Friday 15 August 2008

Double ducks

At last! I managed to get down to Aldcliffe for the first time this week for a post-work visit and it was actually dry and reasonably productive.
Highlights were the re-appearance of the garganey pair, and two green sandpipers, on The Flood. Also there was a mallard with very recently hatched ducklings (it's quite surprising how much a lone small duckling dabbling in the middle of a pool can look like a phalarope at distance with the naked eye!).
A quick scan over the marsh revealed at least 4 wheatears, implying something of a fall...
Had stunning views of a very pretty vixen by Darter Pool where a little grebe was lurking in the waterside vegetation.
A lesser whitethroat and several willow warblers were in the track-side hedgerow.
Nothing of note at Freeman's Pools, except a single emperor dragonfly.
A very noisy gaggle of panicking swallows drew my attention to a male sparrowhawk who was soliciting more interest than perhaps he wanted.

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