Monday, July 25, 2011

Whites and Wags

Fluke Hall Lane was quite busy with small birds this morning, mostly Whitethroats and Tree Sparrows, but it was easier to see and count the 15+ Whitethroats than it was to get to grips with the 30 or more Tree Sparrows. There are lots of Tree Sparrow boxes at Fluke Hall, and by now onto on their third broods so I imagine the count was a serious underestimate, but Tree Sparrows are good at hiding from view for both counts and photographs.

Whitethroat

Whitethroat

Whitethroat

Tree Sparrows seem to have had a good year locally and our own Fylde Ringing Group has ringed over 300 Tree Sparrow nestlings this year, mostly due to Paul’s 260+ ringed at Singleton, Warton and Stalmine.

Tree Sparrow

A quick look from the sea wall at Fluke Hall revealed a distant tide and a couple of Alba wagtails, a species definitely on the move this morning. On the way to Lane Ends and near Pilling school I also counted 30+ of the House Sparrow variety together with 6 Linnet.

Linnet

My Lane Ends to Pilling walk revealed another Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Kestrel, 23 Linnet, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Meadow Pipit, 8 Skylark, 40 Swallow, 8 House Martin and 210 Lapwings. I watched as several of the Lapwings kept dive-bombing something out of my sight but hidden by a depression in the marsh. They had found a Sparrowhawk, plucking some recent prey item, and when the hawk lifted off and headed towards Pilling village, I saw it was a female and still carrying the remains of its victim.

There was a slight easterly breeze this morning and a very noticeable movement of Alba wagtails arriving from the south east then heading out onto the marsh where they stayed in a loose flock of 22+ birds, mostly if not all Pied Wagtails. Along the outer creek and on the wildfowler’s pools were 2 Grey Heron, 4 Little Egret, 4 Common Sandpiper and 8 Redshank.

Pied Wagtail

Little Egret

9 comments:

  1. Brilliant Whitethroat pictures Phil.

    They are lovely birds.

    Christian

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  2. Hey Phil...Seem you had a good morning out ..it must have not been raining ...no complaining!!
    My Kestrels are almost there I had to have my Kitty put to rest this morning and I am spent...She was 19years old and I have had here for 18 years...my best buddy!! It is Mona on my blog page!!

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  3. Such lovely birds and your outstanding photos that capture is always rewarding to me.

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  4. Una serie fantástica, con bellísimas poses, la primera me gusta mucho, excelente trabajo amigo Phil, un abrazo para ti

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  5. Nice to see the Tree Sparrows doing well..........

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  6. The Whitethroats and Linnet are FANTASTICO...is that a word, if not, I just made it one;)

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  7. a great birding morning it seems. :)

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