What have you seen
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A Kingfisher flew past us up the River Mint, at Kendal, yesterday afternoon. It has been a while since both of us have seen one so close.
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Had an enjoyable morning at Burton reserve today.
Songbirds such as Willow and Sedge Warblers were back and Blackcaps also in numbers. All of the local birds singing well. We were surprised by a Cetti's Warbler stopping to dry itself on a twig right next to us after having had a bath. Normally elusive, this one stopped for a good minute.
Also saw some absolutely stunning Spotted Redshanks, 2 of them in full summer plumage already, plus a male and female Garganey duck along with 3 Pintails. A nice clump of Alium Triquetrum in a damp area looked wonderful.
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Sounds like a grand day out, WN.👍
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A good day out WN. On our way to Obterre yesterday saw 2 female Merlins and 1 male Hen Harrier the a couple of fields with cows in a rough count of about 100 Cattle Egrets never seen so many and last night whilst sat out a few Swallows flying around then had a couple of the local Mallards from the site pond come and sit right next to us he making sure that no other male came near but 1 did and soon got a telling off by going for the other's throat with his beak all go here. Off for a meal out today in the Brenne Regional Park then a look around to see what else is about. Weather sunny and warm.
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Been to Brecon Beacons CAMC site this week and one day went to the feeding station at Llanddeusant to see Red Kites. Unfortunately my photos were really poor - difficult to take them using the phone. I think Carol got some better photos on her camera though....
David
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S Somerset. The swallows have arrived locally to their previous nest sites in a long run of house eaves. These are modern terraced houses built in a way which attracts them, the nests are still there from last year. The houses were built on the site of several barns. That's the first group, chattering away, happy to be back. Another two groups are due at a neighbours barn and another barn nearby. A week earlier than last year. The weather is warm and calm and there's lots of insect food about.
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Had a pair of Turtle Doves singing in a tree and 50 metres from them a Nightingale was singing whilst walking around the campsite at Brissac-Quince just below Angers made my day, and today having a walk around a lake next to the campsite in Bain de Bretagne a pair of Tree Creepers going up a coupe of trees.
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Have seen Treecreepers during our Scotland trip, but not a chance of either of the other two, unfortunately. Grand spot RK.
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We're lucky to see quite a few Puffins yesterday at Bempton, one was only a couple of metres away.
We have been hearing the Curlews every day, and yesterday managed to catch sight of them feeding in the field. We also have seen Swallows, and the owners of the holiday cottage we are staying in told us they usually nest in the Granary, they have left special swallow hole's
Also had a good sighting of a Yellow hammer along the cinder track.
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Today a mandarin drake attempting to mate with several mallard ducks. The mallard drakes were not that happy about it. Mind you they weren’t that happy when a male of their species attempted the same. Wonder if and what that hybrid would turn out like!🤪
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First Swallow of the year😲 and two House Martins. Easton Walled Gardens, this afternoon. I sincerely hope they have somewhere warm to roost, it’s supposed to be 3c here tonight🥶
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Off for a Burton today! The RSPB reserve on the Wirral.
Another glorious morning spent idling around this reserve, which is quite compact but still varied. As well as the normal birds that we encounter there, such as Avocets and Egrets etc, there was still some migrants with half a dozen Spotted Redshank in summer clothes, a smashing Little Gull, a few Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Ruddy Shelducks, a Wood Sandpiper and several Swallows and Sand Martins.
There is a large Heronry , well hidden, but the noise of the Little Egrets, normally not heard at other times of the year apart from a "Kvark" if you disturb it, is worth a listen as they sit on the nest. They share the space with Great White Egrets and Grey Herons.
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We finally saw our first, solo, Swallow today flying over our local green.
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There certainly aren’t many about yet, don’t know why.
We went to Brockholes, LWT reserve today, and only saw a couple of swallows. Lots of sand martins, though, checking out the sand banks on the Ribble.
Good views of wood sandpiper, whitethroat, + all the usual suspects.Needless to say, we didn’t see any kingfishers, but I’ll try to post a photo taken at Brockholes, by a birding pal a couple of months ago. 2 kingfishers in there, different species. 🙂
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Keep trying Pliers.
Had a good days birdwatching down on Frampton Marsh RSPB centre today. Nothing spectacular but Little Ringed Plover, some almost summer plumaged Ruff and our first Terns of the year helped with the sense of wellbeing. Loads of other types of birds around.
We were amazed to see so many Avocets breeding there. It's only about 30 years ago that we had to get a boat across to islands of Orford, off the Suffolk coast, on a particular day in April to see breeding Avocets as that was the only place in the UK that had them. Visiting numbers certainly regulated by the RSPB.
Birds and nature certainly tell you the truth when it comes to the changing climate that they find themselves in.
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They are up here too in S. Cumbria. We saw more Swallows today as well as a Ring Plover, Little Egret, Skylarks and Lapwings.
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What a smashing few hours of nature watching and listening. We are up near the IJsselmeer Inland "lake" site north-east of Amsterdam.
When we arrived at this campsite we were setting up and heard a Nightingale singing away in the bushes about 20 metres away. Couldn't find him but not surprised. Had a walk around the area which contains quite a few lakes, small and large, and saw 8 Spoonbills, a Red Crested Pochard, Great White Egret, several dozen of different Terns, a Cuckoo amongst others. There was also a lovely bunch of Star of Bethlehem flowers and several Blue Butterflies.
We were only going for a walk but really enjoyed, especially the Magnums Classic at the end of it.
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For at least the third year in a row, when there has been a spell of dry weather, a local crow visits our garden and goes onto our bird-bath. Each time he / she brings a piece of bread, sometimes the size of my thumb but up to half a slice in size. He / she drops this into the water and lets it soak for a few minutes before it then eats it. It really shows the brain power of the crow family.
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The other day while stood looking out of the kitchen window a very lucky sparrow flashed past with a sparrow hawk in hot pursuit the sparrow flew into the privet hedge alas the sparrow hawk smashed into the hedge and just hung there for a while then dropped down into our garden and sat there but thankfully regained it's composure and flew into the tree at the bottom of the garden, I did not fancy putting that in a box and taking it to the local vets
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Another wonderful day spent locally again. Saw a few more scrub area birds today, such as Bluethroat, loads of Garden Warblers (must have been a recent fall of them), Reed and Sedge Warblers, Bearded Tits, etc. Missed seeing the local Sea Eagle but saw all of the Geese take to the air when he apparently flew by (Local birder saw the Eagle). Saw a Little Gull out on the big lake and witnessed 2 Great Crested Grebes getting very friendly with their head bobbing and weaving antics. There's a Short Toed Treecreeper keeping us amused near the caravan.
Nice warm but rather windy weather but we were able to get a good walk in as well.
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(The Orange Tips do seem to be doing well Moulesy.)
