Saturday, June 27, 2015

Short Saturday Birding

We’ve had the builders in all week which made it difficult to get out birding or to find subject matter for blogging. At last on Saturday I could escape for a while to take in some birding at Conder Green. 

The narrow and undulating road across the farmland of Stalmine Moss is not one that too many people travel on a Saturday morning. That makes the drive a good one for spotting Barn Owls and Kestrels although there aren’t too many places to park unless you cheat a bit by using the widened bits of road set aside as “passing places”, or by parking in farm gateways. Doing either might lead to black looks from the locals who always stick to the rules which make the Over Wyre World go around in a generally sedate manner. 

There was a Barn Owl hunting alongside Union Lane but nowhere to stop with a tractor looming large in the rear view mirror. This at 6 o’clock with masses of fields ready for a trim. Near to Lancaster Road was the expected Kestrel scattering roadside Linnets, Goldfinches and House Sparrows. 

Kestrel

Linnet

At Conder Green there’s chance to stop, look and listen and to soak in the solitude of an early start. Listening provided 2 singing Reed Warbler in the roadside reeds, 2 calling Reed Buntings and a Whitethroat warning from the scrub. Just as a few days ago, and from precisely the same hawthorn came the loud rattling song of a Lesser Whitethroat. 

Whitethroat

Reed Warbler

From Wiki - The Lesser Whitethroat has been commonly assumed to be closely related to the Common Whitethroat, as their names imply. It was suggested that the two species separated in the last ice age similar to the pattern found in the Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, with their ancestor being forced into two enclaves, one in the southeast and one in the southwest of Europe. When the ice sheets retreated, the two forms supposedly no longer recognised each other as the same species. However, scientists researching this question have for quite some time realized that these two taxa are not particularly close relatives. It rather appears as if the divergence of the Lesser Whitethroat complex and its closest living relatives are from the southern parts of the Lesser Whitethroat range into Africa and include the Orphean Warbler group, the Arabian Warbler, and the Brown and Yemen Warblers. 

When seen in the hand the two species are more markedly different than in the field and it is hard to see how they became supposed close relatives. 

 

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat - Photo: oldbilluk / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

There wasn’t too much in the way of waders today with perhaps a slight increase of Lapwings to 18+ while 15 Oystercatchers and 70+ Redshanks remain steady in numbers. Otherwise - 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, a single male Teal and 1 Grey Heron. 

There’s more birding from Another Bird Blog just as soon as those builders are finished.

Linking today to Anni who would rather be birding, and to Eileen's Blog.


20 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello Phil, I wish there were more places to pull over just to view the birds. I would be riding the back roads a lot more to see the birds. Great shot of the Kestrel and the Linnet is a beauty! The Lesser Whitethroat is a sweet looking bird. Great photos and post. Happy Birding. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!

carol l mckenna said...

Always wonderful bird photography ~ Today is no exception ~ Love our feathered friends!

Happy Weekend,
artmusedog and carol

sandyland said...

birds are excellent as always great joy coming here - but the backgrounds too are so memorable

Linda said...

Short, perhaps, but sweet! Lovely photos, Phil.

Jo said...

How wonderful to see the kestrel! And your other sightings are super too! Have a great day. Jo

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I remember those English country roads so well, barely more than lanes really. They were always so leafy and green, however, very pleasant to travel. Who can blame you for cheating a little if you get to tarry a while longer and enjoy it? Now that you have completed the sumptuous extension to your house, you'll have more time to do such things. Between the added comfort at home and the thrill of your law-breaking exploits down the lane, you'll probably not wish to go rushing off to Spain anymore.

Anni said...

Whatcha building?

Love the narration here today. I've had that when I want to pull over to 'bird' and photograph something...maybe not a tractor but usually some irate driver behind me tale-gating my back bumper and ready to flip me off.

Anyway, love the birds you found and shared today. That Linnet is VERY attractive.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Never seen a Lesser Whitethroat so it was lovely to see your great images. Have a lovely weekend

Adam Jones said...

Cracking Kestrel shot and love the Lesser Whitethroat.

Lea said...

Great photos, especially the Linnet!

Hannah said...

The colors and expression on the Linnet are really cute, such an assertive attitude. I like the pinker chest feathers.

Stuart Price said...

I was delighted to see a Lesser Whitethroat on my recent visit to the UK, my first one since 1987!!!!

Isidro Ortiz said...

Bonitas capturas de estas especies,me gusta especialmente la del Pardillo.Un abrazo

A Colorful World said...

How peaceful and beautiful Condor Green sounds. Love the thought of sitting there listening to the bird song. Glad you got such wonderful photos. Love the Linnet and the Kestrel.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Great shots and a great report, Phil!
~

Unknown said...

Lovely birds! The kestrel is gorgeous.

Rajesh said...

Very cute birds. It is nice to watch them.

Hootin Anni said...

Today, I was hoping for a building update...guess it's still going on.

Happy day to you and yours!!

Fun60 said...

Love the top photo of the kestrel. From what used to be quite a common bird I rarely see one nowadays.

NatureFootstep said...

a wonderful image of a favorite bird of mine. The Kestrel :)

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