Friday, April 8, 2016

Village Scenes

The last five days week we’ve had the lot - spells of sunshine, hail stones, rain and blustery wind, then finishing off the week with fog. I set off early thinking the rising sun would burn off the fog quickly but it didn’t. As I drove through Pilling village there was a Barn Owl ghosting through the damp air. With the non-stop traffic rushing for work and Lancaster City I dare not stop. 

I parked up at Lane Ends and debated whether to continue driving or to go for a walk. Woodpigeons had decided to sit it out and not go anywhere for a while. There was a male Pied Wagtail on duty at the entrance to the car park.

Woodpigeon

Pied Wagtail

At Wrampool there were Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit, and from their demeanour, both on territory. 

The visibility at Conder Green was really bad although lots of the usual stuff was reasonably close and visible. I picked up on a Common Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, a dozen or more Redshank, 12 Oystercatcher, 4 Shelduck, a single Snipe and 2 Goosander. In the “small“ category came 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Reed Bunting, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch and 2 Greenfinch. There was a Barn Owl here too, this one doing as the earlier one by appearing out of the murk and then vanishing out over the mist laden marsh. 

I was getting nowhere fast so I drove back towards Knott End village where the coast was clearer but cold. I parked the new Ferrari in a quiet spot where it couldn’t get damaged and then sat on the sea wall. It was from here and as the tide rolled in that I counted 290 Oystercatcher, 12 Redshank, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Eider and 3 Cormorant. Somewhere was a Sandwich Tern calling, so possibly more than one but I couldn’t find the bird(s). 

Ferrari

A walk up river produced a Chiffchaff alongside the golf course, 2 Pied Wagtails, a Wheatear close to the old cottages and a single Meadow Pipit on the tidal defences. Across the river and at Fleetwood I could see a male Peregrine way up on the old RoRo terminal where it sheltered from the cold wind while retaining a view of the whole estuary. A wise bird. 

Wheatear

Meadow Pipit

Peregrine Falcon

Regular readers will know that I occasionally picture the village of Knott End just a mile or two from my home. The village is situated at the mouth of the Wyre Estuary at the extreme south and west of Morecambe Bay and just across the water from the historic fishing port of Fleetwood. Below is a video of the journey we sometimes make across the water where gulls, a variety of waders and seabirds like Cormorant, Eider, Little Egret and Grey Heron can be seen. Watch closely, there’s a Little Egret near the start of the video.
 

Back home. It's two-thirty and the sun is out. I just counted 7 Buzzards high over Stalmine village where I live, where a few Buzzards breed and where folk stop to say “hello”.

That’s village life for you.

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

13 comments:

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Wow I hadn't realized that bird banding was so profitable in the UK. A Ferrari huh? I'll have to see what I can do in the banding community here, but I strongly suspect I'll still be tooting my Volkswagen horn for the rest of the year! Nice boat trip by the way.

Linda said...

I am always smiling when I come to your blog, Phil, because I just love birds and all the photos you share!

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Love your header and you certainly say a lot of birds Phil. Have a lovely weekend.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Phil, fantastic photos and a great video. One of my favorites is the Pied Wagtail and I love the Falcon flight shot. Congrats on that new Ferrari! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!

sandyland said...

distinguishing birds the clarity of your camera is phenomenal

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Love your Ferrari, Phil. (Best keep the profitability of birdie-blogging under your cap, though! ;-)

P.S. That bird as my blog is indeed a Downy Woodpecker. They look almost identical to the larger Hairy Woodpecker (an example of convergent evolution), which also visits the porch on occasion.
~

Unknown said...

What's the price of a five year old, 4.5 litre Ferrari? Cashed in some of those "off-shore" investments before Gideon ups the ante?

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

The Wagtails are striking with the black and white coloring! Beautiful!

Anni said...

Okay...forget the birds today....I want a test drive in the car!!!

LOL

Thanks for sharing the link this weekend at I'd Rather B Birdin'.

Judy Biggerstaff said...

Such beautiful images and fascinating birds.

A Colorful World said...

Really loved seeing that photo of the woodpigeon...and I enjoyed the video a lot as well. Great, productive day!

Lowcarb team member said...

Love your Ferrari!!!

I enjoyed the video and I enjoyed your photo's.
One thing we haven't had too much of down our way is fog ... perhaps I shouldn't have said that we will probably get some tomorrow!
That Peregrine Falcon is amazing ...

Have a good week

All the best Jan

Lowcarb team member said...

LOL! ... I just had a feeling that wasn't your car.
Fiats are good - so are any car that gets you from A to B, that's what I say!

Thanks for your comment on the low carb diabetic, and yes our grandchildren are similar ages.
Just love them to bits...

Happy Days

All the best Jan

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