The great Great Grey Shrike dip

The Safari was picked up on a cold and frosty morning by CR and we hit the motorway, or at least we tried to being thwarted by in no particular order heavy traffic, slowcoaches and tractors going miles further than they really ought. A good 20 minutes later than we should have arrived CR pulled up in to the marsh car park at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. We strolled eagerly down the trail full of expectations for the day. We'd not gone far when the first of the days Robins was seen sat on a frosty stem overhanging the path. Unfortunately it didn't stay on the stem but hopped onto the path in front of us - basically it was a mugger waiting for us to throw down some food for the beggar on a cold morning - which C did as he'd brought a bag of goodies for such an occasion and it was grateful for the handout.

Walking down to the hides we passed a couple more Robins but they weren't so full on. The hide was very cold and from the very condensation covered windows we saw that both the pool in front of us and the further one were almost birdless. In front of us only a couple of dozen Wigeon grazed the far bank and as far as we could see all the birds were right at the back of the other pool so we made a quick decision to hightail it down to the main reserve. There we expected the main pools to be mostly frozen so aimed for the Causeway first where we'd heard an Otter had been showing well.

On the way another mugger was lurking in the Ivy.

Robins might be common and confiding but don't ever take them for granted as they are beautiful little birds.

Reaching the Causeway Hide we'd not long sat down and noted a few Lapwings on the small island in front of us when someone called out 'Otter to the far right'. Miles too far away for the 300mm lens but superb views through the scope and then a second was in view a little to the left but even further away. for a while we had both in view through the scope although they totally ignored each other.

Best of the rest was a snoozing Greenshank on the island with the Lapwings.

We hadn't heard of any news of the recent Great Grey Shrike on any social media/bird news platform since the previous Thursday so guessed it had probably gone. however it was sometimes reported as being 'elusive' so we thought it best to have a look for it anyway - just in case.

Wandering down the track to Lower Hide we passed yet more mugging Robins, the regular mugging female Pheasant and this wary male Blackbird who was content for you to throw some seed about rather than dive in to your pockets for it.

Half way along tthe track we came across a flock of Siskins right up in the top of a group of tall Alder trees. They spent all their time in the uppermost twigs and mostly on the far and shady side of the treetops. We hoped they come to our, the sunny, side of the trees but they never did. While waiting for them not to come our way we did spy a Treecreeper working its way up one of the Alder trees and this Coal Tit.

Keeping a careful eye on the field margin hedges as we went eventually arrived at Lower Hide. It was quite busy in there - we can remember the days when hardly a soul ventured that far and you could have the hide all to yourself for most of the day. Anyway one of the birders already there pointed two pairs of Snipe one to the left and one to the right. The right hand birds were in good light but more obscured by intervening vegetation. After a while other birds left and we could reposition ourselves for a clearer view of them.

 Thee warm sun soon had them beginning to stir and move around as it thawed the muddy margins of the pool and eventually four became seven as initially unseen ones rose from their places of concealment.

A couple of Little Egrets flew past, four female Goldeneyes dived in the un-frozen water in the centre of the pool and we misidentified a Marsh Harrier as a Bittern when it rose from the middle of the far reedbed...ops!!!! Mistake rectified when it banked and showed its true colours before landing on the reed edge just like a Bittern might do!

Once we'd had our fill of shuffling Snipe we resumed our quest for the invisible Great Grey Shrike. At the path junction a couple of birders had put out a bit of food on the fence top and attracted a lot of interest from the birds, just about hardest to get a pic of were the very fast in and out Marsh Tits, they really didn't hang around for more than a millisecond. We gave it a good ten minutes to get these pics and enjoy the other species coming and going best of which was another Treecreeper that flicked about on the branches just beyond the food but as expected didn't join the fray.

In and out and then they were gone - by far the 'best' flight shot we got (= fluked)

Turning left to continue our shrike quest we kept scanning the hedgerows and scrub to no avail. This part of the reserve is much less walked by birders and it was noticeable a) how many fewer Robins there were and b) most of the footprints on the track weren't human boot prints but deer slots from the local Red Deer Deer herd.

There was an almost total lack of birds in the field hedges apart from the odd Woodpigeon or two, there was a farmer spraying some particularly pungent slurry in  one of the fields so anything with a sense of smell was going to be long gone! Once we'd retraced our steps back to the Causeway it was evident that the shrike wasn't about and probably hadn't been for some days.

This time we didn't stop at the Causeway Hide, it was pretty full in there, but continued to Lillian's Hide where a small group of Teal feeding on seeds caught in the thin film of meltwater sitting on the ice at the edge of the pool. Having a successful time of it too by the look of the bloated crops on some of them.

Teal are a really resplendent duck especially in late afternoon light

Suddenly they all flushed, we looked round to see this Cormorant coming in to land, we had hoped it was something a little more exciting as we'd seen a couple of Marsh Harriers quartering the reeds on the far side of the reserve.

When they flushed again several minutes later it couldn't have been the Cormorant as that was fishing in the middle of the pool in front of us well away from the ducks. It was indeed one of the Marsh Harriers that had done a circuit of the pool but unfortunately didn't get any closer than this, right on the edge of the range of the 300mm. Absolutely corking views in the bins though.

On the ice below us a movement caught our eye, a Pied Wagtail had dropped in unseen while we were concentrating on the Marsh Harrier.

It certainly lacked the grace and poise of a seasoned ice skater as it slipped and slithered across the slippery surface.

It was then that long time chum SB came in to the hide on his rounds and told us that the Great Grey Shrike had been seen earlier in the morning, not long before we headed out that way by the sound of it but he went on to say it didn't stick around long. maybe it goes somewhere with far fewer people around to record and report it on the Warton Crag opposite the reserve. We suppose that'll have to go down as a dip then!

With that disappointing news, although you can't say we'd had a disappointing day by a long chalk, CR suggested abandoning ship and heading back via Over Wyre to see if we could find an owl or two. We stopped by two of the farmland feeding stations to see a couple of male Pheasants, several Tree Sparrows, three Dunnocks, Robin and a Chaffinch at the first and nothing at all at the second.

Not an owl in sight so far but when we parked up at a hotspot we saw a Barn Owl hunting the field behind a distant hedge as soon as hot out of the car. By the time we walked down the lane to the path that crosses the fields it had gone and the light was going fast too.

Being crepuscular creatures we stuck it out and waited a while. The wind was getting up and gee was it icy, whipping across the low lying fields it felt as though it was trying to amputate our thumbs poking out of their fingerless gloves. But stick it out we did and were rewarded with several more views of the Barn Owl. This time it wasn't hunting just behind the hedge - the same hedge we were secreted in but right away across the far side of the field - how annoying - way too far in the failing light for the 300mm. And it always seemed to be flying away from us, that's the way the wind was coming from so it makes sense it would be flying in to it to get as slow a speed as possible for listening for voles in the grass. A couple of times it landed in the grass and once sat on the top of a lonely hedgerow 'tree' - most of the hedgerows round here are butchered to withing an inch of their lives each autumn/winter. 

The second time it landed a Carrion Crow came up to it and it took off wit ha vole and disappeared in to the nearby barn and that was our cue to leave and warm up in the car. By eck it was cold out there!

By far the best shot we got - still great to see even if our pics were rubbish

Another great day out on safari and big thanks to CR for the driving today.


Where to next? Got a safari up to the edge of the hills coming up next week.

In the meantime let us know who's looking resplendent in our 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.

More first week shenanigans

The Safari was subjected to a pretty dire foggy day today which mostly involved chores. We did have to go out early afternoon on an errand which took us past FB's house where he's been watching nearly a dozen Waxwings on the street tree opposite from his sitting room window - when we drove past it was that foggy we could hardly see the trees from the driver's seat never mind any birds sat in them.

The grotty weather gave us the opportunity to see nothing was happening in the garden and after that we got to grips with a couple of recent SD cards to show you some more of what we've been up to this week.

Black Headed Gull taken at work

Starling also taken at work

Both of the Snow Buntings

They find the tiniest of seeds well out on a lower strandline well out on the beach

 And then there's the sunsets...

Good to see people videoing the Starling mumuration with their tablet - all technology is acceptable!

The Sparrowhawk banking away after an unsuccessful dart at the flock

Where to next? Back to the Southside for some family duties but we may well get a chance to bob in to some wildlife sites soomewhere sometime during the day.
In the meantime let us know who's been gleaning all the seeds in your outback.

 

Little time for blogging but there's still some wildlife being seen

The Safari is back to work after the holiday and with puppy classes and other stuff to attend to in the evenings we've not had a chance to put pen to keyboard to let you know what we've been up to and what we've seen.

Our trip to the Southside was a fun day out with our birding mates but we spent more time chatting than watching. The site we visited is renowned for its Stonechats

and wintering Short Eared Owls, there were four of these but by they time they got up to fly round mid afternoon we'd walked well past their favoured area so mostly only got distant views.

When we birded this area on our bike on the early 70s Little Egrets wouldn't have been on our radar, they weren't in the basic field guides we had at that time.

As is always the case with nature reserves these days there was a numpty with a dog who let it run all over the place without any control what-so-ever. Once over the river it ran miles across the farmland from where it disturbed a flock of Lapwings and Golden Plovers.

Had there been livestock in some of the fields instead of newly planted crops and stubble the dog would have ended up getting itself shot by the farmer - it's almost a shame nature reserve managers don't have the same rights as farmers to protect their 'livestock' and were allowed to shoot unleashed dogs running amock on reserves.

At lunchtime the other day we got out to have a look for the local Snow Buntings, news from the birding website was they'd flown high and away the previous day but we went out feeling hopeful in good sunshine. After a good while and almost at the point when we had to think about going back to work empty handed they flew in from behind us and landed not 20 yards away. Edging round to get them in better light they were now only 20 feet away.

After work we met up with CR at the pier to watch the Starling murmuration over the high tide. There was a bit of a sunset too. A Sparrowhawk came in and bunched the Starlings up and just happened to become the only Sparrowhawk we've taken a pic of over the sea.

Not a bad end to a week with only 'limited' opportunities for watching wildlife.
Our various lists stand as follows:-
Garden - 8
Patch 1 - 14
Patch 2 - 12
Year List Photo Challenge - 17 - some of the other challengers are well over 50 already and over a third of their way to their target - - we're 'pacing ourselves'!

Grand Total - Long Tailed Tits going to roost in the dark gloomy drizzly fog on Patch 1 while out with Monty in the very last of the light yesterday were #50 for the year.

Where to next? A weekend busy with family stuff may mean little time for wildlife again but we're sure we'll see something somewhere.

In the meantime let us know who was only feet away in your outback.