Friday, August 7, 2015

Birding Around

With a cool, clammy mist and the temperature gauge showing 6⁰ the morning had a definite autumnal feel but one which promised sunshine. At Braides Farm the Buzzard sat along the fence posts waiting for the off. 

Dont forget to "click the pics" for a better birding experience.

Morning Glow - Cockerham

Buzzard

The mist cleared quickly in the strong sunlight and Conder Green was haze-free. There are good numbers of Lapwings feeding and roosting around the pool margins now, some 150 birds, part of the large numbers which commute between here and in the fields on the other side of the canal. A later drive around Jeremy Lane found a further 150+ Lapwings as well as similar numbers of Curlews. Good numbers of Brown Hares in evidence with sometimes just their ears visible in the silage fields. 

Lapwing
 
Brown Hare

Back at the pool I counted 1 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Wigeon, 4 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron. Otherwise most of the action was in the creeks with 3 Greenshank, 6 Common Sandpiper, 70 Redshank, 4 Curlew and a single Shelduck. 

Greenshank

Eight or ten Swifts hawked above the hedgerow again as a handful of Swallows and Sand Martins circuited the pool, but the morning here was mostly House Martins. Feeding around the railway bridge and the dwellings were approximately forty. Perhaps not all were from the small number of nests on the few houses here although some martins were still busy collecting building materials from the roadside. A Sparrowhawk appeared from above the houses but the martins were onto it instantly as the hawk took a few flaps and a long glide and headed off towards the pool. 

House Martin

I called at Glasson to enjoy the light and to see 20+ Swallows, 3 Swift, 3 Pied Wagtail and 1 Grey Heron. 

Grey Heron

Glasson Dock

Next I checked a couple of ringing sites for possible visits. First the quarry and 90+ Sand Martin, 20 Linnet, 15+ Tree Sparrow, 4 Pied Wagtail, 1 Curlew, 1 Oystercatcher and 1 Golden Plover. 

Then came Oakenclough, the ringing site destined for a visit pretty soon. Although it’s only early August Andy and I have put up a few feeders to see just when birds begin to use them. At the moment there is lots of natural food but there seemed to be a small number of Chaffinches, a couple of Siskin, and a single Lesser Redpoll in the area of the feeders. 

In the wider plantation to where we erect mist nets - 5 Willow Warblers, 2 Pied Wagtail and 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker. On the water- 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 120+ Greylags. 

Tufted Duck

The weather looks marginally better for the weekend so there should be more birds on Another Bird Blog. Log in soon for more birding around.

Linking today to Theresa's Ranch , Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday.

30 comments:

  1. Phil, I love seeing all these beautiful birds!!! It is supposed to be hot and humid this weekend, but thanks to your lovely photos it should be easier for me to bare. :)

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  2. Hi Phil, gorgeous sunrise image. The lighting is lovely, a great start to your day. Cool shot of the buzzard and the Lapwing is one of my favorites. The hare is adorable! Great collection of birds and images from your outing. Have a happy weekend!

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  3. fabulous reflection shots of Glasson Dock and I love the image of the Peregrine in the mist. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  4. Oh Stop, Stop, Stop, the House Martin, the Hare and those two entry images of the sunlit earth and the fence row with single buzzard, just those 4 alone are absolutely outstanding! Loved them and the others are great too, but oh the focus for me to travel back and view again, were especially those first two. Happy Weekend~

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  5. Great shots, I especially liked the buzzard and the harbor side photographs the best.

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  6. All beautiful shots. I love the misty atmosphere in some of them. That hare is spectacular too.

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  7. Hi Phil, just stopping back to say thank you for linking up and sharing you post. Have a happy weekend!

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  8. Very nice outing to spot such beautiful birds.

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  9. Wow...fog is so beautiful. I love fog!!!

    And your photos of the early morning mist and the buzzard along the pilings in the misty air is stunning!!! ALL your photos are great this week Phil.

    Hoping the weather holds out as you say for good birding and another Another Bird Blog.

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  10. I especially like the looks of the Lapwing!

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  11. Really like your morning glow shot and the buzzard on the fence is great too.

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  12. Wow, Phil! The sunrise and the fog .. wowzer! The hare and the House Martin, although I have to admit I do love the shore birds. I get such joy watching them -- especially the "littles". Happy Critter Day!

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  13. Great report, Phil. I like the eye that Tufted Duck is giving you.
    ~

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  14. lovely fence shot! enjoyed the hare and birds!

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  15. the photos of the birds are mesmerizing...

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  16. Such a great series of shots!
    Well done.

    http://einwenighiervonunddavon.blogspot.de/2015/08/weekend-reflections-in-bruegge-belgiume.html

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  17. I'm returning to say thanks for sharing this post with us bird enthusiasts at I'd Rather B Birdin'.

    Enjoyed viewing the foggy mist and lovely photos again today.

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  18. Lots of great birding shots, Phil. I like the lapwings, they seem to have some interesting colors in their wings, and the backswept long head feathers give them a lot of style.

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  19. Lovely morning mist! The muddy-faced martin was so cute and your other shots wonderful as always. Have a wonderful week!

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  20. Those first two shots are stunning.

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  21. Those are really pretty birds. Nice photos. It's making me appreciate nature more and more.

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  22. 6 degrees! Brrr! It must be what you get used to because a temperature like that would be cold enough to send me inside to put on all my warm clothes, close the doors and windows and turn on the heaters!!
    I especially like the photo of the Greenshank which looks paler than the ones I usually see out here. Of course the reflection of the Glasson Docks is beautiful.

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  23. Great,clear and crisp bird shots. I like that.

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  24. Cool and clammy would just about describe most of my trip to England and Scotland, from which I returned just last night. In a few days I should be back to blogging!

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  25. I'm noticing these rather autumnal mornings too. Cold and damp, a sign of things to come. Love the Greenshank, which reminds me, I've not seen one yet this year. I need that for my year list, so better get out there looking.

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  26. What beautiful early morning light, and great wildlife photography.

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  27. happy to come back and see those opening scenes again. :)

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  28. Great photos!
    I especially like the Lapwing, and the morning mist photo is beautiful

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  29. I must have missed this last week but I wanted to say that those first two shots were awesome! - Also enjoy seeing the rabbit.

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