Saturday 15th March. Remember to “click the pics” for close-up views and/or click the “Crosspost” button to share a picture to Facebook and Twitter.
It took a while to find the Northern Wheatear his morning. After a couple of hours plodding around Pilling in a stiff and cold north-westerly wind I’d more or less given up on seeing the safest bet of March. Boots off, hat and gloves back in the car I was ready for home but taking a last look along the sea wall when I spotted a lone Wheatear on a stretch of embankment I’d walked an hour or more before. It was too late to start unpacking a trap and warming up the meal worms; there will be more days soon.
Wheatear
At early doors the sea wall had been pretty devoid of bird life, and apart from 1000+ Pink-footed Geese most of the action took place on the maize field or in the Fluke Hall woodland.
There was a goodish count of Golden Plover with 450+ birds early on until a Hi-Fly vehicle drove across the track to scatter many of the plovers out to the shore. At the moment Hi-Fly appear to be conducting a valuable amount of management of the Carrion Crow and Magpie situation, activities which inevitably means their people and vehicles are about the fields more than a mere birder would like.
Carrion Crow
A number of the plovers are beginning to acquire their fabulous breeding attire, a plumage which allows them to blend into the summery tundra.
Although large numbers of Golden Plovers are presently migrating through the area, Lapwings, Redshanks and Oystercatchers can now be counted as residents, either in pairs or display mode - in this case 15+pairs of Lapwing, 6 pairs of Oystercatcher and 6+ pairs of Redshank.
Shelducks are scattered across the same areas in pairs or small groups with a total of 35/40 birds. Three Little Egrets about the fields with five more from the sea wall, 5 Dunlin in flight plus 18 Teal, a singing Reed Bunting and little else on the wildfowlers’ pools
The comparatively sheltered woodland held a few species: 40+ Woodpigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 8 Goldfinch, 4 Long-tailed Tit.
There seemed very little bird song this morning; the air was cold, the wind too strong so I counted myself lucky to see a Chiffchaff as it called once from a gap in the roadside willows then showed itself briefly.
In all a quietish morning whereby it would be nice to get a warm, sunny and wind-free morning tomorrow when I may just have to do it all over again. Join Another Bird Blog then for more news, views and photographs.
Linking this post to World Bird Wednesday, Camera Critters and Anni's I'd Rather Be Birding Blog.
Linking this post to World Bird Wednesday, Camera Critters and Anni's I'd Rather Be Birding Blog.
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25 comments:
Great captures.. fantastic header..
Great shot of the birds. Nice variety.
what kind of camera??Startlingly clear
I really like the colouring of the Northern Wheatear. I've heard they occasionally are seen in my area, but I have never been so lucky.
Wow! Long walk ~ worth the wonderful photos that you got ~ Beautiful! xxx
artmusedog and carol
www.acreativeharbor.com
Fantastic looking Golden Plover and a really nice Wheatear. Great looking birds.
Hey Phil...I had a nice walk down to the river and all was looking good to see some ducks when two young snow machine driving kid's whipped up the new trail that runs along the river, ducks took to the air Grrr!! The parents of these kids wouldn't let them drive a car at there age, but no problem driving a machine that can go 75 miles per hour around trees!!!
Rant over..: )just had to tell you that your not the only one dealing with >>>>>!!!
Are you seeing any migrating birds yet??
Grace
Beautiful birds. It's been windy here too and we got more snow.
I really like the Wheatear; quite stylish
A stunning capture of the Wheatear. Thank you for sharing.
Phil, beautiful shots of all the birds. I love the Wheatear and the pretty Golden Plover! Happy Birding!
It's great to see birds that I've seen - the Wheatear and Golden Plover. There is an American Golden Plover near Melbourne as a rarity at the moment, and a friend and I went looking for it yesterday, but couldn't find it, though another group we met did after we'd gone. Golden Plovers certainly look stunning in their breeding plumage in the sunshine.
It's really interesting to see the Northern Wheatears on territory having recently seen so many of them in Ethiopia.
Happy Monday, happy week Phil. and so happy that you got to see, and share at least one of one of my favorite birds you share with us, the glorious Wheatear. Those Golden Plovers are certainly worthy of a double take and more as well, stunning birds. Hoping your week gets even better than the weekend past~
Love your photo of the wheatear.
Very interesting post again. The Pacific Golden Plovers down here are also getting their breeding color but I don't think they are as advanced as the one you photographed. Right now I would happily swap you some hot humid weather for a little of your cold! Our temp was up around 95 yesterday and still well over 90.
I'll have to rely on Google to see what the spotted woodpecker is like. You always have interesting bird photos, and I enjoy reading your 'adventures'!!
Oh and by the way, the new header is simply beautiful!!!
Its good to see the migrants returning Phil, but we are still struggleing a bit with the weather, mainly rain up here today, but better than the snow we had this time last year.
All the best Gordon.
Well done on that brilliant Wheatear. From Findlay
that wheatear is handsome!
Lovely shot on the wheatear.
So many beautiful bird-photos!
Well done, great work!
The Wheatear is a new one for me Phil. It sure is handsome!
It's always good to get one last look before going and one might find something interesting, which you did. It sounds like a day to warm up and stay home.
Beautiful that wheatear...and a great name! That was quite a walk...in length and number of birds!
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