Hope that wasn't summer

The Safari had a couple of early morning wanders around Marton Mere last weekend, arriving at just before 07.00 hours. It was lively both mornings but better on Saturday. Grasshopper Warblers (147) reeled, Cetti's Warblers exploded, Blackcaps warbled, Lesser Whitethroats rattled and fresh in that day Whitethroats (148) scratched. The place was alive with bird song in the almost warm sunshine.

Willow Warbler (PYLC #117)

We took the outside path and sauntered slowly down to The Nook returning via Mere View where we found three Tree Sparrows (PYLC #121) mostly secreted in the dense Blackthorn thicket. We didn't get a pic but went back the following morning to get this one.

It was a bit harrowing (pun intended!) to see the farmer rolling the pasture, OK they'll say they have to do it to get better grass growth but if there were any Lapwing nests on there, and there have been a couple of pairs displaying, they won't have any eggs now. Lets hope they were late or can re-lay, incubate and get agile youngsters off before the next 'essential' agricultural operation.

Down along the embankment we found a Wheatear and another bird on the same fence further along which could have been a Whinchat but was just out of range for our bins. By the time we'd walked down to the bridge to get a closer look they'd both gone so perhaps the mystery bird was 'only' a well coloured Wheatear. We lurked furtively at the new pond dipping platform for ages but neither bird reappeared.

We retraced our steps along the embankment listening to several Reed Warblers, a few Cetti's Warblers and a Sedge Warbler (149). Round the corner we waited for a loud and obviously close Cetti's Warbler to show itself and managed a couple of Blue Tit pics while we waited.

Patience paid off and the Cetti's Warbler (PYLC #118) did eventually show itself and much better than expected, took us aback a little so our camera settings weren't quite right - more feeble excuses for a poor pic!

There wasn't much visible in the scrubby areas but song from Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats were order of the day along with Song Thrushes and Wrens. We weren't going to go to the Feeding Station as feeding has now stopped for the summer but something made us change our mind. On the way something dark brown caught our eye in the other section of the reserve, taking a pic to enlarge it it was a row of pot plants, and then we saw other stuff - several cheeky blighters have extended their gardens into the nature reserve with an array of pot plants, compost bins and heaps and even a trampoline!

We've reported the incursion so hopefully they'll be thrown back over the garden fences where they belong. Slightly miffed we continued the few yards to the Feeding Station and saw a small bird flycatching from the side of the nearest Apple tree, at first we hoped it would be one of the flycatchers most likely Pied Flycatcher but realised it was probably 'only' a Blackcap but when we got the bins on it it was a cracking male Redstart! Get in! (150, MMLNR #73). unfortunately we weren't able to get a pic as it shot through the scrub to the sunny side almost as soon as we'd spotted it.

happy we hit the track back to the car passing a lovely male Blackbird on the way. It might be a simple colour scheme but it's still stunning.

Even better was the Grasshopper Warbler reeling away very close to the path and then we caught a glimpse and were able to creep in to a position in advance of it as it made its way through the tangle of last year's stems.

Very chuffed to get a half decent shot (PYLC #119) - why do they never perch out in the open for us like the seem to do on countless occasions for all those folk on Twitter and Facebook? And then it did us the honour of singing right at us!

One of the objectives of the day was to get a pic of a singing Blackcap but they were all ever so elusive being almost invariably heard  and not seen apart from the odd little flit deep in cover. Almost back at the car we did spot one out in the open and was able to snatch a couple of iffy shots of it (PYLC #120). Woulda been a better pic had we let go of Monty's lead!

A dog walk with Wifey up to Rossall gave us a couple of Common Terns (151) sitting on a floating pallet just offshore and very little else. Then after a family visit we had half an hour late lunch break at Marshside RSPB reserve wher we found a cracking 2CY Mediterranean Gull lurking in among the throng of Black Headed Gulls and Avocets. Also there were a couple of Spoonbills (152), great to see  if a little distant and they they did a close formation fly-past rifght in fron of the hide and we didn't have a camera with us...Oh no man!!! 

Yesterday we had a mooch down the North Blackpool Pond Trail seeing our first House Martins (153) of the year  skimming low over the footy fields in the dull cold and windy conditions. Close by a Whitethroat sang but wasn't for showing itself.

On the return leg we had a look at the Black Pond and found a Heron up to its knees in the awfully invasive Crassula, New Zealand Pygmy Weed. Wherever that Heron goes next it's going to give it a dose of the nasty stuff.

A hundred yards further on and we found a few Swallows and House Martins skimming over a wet patch in one of the horse paddocks. 100 pics later and we got just one that's almost passable for the challenge.

House Martins (PYLC #122)

No we didn't manage to get any pics of the more numerous Swallows - they were just far too quick for us!

A quick scoot between the dog walkers on the top wildflower area had us find just one Bee Orchid rosette, there's probably more but it needs to be quieter to have a proper look.

This morning we planned to go back to Marton Mere but the threatened rain started as soon as we got Monty in the car so we had a change of plan and headed for the cliffs. At first it seemed like nothing much was happening. We noted the clumps of Great Burnet beginning to sprout so added them to iRecord.

and then not too many yards along the path spotted something that's obviously been there a long time but we've never noticed before, a small stunted Apple tree and you'll never guess what there was a similarly scratty bonsai-d Willow not ten paces away. The more you look the more you see, the more you see the more you learn. We looked and looked for anything else we might have missed over the years but those were enough for one day.

The Apple 'tree'

The Willow bush

 There were no birds to be seen on the way north but coming back we saw three Shelducks going south well out to sea. Shortly after a light shower a female Wheatear was seen working its way  along the bottom of the cliffs. Three, two and a single Swallows tazzed up and down along the cliff face gleaning whatever insects were in the air after the rain, the first we've seen here this year. Never mind first of the year a first EVER was about to pop up in front of us in the form of two Woodpigeons walking along the path not far in front of us. Fortunately Monty was well behaved and didn't flush them. We were able to get a bit of phone pic - no camera again!

Wasn't expecting them! Isn't Nature is ace - it always has the knack of throwing you a curve ball

Where to next? It's Bird Bingo with the kids on the Pond Trail tomorrow, what will we find?

In the meantime let us know who you weren't expecting in your outback

Wither has it wandered we wonder

The Safari had a morning on the North Blackpool Pond Trail yesterday. A conservation event had been organised with the Freshwater Habitats Trust to clear Willow trees that were growing in the pond to create a larger and unshaded area of open water. The pond is one of their 'Flagship Ponds' meaning it's one of the top 10% best ponds in the country. Its location between long-term footy fields and a housing estate probably means that there's never been any nutrient input like manure or fertiliser spread nearby and seeped in making the water too rich. The only inputs are blown leaves and rain!...and the leaves issue is being sorted.

It was a chilly frosty morning and everyone was eager to make a start once the formalities of the health n safety briefing and the tools talk had been completed.

Fortunately we had chain-saw wielding A from the FWT out who made light work of the larger trees which made lots of work  for the 'tidying up' crew of which we were one.

Cold over-the-wellies work!

That looks a bit heavy S

Going

Gone - and it's gonna make a big splash!!!

That looks a bit more manageable

In the good old days you could have a big bonfire to lose all the cut material but not anymore so all the brash has to be dragged well away from the pond and stacked up into neat habitat piles. This was our job as it's just about all our hands will allow these days,

With everybody's heads down concentrating on the job in hand not much wildlife was seen apart from a youngish Frog and a flock of Long Tailed Tits working their way through the ever decreasing twiggery - seems to be a thing this week!

We had to leave for other commitments at lunchtime but looking at the group's Facebook page there was plenty more achieved in the afternoon session.

There's always something to do along the Pond Trail so if you're at a loose end and fancy getting stuck in please get in touch.

In an attempt to get Monty drier and cleaner we took him to the prom late in the afternoon, which unlike almost everywhere else is more or less mud free. He had his usual ball with his ball but unfortunately his good buddy Stanley wasn't able to join him for a mad half hour's romp. He did get to enjoy a bit of a dig and a gorgeous Blackpool sunset though.

Today we were planning taking GB out to Marton Mere for his first visit in ages but an injury to him caused by a domestic appliance (a dangerous thing is a hoover!!!) put paid to that so we went on our own with Monty. We had the big lens with us and no tools today so only stopped to say hello to the volunteers who are still clearing the hedge line prepping it up in readiness for next week's laying session - again if you're at a loose end and fancy meeting a bunch of friendly folk, learning new skills and doing something positive for your environment please get in touch. There's so much going on out there it's impossible to say you're bored; you've got nothing to do!

After saying hello and getting all the negative local bird news (although the tempting Preston Firecrest is still present at the sewage works) we wandered off round the reserve visiting the very quiet Feeding Station first and not stopping long. We didn't stop at Dragonfly Den but kept going to the Bird Club Hide where J was already watching from. He hadn't seen much, most of the waterfowl were tucked tight in to the reeds on the far bank to get out of the bitingly cold wind. 

A Water Rail was seen briefly right under the SE Viewing Platform bit darted in to the reeds far too quickly for any chance of raising the camera...it was in deep shade anyway. There was no sign of the Stonechat around the new ponds from the very cold east embankment, if it was that cold here today how cold was it on the East Embankment at Cley in Norfolk??? Brrrrrrrrrrrrr and double brrrrrrrrrrrr we guess.

Earlier we'd had a brief chat to TS who told us he'd seen two female Bullfinches very well in the scrub, it'd be good if they were still there and sitting up all photogenic and all. We scanned the bushes and listened to no avail. A few Blackbirds, calling but unseen Fieldfares, a Dunnock and a Robin were all we could find.

Are you lookin at me?!?!

We also spotted a Grey Squirrel having a doze soaking up the warming rays.

J said he'd seen a few, more than ever before, on this side of the reserve in recent visits and sure enough just round the corner was another enjoying the sunshine, shame the same can't be said for a Long Eared Owl - where are they this year?

We're pretty sure there are actually two tails here - what do you think?

As we were taking this pic we heard the low call of a Bullfinch from somewhere deep in the scrub behind the squirrel. There were calls and calls but no sign...and then one flew - so we followed it. More calling but no can see - arrrghhhh. With no Bullfinch luck we checked a few more previous Long Eared Owl spots again with no luck and left J to go on to the Viewing Platform while we retraced our steps and left the reserve in the NE corner to give Monty a bit of off-lead time.

'Round the back' where we used to watch the Long Eared Owls from we heard the Bullfinch again but again it wasn't possible to see ti deep in the scrub...frustrating! The race is on for someone to ge the first decent pic of one at Marton Mere, now if TS carried a camera we'd all have long since been beaten to it!

Further down the track this Norway Maple stood out from the leafless crown shining like gold in the late morning sunlight.

On the path back to the car we saw LR's favourite gull; a Black Headed Gull that's been patrolling this stretch of track across the field every winter for more winters than we care to remember; is it five, seven, 10, more? 

Year in year out he wanders up and down this stretch of the track, drifting up and overhead if someone comes along to start the march again.

But it all begs the question; where does (s)he spend the summer, on the local salt marshes, Denmark, Czechoslovakia (OK OK we know there's no such place anymore) or even further afield?

Wonder where does he go from here?

We'd forgotten how good Michael Schenker is

 

It was walking towards an Apple tree with a few remaindf apples on the branches and a good number of windfalls beneath. earlier we'd heard Fieldfare(?) calling from here but would they be there now. There was movement in the lower branches but only three Blackbirds dropped to the ground, no Fieldfares this time.

A bitterly cold morning but a great safari none the less...and our thermal socks, last year's Christmas pressy, worked a treat on their first outing, no cold toes in our wellies!

But even with all that great wildlife the best sighting of the day was watching Monty get to grips (or not) with the first serious ice of his life, if he has come across it before, last January of February he's certainly forgotten about its lack of traction - it was quite amusing in a sort of cruel sort of a way watching him slithering about on it this morning...and he couldn't drink it either!

Where to next? To the Southside on family duties tomorrow but there might be a chance to see something somewhere.

In the meantime let us know who';s marching up and down with monotonous regularity in your outback.

The calm after the storm

The Safari had an hour watching the feeders before Wifey surfaced this morning. It was much more lively than yesterday, there were even three, yes THREE, Goldfinches - where were they for yesterday's survey? The twig balancing Blackbird was back too along with a pair of Chaffinches and a Robin. 

Then we saw something very pale flit from the Crab Apple Tree down on to the ground, it seemed so pale at first we thought it might have been a Canary but once it came back and we got the bins on it it was obviously a Chaffinch albeit a somewhat washed out one. The kitchen window was still soaking wet as it hadn't sopped raining yet and it hadn't got properly light either so the pics aren't brilliant but you'll get a feel of how unusual it was...never seen it round here before, wonder if it'll stick.

The twig balancer came back but we had to look twice, it wasn't the usual female this was a male that's either copied or learned the trick. We'll have to video it for you, they don't find it as easy as it looks in still pics.

Once Wifey had gone to eh-up muvver's we went to the nature reserve. On the walk in we found an Italian Alder tree with well developed catkins. No others of that species we passed were showing any sign of catkins.

Once in the reserve we went to the Viewing Platform (Teal View) where just at the side of the path was a small patch of Bluebells poking through the leaf litter. There's Daffodils at work almost six inches tall already as well.

On the other side of the path there were some Willow twigs showing pussy willow beginning to open, there's more quite a bit further advanced on the other sided of the reserve but we forgot to take a pic of it.

Just about the first bird we saw when we looked at the water was a female Pintail (MMLNR #106) a scarce but just about annual visitor here. The calmer conditions meant that most of the other waterfowl were on view and not hiding in the reeds, a nice mix of the commoner species with two female and a male Goldeneye but no Pochard today.

We had a stroll round to the far side passing the now completely laid hedge (our pics didn't come out) it's all down but just needs staking and tidying in to finish it off - looks pretty good too.

What didn't look good were someone's helium balloons stuck in the top of the Blackthorn thicket, only one way to get them down is to cut the shrubs down. Please please please folks never use helium balloons ever, there's just no need and they far too often become litter and a hazard to terrestrial or marine wildlife or livestock.

CR was in the hide trying out his new lens for the first time, we had a chat before moving on to the next hide - he was a bit time limited today. A Woodcock flew round over the scrub opposite us, probably disturbed from the scrub by some numpy's unleashed dog. He left and we went further round, he'd warned us the overflow was a bit on the excessive side - he wasn't wrong!

The dyke was full to busting even though the tide was out, it had over topped and spilled into the fields over night.

Earlier in the day some of the Bird Club had been out on the island hacking away at the reeds, not an easy job at the best of times but more difficult today with the water level several inches up. Looks good though lads n lasses - impressive views cross both the old and new scrapes now, thank you.

The afternoon was drawing to a close so we hung round for the chance of the Little Owl (200, MMLNR #107) coming out - it popped up on to the barn roof twice but didn't stay out long.

We got a better but much darker view as it sat on the edge of one of the broken sky lights. Great to have a good look at it, we've not seen it there for a long time, we didn't see a Little Owl anywhere last year!

By now it was almost dark and time to watch the Starlings come in to roost and murmurate but only about 50 turned up gave a short murmuration and then dropped in the reeds. Back towards the car we awaited by the wetland for the Short Eared Owl(s) to show - they didn't but we did hear a Water Rail and saw a Snipe fly off to feed. As we turned to go back to the car we met a couple we'd shown the Little Owl to earlier and they told us we'd missed the Short Eared Owl quartering over the island at about the time we were watching the Starlings, from where we'd chosen to stand we couldn't see the island - dohhhhh.

All in all a good afternoon out with our target reached in our Year List Challenge with Monika, but how many dogs...after the totally crap weather yesterday the wildlife could have done with a disturbance free day today to catch up on some serious feeding instead of being flushed every five minutes.

Where to next? Back to Patch 2 for a look before the next storm wangs in.
In the meantime let us know who's on the not so hot tin roof in your outback.

The crestless run continues

The Safari added another year bird from Patch 2 yesterday, a Razorbill (98, P2 #22), a Great Crested Grebe was #21 for the Patch 2 list too; getting interestingly close to the 100 in January mark now and there's still a week to go - will we or won't we?

Early this morning we did our RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, it was disappointing after recent years due to the abominable amount of habitat destruction locally this year.

A pair of Magpies were already making serious inroads into the sunny seeds and mealworms we'd put down last night. To get gulls on the score sheet we throw a few slices of bread on the garage roof just before the off and dash back in to our watch point, if we're not quick enough they can get the bread before we can count them. First one in was a Black Headed Gull (Garden #11). Nothing much happened until almost half time when a male Chaffinch (Garden #12) we weren't expecting dropped in.

One of the Magpies was now in last year's nest fettling up something in the inner sanctum.

A lone female Greenfinch arrived and landed on the feeder, it was extremely wary staying motionless for well over five minutes before starting to feed. They need their friends to keep a watch, this one was seriously unhappy without the rest of its flock.

In the end we had just 21 birds of 10 species, a third of the total were the gulls and gone by the end of the 30th second on the hour's watch.

This afternoon we were able to get out to the nature reserve for yet another look for the Firecrest, not far along the walk in there was a cracking male Stonechat (MMLNR #56) perched up on the red tops half way across the wetland.

Just before we got to the gate there was a lovely female Kestrel soaring around over the scrub.
Walking down to the Firecrest zone we met some birders coming out with negative news - OK so we won't have to wait too long this time we hoped.

A Cetti's Warbler fired up close by but even the Robins were absent at first. A movement in the reeds turned out to be the Dunnock but we did see a brief flit of a Cetti's Warbler which the other couple with us sadly missed as they'd not seen before.

The Willow catkins are not far off opening and then it won't be long before the first queen bumble bees are out of hibernation and looking for flowers to get their reserves back up.

Beneath the trees the Snowdrops are beginning to show, spring is deffo on the way now but there'll be a few more chilly days before its here for keeps.

Still no Firecrest for us though and not even any Goldcrests today.

The walk back to the Land Rover with our new friends there were some House Sparrows (MMLNR #57) chirruping away from the depths of the roadside Privet hedge.

Where to next? Not sure where we'll end up after the pond jaunt, possibly a skua might be involved.

In the meantime let us know what's keeping you guessing in your outback.