blasts from the past

and the leo

blasts from the past

Inspired by Steve, i hope you enjoy these films. I should have uploaded them before. Sorry.

Patch tick

A male brambling was good find down here today giving me a patch tick and taking my Aldcliffe list up to about 135 species.
I met up with Steve shortly after and had a productive trawl round in pleasant breathless conditions. The good news is that the smaller passerines seem to have survived the 5 week immersion in the deep freeze. 3 flocks of LTT's were located along with numerous chaffinch and blue tits, about 6 greenfinch and the same number of goldfinch. 3 bullfinch and a goldcrest were on the track leading up to the sewerage works. The only casualty seems to be a redshank at the sewerage works which looks like  it's neck was broken when it flew in to the wire mesh fence. The influx of thrush species have dispersed but a handful of redwings and fieldfares remain with the mistle thrush guarding a haw bush on the walled meadow. A peregrine and kestrel were at the pylons. 12 barnacle geese were on the marsh with PFG's in an inaccessible field sandwiched between 2 hedges and therefore uncountable. 4 goldeneye were in the river and a little egret flew south. On cue, the green sandpiper landed on the flood as we were asking each other when was the last time each of us saw it.
Guy
Skylark 5, Meadow Pipit 1, Pied Wagtail 9, Raven 1. A few hundred Lapwing near gull bank, a dozen or so of each Curlew and Redshank in fields.
Steve.

No Rail delays at Aldcliffe..........

Another satisfying plod through the winter landscape, started with a look in Freeman’s Wood, a few thrushes and a Woodcock being the highlight. Proceeding down towards the walled meadow I was struck by how many Fieldfare were present, a number of Redwing mixed in. On the river I watched the Wigeon moments before the tide came in. I headed back towards the railway crossing and all the Fieldfare were in the hedges, I then noticed a Sparrowhawk near the gateway. On the way back along the track by the ditch I waited patiently to get the film of the Water Rail, great Christmas treat eh!

Steve

Now you see them..................

Had a stroll around part of the Parish this morning, the big freeze remains big and freezing! All pools in the area frozen and empty of birds. At marsh point there were a good number of gulls Black-headed, Common and a quite a few Herring Gulls. There were 25 Mute Swans and around 75 Canada Geese. Also present were Goldfinch, Wrens, Robins, Great/Blue Tits, a Bullfinch was near the bottom gate. On the track, I got into position at the top of the rise on the flood defence, I was about to trawl through the geese in the field next to the bund, Pink footed/Greylag, one never knows what might be with them, and as I find this a hard task I was determined to have a good look. Then as soon as began they all took off, then I noticed the dog walker! I managed to film the event, and I challenged them about not sticking to footpaths of which there are many! The response was everyone does it and the farmer doesn’t mind! So what about the geese? They continued, crossed the track and proceeded to continue along the bund.

                                                                        Teasels. 

Along the track I saw a good hundred or so Fieldfare, a few Redwing and at least 9 Song Thrush. In the ditch I glimpsed a Water Rail as I hurried on not wanting to disturb anything. A Buzzard was flying over being harassed by a pair of Crows. A Greenfinch was in the hedge along with a number of Dunnock, Robin, Wrens and about 20 Blackbirds.

I headed back via Aldcliffe village which looked very peaceful and Christmassy in the snow.

Steve