On the road again

A quick trip across the Fylde started at my front doorstep (well it would wouldn't it)...

Long-Tailed Tit 

Note raggy ends to tail feathers 

One of the local cats climbing the tree adjacent to the nesting location – not hopeful

Tree Sparrow – more common than the House Sparrow?

Great Spotted Woodpecker, hide and seek.. the normal view!

Hovering Kestrel

Up and away

Another hover

Circa 300 raucous Herring Gulls – no apparent reason

Here I am

Kingfisher 2009 – probably...

Started off ok with a couple of snaps of the resident Long-Tailed Tits only to be spoilt by one of the neighbourhood domestic(?) cats climbing the tree... I fear the Long Tailed will move on if they have any sense. And just in case any one of my readers (particularly overseas visitors) think I am 'a photographer', a couple of images of the Great Spotted Woodpecker playing games with me – hiding behind the branch and tree trunk, it's normal pose – anything else is fortuitous (or takes ages in the making). I dropped on a single Tree Sparrow – always worth checking nowadays on what I think or take to be House Sparrows. So my journey across the Fylde was relatively eventless. I came across this male Kestrel at Carr House Hill Common (I always get the name wrong). I couldn't quite get into position to get 'the shot' so these will have to do. This is a site I always expect greater things of and I have to spend more time getting to know it better. I have seen or heard various species in the past, but I just feel it may hold a few surprises (possible Grasshopper Warbler last year, deep in hawthorn). Memories of a Sedge Warbler led me a merry dance, singing from the scrub.

Across the Fylde to Knott End and back was relatively uneventful apart from the Sparrowhawk dashing over the hedge and very nearly through the windscreen (nice 180 turn). 3 Red Leg Partridge on the road before scurrying off into the hedgerow. No Yellowhammers which disappointed me. Between St Michael's and Bilsborrow I came across a field with approximately 300 Herring Gulls... no apparent reason. There didn't appear to be anything special about this field and I don't thinnk I have ever seen so many Herring Gulls condensed into one place before. All a bit odd. Very raucous too. (I recall many years ago seeing a field full of Magpies, something I have heard ocurrs from time to time). Newton Marsh was devoid of activity and the Buzzards I fear have been disturbed and have moved on, I have not seen them for a week or so now.

I was hoping to see the Grey Wagtails again but with all the rain that was unlikely and the forecast isn't good, so perhaps it is as well I included all the previous posts and the time spent was worthwhile. I will nevertheless be checking the location regularly in the hope of seeing them again and catching insects for some young 'uns.

And as I have recently seen a Kingfisher, a reminder of the hours I spent in 2009 crawling about in damp grass at unheard of times while my body went to sleep with cramp to obtain probably my best image of a Kingfisher to date.