen here, running a close second to the Mountain Blackbird, 6 Stonechat, seen as a pair with at least two young, and two male. A Curlew was circling me in flight alarm calling, obviously with a nest/young in the area. Up to 18 Sand Martin seen, 14 Meadow Pipit, and a Kestrel was, not for the first time, the only raptor seen in Bowland in 5 hours.

On my way back to Lancaster, a pair of Pied Flycatcher feeding young at the nest, 3 Treecreeper, Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard.

As I turned off the camera after filming from the road bridge, a Kingfisher flew past me upstream.

Stonechat.

I note the interesting report of a male Stonechat at Conder Green on Thursday 27 May. The record prompts the question, what's a Stonechat doing at Conder Green at the end of May? One thing for sure, it's another first for the location....Unless someone would like to correct me!