I did the rounds this morning in a search for migrants where I seemed to be the only birder at large, almost outnumbering any birds I thought likely to be migrants.
My first stop was Pilling, where at the end of Wheel Lane the 2 male Ruff gave super views on the closer bits of the flashes as one of them quarrelled with a Redshank over ownership. Here I also counted 8 Curlew, at least 15 displaying Lapwing, 15 Redshank and a couple of singing Skylarks.
Ruff
Down at Fluke I avoided parking next to the teenagers in their cars separated by a few inches (makes it easier to pass essentials through you see), the ground below surrounded by the cigarette paper, aluminium and plastic detritus of their nighttime’s endeavours, the roof of one car decorated with a blaring rooftop “boombox” of vile unimaginable racket. Parents, if you at all want to know where your child was last or any night, please follow the trail of noise, litter and herbal smells that leads to Fluke Hall and you will probably find them even if the Police and other authorities have no interest.
So I walked the sea wall in the direction of Ridge Farm where I found a much reduced flock of 15 Twite with close by a smaller group of 7 Linnet, 4 Skylark together, as distinct from the 2 that sang above the fields and 2 Reed Bunting atop the hedgerow. That was pretty much it apart from the resident Robins, Dunnocks, Wrens and Woodpigeon that populate the gorse hedge at the moment. Roll on the much promised spring.
I walked back to Fluke and reclaimed my car where the partygoers had departed, and perhaps now their parents had left for work the poor kids could take to their beds exhausted after being out all night.
At least Lane Ends was quiet and deserted so I took a look around there and walked to Pilling Water then back. In the area of the car park and plantation I counted at least 18 Blackbirds, but how much of this count is due to migration or the effects of the Blackbirds mopping up after "animal lovers" feeding the abandoned cockerels is open to debate. Look on the positive side though, the proper birds get a bit of food, the occasional cockerel is too slow to avoid passing cars and the resultant mess of feathers will make good nesting material for lots of species in the weeks to come.
Additional birds along/about here: 4 Goldeneye, 4 Little Egret, 2 male Reed Bunting singing, 3 singing Skylark and 2 Long-tailed Tit. Down at Pilling Water, 3 Teal, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Bewick’s Swan. A Kestrel I saw had a ring on the left leg which I discovered only when I later looked at the photograph.
Kestrel
At Knott End on the incoming tide I counted 300 Oystercatcher, 125 Redshank, 22 Knot, 12 Ringed Plover and 5 Eider, then by the bus shelter stopped to confirm the Twite at 18.
Oystercatcher
Twite
Linnet
I have to say I spent a couple of hours looking and searching but found nothing I could say was a true migrant.
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and I may not get out birding or ringing, but what I really need to know is when is Grandad’s Day?
My first stop was Pilling, where at the end of Wheel Lane the 2 male Ruff gave super views on the closer bits of the flashes as one of them quarrelled with a Redshank over ownership. Here I also counted 8 Curlew, at least 15 displaying Lapwing, 15 Redshank and a couple of singing Skylarks.
Down at Fluke I avoided parking next to the teenagers in their cars separated by a few inches (makes it easier to pass essentials through you see), the ground below surrounded by the cigarette paper, aluminium and plastic detritus of their nighttime’s endeavours, the roof of one car decorated with a blaring rooftop “boombox” of vile unimaginable racket. Parents, if you at all want to know where your child was last or any night, please follow the trail of noise, litter and herbal smells that leads to Fluke Hall and you will probably find them even if the Police and other authorities have no interest.
So I walked the sea wall in the direction of Ridge Farm where I found a much reduced flock of 15 Twite with close by a smaller group of 7 Linnet, 4 Skylark together, as distinct from the 2 that sang above the fields and 2 Reed Bunting atop the hedgerow. That was pretty much it apart from the resident Robins, Dunnocks, Wrens and Woodpigeon that populate the gorse hedge at the moment. Roll on the much promised spring.
I walked back to Fluke and reclaimed my car where the partygoers had departed, and perhaps now their parents had left for work the poor kids could take to their beds exhausted after being out all night.
At least Lane Ends was quiet and deserted so I took a look around there and walked to Pilling Water then back. In the area of the car park and plantation I counted at least 18 Blackbirds, but how much of this count is due to migration or the effects of the Blackbirds mopping up after "animal lovers" feeding the abandoned cockerels is open to debate. Look on the positive side though, the proper birds get a bit of food, the occasional cockerel is too slow to avoid passing cars and the resultant mess of feathers will make good nesting material for lots of species in the weeks to come.
Additional birds along/about here: 4 Goldeneye, 4 Little Egret, 2 male Reed Bunting singing, 3 singing Skylark and 2 Long-tailed Tit. Down at Pilling Water, 3 Teal, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and 5 Bewick’s Swan. A Kestrel I saw had a ring on the left leg which I discovered only when I later looked at the photograph.
At Knott End on the incoming tide I counted 300 Oystercatcher, 125 Redshank, 22 Knot, 12 Ringed Plover and 5 Eider, then by the bus shelter stopped to confirm the Twite at 18.
I have to say I spent a couple of hours looking and searching but found nothing I could say was a true migrant.
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and I may not get out birding or ringing, but what I really need to know is when is Grandad’s Day?
.jpg)
4 comments:
wonderful photos
dan
Great birds and photos. Love the Ruff and the Oystercatcher and the reflection is an awesome shot.
In my 20's I used to smoke 'herbal' cigarettes whilst birding on the Ribble, never blasted out any music though.
Beautiful pics series. That Ruff was engrossed in its activity.
Post a Comment