Leggin' it again!

I adopted Plan B today as Plan A was put off for a later date 'cos I didn't particularly like the look of the weather for today which - by mid-afternoon - was more reminiscent of early March than almost early May.

I put in a few miles of legwork today, giving Aldcliffe - Stodday three hours and noting, 5 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, a Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, c.15 Blackbirds, 11 Goldfinch, 7 Greenfinch, 3 Linnet, 2 House Martin, and 9 Eider on the River Lune, a Sedge Warbler surprised me a little in that I don't recall the species seen here before. I saw a Lapwing with one chick and crossed my fingers Mr Farmer will have no cause to enter the field for a while with his machinery, 2 Little Ringed Plover were on the flood, and if they're still on Freeman's Pools I couldn't find them but did find the litter mentioned by Aldclifffe regular GMc in his post HERE, the notice above doesn't seem to register with some....well it won't will it!

Swallow at Cockersands. Pete Woodruff. 

On Conder Pool a Little Ringed Plover put in an appearance and a now almost completely black Spotted Redshank also showed with 6 Redshank. The effort of a circuit of Cockersands was rewarded by a Wheatear, 7 Linnet, at least 6 Tree Sparrows around the Bank Houses paddock is a species I can't get to grips with re numbers here recently, 3 White Wagtail - should that read 'alba' - a singing Skylark and Sedge Warbler, a Lapwing this time had four chicks, and 17 Golden Plover flighting around appeared to be of the Northern race.

   

Dandelion. Pete Woodruff.

On Sunday I saw my first House Martin along the canal behind Haverbreaks, and on Monday my first 2 Swift were over Bowerham. Just the dandelion....but the beauty is in the colour.

MEGA NEWS. 

A Little Shearwater is on Lundy, Devon, apparently present c.1 week....must do some reading up on this one.

Around the moss!

Short-toed Lark. Fylde Bird Club

I almost went to see this bird - Lancashires first - today, present at Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park, in the end I'm proud to say I gave in to my selfish ways by making a compromise with KT to do a wander around Leighton Moss where nothing unexpected was seen but notables included good views of five Marsh Harriers, at least 3 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, a pair of Bullfinch, good views of the sub-adult Mediterranean Gull from Lillians Hide, and 5 Brimstone on the round.

The good thing about Leighton Moss is, that if - whilst keeping your eyes fully focused on the birds - you keep your ears fully focused on some of the things said in the hides you can learn quite a lot, most of which I'd categorise as 'rubbish'. However, I did learn a couple of interesting things on the rounds today whilst having to rely on what I heard to be fact, but first and foremost I must insist on announcing that I do not condone or subscribe to noisy chatter in hides, more to the point I oppose any unnecessary talk at all in hides. But according to what I heard in the first conversation, one of the Leighton Moss female Marsh Harriers carries an antenna - I assume - as an aid to some tracking device fitted to the bird....Mmmmm! Later in the day another conversation overheard claimed that the Warton Crag Peregrine Falcons have had their nest predated by Ravens which it appears resulted in all the eggs taken....Mmmmm! nature, though the result is the same I'd much sooner the Ravens than some moron down a rope to the nest.

Hopefully some more interesting birding to come!

Out of Africa.

Three Vagrant Emperor Dragonflies have been seen at Denge Marsh in Kent today.

Male Vagrant Emperor . Albano Soares

The Vagrant Emperor (VE) is a well known migrant which occurs mainly in Africa and south-west Asia, it wanders to and fro to breed after rains, in some years migrations span across Europe and it is the only dragonfly ever recorded in Iceland, they can - after an invasion - reproduce in Central Europe and probably breeds in the Mediterranean basin.

Following three confirmed sightings in the UK last October, five have reached southwest England again this month, with one in Plymouth, Devon, another in Penryn, Cornwall, and three today in Kent . After the weather turned mild in the UK following the severe December we experienced, a VE was found in January in Pembrokeshire, followed by one in Cornwall in February. The appearance of the VE during our winter months instantly attracts attention simply because none of our native dragonflies are seen as flying adults then.

I've seen reports that large numbers of VE have been found in North Africa and the Middle East last winter and this presumably reflects a good breeding season further south in the preceding months. Some recent sightings of VE have included many thousands in southern Israel in March, such numbers are only rarely seen. In April very large numbers were reported moving northwards through Portugal with large numbers also seen in southern and central Spain. The southerly winds which have made for the excellent April weather in the UK have been the leading factor behind this movement. Sounds like keeping a beady eye out is a good idea.

On the subject of a warm spring, an early emergence of some resident dragon/damselflies has been observed and a Large Red Damselfly was seen in Cornwall at the end of March and a further eleven species have been reported on the wing in recent days.

But wait a minute this is supposed to be a bird/birding blog and is called Birds2blog, so to end with....

Coal Tit. Phillip Tomkinson 

This is a brilliant photograph of my favourite of the family, the Coal Tit with my thanks to PT.

Earlier than usual.

Nuthatch. Brian Rafferty

Yesterday was a little earlier than usual but I thought as the weather was holding good I'd give a look in on Holme Wood from Grisedale Bridge and down the Grisedale Valley. Last year on 11 May I found a male Pied Flycatcher in the wood, but - although this part of the wood is ideal for any number of woodland birds - I found it pretty quiet this time and didn't see/hear the Garden Warbler I expected to....as for the Wood Warbler, I didn't really expect but certainly lived in hope but to no avail.

Treecreeper. Phillip Tomkinson

In the two hours here I recorded just 13 species being, at least 18 Willow Warbler, 6 Chaffinch, 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Pied Wagtail, a Nuthatch, surprisingly only one Robin, Coal Tit, and Wren, and much less surprising just one Grey Wagtail which was on the dam, a drake Mallard was the only bird on the reservoir, and a Buzzard overhead. I watched a Treecreeper collecting nesting material to return to the nest site several times.

Common Sandpiper. John Bateman

Against my better judgement I then headed for the Tower Lodge area but first called at Marshaw....OK so far, and was rewarded by 3 Common Sandpiper back on territory with some disagreement and eventual display between the three which I found interesting. But the observations I hoped for between Marshaw and Trough Bridge were dashed when I discovered in excess of twenty cars fully ladened with c.100 humans of all ages dotted throughout the area, all having rejected the call of Blackpool and putting paid to Grey Wagtails, Dippers, and Common Sandpipers having any chance to breed on the stream - which runs the entire length of Trough Bridge to Marshaw - with this kind of disturbance however innocent and unintentional it is.

An initial look at this photograph may have you wondering what it's all about, but if you look closely the rope is blue and is the kind of human fun the birds really cannot deal with, this particular type of 'Tarzan' rope is numerous in the Trough of Bowland in particular around the Tower Lodge area and the one illustrated here is actually above a Grey Wagtail nest site from where I watched a pair taking food to young last year....not this year I fear!

Thanks to BR/PT/JB for the photographs.

Normal Service....

....will be resumed tomorrow, but thats not guaranteed I can tell you. I also found another two excellent photographs to enhance the blog, the first of which is the Chiffchaff.

Chiffchaff. Warren Baker  

OK, I know no one will be remotely interested in what I've been up to the past couple of days, in any case 'whats this got to do with birds'.... But I must draw attention to a shop I visited in London on Monday and which I have decided - for my own reasons - not to name on Birds2blog but in which I was pretty shocked at discovering just two items on sale in this place before I made a rapid exit to escape the obscenities I found there. The first price-tag I looked at was attached to a 'small' silk scarf and was £450, now I'm probably loosing my ability to keep in touch with reality here but....do people really want to pay this much for a small scarf, well it seems some do, and one or two inside this shop obviously could, but bearing in mind the passion for birds my interests don't end with them but carry on through all wildlife and accompanying conservation and persecution issues and there was worse to come. Peering into an elaborate glass case I was horrified to see a handbag made from the skin of a Python priced at £2,100....I refuse to say more or make any other political comments on this matter and end my soapbox piece there.


I watched an unfortunate Kestrel in the lofty heights at Euston Station concourse today having obviously strayed in through some gap somewhere maybe never to find its way back out again, I drew a policeman's attention to the unfortunate creature but he was preoccupied and on the look out for other types of strays I'm afraid. 

And pic No 2....

Wren. David Cookson

Hopefully birding tomorrow....Thanks for the photographs WB/DC, much appreciated.

Things ain't....

....what they used to be.

In a hours time as I write I'll be aboard a train going to the capital for a couple of days which means I'm off the 'birding road' until Thursday at the earliest. OK, now I know this isn't life changing news for anyone out there other than me, more to the point who else cares, in this regard I'm not the happiest birder in the world I can tell you but....thats the way it is, birding and Birds2blog is no more for a few days and I'm now going to shut up. 



On a brighter note when I return I'm looking forward to finding some of these little beauties, and I know several places where I will....when I do I'll let you know.

Pied Flycatcher. Mike Watson.

I also know a few places where I can find the Pied Flycatcher and I look forward to seeing my first this year soon. Mike Watson found this one singing in the Hodder Valley on 16 April, a day earlier than the mean date of arrival in Lancashire....nice one Mike, and many thanks for the photograph.

And finally....

Redstart. Brian Rafferty

Probably the most colourful migrant I'll see this summer the brilliant male Redstart, hope you do too. Thanks for the photograph BR.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING....but if I'm not by Thursday the Easter weekend follows and by then depression will have really taken a hold. Total confidence will only come on Tuesday 26 April and that's eight days away....doesn't bear thinking about. 

The tale of the TMB!

Another interesting diversion from birds.

Emerging Tawny Mining Bee.

With KT having reported seeing a 'large' number of bees over a friends lawn she had visited the other day I had to go and investigate and soon discovered that KT had witnessed the recent emergence of a colony of Tawny Mining Bee (TMB) like the one in the photograph above leaving her nest.

Female Tawny Mining Bee.

The female TMB with her rich orange-red coat is unlikely to be mistaken for any other bee, she is a common visitor to currant and gooseberry flowers in April-June and frequently nests in the garden lawn where she throws up little volcano shaped mounds around her nest entrance which I found at this location soon after their emergence.

On the other hand....

Cuckoo Bee.

The 60 second video below is quite good and shows the Cuckoo Bee (CB) waiting for the TMB to wander off before entering it's nest to perform it's evil deed. You can initially just see the CB at the bottom of the frame.

The CB gets its name because - like their avian namesake - they are social parasites, they lay their eggs in the nests of various bumble-bees, which then rear the 'Cuckoo' grubs as their own, when the Cuckoo larva hatches they eat the host pollon ball and larva. There are six British species which - like the avian Cuckoo - sticks to a particular host species normally resembling it quite closely. A quite amazing characteristic of the female CB is the fact that it wakens from hibernation when the host nests are already well established making its parasitic behaviour much easier.         

The Friday Round.

Well here's a little beauty to brighten up and start any blog post the female Wheatear, usually everyone's first migrant.....I luv um!

Wheatear. Brian Rafferty



With JB/BT we got off to a good start by finding the Little Ringed Plover pair on Freeman's Pools which eventually gave us the evidence that they intend breeding here again this year by mating, great stuff, but these two will need all the luck they can get to overcome all manner of predation and disturbance natural or otherwise....here's hoping. Also of note a fine summer plumage Little Grebe and Willow Warbler in song. Along the path to Aldcliffe at least 2 Blackcap males and a female, and a 'few' Goldfinch in the area.

At Conder Green, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, and Common Sandpiper. On the Lune Estuary 52 Black-tailed Godwit, c.300 Redshank, and a pair of Goosander to note. At Cockersands, the c.350 Bar-tailed Godwit which I saw on Tuesday were seen distant beyond Crook Farm, also c.80 Black-tailed Godwit with a similar number of 80 Redshank, 12 Eider off Plover Scar, about 6 Tree Sparrow were around Bank Houses, off Moss Lane the 2 Whooper Swans still here, and a good count of 80 Linnet were accompanied by a single female Brambling, a Peregrine Falcon over put several Lapwing into panic mode.

Off Gulf Lane the Little Owl was duly on view, and the farmers enemy in a newly sown field were at least 200 Wood Pigeon. On Pilling Marsh, c.600 Pink-footed Geese still around, and at Fluke Hall a Lesser Whitethroat skulked in the hedgerow. From Braides 2 Whooper Swans were with 42 Mute Swans.

And....

Kestrel. Phil Slade

The female Kestrel, another little beauty to end any blog post on....With photography well excecuted as always by BR/PS.   

As I See It....

Having now done surveys of five former Stonechat strongholds in the LDBWS recording area in the past seven days including today's zero result, I now find the status of the species reversed by more than 10 years. From a personal point of view this is a great disappointment if only for the fact it would be pointless in putting any further effort into these areas for the rest of the year in pursuit of a bird no longer present, though I still have a few more locations to check....I'll labour my depressive state no further!



So there I was, having arrived on Rigg Lane this morning just in time for this grim heavy and damp mist - as viewed through the windscreen - which threatened me to abandon the idea of going up Clougha today, but wait....it's clearing, so off I went with determination to look primarily for Stonechats which to be honest as it turned out five hours later, I'd have had as good a chance of finding them in Sainsbury's car park.

By the time I got three quarters of the way up Clougha....

This had descended upon me and I was surrounded by it for a good hour until I was on the decent. OK so now you're thinking....well wait a minute, how does this fella reach the conclusion there's no Stonechats in conditions like this....trust me I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm talking about.

I heard the trusted song of at least 18 Willow Warblers, probably the most vocal bird on the planet, 3 Wheatears, saw 4 Buzzards which soared together, only 5 Red Grouse seen today, a solitary Raven, 10 Meadow Pipits a poor show for five hours, and noted singles of Robin and Wren. As I walked back along Rigg Lane to the motor 2 White Wagtails seen....an amazing 500 at Hoylake, Wirral on Saturday 9 April.

And by the way....

No more Morecambe 'bashing' if you don't mind please, quite a bit of effort has gone into making the place a little more presentable over the past few years and I reckon the promenade is as good as any other promenade in the country, it even has a little beach now and lots of people were taking advantage of some nice spring like weather there last Sunday as you can see in my pic above....Long Live Morecambe!

Not much to show....

....for my efforts today, but....

Skylark. David Cookson



I heard 3 Skylarks at Cockersands today including one singing its heart out off the headland in a bloody cold stiff westerly, also noted here on a circuit - much reduced in enthusiasm due to the aforementioned westerly and not producing very much - 10 Eider, a Wheatear, male Reed Bunting, a drake Pintail was the 'surprise of the day' in the ditch running between fields seen from the road past Bank Houses, what this bird was doing there is beyond me, 12 Brown Hares included four out on Plover Scar, and 2 Whooper Swans still with Mute Swans from Moss Lane.

On the almost deserted Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, c.350 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 3 Eider of note. On Conder Pool just one Little Ringed Plover on view whilst I was there, 2 Spotted Redshank will soon have completed their transformation to black, a Common Sandpiper, and 2 Sand Martin over. 

On a circuit of Aldcliffe, a Little Ringed Plover was on the flood whilst Freeman's Pools was virtually void of birds and no LRP's found. A Roe Deer was out on the marsh but soon realised inland provided better cover when it saw someone with a dog approaching, 2 Swallow over, and I noted an Orange Tip and 6 Small Tortoiseshell. I observed a Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff in the space of a few minutes and was able to take note of one significant behavioural trait of the Chiffchaff which is the habit of downward tail-dipping while feeding, the Willow Warbler doesn't do any tail-dipping when feeding but usually with one dip after alighting. The Chiffchaff also bore a metal ring....no benefit to me or anyone else unless/until the bird is netted or found dead by somebody who realises that birds have rings on their legs for a reason!     

And finally....

Cormorant. Cliff Raby

I think we've all seen the Cormorant tussling with something it caught, often with something you feel it can't possibly swallow but always seems to eventually. I watched one recently for up to ten minutes with a flat fish measuring at least 15cm at it's widest point, I thought it would never succeeded in disposing of this catch....but did.

Thanks for the photographs DC/CR, much appreciated.