A Bowland Double.

There's a bit of hesitation with my words in this video, and a little humour in there too. I think to have a script might be a good bet until I get used to the idea of commentary. 

Meanwhile, a little introduction to Fridays visit to Bowland. View the videos Full Screen.

A Bowland double today, when I found a couple of goodies up the track from Tower Lodge. I saw a bird flitting around in the trees, and although my views were brief before it disappeared from view it was clearly a Marsh Tit. Not 10 minutes later up the track, I spotted a cracking male Bullfinch soon followed by a female.

Marsh Tit Jan Larsson 

I've never seen either of these species in our recording area in the Forest of Bowland, and I'm not aware of any records here in recent years if ever. The Marsh Tit is an uncommon localised breeder in our area, restricted to the limestone woodlands of Arnside, Silverdale, and the Wray area. The Bullfinch is more of a common breeder in similar areas to the Marsh Tit....But these two records are in autumn in the Forest of Bowland.

I was a bit too busy having fun with the camera today, and noted just 14 species of birds in the hours spent in the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge area. But this Grey Wagtail gave me a little therapeutic moment....

The other eleven....a Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Great Tit, 6 Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, and Robin. About 8 Mallard were on the Marshaw Wyre, and 4 Red Grouse from the track to Winfold Fell, with Buzzard and Kestrel seen.

I noted an excellent record of 10 Stonechat on Lytham Moss yesterday per F. Bird at Fylde Bird Club.

A Tit, an Owl, a Grebe.....

....and some runners up.

  

Marsh Tit Jan Larsson

On a tour round Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve with KT on Monday, it was the Marsh Tit which took the prize of 'Bird of the Day' for me. 

As an uncommon localised breeding resident, the only area to have any reasonable chance of seeing the Marsh Tit is in and around Silverdale, records from elsewhere are scant. So I was pleased to have found this bird here today to fill a three and a half year gap in my records, my last being of one seen at Arnside on 29 September 2011. 

Tawny Owl  Martin Jump

From the same path as the Marsh Tit was seen to the Lower Hide from Storrs Lane, we had good views of a roosting Tawny Owl concealed deep within an ivy clad tree. Also from this path good numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap, with a few Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler heard, a Brimstone butterfly was my third one this year.

At the Lower Hide, 2 Marsh Harrier seen with little of anything else of any exception, but a pair of Gadwall and few Pochard were of note, and a Buzzard soaring over the woodlands opposite.

From Lillian's Hide, noted were 2 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Gadwall drakes, a pair of Shoveler, and 5 Buzzard soaring together. 

At the Grisedale Hide, almost deserted with just a pair of Gadwall seen. Another Buzzard over the woods where 5 Red Deer were grazing in a field below, and c.8 Swift were high above and were seen as my first sighting of multi Swifts this year.

Thanks to Jan and Martin for their respective images.

Pied-billed Grebe. Barry Dyson.

On entering the Public Hide - which I would estimate holds at least 50 seated people - probably more than 70 were crammed in and all looking in the same direction. A shout of excitement came up when the Pied-billed Grebe put in an appearance having apparently been in a channel out of view for some considerable time, the bird made a couple of dives before promptly disappearing from whence it came. My viewing time lasted no more than 10 seconds, knelt on my knees and seen between shoulders and two large heads. I too then disappeared from whence I came....not my cup of tea!

The Pied-billed Grebe.

Breeds over most of North, Central, and South America. It's hard to believe a bird with such an apparent weak flight could ever possibly cross the Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless the Pied-billed Grebe is an extremely rare vagrant, and in excess of 40 records have been made of the species in Britain, the one prior to this bird at Leighton Moss was on the Western Isle of North Uist in December 2013 which stayed a massive 391 days.

The first record of Pied-billed Grebe in Britain was only 52 years ago and was of a bird found in Somerset in December 1963. Many of the recorded birds have stayed for long periods, and one in Cornwall did so from 1992 to 1994 when it paired with a Little Grebe to produce three hybrid young.

Thanks to Barry for the excellent image of the Pied-billed Grebe which hadn't come to Britain for him to see, he saw it on a recent trip to the USA at Long Beach Harbour, California. 

Doodling!

I found myself killing time so couldn't resist drawing your attention to this....

Anyone like to bet that  THESE TWO  get fined £5,000, or go to jail for 6 months when they get sentenced later this month....my bet is they won't get either.

And a couple of simply brilliant images....

Oystercatcher/Med Gull David Cookson 

This brilliant image shows a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull in the act of trying to steal food - though it may not look that way - from the Oystercatcher, unsuccessfully according to DC. A photograph probably qualifying for the 'unique' category....Thanks David, brilliant.

And....

Marsh/Blue Tit Noushka Dufort

Surely another image for the 'unique' category with the Marsh Tit shouting at the Blue Tit 'give it to me or I come up there and sort you out'. Thanks Noushka, another brilliant photograph, will the brilliance ever end....no never! 

And finally....

Bewick's Swan. Copy Permitted.

One of the Bewick's Swans I found on Moss Lane last Wednesday, still there with the numbers of these and the Whooper Swans increased since then.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING....tomorrow hopefully.

The Big Dip!

I set off this morning in good 'birding' spirits with the intention of stepping outside my kind of birding, to spend the day looking for 'other peoples birds' with Glasson Dock, and Arnside the priorities, and a look in on the Eric Morecambe Complex at Leighton Moss to see if I could prove the 'regulars' simply weren't doing the job right. It all ended about seven hours later with a massive - in twitching jargon - 'dip', but I wouldn't have it any other way, I would'nt  be remotely interested in birds if they were always there to order....would you?

I was on the job at Glasson Dock and spent a full 2.5 hours watching the tide come in and push the birds ever closer until the mud was eventually covered and I left minus the Lesser Yellowlegs despite grilling c.200 Redshank coming and going - and others - until I was blue in the face just managing in between to log three adult Mediterranean Gulls, take note of c.650 Golden Plover and 45 Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Forty minutes later I'm in the Eric Morecambe hide to take note of 14 species including at least 500 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Ruff, and not very common on the complex, a single Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, not everyone realises these are two of  'one or two' species of wader not all that regular/common on here. A solitary Pink-footed Goose was of note.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Brian Rafferty

Now I'm about to join some seasoned birders already in place when I arrive at Arnside as the tide ebbed, but despite allowing myself about one hour here I/we found no sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, nor....

Pectoral Sandpiper. Dave Appleton.

....any Pectoral Sandpipers and had to leave by 3.30pm only to see the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Little Stints, and a Yellowlegs species reported there later....Oh Dear!!

Marsh Tit. Mike Watson

Three Little Egret were on the marsh, and a Marsh Tit was nice in the wooded area behind were I was stood on the embankment at Arnside, a very localised breeder in our area and mainly restricted to the Lune Valley, Silverdale/Arnside, and south-east Cumbria.

The sting in the tail....

The Lesser Yellowlegs was reported on the Lune Estuary, Glasson Dock at 6.10pm....Oh Dear again!! 

I met a nice couple in the Eric Morecambe hide today, but despite seeing them at Leighton Moss on and off for c.150 years I still don't know their name, but they know who they are and I know they look in on Birds2blog on a daily basis which I much appreciate.....good to have seen you again today 'nice couple'.

Thanks to BR/DA/MW for the photographs which are much appreciated. 

Never a dull moment!

Sand Leek. Pete Woodruff.

If I can be excused I'd like to start this post with a commemoration to my good friend and mentor John Leedal. Perhaps its becoming a little too regular that I mention JL on Birdsblog, but just this once again because of my finding the Sand Leek Allium scorodoprasum at Witherslack yesterday after a period of probably 12-15 years since JL and I first found it here, a few days after which it was cut down to which - as I recall - JL 'went to town' on the appropriate authorities responsible for the crime. So as I drove up to the corner yesterday were it was found all those years ago it was quite a nostalgic moment for me as you will appreciate when I saw it there as a memento to JL. I would welcome anyone who thinks my claims are inaccurate about this plants status and distribution which is confined to the North of England and Scotland and not too common. 

With BT we first went to Foulshaw Moss which didn't produce the hoped for Hobby or Osprey. However, I did find to my pleasure a male and juvenile Stonechat which showed distantly and briefly as viewed opposite the parking area here, but despite a thorough and closer search of the area wasn't seen again. Also of note were a few fly-overs of Lesser Redpoll and Siskin, the latter of which three females gave good views feeding, a Great-spotted Woodpecker was also seen in flight, good numbers of Swallow were feeding over the moss with House Martin and Swift seen, two Red Deer appeared one of which was a pure white albino and is possibly the same individual we saw here last year. I think we needed to be on the 'hunt' for dragonflies to collect some comprehensive records but one or two Emperor Dragonfly, a 'few' Four-spotted Chaser, and Blue-tailed Damselflies were noted. A brief visit to Latterbarrow gave us c.25 Meadow Brown butterflies and little else posing the serious question....what is the general status of the butterfly in the UK in 2011?....must do some reading up on this. 

Silver-washed Fritillary. Steven Cheshire



A visit to Witherslack gave some recompense for NO butterflies seen at Foulshaw Moss - to the exclusion of a very few 'whites' - when at least 4 Silver-washed Fritillary were seen with a Dark-green Fritillary, 5 Small Skipper, and 2 Comma all noted. Birds were represented by a nice sighting of the very localised Marsh Tit, and three Peregrine Falcon over Whitbarrow were seen initially in some sort of altercation.

A decent and enjoyable day with BT, though the title of the post isn't quite accurate....but reasonably so!

And finally....

Adder. David Cookson.

A couple of non-bird 'Cookson Crackers' with the excellent image of the Adder and....

Fox. David Cookson.

An equally excellent portrait of the Fox, a creature persecuted as much as many other forms of wildlife and more than most. Thanks for these....much appreciated DC 

Sneaking off again!

Another sneak to 'the office' again this evening - I think the family visits may be coming to an end today - and hopefully another sneak off to get some birding in tomorrow though no bets or guarantees on that one I'm afraid. 

Fox. Brian Rafferty

So another opportunity to post a couple - three actually - more excellent photographs, this time from BR who has recently had a close encounter and excellent views of this stunning Fox which gave him the chance to achieve some equally stunning and excellent pictures of the creature.

Fox. Credit as above.

Wildlife is out there for us all to find and see, all we have to do is get out there and search and if results like these don't inspire us to do so probably nothing will. Many thanks for allowing me to share these photographs on Birds2blog, much appreciated Brian.

OK its supposed to be a birding blog so....

Marsh Tit. Gary Jones

   

Sorry to keep on being so repetitive but, another excellent photograph, this of the Marsh Tit which appears to have bitten off more than it can chew but I'm sure it dealt with the problem eventually. And here's another repeat....please take a look at BR and GJ's website as there are always some good pictures and reading to be had on both I can assure you.

Like I said at the top of the page, hopefully in with a chance of some birding tomorrow in which case the blog will resemble more of a birding blog that it has done of late....I'll probably regret all I just said.

A change....

....is as good as a rest!

Kingfisher. David Cookson.

There's nowt like kicking off a post on a blog with a stunning photograph, and photographs don't come any more stunning than this one and that's official. Thanks for this David....bloody brilliant.

With JB/BT today and by way of a change we set off North for Hale Moss a small reserve off the A6 towards Beetham, to say the least it was a little quiet but it was good to find another Marsh Tit - my second this week - a very localised resident breeder, and a bird you're only ever likely to see in the limestone woodlands of  SE Cumbria, the Arnside and Silverdale AONB, and the Lune Valley, also a Buzzard over.

Black Darter. Pete Woodruff.

On to Foulshaw Moss where we saw the distant Osprey which is almost certain to breed here one day soon, 3 Stonechat here were excellent in my book at least, the only other bird noted here - believe it or not - was a Willow Warbler, we saw 3 Red Deer one of which was snow white and another first for me. The only butterflies seen were a single Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell, there was a good number - recorders  don't like that sort of language - of Black Darter and I achieved a - not very glamorous - pic of the one above which settled on the top of a gate. A visit to Witherslack was to be honest a little too late in the year but a single female Silver-washed Fritillary did eventually put in an appearance.

Brimstone. Pete Woodruff.

Thirty minutes at the Latterbarrow Reserve gave us three butterfly species with a Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue, and 3 Brimstone one of which is in the pic above and which - for the first time ever - I appreciated the perfection of this creatures camouflage as it fed on the Scabious 'Pink Mist'.

Stonechat Behaviour. 

I observed some 'new' Stonechat behaviour today at Foulshaw Moss. BT picked up a very distant bird perched in a small tree on the moss which I instantly recognised as a Stonechat, the bird eventually flew off and joined two others and the three then fed on a swarm of small insects at the very top of a tall Scotch Pine. I would never have searched a tall Scotch Pine in order to locate the Stonechat....another first record for the book.