A Week of Wonderful Wildlife While under Lockdown

The Safari like a lot of folk has been mostly confined to barracks this week.We have been able to get out on Patch 1 for a short walk with the dog every morning but so far haven't taken the camera just the phone for any pics. We've seen a nice variety of wildlife like a small flock flock of migrating Jackdaws, a the female of a pair of Sparrowhawks narrowly missing catching a Wood Pigeon, a kettle of four soaring Buzzards, which is the same number as seen in total at the nearby Marton Mere NR between 1950 and 1991 - how much more common are they now persecution has almost stopped - and a Blackbird which looks to be nesting in the big Gorse bush in the middle of the field that is now smothered in bright yellow flowers - it's such a shame that thsi field will probably be built on before the end of the year. 

So far we've only heard singles of Chiffchaff and Blackcap but we're sure we'll clap eyes on both of them before too long.

For vast majority of the time we've been poking around in the garden, taking snaps of the regular garden visitors doing their usual thing.

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Collared Dove

Great Tit

Greenfinch

Blue Tit

One regular visitor was seen doing something most unusual. Our resident female Blackbird was quite often seen perched in the Crab Apple tree pecking chunks off the suet block hung from one of its lower branches. On odd occasions it was able to perch on the feeder, this was seen when the suet block begin to get smaller and smaller. What we didn't expect was it to cling to the sunflower heart feeder once the suet block had been finished. In all our five decades of birding, feeding the birds in a variety of gardens and watching bird feeders in 101 locations throughout the land we've never seen this behaviour from a Blackbird before. We were lucky to get a pic as it's quite shy and flies away at the slightest hint of movement from either indoors or out. But it has been back to repeat the performance on at least one occasion.

Our unique female Blackbird

Has anyone else seen a Blackbird (or any other of the typical thrushes) do this?

We've had some half decent sunshine and that has brought a few invertebrates out, mostly queen bumblebees - we've had a Tree Bee and a few Buff Tailed Bumblebees and a queen Common Wasp. A large 'colony' of the solitary Buffish Mining Bees (at least that's what we think they are) is on the street corner a few doors down where they burrow between the stones in a revetment banking and butterflies have so far been only represented by Peacocks.

The moth trap has been on all week but so far only one night has produced any moths and then just these two, a Common Quaker, the pale one, and a Hebrew Character (this is an old pic)

The only other news we have spotted an absolutely butchered Holly bush in the park in Patch 2 and to quote a senior arboriculturalist friend "Sack them - Pr*ck with saw alert!" or if it was done by volunteers some serious training is required. But the big question is why on earth do you need to chop a Holly bush in half in the first place. But then there's been some serious devastation to trees and shrubs in the park since we last visited at the beginning of the winter with some good trees having disappeared reduced to a pile of woodchip but again for reasons which seem inexplicable to us like an old gnarly Hawthorn and a standard Cotoneaster waterii that was full of berries among others.

Some seem to have been taken out to open up the view to the huge pylons that carry the electricity cables across the Wyre and beyond to the huge organised wildlife crime scene that is the Forest of Bowland hills. Whatever the reasons it looks like they're trying to purge any and all wildlife from the park. We're just a bit gutted...and the little pond has been cleared so the Moorhens have vanished but the Typha will grow back so they will probably return in a year or two if the clear out doesn't become an annual thing, it is full of Frog spawn though, acres of the stuff and we're hopeful there'll be a Smooth Newt or two still lurking in there too.
Word on the street is that the Roe Deer is still in the vicinity, one of our dog walking friends reporting it second hand as being seen on the golf course across the road and another saying he disturbed it in the park at 05.00 taking his dogs out before going to work a few days ago...it wold be great to get a pic of this Roe Deer only a few hundred yards from our front door.

Where to next? For the coming week the weather has turned wintry cold again but we'll keep you posted with what we find on our early morning walk and any offerings from the garden. 

In the meantime remember - Keep your distance, stay safe and don't forget there's loads of fantastic wildlife to enjoy and learn about right outside your door or through your window.

The year list trots on and news of a twitch in Pembrokeshire

The Safari wasn't sure if we'd get out this morning or not as there were chores to be done. But we did put the mothy out last night for only the second time this year and when we opened it there was the first moth of the year inside, a Hebrew Character. The moth list is on its way.

A Pied Flycatcher had turned up close to Wifey's work last night and we were relieved it was still there this morning, it was very tempting! We had to decline a trip to the nature reserve early morning with CR but when news broke that the flycatcher was still around we let him know and arranged a pick-up as he left the nature reserve and headed back our way towards this local scarcity.

Once on site there were Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs singing and we saw the Heron sat on the very low nest. A few other birders were already secreted in various parts of the scratty wet woodland but news wasn't good it hadn't been seen for a good while. All of a sudden a cry went out 'it's here', it had moved from the wooded area in to a sunnier glade at the back of the neighbouring gardens where we could occasionally see a face and then feet from a kid enjoying some trampolining fun - didn't seem to be disturbing our bird though. It was easy to see but not easy to photograph on the 'wrong' side of dense Hawthorn bush but soon moved into the open. A lovely little bird we see all too infrequently. Pied Flycatcher (139) hits the list. We did see on close to here many years ago, could it be a little hotspot but totally underwatched. 

We spent a good half hour watching it flit in and out of cover back in the wet woods. Also present were good numbers of Willow Warblers and a few butterflies including our first white of the year but too quick to be able to be identified.
Back at Base Camp we did a few more minor chores before being 'allowed' out again provided we called in at the shops on the way back so it was off to the nature reserve we went.

We thought about going to our newt-zone on the way but changed our mind when we saw the traffic and went directly to the wetland instead. As soon as we got out of the Land Rover a movement on the Privet bush alerted us to a Tawny Mining Bee, the first we've ever seen locally although CR gets them in his garden and was hoping to photograph them this arvo. We also saw LR with his dog who told us there'd been a couple of Whitethroats earlier in the morning. A scan of the wetland gave us no Stonechats but on the remnant hedge there were two interesting looking birds and we hoped for one of them to be a Whinchat. Wandering over cautiously one turned into a male House Sparrow, a Reed Bunting dropped in too but the mystery bird was mostly obscured on the far side of the vegetation. We could have done with being a couple of feet taller but it eventually gave itself up as a male Linnet which then dropped into the thick vegetation.

From there we had a quick look from raptor hill before committing sacrilege and going back on ourselves and walking the 'wrong way round' going to the Feeding Station first. It was quiet as would be expected on a fairly warm afternoon but a male Reed Bunting on the fat balls was something we're fairy certain we've never not seen before.

Butterflies were the most numerous they've been so far this year, Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells were all over the shop but a couple of Commas were our first of the year.

From the hide we had a good look at the numbers of Lesser Black Back and Herring Gulls that were dropping in all the while but couldn't find anything noteworthy amongst them. On the scrape a Common Sandpiper (140, MMLNR #84) poked around until something spooked the gulls and they flushed, it took a while to find a soaring Buzzard.

The two regular Oystercatchers were back on the scrape again too. Three Linnets dropped in on the top of the island and the Cetti's Warbler fired up nice and loud but unseen close by. 

MJ was on the embankment listening for warblers in the reeds and sure enough after a while sitting on the bench in the cold blustery wind both Reed and Sedge Warblers were heard if only briefly, the wind keeping them low and quiet.

The new hide attracted a gaggle of scrotes.

Running out of time again it was the turn of the shops so we high tailed it back to the Land Rover only to meet AM on the way who pointed out a Wheatear (MMLNR #85) on the top of a tree near the hotel. It soon flew and so we we after a bit of a chat. We were waylaid again by a local dog walker who has taken to bringing out her binoclurs now, she asked if there was anything about and we told her about the recently disappeared Wheatear and hurried on our way. At the top of the path across the wetland a Grasshopper Warbler (141, MMLNR #86) started to reel but she was now too far away against the wind to shout her back. 

So ended a much better afternoon than we expected this time yesterday.

Last night we heard from our Extreme Photographer telling us he'd been on a twitch to see the Woodchat Shrike that's landed not too far from his cottage in the sticks.

He says the pics are thee best he could do as the weather wasn't great with drizzle and the light was 'pants' and the bird a long way off!

Stonechat

Woodchat Shrike

He says he'll try to get back if it hangs around to get some better pics - they look alright to us!!!

Where to next? Frank's not been so good on his feet this week so we may be housebound, mothy will be out again though.

In the meantime let us know who's reeling around in your outback.

Not a lot today, got a busy night coming up

The Safari emptied a rather wet and soggy moth trap this morning to find yet more Hebrew Characters lurking inside.

They might be common and widespread but that doesn't stop them being a rather bonny moff.

This was first Light Brown Apple Moth trapped this year, we've disturbed one from long grass on Patch 1 a week or so ago.

A proper first for the year was found in the form of just  one Shuttle Shaped Dart, there's bound to be more!

A carpet type thingy escaped, possibly a Common or Garden Carpet - haha see what we did there?

Later a walk to Magpie Wood gave us a Chiffchaff singing from the park we used to be able to wander round with him and a blob on one of the ledges on the tower. It appeared to be hunkered down quite low and our first impression was of a sitting Peregrine, rather hopeful perhaps as we didn't have any optics with us and it is rather high up.

We tried to get turn Frank round quickly to get him back to Base Camp so we could grab the scope and nip back in the Land Rover - didn't work he wasn't for going anywhere quickly. He led us down the hedge lined ginnel alongside the Golden Triangle which rang with bird song, Chaffinch, Robin, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Wren, Blackbird all piped up and then we heard a Garden Warbler (147) - Bingo a real local rarity! Well done to Frank for dawdling!!!

We txtd CR to see if he could see the 'Peregrine' from home, he could but couldn't make anything out, a bit too far away. We got back to Base Camp eventually put the scope and Frank in the Land Rover and whizzed back round - the ledge was empty flippin thing had gone! Obviously not sitting on eggs then!

Not much happening in the drizzly garden in which we've done a bit of prep work for something special tomorrow. But before then we've the small matter of the very first Blackpool Zoo Bioblitz to attend and set up our moth trap and torch for amphibians in the moats around the enclosures...NO Elephants, Lions and Giraffes won't we going on the list!!!

We'll be back in the morning too looking for bugs, birds and wildflowers.

Where to next? Lets go bioblitzing!
In the meantime let us know what's lurking on a ledge in your outback

A bit better on the moff front

The Safari was out before sunrise this morning along the North Blackpool Pond Trail on our last ever Winter Thrushes survey. The world had the fresh green cast of unfurling leaves but the birdsong was still only made up of resident birds though with Blackbirds, Woodpigeons, Collared |Doves, Dunnocks, Robins, Wrens, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Blue Tits and Great Tits so it still smacked of winter out there.

A few opening flowers of Bluebells, native, Spanish and hybrids made it a little more springlike and it was reasonably mild for the time of year at about 10C. A few heads of Hedge Garlic were coming out too, bring on the Orange Tip butterflies!

A little further along it sounded a bit more summery with Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing away at the Community Orchard as we neared our survey's starting point. 

The second bird on our survey was a singing Song Thrush giving it plenty a hundred yards further on, this was the only one we heard, indeed it was the only thrush that wasn't a Blackbird and they were down a bit on recent visits probably because half of them might well be sat on nests. Or maybe not as we saw a female carrying a huge long strand of grass in to the hedge by the long ditch.

Thrush action was interrupted by four Cormorants flying north at height. We thought they might drop on to the nearby lake but they kept going straight on, unlike us who broke off the survey route for a few minutes and did visit the lake where in the scrub we heard the liquid cadences of three Willow Warblers (130), two days earlier than last year but about the average date for us for this species but they have been in awhile and we haven't had the chance to get near any.

On the islands a Heron was attending to it's well grown youngster in the first nest while in the other the adult was hunkered well down.

The only notable thing about the second part of the survey was notable for the wrong reason, few Blackbirds but freakin shed loads of cats, they were everywhere!

In the end we only had 23 Blackbirds and the aforementioned Song Thrush on the tally sheet.
Once back at Base Camp we opened the moth trap to find a small number lurking within...whoopy-do - success.

Well it wasn't that brilliant just two Hebrew Characters, a Common Quaker and an Early Grey, nothing over exciting but the Early Grey didn't appear last year so it was nice to get reacquainted with one.

Common Quaker

Early Grey

Hebrew Character

In the garden a bit later doing some chores we heard an 'alba' Wagtail go over, there's a few Whites about at the mo but we'll have to track them down on the ground no chance of IDing an overflying bird.

A flying visit for a brew and drop off some firewood from his current job by our Extreme Photographer saw us in the garden again. We noticed that a chunk of wood had fallen at the back of the woodstore and we footled it out only to see a freshly deceased moth on it - had we just deceased it, hope not - a quick check - well you have to don't you - revealed it as a male Bee Moth, thought these were a summer species mid-April seems a bit early for one to be out and about, it's not been that warm has it? There is a Tree Bee nest just above where we found it - coincidence or not??? They larvae live in the nests of bees eating the waxy cocoons.

A quick trip with Frank to Magpie wood mid-afternoon gave us a nice selection of songsters at the golden Triangle, Woodpigeon, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, and Chiffchaff. They all went a bit quiet when Sparrowhawk lashed through.

In sports news the mighty Blues Everton scored their winner at the same moment as the lowly 'Pool conceded their second, Europe for one perhaps relegation looms frighteningly large for the other.

Where to next? Moffy will be out again tonight.
In the meantime let us know who's brought the summer with them in your outback.

Fish hawk high

The Safari was relieved to find no water in the moth trap this morning. Better than that there WERE moths!

Not many and after three negative turns of the egg-boxes at the bottom  we were beginning to feel we were going to be out of luck again...but no a Hebrew Character was lurking in box number four.

A couple more came out and then we found a Common Quaker lurking in the deepest recesses of the box.

So with five Hebrews and a Quaker, bit of a religious theme don't you think?, our season's mothing is off the mark at last - let's hope it continues and is a darn sight better than last year.

The morning was productive with a successful MOT for Wifey's car being the highlight - always a phewwwww.

After we got back from the garage you know who wanted to go out so we took him to Chat Alley. There's been a few Ring Ouzels about and with the odd shower in the air you never quite know what might get dropped at this time of year.

Our main quarry was Wheatears and it wasn't long before a stonking male was found on the first set of steps leading down to the Lower Walk, always a good place to check out. It flitted down on to the seawall between the fishermen waiting for the tide to come in and their match to start.

It then flew up the cliff and started poking about in the grass.

Another flash-of-white flit was noticed a little further dawn the way and was eventually seen on the 'ornamental' rocks - a female Wheatear. Nice. 

Above, at the top of the cliffs three Meadow Pipits dropped out of thee sky and landed on the path-side fence when a bit of drizzle was felt in the air.

Out at sea there was nothing happening but with only binoculars our range was limited. All of a oneness the gulls which had been noticeably quite started making a ruckus behind us. Spinning round and scanning there was an Osprey (129) circling around drifting northwards a few hundred yards inland about 500 feet up = thank you gulls :-) 

OK so there may be about 700 in Scotland now (breeding pairs + returning unpaired second years) and others passing through on their way to Scandinavia but it's always good to get a self-found one on a local patch for the year list and not have to go to one of the always popular 'commercial' viewpoints to see them.

Quite a good Saturday, moths off the mark and a bit of patch gold we weren't expecting - sorted!
Still 22 behind our arch-rival Monika for the year, but then we haven't had the trip of a lifetime to the Mexican Baja California...maybe next year????? If you haven't yet had a shuffy at her adventures we suggest you nick over there sharpish and have a rummage round.

Where to next? A bit of wet weather forecast to arrive sometime overnight so we're thinking nature reserve tomorrow.

In the meantime let us know who the gulls found in your outback.

Almost crackin the flags!

The Safari was out in the garden chatting to our Extreme Photographer on the mobile blower last night when a very unexpected solitary Sand Martin flew over...Garden #32.

Frank had us up at ungodly o'clock...the numbers on the digital clock began with four! When yer dog's gotta go you've gotta get up and go with him...and we're quite glad we did as the cool morning air was filled with the song of a myriad of Blackbirds, there didn't seem to be much else singing, a Robin here and a Wren there but it was almost wall to wall Blackbirds and made all the better for the almost complete absence of human noise pollution...the milkman went by as did a couple of taxis but other than them it was a natural sounds all the way.

We'd put the moth trap out last night on the promise of a decent overnight weather forecast but almost as soon as we turned the  lamp on the rain, well only light drizzle, started. we made the decision to leave it out believing the good forecast and were relieved this morning to finds it bone dry. worryingly a blog of small bird poo was on one of the perspex sides to the 'funnel' has something twigged there's free scram to be had - would the trap be empty...

No it wasn't empty but it was hardly full either...just one Hebrew Character was all that was in there - it's got to get better than this. Is the weather, is it the local gardeners and their habitat destruction, is it the other local gardeners who go to the garden centres and buy bee and butterfly friendly plants whose compost is doused in neonicotinoid pesticides? Probably a mix of these and more but it truly is a very poor mothing season so far. Last year we didn't get any Hebrews in May they'd finished by the end of April.

After thoroughly searching through the egg boxes in the trap again to check we hadn't missed anything - we hadn't - we went back to bed until sensible o'clock.

Before Wifey got up we were  making her brekkie and noticed the female Blackbird went unto the Crab Apple tree and thence under the eaves into the garage so the nest we showed you yesterday is in use after all - nice! One of the three holes in the House Sparrow 'terrace' is occupied by a pair of Great Tits, we don't think there'll never be a House Sparrow in there.

Our third nest of the day wasn't a bird but a bee. Above the kitchen door is a crack in the brick work and a large White Tailed Bumble Bee was seen to go in a couple of times during the day...a day during which the sun shone very warmly at times, or at least in our sheltered garden it was. Much of the day was spent doing garden improvements with new tubs bought and new climbing plants to fill them, in the process of all this we brought the tub with the Clematis in from the front to put up in the corner of the garages and accidentally nudged the old hanging basket with the Wren's nest in it and out shot a very indignant Wren - so it looks like that's in use too - hope it's all right after all today's disturbance, tomorrow being forecast to be wet and windy should be a much quieter day for them.

So four nests at Base Camp - well chuffed - - big cheesy smiles all round!

Perhaps we should hav gone birding today rather than doing the garden as locally a Hobby and, more remarkably, a Bee-eater were seen nearby, what else might have been about?

Where to next? Little chance of the mothy being put out tonight and we'll be lucky to get anywhere tomorrow...but you never know.

In the meantime let us know who's nesting in your outback.

PS Frank went to 'Fat Club' this arvo cos he has to lose at least 5kgs...and the first thing we have to do is give him more food! Almost double what he gets now; but very little in the way of treats, not that the broken pieces of rice cake he gets now are much of a treat for a growing dog.

The moths they came in two by two t'raa t'raa...the moths they.......

The Safari opened the moth trap to success, not a great success but success never-the-less. From the deepest darkest recesses the paint-brush coaxed two each of Hebrew Characters and Common Quakers, our account for the year is belatedly opened.

After a hearty brekkie of bacon, mushrooms and tatty scone butties with lashings of brown sauce and a lovely cuppa whilst watching out of the window for the Wrens, we decided to have a day's twitching.

On the cards was a female Lesser Scaup not too far up the motorway that had been at the site for at least a week, so what were we waiting for...We loaded Frank up and set off into our favourite traffic...jeez it doesn't get any better, one numptie couldn't do more than 35 miles an hour almost caused a crash when joining the motorway, we thought we'd pass him and leave him for dust - no chance he shot off at well over the speed limit - barmy!!!

Anyway we called at th site and couldn't find the Lesser Scaup but did find JP...wasn't expecting to see him there...he'd had no luck either.

The pair of us spent another good half hour checking the few Tufted Ducks lurking here and there. Eventually we went our separate ways disappointed but we both resolved to come back later. He went to the nearby reserve which, having Frank with us we couldn't, we went to the point overlooking Morecambe Bay. On the way over he crag we stopped at the little viewpoint over the marsh to have a quick look at the Avocets (158) we knew would be down there. But probably more exciting than the birds was this beautiful Early Purple Orchid right at the start of the path but just far enough back off the pull in not to at risk of being run over by parking cars.

At the point bird-life was restricted to a few Robins and Blackbirds, a Bullfinch peeu'd unseen and a Jay hoped around briefly - where were all the migrants? Looking over the sands we heard the ung ung ung of Shelducks and over 100 Black Tailed Godwits. A familiar sound but out of context had us bemused for a minute or two, a first summer Kittiwake chased a Black Headed Gull round the 'cliff' calling for all it was worth...wasn't expecting one of those!

Even the flowers here weren't as prolific as they should be at this time of the year, just a few Cowslips and Primroses...far too cold to even think about looking for Adders.

 Cuckoo Pint is always fun to see.

Frank staggered about but did pretty well considering the old damp conditions but needed plenty of rest towards the end. He enjoyed himself sniffing almost every one of the hundreds of Molehills.

Getting cold we decided to call it quits and move on. We stopped off at the big quarry where there was some Peregrine action unfolding. A Raven had been grounded in a tree and the Peregrines weren't about to let it out! They didn't mind the Jackdaws leaving but if the Raven got to the edge of the branches one of the Peregrines would tazz by with feet outstretched almost touching the twigs to keep it tucked well in and out of the way.

After several minutes it was time for a breather, looks like they've had a few smokos on that high ledge over the last few weeks. Right at the limit of our camera's range.

Back at the Lesser Scaup site it still wasn't to be found. The fisherman nearest to us had a bite and reeled in a sizeable Carp.

The field was full of the joys of spring, lots of sheep with lots of lambs making lots of poo attracting lots of Yellow Dung Flies.

And on the way home the sun came out - drat!
Where to next? Bank Holiday tomorrow so we won't be braving the traffic, just staying local.
In the meantime let us know what Yankees failed to show in your outback.

Anyone any good with micros?

The Safari took no more than two minutes to empty the moth trap this morning. When we went out the thermometer was showing a blistering 4C so we weren't expecting much. Suffice to say there wasn't a lot in there.

A Hebrew Character...isn't there always?

And this little devil...which we ought to know! He was quite golden when the sun shone briefly

And a Double Striped Pug

 This last one taken through the side of the pot gives the most realistic colours!

We've just indulged ourselves and ordered this so hopefully our micro ID will improve a little.
We posted this plant last June and came across the pic again yesterday so decide to put ity on iSpot for an ID. Well as you can see they came up with Seaside Daisy which is a North American plant introduced about 150 years ago...still horrifically rare up here though the North Lancashire Flora tells me it has only been recorded in three tetrads in North Lancashire, all nearby, but not since 2003!!!

Last footy of the season this arvo - well almost, as barring a major upset 'Pool will be in the play-offs but who will they play? Can they beat them? Will they get to Wembley? Will the get back in the Premier League?

Where to next? Off out to photograph some hedgerows - back in a bit.

In the meantime let us know if you dared lift the lid on the moth trap in your outback.