Saturday, April 4, 2015

Birding Saturday Morn

This morning’s three hours birding at Pilling found a few bits and pieces but after continued Northerly winds new-in migrants were hard to find. 

I stopped first near the sewage works where a Stoat appeared as if from nowhere, took a look around and then crossed the track and out towards the Broadfleet, or Pilling Water as the locals know this ditch that drains into Morecambe Bay. 

Stoat

There was a single male Wheatear along the fence line and it too watched the Stoat sneak down the bank and out of sight. In the sewage works compound a pair of Pied Wagtail and the male Kestrel from the nearby pair.  Like many Spring migrants, the male Wheatears arrive before the females, a strategy which allows males to claim and set up territories for when the females arrive. 

Wheatear

Wheatear

Fluke Hall was quite sheltered, even warm but lacked the now overdue Spring song of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler or Blackcap. Instead came the chattering of Tree Sparrows, Goldfinches and Greenfinches and the loud song of four Song Thrushes, the number a welcome improvement on recent years. I caught a glimpse of one of the Nuthatch pair, the birds having gone very secretive almost to the point that until this week when they collected nest material, I thought they had left the area. 

Another Kestrel sat high in the tree tops close to the nest box where by now the female has probably laid at least some of her clutch of 5 eggs. The resident Pied Wagtails were on their usual rooftop feeding spot along the lane, and about 40 or more Woodpigeons clattered their way through the wood. 

There was nothing at the car park so I followed 2 Little Egrets along the sea wall towards the seaward end of Pilling Water. Along here were a pair of Reed Bunting, 7 Meadow Pipit, 7 Skylark, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Snipe, 2 Teal, 18 Shelduck, 43 Redshank, 20+ Lapwing, 12 Oystercatcher, 2 more Little Egret and a single Whooper Swan. The swan flew up and out into Morecambe Bay where on a clear day it’s possible see Walney Island to the North West, the route the swan should soon take towards Iceland. 

Pilling sea wall

Whooper Swan

A pair of Greylags have set up territory about here and I found them lording it over their patch where there’s not much competition save for a pair of Mute Swan. Who’s going to argue with these two heavy weights? 

Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose

Back home there seems to be more Goldfinch about the feeders, perhaps a sign of new birds and warmer weather? I also saw a pair of Treecreepers searching up and down our largest apple tree. That’s quite a good but not unprecedented sighting for the garden so let’s hope it’s a good omen for Another Bird Blog. 


27 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Great sightings and outing, Phil! The stoat is so cute! And I love the cute Greylag Goose. Pretty shot of the swans. Happy Easter, have a great weekend!

TexWisGirl said...

love the greylags! great shot of the stoat, too!

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Love the alertness of the Stoat, also the Greylags and Swan. HAPPY EASTER.

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

I learn something new every day- I have never seen nor heard of a Stoat! Great shots, and I am glad that your weather is warming up. Happy Easter!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I would imagine that the stoat might be a serious predator of ground-nesting birds. What preys on them?

HansHB said...

A splendid photoserie!
Happy Easter to you!

Claire Justine said...

Lovely shots, love the ones of the Greylag Goose :)

carol l mckenna said...

All wonderful shots ~ love the first one ~

Happy Weekend to you,
artmusedog and carol

NCSue said...

I don't think we have stoats around here - it's really cool!
Great shots. Please won't you come share at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-beautiful-almond-tree.html

Anni said...

Wow, I don't know where to begin...love the geese and the swan. And the seawall is earthen? Or am I seeing things? That's unique compared to our boulders and cement barriers in our bay waters. The wheateater and the little ruffle of the feathers in the breeze is a great photo. Have you ever wandered what they're thinking?

Oh, and can't leave out that adorable stoat. So darned cute.

Pretty!! I love watching the birds along the shore and on the jetties. Sometimes they seem oblivious to the action of the waves. And enjoy it. Great photos.

...thanks for sharing this by linking in at I'd Rather B Birdin'

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Mary Howell Cromer said...

The birds, all of the stunning Phil, loved them all, and now on to the Stoat. Sorry, I am just captivated by them! Whenever you share them, I just fall head over heels, what sweet little beautiful creatures. I imagine they look a wee bit like our Minks. Hoping that you are enjoying a great weekend...we have warmth and sunshine and them more storms will last the week after tomorrow~

sandyland said...

always so enjoyable

Linda said...

Beautiful, Phil! Your photos of the Greylags brings back fond memories for me, because I love to take nature park walks in nice weather and I came across a Greylag goose who walked right up to me, and quietly stood within a few feet in front of me, practically posing for me while I got some great photos of her. This was a couple of years ago and I was very touched that she came right up to me like that. Happy Easter to you. :)

Unknown said...

Wonderful photos! The stoat is very cute.

Santiago Domínguez Martín said...

Wheatears have arrived here as well. In fact i show this in my last report. What coincidence!!Thank you for the excelent images.

A Colorful World said...

Really love the Graylag geese! And that stoat is adorable!

Lmkazmierczak said...

Terrific series...I liked the intertwining goose necks♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/tree-tease-a-short-treatise/

said...

¡Adoré el cisne!
Precioso.

Fun60 said...

You have excelled yourself this week with the photos of the stoat and the greylags.

Valerie said...

A delightful collection of shots here Phil, from the cute and inquisitive Stoat to the Graylag geese. A lovely start to my day, thank you

Mosura said...

Terrific photos. I especially like the stoat. I used to love watching them during my years in Britain but at the time I did not have a good enough lens to capture them.

Louisette said...

Gorgeous serie fotos have a nice month April,
Greeting from Belgium

http://louisette.eklablog.com

Adam Jones said...

Great to see the Wheatears back again. Not so the Stoat, although it is a fabulous animal. Just need to leave the birds alone.

EG CameraGirl said...

I love how some of your birds look so much like North American varieties yet are distinctly different.

Rohrerbot said...

Hehe....the Stoat looks like trouble:) I love that look on the face. Your Grayleg photos are top notch as are the Whooper and Wheateater captures.

mick said...

Interesting birds and great photo of the Stoat. The photo of Pilling Sea Wall is beautiful. I wonder how high the water sometimes comes on that very low looking land? OR if it does?? Another photo perhaps, please?
I'm a bit late reading and commenting on blog posts - we had a big storm come through yesterday and I lost internet connection for more than 24 hours - and phones for several hours while the technicians - apparently - fixed everything.

Germán Ibarra Zorrilla said...

Espectaculares fotografías, sobre todo las del Armiño (Stoat), me han gustado mucho. Enhorabuena mi amigo Phil, saludos cordiales desde España.

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