Friday, November 28, 2014

Birding Black Friday

Thursday morning’s mizzle and drizzle put paid to the planned ringing session and made for a day indoors; the ringing is scheduled for Sunday now. 

Black Friday began more like Grey Friday with yet more dense clouds overhead. I set off birding on the usual circuit hoping to bag a bargain bird or two, spending time rather than money to find what I was looking for. 

I made for Damside, Pilling hoping for geese in the fields but there were none, just the male Kestrel sat at the top of the usual post. 

Kestrel

A stop at Braides Farm found 150 or more Curlews scattered across the several fields. There was a Kestrel here too, this one working the fields and then alongside the distant ditch a Little Egret. 

All seemed fairly quiet at Conder Green with the pools and creek giving the expected 95 Teal, 12 Little Grebe, 8 Wigeon and one each of Spotted Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, Little Egret and Grey Heron. Towards the car park I found the recently elusive flock of 30ish Chaffinches feeding on the tide wrack together with 2 Meadow Pipits and then very briefly 15 Linnets. As soon as a car drives along the road the birds scatter in all directions, the Chaffinch to the tree tops, the others back to the marsh. There was a Pied Wagtail and also a Grey Wagtail near the farm entrance. 

Meadow Pipit

Against the odds and the weather forecast the sun suddenly appeared so I went for a walk along the towpath at Glasson Dock. I don’t know the origin of the name Glasson but under certain light conditions the waters in both the yacht basin and the actual dock can be very glass like. 

Glasson Dock

Starling

I stopped near a couple of the local Mute Swans, one with a few battle scars on its bill; I wondered if it had been involved in a Black Friday fight for bargains at the local shops? Just then a Kingfisher sped past and I stopped daydreaming and watched the blue streak disappear towards the dock and out of sight. 

Mute Swan

Along the canal - several Blackbirds, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Grey Heron and rather strangely I thought, a single Redwing. 

There was time for a look at Fluke Hall where wader numbers were somewhat reduced with just 220 Lapwing, 18 Redshank, 15 Oystercatcher and a Grey Heron. In the woodland - a Great-spotted Woodpecker and a Nuthatch, and then along the shore 4 Whooper Swans, 65 Shelduck, 4 Skylark and 5 Meadow Pipit. 

Back home it started raining again and after the excitement of Black Friday I’m hoping for a Sunny Weekend.

Linking today to Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday Blog.

24 comments:

  1. lovely deep blue waters. a nice way to spend black friday. :)

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  2. I would much rather go birding than shopping on Black Friday. I do not like crowds or pushy people.. Love your birds and photos, have a happy weekend!

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  3. Very nice captures .. Congrats and happy weekend.

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  4. What a great alternative to Black Friday.

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  5. Gorgeous, Phil! Thank you so much for sharing. Now this is my idea of a pleasant black Friday...not shopping! :)

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  6. I HATE shopping so NO amount of money could coax me to go shopping on Black Friday!! Birding seems a better bet! Love the shot of the Meadow Pipit. Have a lovely weekend.

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  7. Beautiful birds. They look great.

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  8. I love the birds. I hate to go shopping, it's not my thing. Have a great weekend!

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  9. Hi Phil, stopping back to say thank you so much for sharing your post with my critter party.. Have a happy weekend!

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  10. Phil, your bird photos certainly brightened up the black/grey Friday. I love the starling, is it a European Starling? A similar one visits my South African garden in the late summer (March, April) but I've never seen them here in East Africa. Greetings, Jo (Tanzania)

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  11. I think maybe you got more than you bargained for!! That close up of the swan is fantastic. And the pipit...standing so proud for its photo. Just a couple of days ago, I too saw and got a photo or two of a kestrel. Almost the same 'perch'.

    Now THIS is much better way to spend Black Friday. Bud and I spotted a Great Horned Owl on our Friday excursion.

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  12. You had my kind of black friday. I love especially the kestrel and the photo along the towpath.

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  13. Beautiful bird photography as always!

    ps. after seeing your 'birding photos' I got a suet bird feeder and got so thrilled Thanksgiving to see a male and female woodpecker and then 2 doves on the deck ~ ( I know simple pleasures)


    Happy Weekend to you,
    artmusedog and carol
    http://www.acreativeharbor.com

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  14. I came on your blog for your reflection participation, I stayed for the falcon picture : what a beautiful sharing.

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  15. What a beautiful creatures all those birds...Great walk along the towpath at Glasson Dock which is really like a mirror ... I like the sky which are reflected in the blue water...

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  16. love the pippet - nice to see a starling there too!

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  17. I wish I had a familiar (and reliable) kestrel to take pictures of!
    ~

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  18. Like most people here, no contest between Black Friday and Bird Watching :) Your photo of Glasson Dock is gorgeous! Loved all the birds. I've never seen a Meadow Pipit before. Lovely! Wondering if your Mute Swans are pinioned as are the ones here in Vancouver's Stanley Park (shameful practice, I feel). Anyhow, enjoyed your post very much. Thanks!

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  19. Well Phil, you know my sentiments on your post already with my visit yesterday from Hootin' Anni's...but I'll say it again---this is a marvelous post and always enjoy your narrative.

    Beautiful birds...and gorgeous water scene.

    And once again, I send thanks for sharing your link at I'd Rather B Birdin'

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  20. Awesome kestrel and pipit! Love the shot of the dock as well. The perfect way to spend Black Friday!

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  21. Bah humbug to Black Friday! I am glad to hear you went out birding instead of joining the frantic mob of demented suckers who fall for such nonsense.

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