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What a Tern Up!

30/4/2014

 
On Sunday 27th April, Eddie and I went birding together for the first time since the Panama trip.  Incredibly, he was still talking to me despite my boot-camp approach to overseas birding.  At 7 am, we headed north...       
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Marsh Harrier, 27/04/14, Public Hide, Leighton Moss, Lancs.
After showing our faces at the Heysham Harbour "Sunday Sea-watch" for 10 agonizing minutes, we soldiered on to find more instant gratification at Leighton Moss.  
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Reed Deer, 27/04/14, Leighton Moss. In the field on the right of the path towards Lower Hide.
No otters at Lower Hide, not that we stayed very long.  A kind gentleman informed us of a Black Tern at Lillian's.  So off we trudged, back to where we started from...  
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Black Tern, 27/04/14, Leighton Moss, opposite Lillian's Hide.
The bird behaved itself and did the decent thing: wait for our arrival.  There it was on a wooden post right in front of us.  Mobbed by Black-headed Gulls, it put on an impressive display of aerial maneuverability.      
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Distracting us from the main act was a rather bold Grey Heron, supplementing its usual diet by scoffing its own feathered cousins.  All very dramatic, but for me, there's one main thing lacking: facial expression.   
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Heron eating a Mallard chick, 27/04/14/ Lillian's Hide, Leighton Moss, Lancs.
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Same Heron, mobbed by an anxious Black-headed Gull.
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"OK, I'm off. See you next Spring."

Off to the Trough

24/4/2014

 
The Easter holidays yielded a bumper crop of spring goodies, especially Good Friday, a glorious day from dawn till dusk.  I woke at 05.50, looked out of a north-facing bedroom window and saw the Bowland Fells, crystal clear.  There was the place to go...  
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Red Legged Partridge, 18/04/14, Long Lane, On a dry stone wall a few miles north of Scorton, Lancs.
At about 06.45 I reached one of my favourite birding spots, a dry stone wall flanking the left of the road about 4 miles north of Scorton on Long Lane.  For some reason, all manner of bird species like plonking themselves on this wall (see my Redshank picture in "waders" section).  Not only that, but the birds are not particularly bothered by passing cars either.  At this time of the morning you can roll up right next to them, wind the window down and shoot away, all at eye level too.  
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Meadow Pipit, 18/04/14, on the same wall.
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Wheatear, 18/04/14, same wall.
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Pied Wagtail, 18/04/14, you guessed it, the same dry stone wall.
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Oystercatcher, 18/04/14, on a post (next to the wall).
After the "wonder wall" and turning right at the T-junction, it was time to check out another favourite location, a small walled-off wood running parallel with the road opposite the stream.  Look out for this building and park on the right.  Just like last year, Dippers were patrolling the stream and pied flycatchers zipped about in the small wood.  A birding couple told me that redstarts were here last week.  Spotted Flycatchers have been known to grace this area too.
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A good Dipper and Flycatcher location. The wood is on the left of the road, the stream is to the right.
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Pied Flycatcher, 18/04/14, in the small walled-off wood by the road.
A few miles further towards Dunsop Bridge, I stopped at the Langden Valley car park and followed the trail towards Langden Castle (which is actually just a stone hut) in the hope of finding Ring Ouzels.  This time two years ago I was lucky enough to see several pairs.  No such luck this time, but it was worth the walk for the stunning views and some more close encounters with typical Bowland species.  
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Male Stonechat, 18/04/14, Langden Valley, Bowland, Lancs. Several pairs were around.
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Common Sandpiper, 18/04/14, Langden Valley, Bowland, Lancs. In its usual spot, near the weir.
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Willow Warbler, 18/04/14, Langden Valley, Bowland. Lancs. Loads around, sounding out their familiar descending notes.
As I headed home, I got the icing on the cake right there on the roadside.  I have never had such a good view of this species.  There seemed to be many more of these around than usual (loads of pheasants too).  I couldn't help wondering if this was due to the absence of Hen Harriers and other persecuted raptor species?   
Picture
Red Grouse, 18/04/14, roadside verge near Langden Valley, Bowland, Lancs.

Leighton Magic

1/4/2014

 
This weekend's mild weather was too good to ignore.  Time for an early morning jaunt to Leighton Moss...   
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Marsh Harrier, 30/03/14, Leighton Moss, Lancs. This close encounter right next to the causeway is the nearest I've ever come to this species. Usually they keep their distance.
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Otters, 30/03/14, Lower Hide, Leighton Moss, Lancs. Having stopped at Public Hide to see this pair head way out of sight, there was only one place to go: Lower Hide. Seeing these two playing was all very nice, I just wish they would come a bit nearer!

    Author

    Tony Wilson.
    Amateur wildlife photographer.   

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