Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris

The Safari emptied the moth trap this morning. A few in there but nothing out of the ordinary, six Hebrew Characters, an Early Grey and a worn Common Quaker.

With Frank breakfasted and sent back to bed we headed off to the nature reserve with a bit of wish list after recent sightings. The rising sun lit up last year's seedheads on the reedmace at the drying wetland...need to check here for Great Crested Newts soon...before the water disappears!

Blackcaps were noticeable by their abundance, they were everywhere and Willow Warblers (MMLNR #76) put on a decent show too. With the Chiffchaffs it was all beginning to sound a bit summery and after about an hour Swallows (MMLNR #77) started to dribble through in ones and twos. 

The Cetti's Warblers were loud enough with three heard along the north side of the lake (the second and the might have been the same one moving down).

A Curlew flew over but we still await our first Whimbrel, and three Oystercatchers flew around in a display flight. 

A met another birder, from out of town,  coming the other way who'd seen a couple of Wheatears and heard a Reed Warbler but we couldn't offer him the Whitethroat or Grasshopper Warbler he'd read about on the web.

Wandering further down we too heard the Reed Warbler (159, MMLNR #78) and saw one of the two Wheatears (MMLNR #79) in the newly planted potato field.

At the hide a pair of Shovelers looked to be all loved up which could be interesting.

Walking back the way we came we bumped into the Ranger who'd had a Whitethroat but alas it didn't sing for us at the place he'd not long had it.

This Blackbird looked handsome in the morning sunshine but stayed just a little too far out of range for a 'proper' shot.

A Linnet was seen with a beakful of grasses for a nest nearby

At the viewing platform a pair of Canada Geese grazed on the sprouting greenery. One always kept an eye on us but once we'd not moved for a few minutes they settled down.

Back at the newt infested dryland a numpty and her son were throwing stones into the last of the shallow water for their mutt.

A lunchtime trip to the shops was fruiful. Wifey bought the pies while we stayed in the car with a tired footballed-up Frank and got a House Martin (160) flying over the car park.

We settled down to keep an eye on the thrashing of Burnley by 'Pool in the afternoon but only a few minutes into the game a call from the Young Un's had us shooting back out to the nature reserve, they found a male Redstart. Within a few minutes we were stood with them getting the low down on a crackin bird and found out that they'd spotted it whilst watching a Whitethroat and had had a Sedge Warbler.

We stood around waiting for a while and could here the roars of the crowd at the footy as goal after goal was being scored. After a fair bit of waiting the Redstart (161) did indeed show itself but only briefly and fright at the back of the scrub well out of pic range...wot a beauty tho, it's been a long time since we had one on the nature reserve...well chuffed...and many thanks to the Young Uns for the tip-off.

The Whitethroat (162) also put in a display song flight or two too.
And the final score? 'Pool 4 - Burnley 0...bring on the Play-offs!
Where to next? Mothy will be out again, weather permitting, and then we plan to go back to the nature reserve early doors for Sedge Warbler and Cuckoo???
In the meantime let us know who's giving the tip-offs in your outback.