Numbers Up

There were mixed but definite signs of autumn today at Pilling with an influx of post breeding Curlew, a gang of Pied Wagtails both young and old, and a build-up of the Linnet flock.

Naturally enough I’d done Lane Ends first to note 18/20 Blackbirds, 2 Blackcap, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Jay and the hidden but vocal Little Grebes.

The high tide was due at midday, but at 28ft it lacks any height to push many waders from the shores of Preesall and Knott End and then up to Lane Ends. But the job can often be left to the microlight aircraft, and today two of the annoying, clattering machines disturbed the entire Curlew flock from the sands and up to Pilling Water/Lane Ends but helped me to a count for of 365 - very high for 1st July. There wasn’t much else in the way of wader or wildfowl except 1 Common Sandpiper, 35 Oystercatcher, 22 Redshank and 85 Lapwing and 70 Shelduck, the latter a slight increase on recent counts due to inland breeding birds moving to the coast.

Curlew

As the tide came into Pilling Water it concentrated, previously scattered Pied Wagtails into a gang of 19 birds, 5 or 6 adults and the remainder birds of the year. The finches were more difficult to count as they alternately mixed together then broke up into their separate species groups, but I eventually came to figures of 40+Linnet, 18 Goldfinch and 8 Greenfinch. After a number of sightings of Wheatear this week I hoped for my own this morning, taking a spring trap and meal worms, but when I sat down into the Wheatear rocks with the camera I had to settle for a few pictures of Linnets instead.

Pied Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Linnet - male
Linnet - juvenile

The Fluke Hall stretch of coast was uneventful, with 7 Skylark, 5 Grey Heron, 2 Stock Dove and a smattering of more Redshank, Oystercatcher and Lapwing.

The weekend weather forecast looks ok and maybe we’ll get in a spot of ringing.