The forecast was for overnight clear skies and light northerly winds so I decided to give ringing a miss this morning, just partly influenced by the thought of another 0430 alarm. Instead I spent a leisurely few hours at Pilling, something of a rest from the toils of post-dawn mist netting.
Fluke Hall wood seemed full of loud Blackcap song, at least 4 of them at decent intervals along the through road, with a couple of Willow Warblers and a single Chiffchaff in song also.
Both Fluke Hall Lane and Ridge Farm were just packed with Whitethroats, song flighting from the tops of hedgerows and clumps of bramble: I counted 18 of them along here, their eagerness to establish prominent song posts helped me to take a few shots of the usually skulking Sylvia. Not much else to report from here apart from several Linnets, making a bit of a comeback this year, plenty of local Tree Sparrows and 3 or 4 singing Skylark. On the move north were 15/20 Swallows as they appeared from the south, low across the fields than dashed north, over the sea wall and out towards Heysham. Meanwhile the local birds back on territory for weeks now were in no hurry as they perched on overhead wires.
At Lane Ends I found a female Reed Bunting, with a male somewhere I am sure, 3 Willow Warblers, Reed Warbler and another loud Blackcap. A sunny Bank Holiday sure brings out the grockles, so to escape their noise I ventured up to quiet Pilling Water where an overflying Siskin headed north, quickly followed by a loud calling Greenshank. Along the channel but somewhat distant were 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Redshank and a single Curlew. The wildfowler’s pools held the normal quota of Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Shelduck and Teal but with today a single male Shoveler - unusual here. More Linnets here, another 7, plus a male Pied Wagtail from the presumed local pair, but the female I have yet to suss out.
Wheatears have been scarce for me during this spell of settled weather, frustrating wishes to catch a few more. I found a single bird today, continually moved out onto the marsh from her feeding spot amongst the stones by unseeing, passing grockles, joggers and sundry dog walkers. I left the baited trap near the favoured rock and sure enough she was straight in – the irresistible meal worm, it never fails. It was another big “Greenland” leucorhoa female today with a wing length of 100mm.
A fruitful and restful couple of hours then, but let's see what birds another week of fine weather brings and how many times that early alarm must ring out.
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