GibrAldcliffe.....

Today saw an exceptional count of Buzzards 14 in total in just over 2 hours, one group of 8 over Jon’s house, followed by 3,1,2 and all followed the same route, climbed high then speeded south. My hope of an Osprey was satisfied as one passed fairly high overhead speeding south, it then appeared to join 2 further raptors way down river, but at that distance I could not identify, though they were of similar size.

Also of note,
Freeman’s Pool was busy with some grass cutting, not much around other than the usual Coot etc.
Rook 1
Meadow Pipit 4
Swallow, though less numbers than yesterday.
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1
Raven 2/3
Crow 40+
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Finch, seemed to be more around today, Green, Gold and Chaffinch.
Wood Pigeon 14/16

Darter Pool
Moorhen 2
Coot 1

Wildfowlers’ Pool
Green Sandpiper 3
Teal 5

Marsh
Little Egret 3
Canada Geese.
Butterflies Comma, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell.
SteveW

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Excellent stuff Steve.
Just one more week to go and I'll be unemployed and able to get there during the day myself (for a couple of weeks anyway)!

My post-work visit was, by contrast, unremarkable with the following highlights...
A greenshank flew into the upper pools at Freeman's for a brief preen and nose about before heading back to the estuary.

2 green sandpiper were visible (and audible) at the Wildfowlers' Pools where an impressive, by Aldcliffe standards, 23 teal were also present plus a single shoveler and 4 snipe.

A pair of ravens were honking around over the Trig Point Hill.

A kestrel was hunting the area, as usual.

JC

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