Friday, August 24, 2012

New Header Required

There have been a few days without new postings on Another Bird Blog because whilst I’ve been out birding there has been little to report. This morning proved a little better when I found a few fresh-in migrants, one of them the bird in the recently changed blog header. 

I kicked off at Damside, Pilling where the puddled field is beginning to hold a few birds to study, providing birders can beat pedestrians and cyclists to the lay-by. No gulls there today, just 80 Lapwings and a Stock Dove. At Lane Ends a check of the pools and surrounding trees saw 2 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant and 2 Sparrowhawk, with a Lesser Whitethroat giving itself away by its constant warning calls. 

Little Grebe 

Cormorant

The Cormorant is considered a pest by hobby anglers and commercial fisheries. It might be said that fisheries managers are mostly to blame for failing to protect their stock, and that for a Cormorant a well-stocked water is "like putting out nuts for a Blue Tit". My own experience of Cormorants is that they are difficult to photograph and very unapproachable, mainly because of the persecution suffered at the hands of the human race. 

The walk to Pilling Water proved uneventful save a for single Skylark, a landside Wheatear, and a good flock of 90+ Goldfinch and 4 Linnet feeding on this year’s abundant thistles. 

Hi-Fly man arrived to the wildfowlers pools and proceeded to flush from the pools 2 Pintail, 2 Teal and a single Snipe. There have been 150+ Teal in recent days but if disturbed too much they head off to the marsh where they hide in the gulleys. I was watching the hirundines, 30+ Swallow and 4 House Martin, hawking over Broadfleet when I spotted a Spotted Flycatcher moving between the fence of the sluice gate and the sheep pen which by default also holds lots of insects. Now so scarce in the Fylde, this was my first sighting this year of a bird that locally is now just a spring and autumn passage migrant and consequently something of a prize to listers. Sitting to watch the flycatcher feed I made a mental to change the blog header more often, perhaps back to Bee Eater soon? 

Spotted Flycatcher

After Hi-Fly man hastened back to Fluke a couple of raptors appeared from the direction he headed, first a Buzzard and then soon after a very streaky juvenile Peregrine. The Buzzard hung around long enough to get a few distant shots and discover it as a moulting adult. 

Buzzard

Next came a couple more Grey Herons, a single Little Egret and finally the unmistakeable calls of a Northern Raven louding it south.  

Stay tuned, more soon from Another Bird Blog.

15 comments:

Isidro Ortiz said...

Estupendas fotos Phil,las capturas en vuelo me gustan mucho.Saludos

Chris said...

Still no trace of Icelandic wheatears Phil? Looks like they are gone as well as the pipit! Not seen any in those days. Nice little grebe picture you got!

Gail Dixon said...

The cormorant is indeed difficult to photograph! I love your shot of the spotted flycatcher. A gorgeous shot!

Marc Heath said...

Great Spot Fly shot, a good choice fo the header.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Phil, you have some wonderful shots of the birds. the cormorant is awesome and the Spotted Flycatcher is great but the Grebe is so cute and my favorite on this post. Happy birding and have a great weekend.

Mary Howell Cromer said...

The Little Grebe, Beautiful, the flying Cormorant...lovely...I only see them perched out in the middle of the water. The Buzzard in flight, lovely colouration of feathers, well captured. Have a Happy, Happy, Happy weekend Phil~

Noushka said...

Beautiful photography!
I enjoyed a few of your publications!
Great job, congratulations!

Rajesh said...

Wonderful shots of the birds.

TexWisGirl said...

sweet flycatcher!

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

I need to get a longer lens to capture some shots of the hawk in the field behind here.

Excellent photos, as always :)

joanne said...

your bird shots are super, and I appreciate learning about them in your commentary....

EG CameraGirl said...

Sounds like you have found a great spot for photographing birds. I loe the photo of the Little Grebe!

Anni said...

I love to see cormorants in flight....on ground, they appear clumsy, but in flight they're fearless and graceful!!!

Texas State Bird

Chubskulit Rose said...

Captured so beautifully. Hopping by from Camera Critters.

My Critter post, come and see when you get a chance.
Have a lovely Sunday!

Adam Jones said...

Superb Spotted Flycatcher shots. I'm hoping to see one or two in the next few weeks as they pass through.

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