Back to local safaris

The Safari can't believe what's happening -two posts in almost as manny days...what's going on???

We had a quick afternoon out with CR, more of a dog walk really, without our camera up at Rossall. There'd been a couple of good pics of a returning Purple Sandpiper by top dollar photo duo D & JM so we thought we'd go and have a shuffy. Due to wet weather and bad light we didn't take a camera, even CR only took his 'easy-to-stash 

-in-the-event-of-inclement-weather' 300mm. Walking along the promenade the beach adjacent was pretty quiet with just the occasional Sanderling working the incoming tide and a couple of Ringed Plovers being spotted until a very nicely marked winter plumage Grey Plover dropped in on the water's edge fairly close by. Several, at least five, very active Wheatears kept us on our toes - could we turn any of them into a different kind of Wheatear a la the Pauls - the answer, a resounding no they were all 'normal' Wheatears.

It wasn't until we were almost at the new seawall that we came across the Purple Sandpipers - yes plural! Now there were two of them. And fairly tame they were too running around together on the higher parts of the wall not yet covered by the rising waters. Despite the grotty light it wasn't raining and how we wished we'd bitten the bullet and brought a camera. As the tide rose they skipped off the beach and started running around the promenade coming within a few feet of us if we stood still - they weren't even phased by the presence of a certain large black dog provided he remained fairly still too. C got some pretty good pics and we resolved to get back there ASAP when the light was better and there was less of a threat of rain.

Our chance came two afternoons later. This time the walk down the prom was worryingly quiet but once we got closer to the new seawall we could see a birder so our hopes were raised. It was local lad K who kindly put us on to the (now) single Purple Sandpiper hugging the very base of  the seawall below our feet. It get anything like a shot involved very precariously lying down and leaning as far over the wall as we dared hoping our feet were heavy enough to counterbalance the not insubstantial extra weight of the 600mm lens! Our dare paid off and we were rewarded with this intimate shot of it preening unaware of us peering down at it only five or six feet above. Had the worst happened we'd have landed on it with a dull thud and that would have been the end of both it and us!

One advantage of leaning over the wall was that we had the opportunity to be the 'right side' of the light when the sun briefly shone

As the tide came in its favoured areas were being covered and it moved to a new part of the wall but tended to stick very close to the wall's base. Now we were able to wander down the nearest slipway and get 'eye-level' with it at the risk of getting wet feet from the larger incoming waves if we took our eye off them. Here it gleaned small flies off the wall and Sandhoppers from the tiny bit of still exposed beach on the few occasions it ventured away from the wall.

After a while it got fed up or became full up and flitted up onto the nearest groyne for a bit of rest offering some pretty good photo opportunities allowing us the chance to get easily our best ever pics of this species. It's a shame the sun didn't break through the clouds while it was sat up there so some hint of purple could be seen on its plumage.

The following morning we picked up CR again this time heading to Marton Mere for a mooch around. We'd been a couple of days earlier but not seen much apart from hearing a good number of Cetti's Warblers. This morning we were hoping there'd been an overnight arrival of Redwings as some had been reported as passing over the previous night, we'd had a listen when out later with Monty but unfortunately heard zilch, their thin 'tseeeep' is one of THE sounds of autumn.

It wasn't to be, the walk up to the embankment was very quiet apart from the odd ticking Robin here and there.

Along the embankment we started to hear Cetti's Warblers but they weren't as vocal as on our previous visit.

From the Bird Club Hide we had a male Sparrowhawk set down on a clump of cut reed after narrowly failing to catch a Snipe and upsettting about two dozen Teal on the scrape in the process. Over in the distance there was a Buzzard on the barn - we don't often see Buzzards actually on buildings, fence posts yes barns no! A male Kestrel hovered over the field in front of the barn - a three raptor view - not bad! and a couple of Stock Dove sat on the opposite end of the barn to the Buzzard - very wise!

Moving down to Heron Hide (aka Ice Station Zebra for its notable 'warmth' in the winter months) it was a relief to see there was a bit of view down a channel through the reeds (Typha). It'll be better if the roosting Starlings get over that way and crush the standing reeds over and then we get a bit of frost on them too. There was a bit of duck and Coot action but best of all, for us at least, was our first sighting of a Great Crested Grebe there this year, although to be fair we've not been for a few months over the summer silly season.

Drake Gadwall

Drake Shoveler coming out of eclipse plumage

Female Tufted Ducks

At the bench and viewing platform the Volunteer Rangers have recently constructed we admired the exceptional view of the water and reedbeds hoping to spot a Bittern or an Otter. We didn't but it won't be long before we do as it's in the perfect position - Thank you.

While we were there TS came along and told us of the wondrous sightings he'd had over the summer while we've been keeping away including a stunning close encounter with a Hobby catching dragonflies, a fantastic experience. He's done well this summer! While we were chatting a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over us.

It was now time to spend some time in the Feeding Station where it was quite lively but not up to full winter blitz yet. A Coal Tit was probably star of the show among the Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins, Dunnocks and single Chaffinch and ubiquitous Grey Squirrel. Easy winner of the cuteness competition was this young Rabbit that grazed away  few feet from the window occasionally glancing in our direction when it heard the camera shutters clicking.

The scrub in the main part of the reserve was largely devoid of birds despite the Hawthorns being bedecked with berries there weren't even any Blackbirds making themselves obvious. Despite the concerns about pollinator numbers it seems they've been busy this spring as the trees, Rowans, Whitebeams etc, are bursting woth berries. It's such a shame that on our tor out to the east through the farming country there's barely a berry left on mile upon mile of wayside and field boundary hedge as they've almost all been hacked back by the farmers already - come on farmers you can do better than this.

Our journey away from the coast was to local scenic site Beacon Fell Country Park, again mostly a dog walk so we didn't take the camera which was jst as well as it lashed it down most of the time we were there and we saw precious little wildlife apart from a very quick Robin and heard a few Goldcrests in the conifer plantations.

A couple of wnters ago a torndo type ofwind tore through a significant part of the forest downing many trees and damaging others. One such damaged tree has been turned in to a beautiful Golden Eagle. We'd love to see a real one soaring over the skies of Lancashire but with the intense illegal persecution on the grouse moors across the valley that sight is sadly very unlikely...but maybe one day you never know...Sign here to help eagles (and other birds of prey) survive in Lancashire

A few yards along the soggy trail a bright red thing caught our eye, a plastic sweet wrapper? Surely not, indeed not; a very bright fungus and not just one of them some others just pushing through the leaf litter too. We think it's Russula emetica but it could be one of the other Russula species not something we've come across for man years. Bonny whatever it is and the slugs seem to like it.

As we were nearing the car park on our return from the summit viewpoint a flock of finches erupted from the tree-tops and annoyingly went the wrong way back up the hill towards the summit and disappeared into the thickest part of the forest. There were about two dozen and from the loud excitable calls we'd say they were Crossbills, a return visit in better weather conditions is required.

A very wet but not pleasurable afternoon on the hill.

Where to next? News of a Kentish Plover on the South-side is very tempting, not seen one for a long time.

In the meantime let us know let us know who's flitting around the tree-tops in your outback.

Another early morning safari

The Safari was once again off to the nature reserve just as dawn was breaking, thankfully there was no thick fog today and it was a little warmer. Leaving the car we soon heard the Wetland’s Cetti’s Warbler he seems to be a permanent fixture there now. Yesterday’s still air and blanket of fog must have been amplifying the horrendous traffic noise as it didn’t seem so bad this morning allowing us to pick up the Grasshopper Warbler from a good way off, a Blackcap was in fine voice just outside the reserve’s main gate. Through the gate we went full of eager anticipation – what would the night have delivered for us? A minor detour down to the Viewing Platform gave us an answer, a Reed Warbler, well away from where we heard the one yesterday and a Sedge Warbler (135, MMLNR #88) were singing when you could hear them over the vocal argy-bargy of two Cetti’s Warblers. The water was very quiet with a Great Crested Grebe being pick of the bunch.

Continuing on our way we heard a second Grasshopper Warbler in one of their ‘traditional’ areas on the other side of the path, good stuff! Song Thrushes were noticeably loud this morning an there were several Chiffchaffs but so far we hadn’t heard a Willow Warbler.

Look - no fog!

In the scrub we heard our second Blackcap of the day, both in the same places we heard them yesterday morning. Other than a noisily clacking Blackbird, the cause of the commotion we couldn’t find, the scrub was quiet.

The scrape could be seen today and held a pair of Shelducks and a pair of Shovelers along with eight Teal but no waders. At the very start of embankment we heard our only singing Willow Warbler of the morning, in the bushes we’d just passed and then our third Grasshopper Warbler reeling from by the new ponds and from the reeds on the opposite side the same Reed Warbler as yesterday then a third of those down by the bridge. A scan of the fields was disappointing with only a Magpie and pair of Grey Lag Geese hitting the notebook.

Once again we didn’t do the full circuit but retraced our steps seeing no dew-laden cobwebs bedecking the Teasels today. 

Three Stock Doves did a couple of laps of the island and looking at the back of the scrape, out of sight from the other viewpoint, there were still no waders to be seen. There were at least a dozen Sand Martins hawking low over the water now but still no Swallows or House Martins for us here.
In the scrub a movement at the edge of the path caught our eye, recently fledged Song Thrush which was a nice surprise. Also on the path there was a dollop of recently laid Fox scat…was the owner of that causing the Blackbird’s anxiety earlier?

A little further up the path a male Linnet sang from a trackside shrub but wouldn’t allow a close enough approach to get a decent pic of him.

It is a Linnet - honest!

See!

By now time was running short and we aimed for the car not hearing the second Grasshopper Warbler as we passed. Outside the reserve gate the Blackcap was still singing and a few yards further on we could hear the original Grasshopper Warbler. We spotted LR coming towards us and waited for him close to the Gropper.

After a chat we headed back to the car passing a non-singing Willow Warbler feeding in the allotment hedge on the way. It was back at the car we noticed that the hedge had been heavily flailed so that there wasn’t twig remaining and no cover or shelter along the roadside at all…Noooooooo who would do such a thing now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Txts from SD about Great Northern Divers and Merlins out to sea had us grabbing the scope as soon as we got to work but it was to no avail we'd missed all the action and the sea was deadly quiet by the time we got there. 
It was little better at lunchtime, the excitement was on the beach where a Ringed Plover was performing a super display flight. It wasn’t until a dog walker went past that we realised there was another bird there too, on the sand. This flushed and our Ringed Plover followed it calling like mad as it towered out over the sea – trouble was this second bird was smaller and slighter so probably not a Ringed Plover…so why was it being displayed too??? Have we missed a grounded Little Ringed Plover or was it something else. Further down the beach was a second Ringed Plover but this one wasn’t displaying and was sat with half a dozen summer plumaged Dunlins.

Where to next? There won't be an early morning safari tomorrow but we'll be having a look at something somewhere during the day that's for sure.

In the meantime let us know who's been displaying to the wrong sorts in your outback.

Blimey it’s summer

The Safari successfully dragged Frank as far as Magpie Wood this morning just as the sun peeked over the roof tops.

We were secretly hoping for a Chiffchaff might be calling in either the Golden Triangle or the park, if we could get Frank that far. The Golden Triangle was as far as Frank would go and there were no Chiffchaffs. There was, however, a nice selection of singing birds...Wren, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird and Woodpigeon, were in song while Great Tit, Blue Tit and Long Tailed Tit were heard calling and Goldfinches flew around overhead. Not at all associated with the Golden Triangle but seen flying straight over was a Meadow Pipit.

Alarm calls from within the scrub alerted us to a female Sparrowhawk in the air above us, followed shortly afterwards by the male.

After our World Water Day school presentation we stopped off at the nature reserve to deliver some of last night’s left-overs for PL’s favourite family of Foxes. At the school a couple (pair?) of Pied Wagtails were heard from the direction of the staff car park.

Driving through the caravans we saw a couple of House Sparrows (MMLNR #73) on the overly trimmed hedges. Talking of overly trimmed stuff, the dumbed down landscape technicians have been out in force in many areas round Safari-land in the last couple of weeks and in their joy to be using power tools again after the winter break have carved all the flowering shoots of the Ribes and Forsythia bushes; what happened all the council/corporate gardeners with basic horticultural ID skills and pruning knowledge??? Obviously far to complicated in this day and age to not prune everything to within an inch of its stump three times a year...heaven forbid if a bush or shrub was to grow out of ball or lollipop shape or even reach over three feet (1m) tall!!!

Driving along the edge of the mere we saw all the gulls go up, a couple of Oystercatchers and lapwings were with them...we immediately thought ‘Osprey!’ but unfortunately didn’t see any raptors going over, could have been a Great Black Back spooking them or perhaps the Bittern flying across the water from one reedbed to another or ‘just’ a Sparrowhawk...whatever it was we didn’t see it so it remains a mystery. As we parked up by the top gate a Chiffchaff (133, 74) sang from the scrub on the other side of the fence.

We chucked the chicken bones and left but then got talking to a couple enjoying a summery morning walk around the reserve. A Small Tortoiseshell flew past and there were a couple of Bumble Bees flying along the track, the Chiffchaff chiff-chaffed for us too.

It was a glorious morning, 16°C!!!, and we wished we could have stayed a lot longer. 

On the drive out a kindly lady had thrown a copious amount of stale bread on the grass and attracted the attention of a gaggle of gulls so we had to stop to try to get some BiF shots.

Here they come...

 Touch down...

We're a bit annoyed we somehow lost the focus on that last one...it would have been THE shot of the day :-(

 Second wave of attack...

 Scoffed the lot...til next time...

Back in the office our Extreme Photographer checked in telling us he was on the trail of the escaped Kookaburra but had had no luck; he had heard ‘about a dozen’ Chiffchaffs in the short stretch of path he’d been covering behind the zoo.

After lunch we had a quick look at the visibility-poor hazy sea and found only a single Red Throated Diver of note, still in full winter garb.

Where to next? Another long weekend and another trip to the outer reaches of the big smoke for a rather important book launch - no not a sequel to What A Monster Week! although we are looking at providing real page turning hard copies of it -  but will the Sand Martins, Little Ringed Plovers and Garganeys have found the site yet?

In the meantime let us know what's sneaking in to your outback now spring has sprung.

First full Patch 1 visit of the year

The Safari hasn't managed a full Patch 1 visit this year until this morning. What with the dark mornings, grotty weather and Frank's arthriticy hips slowing him down a bit we just hadn't got that far. But being a little later than a weekday, bright sunshine, a crisp frost on the ground and Frank in the mood to follow his nose we headed off up the hill to the sound of the school's Song Thrush singing in the distance away to our left.

Behind us but off patch was a large skein of Pink Footed Geese their honking easily heard above the noise of the early morning traffic on the gentle easterly breeze...probably flew right over CR's place!

We hadn't taken a notebook but once in the park the following patch species fell for the first time...and the list shows just how little patchwork we've done here so far this year...

In alphabetical order rather than order of sighting...

Black Headed Gull

Blue Tit

Carrion Crow

Great Tit

Pink Footed Goose - another skein of about 120 following the main road northwards right overhead - not one of the several dog walkers looked up even though they were quite low and making a lot of noise!

Sparrowhawk - a wonderful display of skydancing for a couple of minutes before it dropped like a stone through the treetops and out of sight.

Woodpigeon - !!! Shows how much we've neglected the patch!!!

The Patch 1 totaliser now stands at 19 with plenty more 'easy' ones to find eg Long Tailed Tit and Goldfinch still haven't made the spreadsheet!

Massed ranks of Starlings were constantly passing overhead leaving their roost on the piers heading out east to the fields for a days Leather Jacket hunting.
Talking of hunting...the Peregrine was tucking in to breakfast on our way back.
Later in the morning we were allowed a short safari to the nature reserve...we hoped yesterday's Smew would be on site but we'd had no news throughout the morning. A call to AB revealed it had been reported but he'd been on site for over an hour but hadn't seen it...not good.
As we arrived on site we got a text from CR saying he was Ice Station Zebra getting his first pics of the Iceland Gull in brilliant winter sunshine as opposed to dull rainy conditions. By the time we'd driven the 200 yards to join him it had drifted behind the reeds and we'd missed our chance :-( After a while, enjoying the waterfowl, minus Smew, we set off for a mooch round the rest of the reserve passing a group of four Fieldfares feeding on Apples (taken in the same tree yesterday).
Frozen condensation was thawing and dripping from the ceiling of the Feeding Station hide and the light wasn't good so we didn't stop long...a sackful of Reed Buntings were enjoying the free grub, so much so that it's nearly impossible to find one away from the feeders for an 'in habitat' shot during the winter.
Moving round we picked up a Kestrel hunting from a stationary perch in the scrub...it was here we discovered the batteries in the camera were flat! C got some pics before his stealth-mode failed and he flushed it. A quick look into the harsh light from the viewing platform had us scurrying round to find the Long Eared Owl. It was sat in a slightly different place to 'normal' and looked to be a greyer bird than the 'usual' one...h the old two bird theory...
The scrub was devoid of thrushes although we weren't looking to hard. The reedbed was devoid of Bitterns and we only heard one Water Rail and unusually no Cetti's Warblers - you'd have thought they'd have been singing their little hearts out in the glorious sunshine. Snipe however were quite plentiful - this year seems to be by far the best for them in a long time here.
The Canada Geese and Mallards along the edge of the island were behaving as though they'd seen a Fox but we couldn't see any hint of it. A scan of the gulls in front of the geese and ducks only revealed Black Heads and Commons.
But as we got in to the Fylde Bird Club hide there was the Fox prowling along the crest of the island...that's when we discovered our spare set of batteries were also flat...:-(  By the time we'd put a third set in the Fox had gone behind the big patch of Gorse and didn't reappear out the other side.
Off we went back to our starting position at Ice Station Zebra stopping at 'Mick's tree' - the best otter photographing vantage point - on the way.
At ICZ we took the pics of a feeding Mute Swan before realising it was well past 'should have been back at Base Camp by now' time and had to skedaddle.

 Where to next? More of the same but will the Smew put in an appearance?
In the meantime let us know what didn't put in an appearance when it really should have done in your outback.

Plan B failed so on to Plan C

The Safari went back to the nature reserve with the intention of bumping into the Otters again. We tried a different vantage point which we hoped would give a better view, or  at least a different perspective. They tend to hang about in the bay marked on the pic...but not today!

We were told we'd just missed the Iceland Gull but luckily we refound it a little later, we'd also missed an adult Mediterranean Gull :-( . Prior to refinding the Iceland Gull we picked out a dark and chunky 'argentatus' Herring Gull amongst the four dozen or so 'argenteus' birds. The gulls came and went throughout the morning with two adult Great Black Backed Gulls and a 1st winter marauding over the rest trying to find a weakened Teal or Wigeon. 

We noted a large number of Teal, later counted at 580 by MMcG with at least another 50 out sight from where he was sat. Wigeon too were in decent numbers for the site. We joined CR (his Iceland Gull pic here is an absolute cracker) in his favourite hide - aka Ice Station Zebra for its 'comforts' - and waited to see if the Otters would make a late appearance - they didn't! But we noticed a breakaway flock of Wigeon sailing out from the edge of the reeds towards us - one was an 1st winter Red Crested Pochard (207) Most unexpected and most welcome!!! But will it be there tomorrow or the day after before we go back to work?

C, M and PT got some shots off; PT's are likely to be brilliant with his new double mega 600mm lens. We were so taken aback at our find we forgot about the camera - will post some links when the pics appear.

Where to next? Well it all starts again in the morning...having narrowly beaten Monika two years running in our challenge she is up for revenge starting in the morning!

In the meantime after getting mud under the wheels yesterday we hope to able to do some of this during 2012...this is one of the 'Pay n play' sites we like to visit

The old 'leafer' does really well! We've tried that rock crawl and it's not easy and some of the crunches that come from underneath your feet are quite un-nerving - we destroyed a steering damper!

Happy New Year to all our readers wherever you are 

We hope 2012 brings you health, wealth and happiness - and plenty of wildlife to enjoy of course