Pilling Surprises

Pilling proved very interesting this morning with one or two migrant birds on show followed by a complete revelation. 

I kicked off at Fluke Hall where along the sea wall a mixed flock of about 60 finches greeted me. They were very flighty but I could hear the distinct calls of both Linnets and Twite. Eventually the flock split up with an approximate count of thirty of each of these closely related species. 

Twite

Linnet

It was while trying to get to grips with the finches that at least 4 Wheatears came into view. The Wheatears were very mobile with some flying into the current “no-go” area where contractors are repairing the sea wall. There seemed to be equal numbers of female and male Wheatears today with the single bird I caught proving to be a second year female, obvious from the generally worn plumage. 

With a wing of 93 mm and a weight of just 22.9 grams it was also of the nominate race Oenanthe oenanthe. 

Wheatear - second year female

Wheatears

Along the hedgerow was a single Reed Bunting, a singing Greenfinch and of all things a single Fieldfare chattering away, and now somewhat late to be setting off to Northern Europe or Scandinavia. It wasn’t the thrush I was hoping to see this morning and although a Ring Ouzel might be a good find, a common Fieldfare is a pretty stunning bird which takes some beating. 

Fieldfare

From the woodland a Chiffchaff sang amongst the chattering of Tree Sparrows and the loud songs of three Song Thrushes. The Nuthatches are still about and continuing with their secretive nesting. I’m not sure if the birds are using a nest box or in a natural site but all should become clear once they begin to feed the youngsters. 

I walked the stretch from Lane Ends to Pilling Water and back. The Environment Agency recently installed a shiny new gate so that the lazy ones have easy access to the shore and now don’t need to climb over the stile to let their dogs chase sheep or wreck the wader roost. Amazing! 

There was a Willow Warbler singing from the plantation and a few chatterings from Lesser Redpolls flying north towards Heysham. At Pilling Water the pool held 3 Black-tailed Godwits in their summer finery, 4 Teal and a Little Egret. Along Broadfleet a single Grey Heron and down on the shore 3 more Wheatears.

It was at Lane Ends I found a pair of Moorhens with 3 chicks which made me consult the books about this common but neglected species. There it was in black & white - Egg laying starts in spring, between mid-February and mid-May, incubation lasts about three weeks. 

Moorhen

Moorhen chick

So while we have all been waiting for Spring, complaining about the wind, rain, snow and goodness knows what, our plucky old Moorhens have been busy raising a family. There’s commitment and perseverance for you.

Linking today to Anni's Birding Blog and  run-a-roundranch.blogspot.

Win Some, Lose Some

The blog is back. Yes, while most of the UK enjoyed three or four days of warm sunshine here on the west coast the high pressure system just gave four days of stubborn and foggy non-birding, non-ringing and non-photography weather. Some folk have all the luck - like Andy on his way to sunny Gibraltar, birding and ringing for a week. 

Finally, and following a good forecast I decided to give Oakenclough a go. But good fortune didn’t come my way as I caught only 4 birds - Robin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, and a single Chiffchaff. 

The Chiffchaff was the only migrant bird I saw all morning and there was no sight or sound of the anticipated Willow Warblers or Blackcaps, two species which breed here in good numbers and should be on site by now. I wasn’t able to add to the total of Lesser Redpolls caught so far as although I saw and heard four or more, none found the nets. 

Chiffchaff

 Robin

Chaffinch

Apart from the ringing other birds seen included: 4 Song Thrush, 4+ Lesser Redpoll, 3 Jay, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 4 Pied Wagtail, 8 Oystercatcher, 9 Lapwing and 4 Curlew. The three named wader species, as well as one or two others, Redshank and Snipe, all breed up here in the hills above Garstang Town on the edge of Bowland. This is a good time of year in which to hear their wonderful breeding calls and watch their fabulous displays.

Oystercatcher

Curlew

Lapwing

“Bowland”, “Bowland Hills”, “Bowland Fells”, or “The Forest of Bowland” are alternative names for this area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland of Lancashire. Take your pick as to which name you prefer. 

Contrary to the popular histories, the origins of the name "Bowland" have nothing to do with archery ("the land of the bow") or with mediaeval cattle farms or vaccaries (Old Norse, buu-, farmstead). The name derives from the Old Norse boga-/bogi-, meaning a "bend in a river". It is a 10th-century term used to describe the topography of a river basin, with its characteristic meandering river and brooks. 

The name "forest" is used in its traditional sense of "a royal hunting ground". Much of the land still belongs to the British Crown as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest. 

Some might well say that at one time the Hen Harrier bred here in good numbers! But no more. 

To Bowland

Look in soon for more winning birds at Another Bird Blog.

Birding Saturday Morn

This morning’s three hours birding at Pilling found a few bits and pieces but after continued Northerly winds new-in migrants were hard to find. 

I stopped first near the sewage works where a Stoat appeared as if from nowhere, took a look around and then crossed the track and out towards the Broadfleet, or Pilling Water as the locals know this ditch that drains into Morecambe Bay. 

Stoat

There was a single male Wheatear along the fence line and it too watched the Stoat sneak down the bank and out of sight. In the sewage works compound a pair of Pied Wagtail and the male Kestrel from the nearby pair.  Like many Spring migrants, the male Wheatears arrive before the females, a strategy which allows males to claim and set up territories for when the females arrive. 

Wheatear

Wheatear

Fluke Hall was quite sheltered, even warm but lacked the now overdue Spring song of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler or Blackcap. Instead came the chattering of Tree Sparrows, Goldfinches and Greenfinches and the loud song of four Song Thrushes, the number a welcome improvement on recent years. I caught a glimpse of one of the Nuthatch pair, the birds having gone very secretive almost to the point that until this week when they collected nest material, I thought they had left the area. 

Another Kestrel sat high in the tree tops close to the nest box where by now the female has probably laid at least some of her clutch of 5 eggs. The resident Pied Wagtails were on their usual rooftop feeding spot along the lane, and about 40 or more Woodpigeons clattered their way through the wood. 

There was nothing at the car park so I followed 2 Little Egrets along the sea wall towards the seaward end of Pilling Water. Along here were a pair of Reed Bunting, 7 Meadow Pipit, 7 Skylark, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Snipe, 2 Teal, 18 Shelduck, 43 Redshank, 20+ Lapwing, 12 Oystercatcher, 2 more Little Egret and a single Whooper Swan. The swan flew up and out into Morecambe Bay where on a clear day it’s possible see Walney Island to the North West, the route the swan should soon take towards Iceland. 

Pilling sea wall

Whooper Swan

A pair of Greylags have set up territory about here and I found them lording it over their patch where there’s not much competition save for a pair of Mute Swan. Who’s going to argue with these two heavy weights? 

Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose

Back home there seems to be more Goldfinch about the feeders, perhaps a sign of new birds and warmer weather? I also saw a pair of Treecreepers searching up and down our largest apple tree. That’s quite a good but not unprecedented sighting for the garden so let’s hope it’s a good omen for Another Bird Blog. 

Linking today to Stewart's World Bird Wednesday and Anni's Blog.

Out At Last!

Blog regulars may think the reason for a lack of recent posts is that I took a day or three off birding to do a few household chores, look after grandkids or spend time with my long suffering wife. The truth is that all three played a part in my being AWOL but the major reason was the good old British Weather. For the last four days it has blown the proverbial gale with up to 70mph gusts coupled with  lots of  rain, and then for good measure the occasional burst of snow or sleet. And all of this in our so called “Spring”. 

On Wednesday morning I set off for Fluke Hall where I gave it an hour or two in the cold air and then quickly packed in after I saw and heard very little. The few highlights proved to be watching a pair of Nuthatches collecting nest material before they flew into the nearby woodland to their chosen nest site.

There was a flock of c700 very flighty Golden Plover which eventually scarpered off over the sea wall after being spooked by the antics of crows and Lapwings and their customary arguments. By the early afternoon there was more rain so I was happy to be ensconced at home with a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive, postponing the birds until someday soon.

Nuthatch - Photo credit: corvidaceous / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Finally, and by Wednesday evening there looked to be a window of weather for Thursday morning so Andy and I arranged to meet up 0630 at Oakenclough. It was a whole week of missing visits and we weren’t quite sure what to expect apart from having to don winter wellies and a couple of layers in preparation for the forecast 3⁰ degrees.

We continued where we left off with yet more redpolls plus a number of other finches in a total of 19 birds, 13 new ones and 6 recaptures.

New birds: 6 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Siskin, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Long-tailed Tit.  Recaptures: 2 Great Tit, 1 Siskin, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Long-tailed Tit.

The morning was pretty cold and we didn’t see or hear the Chiffchaff until we caught it. There was no sign or sound of Willow Warblers even though they are due in on 1st April.

Chiffchaff

Below is a rather splendid example of a bright adult male Lesser Redpoll, one of six lessers caught today, bringing the total here this Spring close to 40.

Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

One of the two Siskin caught was a recapture from January, suggesting that there are still very few Continental immigrants around. Pictures are of an adult male and a second year male.

Siskin- second year male

Siskin- adult male

Siskin - second year male

Birding proved as quiet as the ringing apart from a fly over Osprey (Thanks PK) heading North West and out towards Morecambe Bay about 0915. Perhaps the one flying over over Burton Mere, Cheshire earlier in the morning?

Otherwise - 4 Pied Wagtail, 3 singing Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Kestrel.

More soon - stay tuned to Another Bird Blog.

In the meantime I'm linking this post to  Eileen's Saturday Blog.

More Subdued Birding

Although the morning was bright and sunny the cold north westerly’s continue to hold back migration. 

When I arrived at Fluke Hall there were Meadow Pipits lifting off from the nearest field and a count of 30+, the birds heading due north across the shore and then towards Heysham. There was a single Wheatear along the sea wall, and those two species proved to be the only genuine migrants I saw in three hours of searching the area. 

At least the sun gave resident birds plenty to sing about with even the normally shy and retiring Tree Sparrows making lots of noise in and around several nest boxes. It is actually hard to detect the song of Tree Sparrow, a short twitter mixed with the occasional chirrup. A Tree Sparrow’s calling repertoire consists of varied chirps and cheeps generally similar to the House Sparrow but shorter and higher pitched. All in all, and due to its generally wary behaviour, the humble Tree Sparrow is a bird that is easily overlooked. 

Tree Sparrows are birds of lowland farmland but will also inhabit large gardens, especially where nest boxes are provided. They prefer mature trees in open country, on the edge of woods or in hedges. Tree Sparrows usually nest in holes (including nest boxes) but may build a nest in thick, large hawthorn hedges if no holes are available. 

Tree Sparrow

A walk through the woodland and along hedgerows revealed 4 Twite, 4 Greenfinch in song, 3 Song Thrush, 5 Linnet, Stock Doves in display mode, 2 Greylags on the pond and 25+ Woodpigeon. The pair of resident Kestrels can generally be seen. Today the male was atop a roadside telegraph post while the female hunted the nearby fields. 

Woodpigeon

The “wet fields” aren’t especially wet at the moment after a somewhat dry spell, but with a little effort I found a gang of 9 Snipe, 4 Teal, 2 Little Egret, 12 Redshank, 4 pairs of Lapwing, 2 pairs of Oystercatcher and 18+ Shelduck. The Shelduck are mostly paired up and on the lookout for somewhere to nest. 

An old name for the Shelduck is “burrow duck” a title earned from the birds’ habit of making its nest in a burrow of a rabbit or in a hole hollowed out by itself. In the Orkneys the Shelduck was once known as the “Sly Goose” from their instinctive cunning and ability to divert people from robbing their nests of young. Like many a wader species an adult Shelduck will fly along the ground as if wounded until the young can reach a place of safety whereupon the adult bird will return to the young to collect them together. 

The "sheld" part of the Shelduck's name refers to the pied and brightly coloured variegated parts of the species plumage.

Shelduck

The forecast is pretty dire for several days ahead so I’m hoping the experts are wrong and I can get out birding or ringing. If so, read all about it here on Another Bird Blog.

Linking today to I'd-rather-b-birdin.blogspot and Eileen's Saturday Blog .

More Redpolls, Not Much Else

Here in coastal Lancashire the continuing cold northerly winds of the last few days seem to have put a temporary halt to migration. 

A feature of last weekend was the many sightings of Buzzards on the move, either in small groups or singly, helped in no small way by the sunny days. It’s also a reflection of the fact that many Buzzards leave some marginal upland sites then head back there in March. There have been small numbers of Chiffchaffs, Wheatears and Pied Wagtails to herald Spring but certainly no mass arrivals. Otherwise the passage of Meadow Pipits has been rather thin and it’s a day or three early to welcome Willow Warblers or Blackcaps.

Buzzard

 

On Tuesday evening the forecast gave more overnight frost, no wind and a promise of a sunny Wednesday so there was a decision to be made, ringing for more redpolls or coastal birding. After recent successes it’s hard to resist the lure of a ringing session at Oakenclough so off I went again to meet up with Andy at the ringing station for 0600. 

Lesser Redpolls dominated another quiet session with 13 new birds but only 3 recaptures from recent days and weeks: 7 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Long-tailed Tit the new birds, with 2 Dunnock and 1 Blue Tit the recaptures. 

Goldfinch

Long-tailed Tit

Lesser Redpoll

In the birding line we noted at least a dozen Lesser Redpoll overhead, some of which found the nets. A single Meadow Pipit was seen/heard but otherwise a nil count for obvious migration. Two Bullfinch which visit the feeding area continue to evade us while a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk or two pay flying visits. 

Today’s effort leaves us with more than 25 Lesser Redpolls caught in the last ten days but a figure which might stay the same as a poor weather forecast for the next four or five days may put paid to more visits. 

Looks like I will be birding in the rain and wind for a day or two- what’s new?

Polling Day But No Politics

The Spring Equinox arrived on 20th March bringing with it days and nights of almost exactly the same length. For ringers it entails timely starts if they are to catch the birds which find the early worms. After a 0500 alarm followed by a hurried breakfast I scraped a thin layer of frost from the windscreen before setting off for Oakenclough. I was meeting up with Andy and Brian for a ringing session in the plantation. 

From recent Internet postings it seems that a number of birders at coastal sites have seen and heard migrating Lesser Redpolls during the past seven days, sightings which correspond to the 16 caught here at Oakenclough since 15th March. 

This morning proved very quiet and only 13 birds caught. But once again Lesser Redpolls were the most abundant species: 6 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Blue Tit plus one each of Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Dunnock. 

Lesser Redpoll - adult male

The above is one of this morning’s adult male Lesser Redpolls showing crimson-reddish streaking on the breast, a feature which females lack. Most males have such colouration but in some individuals it can be indistinct, especially in early Spring. 

Lesser Redpoll - second year female

Lesser Redpolls can be more difficult to age than other finches. British birds rarely show a moult limit in the greater coverts, and tail shape is often the key to ageing as shown in "Svensson" the ringer's aide memoir. 

Ageing Lesser Redpolls - Svensson

The wings are also useful for determining the age. After the breeding season and in their second year of life Lesser Redpolls fully moult their wings and tail, and these relatively new flight feathers are still identifiable in March and into the beginning of the breeding season. In Spring second-year birds still have the flight feathers with which they left the nest almost a year ago, and these feathers are usually more obviously worn. 

Until January 2001 UK redpolls were assigned to the cabaret race of the Redpoll Carduelis flammea cabaret. At that time the British Ornithologists' Union decided that it should be 'split' from Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea flammea, thus making Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret a separate species from Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea. 

There are three different species of redpoll seen in the UK – Lesser Redpoll, Common Redpoll and Arctic Redpoll. Lesser Redpolls are by far the most frequently seen. Despite their name, Common Redpolls are much scarcer in the UK, with numbers arriving in autumn and winter varying considerably between years. 

Most Common Redpolls are encountered in the north and east of the UK although I remember on one November day at Pilling in 1990, together with PJB and BB, catching 4 such examples together. As this was before the “split”, ringers then simply referred to such large, distinct individuals as “northern Redpolls”, and they were entered into the ringing database as simply ”Redpoll” - REDPO.  Nowadays each species has a separate code for data input - LESRE, COMRE and ARCRE. 

Naturally enough the rare Arctic Redpoll is much sought after by UK bird listers with even the Common Redpoll the subject of many an anxious pursuit. Meanwhile the Lesser Redpoll lives up to its name by becoming of lesser interest.  

Our birding this morning: 1 Goldcrest, one pair of Bullfinch, one pair of Pied Wagtails, 3 pairs of Mistle Thrush, 4 Cormorants, 2 Buzzards, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel and 1 Jay. 

Buzzard

Mistle Thrush

Please log in to Another Bird Blog very soon for more polls but definitely no politics.

In the meantime this post links to World Bird Wednesday.