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Dipping Out

April 13, 2014 at 6:53 pm

Great Grey Shrike

In Twitchers terms dipping out means failing to find the bird you set off to see. This happened twice to me on the 9th when I failed to find the Two Barred Crossbill at Dovestones and the Great Grey Shrike at Watergrove reservoir. Fortunately I had already seen both earlier in the week and this week’s photo of the Shrike was taken from one hundred meters away and is only a record shot. I did, however, spend an enjoyable hour watching the Shrike catch bees that were attracted to the willows and I think I can now declare that my days of twitching are over!

On the 10th I sat under the camouflage cloth by the hawthorne hedge at the rear of our garden to film whatever appeared in the fresh greenery. I was surprised to find that two Bramblings were present plus all the other garden birds. Click here.

As expected this breeding season is remarkably early with a Barn Owl already incubating eggs on the 29th March, the earliest record I have ever had in more than fifty years of monitoring this species.

Spring Waxwing

April 6, 2014 at 6:28 pm

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In late March I visited Weir Street in Blackburn to have a final look at the four Waxwings that had spent all Winter feeding there. They were still present and feeding in the Rowan next to the one I last saw them on several months ago! The tree they were roosting in was now covered in blossom and made an unusual but delightful picture complete with the Waxwing.
During the week I notched up a new bird in the form of a Two Barred Crossbill at Dovestones. All Winter I had been filming Brambling at Dovestones in relative peace and quiet. Now the area has been inundated with twitchers and my days there have come to an end.
On Hopwood four Long Tailed Tits now have nests and both Sand Martins and Willow Warblers have returned and a female Mallard was incubating thirteen eggs which is as many as I have ever seen in a Mallards nest before. A Woodcock was flushed on the second which is interesting as this bird was only thirty feet from where I found one incubating eggs in 1998. This nest was the only one ever found in Greater Manchester last century so who knows?
This weeks gallery includes more photos from Cairngorm. Click here

Cairngorm delights

March 30, 2014 at 7:32 pm

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At 10am on the 26th March I stood on the top of Cairngorm one of Britain’s highest mountains at more than 4000ft. The views in every direction were spectacular and there was hardly any wind which is a rarity on this mountain as it has recorded Britain’s highest wind speed at nearly 200mph. I had of course not come for the view but to film Ptarmigan and I was not disappointed. During my two hours around the summit I encountered more than a dozen individual birds with the males already moulting from their pure white Winter coat. It was extremely icy at this high altitude and on one occasion I slid more than twenty foot still clutching my equipment. With a chip on the lens Cairngorm has now left its permanent mark!
Two days before the successful ascent I tried to walk to the summit from the ski center below but was beaten back by a strong wind that produced white-out conditions. On the way down I encountered Red Grouse and Mountain Hare both of which provided some good photos. Click here The ski center car park had over fifty Snow Buntings feeding on the 24th but all had gone by the 26th.
This Spring has come early in Speyside with several Ospreys already back at their nest sites. Crested Tits were very elusive as most had returned to the deep forests to breed. Even on the coast all the Long Tailed Ducks were out on the sea ready to fly back to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia. There is no doubt that this area is a very special place for the wildlife enthusiast and to have the weather we had was exceptional.

Fish Supper

March 22, 2014 at 7:22 pm

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This week’s photo is of a Kingfisher regurgitating a fish bone pellet following its last fish supper. It was taken this week as I spent three hours on my birthday sat in my hide in a remote Pennine stream with a pair of Kingfishers digging out their nest chamber, What better birthday present could you wish for than a pair of Kingfishers perching in exactly the right place in full sunshine? My elation was further enhanced as I heard a splash in the next pool and upon checking discovered it was a fishing dog Otter, my first ever sighting on a Pennine stream. The only down side was finding an enormous Mink further down the stream as I left. I understand once an Otter appears on a stream it gets rid of any Mink so let’s hope so. Click here

During the week I have spent time in the Pennine forest searching for breeding Long Eared Owls. So far I have failed to find any but pellets under one tree may indicate that migrant owls have been using that forest and have now set off back to Scandinavia.

On the 18th five Adders were enjoying morning sunshine with a Peacock butterfly doing the same on a drystone wall .

Adders Emerge

March 16, 2014 at 8:29 pm

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At long last a week of dry weather and good sunshine giving the best photo opportunities this Winter on the 9th I checked my Adder site and was pleased to find two males enjoying the warmth. A Woodcock was also seen with Green Woodpeckers very vocal. Both Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies were active in the sun.
The best two days weather of the week were spent at Pennington Flash and Martin Mere but the birds targeted were too far away for the camera. I did film some of the species present but these were only the regular ones.Click here.
The garden has sprung to life this week with twenty three different species feeding on the 14th, which is the most this Winter and included our second Brambling. A Tawny Owl was present at 3.30am on the 12th! On Hopwood at dusk on the 15th three Buzzards were soaring and were very vocal.

Drinking and Bathing

March 9, 2014 at 9:28 pm

Brambling
All birds have to drink and bathe on a daily basis to remain in top condition. Whilst engaged in this activity they are vulnerable to predation and so are always wary of a camera and cameraman. During the last few months, having already failed to film Crossbills feeding,I have concentrated on Siskins and Bramblings. With the abundance of water this Winter I have had many blank days but perseverance has paid off. click here
On Hopwood the first frogspawn appeared on the 6th which is two days earlier than last year. A Weasel was seen on the 8th the first sighting for over a year. Scarlet Elf Cup fungi is out in greater profusion than ever this year.
In the garden Siskin, Redpoll and Reed Buntings are feeding in much lower numbers than last year at this time. A Sparrowhawk made a meal of a Collared Dove on the 6th. Buzzards circling high over the house are now a regular occurance.