Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Short But Sweet?

I did get out for a few hours this afternoon, but apologies for the short summary as I have to go a meeting in the Black Bull later.

Over at Pilling before I turned off Wheel Lane to Fluke, there was Great-spotted Woodpecker activity when one perched in a roadside tree followed a second one that flew across in front me from the direction of Fluke Hall itself. I notice how this species has become extremely noticeable and vocal over the last week or so as they sort themselves out for the breeding season.

Along Fluke Hall Lane there were plenty of Lapwings, as in 235 of them, 15 Golden Plover, 40 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, the single Ruff from the previous week or so, 2 Stock Dove and 10/12 Skylarks.


Lapwing


Ruff

At the entrance to Lane Ends I saw a single Fieldfare still working the buckthorn berries above the road, then from the top car park I quickly counted 44 Whooper Swan on the distant marsh, 195 Shelduck with 2 Little Egret closer in.

Fieldfare

I decided to check out Braides, partly as a preliminary to the wader survey work I have permission to do on there. It was fairly productive with counts of 210 Lapwing, 95 Curlew 12 Golden Plover, 9 Skylark, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Short-eared Owl and a high count of 11 Little Egrets. I will have to do a lot of my work from the gate, because although I have full access, by walking along the very open track I was extremely visible to all the birds, most of which gradually moved elsewhere.

Little Egret


I met a farmer up at Cockerham who gave me a ring GC75867 he found about a month ago on a dead roadside owl which he said was a Tawny Owl. I’ll do the business on the BTO website and see what transpires.

Conder Green was well, Conder Green. Greenshank 1, Spotted Redshank 1, Snipe 2, Teal 40 (are numbers going down a little?), Grey Plover 1, Wigeon 7, Tufted Duck 8, and Grey Heron 1. Just as I was about to leave 6 Black-tailed Godwit flew in calling but landed on the far side of the pool and didn’t approach the road side screen – pity.

7 comments:

Pete Woodruff said...

You did much better than me Phil but I'll leave you to see the report on Birds2blog for which I always appreciate your looking in on as I also do on ABB.

I reckon the Teal are certainly down at Conder Green but JB is your comprehensive recorder on this or any other records from here and elsewhere.

Birdringal-andalus said...

Perhaps in the English language is not understood, here in Andalucia are now carnivals and when something makes my hair stand on end, when something special is it is sung:
That ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ bonitooooooooooo that bonitoooooooooo that bonitooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(pd if anyone has experienced this please translate it properly)
Sincelery Fernando.

Megan, Life Revamped said...

the egret has such grace!

have a great weekend!
here's my <a href="http://fickleinpink.blogspot.com/2010/02/at-subic-zambales.html>my piece of sky</a>, too! Come and visit if you have the time!


xoxo
fickle in pink

louisebah said...

oh nice! the egret in flight is especially so! what camera do you use??

Phil Slade said...

Hi Louise, thanks for looking in my blog. I use a Canon 500d + Canon 40mm lens. Call back soon, phil

Stuart Price said...

Some pretty good waders there, shorebirds are absent from where I am most winters.........

Is that the Black Bull in Fulwood?

Phil Slade said...

Black Bull, Great Eccleston - opposite the White Bull

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