June arrives and so does the rain

The Safari has been mostly in the garden at Base Camp this week but we have been around a couple of local sites too.

We've had a little success with the moth trap but nothing to really get the pulse racing. To be fair the best catches this week have been non-moths like this tiny Caenis mayfly of which there were two on Monday morning.

When the sun has shone, which hasn't been as often as we'd like this week, we've been down to the bottom of the garden where it's a bit wilder (Wifey says too wild!). Up there we came across the first 2-Spot Ladybird we've seen this year, not seen many ladybirds of any description yet, this one was a very small individual.

With not much happening we took ourselves back indoors for a brew where we found this crane fly bouncing around the kitchen window trying to smash the panes of glass to get out. Once it had come to rest we saw that it wasn't one of your 'normal' types of Crane Fly but from the family of Fold Winged Flies, Ptychopteridae.

Later in the afternoon another Mint Moth was hanging round the pot plants..

The following morning we had a 'click & collect' grocery shop to pick up from the store. The van from which your shopping is parked at the top end of the car park and this morning there was a queue of cars waiting their turn so naturally we joined the end of it hoping it wouldn't be a long wait. We turned the engine off and wound the window down. There's not much in the way of vegetation anywhere near the store but the car park does have a few bushes which attract the local House Sparrow flock so we were listening to them chirruping away in the dense cover when we heard another call which sounded like a Coal Tit. We heard it again and it still sounded like a Coal Tit, can't be there's not a tree for miles and even further to the nearest conifers. Then a Coal Tit appeared in a little gap in the side of the line of bushes and hopped off only to be followed by a second - how mad is that - what a great shop car park tick. The Swift, or was there more than one, tazzing round the eaves of the terraced houses backing on to the car park was great to watch too. 

After the shopping as safely stashed away at Base Camp we set off with the mutt for a wander round Woodland Gardens and Heron's Reach. As soon as we entered the wood this huge fungus caught our eye. Must be the best part of a metre from end to end.

We're useless at fungi so if anyone can put a name to it let us know. The rest of the walk was mainly Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs but we did hear a Ring Necked Parakeet high above the old military pill-box  in the wood, could they have a nest somewhere up there we were there again today and heard one calling from the same place on the way out and the way back.

Mammals were represented by both Lion and Tiger but no Elephants as we peered over the zoo fence. The mutt's nose tells him there's something interesting on the other side of the fence but he hasn't a clue what as he's not tall enough to see over - probably just as well! What we didn't expect to see was a Rabbit a little further along the path and this side of the fence, can't remember the last time we saw one of those round there, if indeed we ever have.

We had a look under the usual amphibian refugia finding just a few Toads and nothing that we 'wanted' - the ground was very dry even under cover.

Back on the path a movement low in the undergrowth on the far side alerted our attention. Another Rabbit and a young one at that. Certainly wasn't expecting to see a second round there and this one was a good 200 metres from the first so almost definitely from another family.

Some sunshine brought out a few insects like this Speckled Wood butterfly but far fewer than we would have expected especially bees of which there were hardly any.

Wednesday saw the first appreciable rain for several weeks although despite it being prolonged and quite heavy it still hasn't done any more than dampen the ground.

In an attempt to attract the over-flying families of Starlings into the garden we've been putting mealworms out. Not a Starling in sight, they've even stopped flying over. But as soon as we put any mealworms out now the local Magpies and this individual Herring Gull are right on them, the gull having to do a precarious balancing act to get its beak in the tub..

Also seen in the garden on a wet Wednesday were a second family of Greenfinches and the Great Tits are feeding young in our House Sparrow terrace - very late starting this year, they'd fledged by now this time last year.

Thursday finally gave us some moths and not Heart & Darts.

Angle Shades

Treble Lines

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Also in the trap were a couple of Caddis Flies, this larger one is a Limnopphilus sp

A much smaller one is as yet unidentified.

After breakfast we were down on the beach with the mutt. A few Moon Jellyfish had been washed up. No other species of jellyfish though although in recent days others have been reporting lots of Sea Gooseberries.

We also found a smallish Common Starfish alive and well and cruising slowly round one of the puddles left by the tide very close to the seawall. Also found nearby was this deceased Thornback Ray, another angling victim no doubt.. Juts look at the shadow of the spines along its tail - fearsome!

Along the cliffs we came across our first juvenile Pied Wagtail, waiting around a while we saw both the parents but no other youngsters.

Around the garden in the afternoon we concentrated on watching the bees

Early Bumble Bee

But also found some other little things like this Running Spider, Philodromus sp, and by eck could it run it was well wick even over the vertical surface of a pane of window glass!!!

and this tiny green true bug just a few millimetres long.

The bee we hoped to find didn't turn up. An apparently all black one that won't keep still.

We did finally catch up with it at the weekend - do we still have weekends? A Leaf  Cutting Bee, probably Megachile centuncularis.

Being photo-bombed by a Tree Bee

We've seen both the male and the female but haven't seen the female carrying leaves yet although in the bottom pic it's collecting pollen. 

On Sunday we had an early morning wander round the Rock Gardens seeing a pair of Whitethroats feeding young and another male singing from the opposite end of the field.

Back at the bottom of the garden we came across this small black wasp. It's believed to be one of the five (or six - depending on which taxonomist you read) Pemphredon species although a profile pic would have been useful to rule out other genera but it didn't hang around long enough for that and we haven't seen it since.

If it is one of those none of them have been recorded in the Fylde before.

As dusk fell we had our first House Sparrow on the new millet feeder in the back garden. Probably the same male that came a couple of times when the feeder dispensed suet pellets but hasn't been seen since. All we need now is for it to come back during the day to have his photo taken, and we'd be quite happy for him to bring his family along too - we need them - - we jumped in with both feet and got 17kg of red millet delivered.

All in all a pretty action packed week on safari.

Where to next? With lockdown being eased even further  we're going to be a bit more adventurous and have some further flung safaris planned.

In the meantime let us know who's Been visiting your outback.

Remember to stay safe and socially distant while enjoying the wildlife round your way.

One week in

The Safari has been out n about in the gloom this week hitting off the new year's wildlife lists. our mammal list at the end of the week stands at a massive two, the ubiquitous Grey Squirrel being first on to the page in the notebook, seen at just about every site we've been to with more than one tree but the other species was more of a surprise so early in the year a Harbour Porpoise quite close in on the morning of the 3rd just breaking the surface of a flat calm grey sea a couple of times before disappearing. As soon as we reached the top of the cliff on Monty's dog walk we felt the sea looked 'porpoisy' and it only took us a couple of minutes scanning to find it, at first we were looking too far out!

The mammal tally will surely grow but we're back in the bird photo challenge with Monika and her friends from Washington state and other places so we've been concentrating on getting a few birds submitted to the SD card - the dingy grey January days haven't produced the best of pics but some of the more dodgy ones can be replaced at a later date hopefully. So far we've managed 34 species out of 78 recorded. It should be 35 but for some reason we didn't lift the camera when a Barn Owl flew within a few yards of us at Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB reserve the other afternoon - in broad daylight (such as it was) as well. Think we were just so engrossed and mesmerised watching it in the bins that there was no thought of the camera. That sounds like good old fashioned bird watching! The memories are etched into our mind and we'll fondly recall the trip out with our Southside friends for many years to come - who needs an SD  card?

The general rule for the Challenge is to photograph as many species as possible and hopefully more than everyone else...that's not going to happen in our case as others in the group live in more ornithologically diverse areas than we do and others have trips abroad or at least to different biomes within their continent lined up. But then the challenge is also to beat your previous year's tally so we have a target of 180 species, and/or achieve a higher strike rate, % species photographed out of your total year list. The aim is also to get better or different photos from your previous attempts. And then this year Monika has come up with a new rule - No 'hand of man' so no birds on feeders, wires, fence posts in the backgound, buildings, birds sporting rings etc etc etc - - just to make it a tad more trickier.

Here's a selection of what we've managed so far

Female Blackbird at Marton Mere - in the sunshine!!!

Water Rail at Marton Mere - sunny but in the shade - - this one nearly caught us out lucky to have captured one so early in the year

Mute Swan over Lawson's Wetland - different to our previous year's efforts as it's in the air not on the water

Moorhen at Marton Mere

Teal at Marton Mere

Wood Pigeon at Lawson's Wetland - and that was the last we saw of the sunshine for the rest of the week

Herring Gull paddling for worms close to Base Camp

Starlings approaching North Pier to roost - a tiny portion of an enormous flock joining the guestimated 20000 already present - but sadly no murmurations again

A chilly morning in Stanley Park gave us five Ring Necked Parakeets - the other one is out of frame by several yards

There's been a nasty bloom of the invasive alien Azolla in the park lake which is showing no sign of abating but this pair of Shovelers don't seem to be bothered by it

Great Tits in Stanley Park

Mugged by a Robin in Stanley Park

Canada Goose in Stanley Park

Black Headed Gull in Stanley Park

Tufted Duck in Stanley Park

As mentioned early we'd met up with our Southside friends, the original plan was to join them at a flock of Waxwings in Liverpool but news on the way was that they'd had no joy despite extensive searching and attracting the attention of the local Boys in Blue so they'd decide to make tracks to Southport where we diverted to en-route and met them at Marshide RSPB reserve. 

They arrived only minutes before we did and had lined up a nice Merlin for us.

A little too distant in the grotty light but it's on a post so can't count for our new rules challenge

Fortunately AB spotted another raptor, which turned out to be another Merlin, sat on a lump of driftwood - which does count - on the marsh across the road - - unfortunately it was about ten times further away.

Rubbish pic but at least it counts - one to replaced ASAP!

Pintail at Marshside RSPB

After a goody shuffy round Marshside we decamped to the other RSPB reserve Hesketh Out Marsh a few miles away after the gang had scoffed in to a very tasty portions of chips n gravy/curry from the Chinese chippy opposite Booths in Hesketh Bank - mucho recommended by all - - we'd brought pies and cheese n ham butties with us so didn't partake of chips - - they did look and smell temptingly good though.

At HOM the light was horrendous and the pools mostly devoid of birds, apparently earlier in the morning, when the tide was in, there'd been a good selection of waders and waterfowl to perise and enjoy. We could only manage a few Redshank, Lapwings and distant Black Tailed Godwits. And the flock of Wigeon which holds the American Wigeon somehow didn't give up its interloper despite others having seen it that day, we've even seen pics of it taken from where we ere stood...dohhhhh...and then the aforementioned Barn Owl happened. But hey-ho who needs pics when there's good fun going on and good birds to be seen, even if there were no Bewick's Swans in the two flocks of Whooper Swans we scanned - we;d seen one earlier at Marshide but it was a long way off and spent all the time we were there fast asleep so not much more than a slightly smaller white blob than the sleeping Mute Swan sitting next to it.

Earlier in the week we dipped the Snow Buntings at Starr Gate and nearly did again today. We were on our last walk up along the beach to the Christmas Tree some one has 'planted' on the edge of the dunes - we'd done the walk three times already - when one of the other two birders looking for them called us over. Success - he'd found them in a deep blow-out in the high dunes when they flew past him on to the strandline on the beach. Quite close to the Chtristmas tree we were going to turn back at - phewwwwww!

The three of us enjoyed close views as they picked out seeds from among the Mason Worm casts and bits of dried seaweed. The other two birders left and after a few more minuted the birds flew well out on to the beach where they continued to find seeds on another but much reduced strandline.

Snow Bunting at Starr Gate today bringing our PYLC 2019 tally to 34 - Really pleased they've come back for another winter - are they the same birds as last year???

 While walking upu and down the beach as usual we kept our eyes peeled for anything of note in the strandlines. Lots and lots and lots of Mason Worm casts and not a lot else but it did strike us that there were more Mermaid's Purses than we normally see and that all those were Thornback Ray egg-cases, no Lesser Spotted Catshark cases at all, or at leaset none that we spotted. And then we came across this cluster where a little depression in the sand had made a shallow pool that they'd got trapped in, never seen anything like this concentration of them before, there's two dozen in the pic and others out of shot top and bottom.

Apologies for the blurry bit - rain on the phone-cam lens we guess

That's the wonder of wildlife, you never know what you're going to find. Yes we struck lucky with the Snow Buntings, our target for the day but we nearly missed out on them and yet we had no idea when we left Base Camp we'd see that cluster of mermaid's purses, the like of which we've never seen before - isn't nature great!

Where to next? A safari up north with CR tomorrow, not sure exactly where yet but hopefully the natiral world will provide some goodies and some surprises. 

In the meantime let us know who's all clustered up in your outback

We're still in the planning stage of the YouTube Vlog, trying to work out logistics of bins, scopes, cameras, phones etc etc and the format it's going to take so please 'bear with' as they say in the telly.

It's murder out there

The Safari had a family day out and dogs walk around the dunes at Birkdale last weekend. mot much to report as as can be imagined on a Sunday afternoon there was a lot of disturbance. Most unusual was the number of Harebells still flowering, normally they are a mid to late summer flowerer so to see plenty of them still going strong at the end of November is a tad unusual to say the least and possibly something to to do with the hot dry summer followed by a fairly mild autumn.

Monday morning saw us on the beach for the first time in a while. Again we came across another rather unusual late November sighting, this time an Octopus Jellyfish. They are more usually associated with the summer months but can be found after rough weather more sporadically throughout the winter too.

Much less pleasing was the discovery of one then two then casting our eye along the beach almost two dozen dead young Lesser Spotted Catsharks. No doubt victims of the fishermen over the weekend. Further own the beach Monty had spotted (or more likely got a sniff of) something grey lying on the sand. At first we thought it was a sheet of plastic but getting closer soon realised it was  a dead Thornback Ray.

We were fortunate enough to catch up with Monty and get him on his lead before he dropped a shoulder and rolled on it as is his wont with dead stuff. Good job we did too as he could have shredded and minced himself looking at those spines! A common enough creature in our waters and we find many of their Mermaid's Purse egg-cases but it wouldn't and probably didn't look out of place in the times of Jurassic Park 150 million years ago. Sad to see its life snuffed out. We witnessed a fishing match along the prom last weekend and have to say the cruelty we witnessed was shocking. Whatever happened to anglers respecting and being responsible for their catch and looking after the environment? We watched fish being dragged over the concrete sea wall rather than being lifted with a net as soon as they were able, others were left hooked on the dry ground or dangling from the mouth with their full body weight (not good for an animal that nver feels its own weight) for several minutes while the fishermen changed their leader and recast had a chat to their mates about their catch and only then got round to measuring it before unhooking it, often brutally, and then slinging it back over the wall in to the sea. surely the measure and release should be done first and the release could be much more gently done from the steps down to the beach - providing it's safe to descend them without risk of being washed in. The amount of fishing related litter left behind was shocking too; despite all the publicity surrounding plastic and its effect on marine life the message isn't getting through to some, or it is and they just don't care.

We used to do a lot of fishing but we think the rod n reel will be staying put in the garage now.

Anyway come Monday afternoon we had a wander round the nature reserve. Not a lot going on but to be fair we walked around the outside path peering in at all the former favourite Long Eared Owl roost spots to no avail - where are they? Are there even any here? Our walk took us along the caravan site bank where we had quick look from Dragonfly Den, the much improved view didn't give us any reward though. Our best sighting so far came in the form of two Little Grebes away across against the reeds on the far side from the unofficial 'under the big tree' view point - could do with a proper screen here as its a great spot to check out the gulls.

Frpm the  Fylde Bird Club hide we were told about two neck ringed Grey Lag Geese by MJ and BD. At first both were distant on the scrape with one out of site behind the reeds in the corner but after a while a flotilla sawm out and passed in front of us giving an opportunity to read the collars Orange PZP and PZS, birds from the Windermere study site.

From information received from WWT's KB they were ringed together in 2015 at Lake Windermere and are often seen together. They summer and presumably breed in the Lake District around Lake Windermere and then fly south a few miles to spend the winter around the Fylde and SW Lancashire.

Conscious of the time we pushed on passing a Water Rail and then a Cetti's Warbler calling unseen from the reeds below the embankment. But our plans to try to avoid the worst of the traffic were thwarted when we dropped off the embankment and in to the rough field. A movement of something pale to the left caught the corner of our eye and turning to see what it was we were face to face with a Barn Owl! It flew past us and over on to the island where although a bit distant did give us the opportunity to fire off a few (too) hasty shots in the gloom. It was our 99th species of the year at the nature reserve and 176th species in our Photo Year List Challenge. What will the 100th species be, Little Owl perhaps, a Long Eared Owl would be nice!, or something unexpected might just pop along. Shame the flurry of Bearded Tits passed our ever-so attractive reedbed by.

Yesterday found us mooching round the Rock Gardens in the gloom of a miserable late November day. A party of Long Tailed Tits is always guaranteed to brighten up proceedings.

We're not sure if we like Grey Squirrels or not. Half of us wish they were Red Squirrels and yet the other half is pleased that a great many folks get a great deal of pleasure seeing them and interacting with them in a positive way - that can't be bad can it?

Whatever your thoughts you can't get past the fact they're pretty darned cute.

Bits and bobs about too in the shape of a dozen Blackbirds, a Great Spotted Woodpecker left  the wooded area of the park and flew eastwards over the open ground towards CR's place, singles of Goldcrest and Coal Tit too. All went quiet when a Sparrowhawk tazzed through.

Nowt happening today, barely got a chance to look out of the window.

Where to next? A big safari to the south east tomorrow.

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