Leighton Moss.
Redshank stirring up the mud with its feet.
Flock of Redshank.
Several of these were in one of the hides. Totally harmless.
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Leighton Moss Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on September 1st, 2010
Visited Leigthon Moss for the first time yesterday - drove past the entrance once as we were expecting something along the lines of Martin Mere - more of a reserved reserve. We had a lovely lunch in the excellent cafe before heading off to the hides. Watched Nuthatches and Marsh Tits on the feeders near the visitor centre and my brother got the shock of his life when a Sparrowhawk flew in sending the feeders spinning, though it didn't make a kill. Lots of Redshank and Lapwings. Saw my first Marsh Harrier, I think it was at the Allen Hide. Lot darker and chunkier than the Hen Harriers we are used to around Slaidburn.(Saw two on the drive over the tops) There were several egrets at the Eric Morecambe hide and a Kingfisher flew past at eye level calling. Wherever we went we saw lots of Dragonflies hawking above the water and reeds and we were told there were Hobbys about feeding on them. Bit useless as a birdwatcher as I kept getting mesmerized by the beauty of the place with the sun sparkling on the water and every so often little shoals of fish would leap across the surface of the water after midges setting the water glittering. The sound of the breeze in the reeds was also very soporific. Will be nice to visit in Autumn and Winter when all the migrants turn up.
Walking through the reedbeds on the causeway.
One of the many Dragonflies we saw.
Redshank stirring up the mud with its feet.
Flock of Redshank.
Several of these were in one of the hides. Totally harmless.
Redshank stirring up the mud with its feet.
Flock of Redshank.
Several of these were in one of the hides. Totally harmless.
Osprey sighted over Widdop Moor and Reservoir Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on August 30th, 2010
Philip Booker emailed me a sighting of an Osprey over Widdop Moor and Reservoir East Lancashire heading south.
Ospreys pass through this area heading north in spring and south in late summer early autumn they often stop over at Stocks reservoir and I have seen one there.
Each year the RSPB track some of the Loch Garten Ospreys as they migrate back to Africa one of the birds they tracked came through East Lancs have a look here http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/lochgartenospreys/index.aspx click on previous years.
Ospreys pass through this area heading north in spring and south in late summer early autumn they often stop over at Stocks reservoir and I have seen one there.
Each year the RSPB track some of the Loch Garten Ospreys as they migrate back to Africa one of the birds they tracked came through East Lancs have a look here http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/lochgartenospreys/index.aspx click on previous years.
orchard management Post Origin "colin Blog" added here on August 29th, 2010
One summer job in the orchard is to remove apples from the young grafted trees. This allows them to put all their energy into growing instead of producing fruit too soon. Whilst there we spotted this buttefly which we think is a common blue. Actually on one of the apple trees and eating its way through the leaves was this very well camouflaged caterpillar.
The Glorious 12th! Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on August 13th, 2010
Walked over Weets from Salterforth to Todber. Weather started lovely and sunny - forecast for sunshine and showers. Saw several Green Veined White males battling and two paired up. There were also several Meadow Browns flying about near moorland path. Very dark storm clouds started gathering and we got caught in a torrential downpour. Just as it started we spotted two foxes crossing the track ahead of us. One spotted us and leapt over the wall into the wood, then kept peeking back over at us from behind a bramble. The other took longer to spot us and we got one photo before it saw us and charged off after its mate. It looks so anxious in the photo. Beautiful long tail. Worth getting very wet for.
Green Veined White Butterflies
Meadow Brown Butterfly (male)
Gardentalks 2010-08-12 20:35:00 Post Origin "Peter Foley Blog" added here on August 12th, 2010
After the lengthy drought the garden is now fully refreshed with everything showing new growth and the birds busy picking off the insects, especially in the vegetable garden where several blackbirds are regular visitors. A large Pyracantha (Firethorn) behind the kitchen is a popular spot for Blue Tits who pick off the numerous aphids as tasty morsels. Very effective pest control!
We have heard the Song Thrush busy at work smashing snail shells and found the evidence later and this morning we discovered the discarded remains of a possible blackbird on the side doorstep to the french door, where we think a bird of prey had caught it and dissected it. It was certainly very methodically done.
A stray rabbit managed to get into the vegetable plot in July but we soon found the gap in the new fence at a gate bottom, so have protected this temporarily with a wire mesh grating held in place by small posts but in winter I will lay a solid sandstone slab across the gateway and fix another timber to the gate bottom so as it just clears the stone slab with no space for a rabbit to get underneath.
We regularly see young deer in the field below Horseshoe Wood at Waddow Hall and the other night our elderly labrador managed to spot one at dusk when even I had a job to see it. Although over 12 years old there is nothing wrong with her long distance sight.
The new pond in the wildlife meadow has remained dry all summer so we are considering putting in a membrane if we are unable to puddle it.
We have noticed a distinct shortage of honey bees in the garden but plenty of bumblebees and hover flies with the odd wasp showing itself on Spanish Angelica flower heads. The new additions to the garden such as Borage, Verbena bonariensis, extra Achillea and Phlox have all been welcomed by the various pollinating insects. We nbow have plants of Aster (Michaelmas Daisy), Crocosmia (Monbretia) and Tricyrtis (Toad Lily) all budding up for autumn plus plenty of Sedum both in the border and on the new raised alpine bed.
Caldertop Cottage Nature Diary Post Origin "Alison Kelsall Blog" added here on August 9th, 2010
Seen at Caldertop Cottage between 1st and 6th August 2010:-
Pheasants, swallows, swifts, great tits, blue tits, magpies, robins, goldfinches, pied wagtails, collared dove, hares, rabbits, chaffinches, partridges, mallards, wrens, blackbirds, starlings, house sparrows, dunnocks, kestrel, curlew, bullfinch, redshank and pipistrelle bats.
Thank you to Kelvin, Sarah, Thomas and Benjamin Raby for a making a note of all these sightings in our Nature Diary.
Pheasants, swallows, swifts, great tits, blue tits, magpies, robins, goldfinches, pied wagtails, collared dove, hares, rabbits, chaffinches, partridges, mallards, wrens, blackbirds, starlings, house sparrows, dunnocks, kestrel, curlew, bullfinch, redshank and pipistrelle bats.
Thank you to Kelvin, Sarah, Thomas and Benjamin Raby for a making a note of all these sightings in our Nature Diary.
Birk Bank Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on August 6th, 2010
Photographed my all-time favourite fly feeding on a patch of wild mint at Birk Bank near Clougha - the wonderfully named Tachina grossa. It's about an inch long with a beautiful yellow head, glossy black back and a very bristly bottom. The larvae hatch from eggs laid individually in burrows and which have kindly been supplied with a nice fat caterpillar each before Mum left. Wonderful!
more wildlife Post Origin "ginny Blog" added here on August 4th, 2010
Himalayan balsam is a very invasive plant and gets a very bad press but the bees love it. This one was caught just turning round and ready to come out laden with pollen.
In the garden these young peacock caterpillars are devouring a patch of nettles. Just like the swallow chicks, they look very alien at this stage.
leaving home Post Origin "ginny Blog" added here on August 4th, 2010
They finally flew the nest on the 23rd July though hung around the building for a few days after that. They actually look like swallows. Hopefully we can get the windows put in now!
More Hedgehogs Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on August 1st, 2010
Earlier on in the year I said I was worried that there seemed to be less hedgehogs around than usual, so I suppose it serves me right though in the nicest possible way that I now have at least three hedgehogs visiting the garden to be fed. There is at least one large one and last night for the first time we had two small hedgehogs at the same time.They fed side by side though they kept trying to jostle each other away and eat as much as possible as quickly as possible. One was lighter and slightly larger than the other. I also found a hedgehog asleep in a pile of bubblewrap in the garage that same morning. After eating the little hedgehogs trundled off in opposite directions, watched one go behind the house and eat fat fallen from birdfeeders, then it had a little scratch and sleep curled up behind house before heading back for more catfood. We still have to leave a little gap between the saucers for the baby hedgehogs to get their snouts under otherwise they can't dislodge the top dish and just round around it in panicky circles till we go out and move it.
height top farm 2010-07-29 14:12:00 Post Origin "Height Top Farm Blog" added here on July 29th, 2010
Forest of Bowland Photo walk Post Origin "Parkfoot Blog Blog" added here on July 29th, 2010
On 30th June we took part in a walk at Craven Ridge (near Lawkland) arranged as part of the Forest of Bowland Festival. It was an absolutely glorious day and we managed to take lots of great photos (much improved) with the expert assistance of our leader Veronica Caperon. We can only show a few here but if you want to view more why not visit http://www.flickr.com/groups/cravenridge/
It was interesting to see Ingleborough from a totally different angle than that we see daily at Parkfoot.
It was interesting to see Ingleborough from a totally different angle than that we see daily at Parkfoot.
Baby Hedgehog Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on July 20th, 2010
The little hedgehog has sort of learnt how to nudge the top saucer off the food, sat eating in the rain with it on its head, not sure if intentional ! Ended up sat in the plate as usual.
fishing lake flower Post Origin "ginny Blog" added here on July 18th, 2010
Recently spotted this flower on the fishing lake and didn’t know what it was. Looking in the guide books suggests a Common Hemp nettle Galeopsis tetrahit .
swallows update Post Origin "ginny Blog" added here on July 18th, 2010
Amazing growth in just a week - the nest is looking a bit crowded and no sign of the swan feather decoration. While working on the roof Colin managed to photograph one of the parents too.
Spotted Flycatchers. Post Origin "Bleasdale Cottages Blog" added here on July 17th, 2010
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Our Forest of Bowland Holiday Cottages These pictures were taken by Gavin Thomas ( RSPB )
just down the lane. The parents were feeding three fledglings." WELL SPOTTED" Gavin.
Stocks Reservoir Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on July 17th, 2010
16/07/10
Hogweed, Pink Valerian, Meadowsweet, Blackberries, Knapweed, Thistles, Nettles and Meadow Vetchling all flowering which meant there were loads of insects flying on a warm, breezy overcast day with some sunny spells. Some of the hogweed flowers were just covered in soldier beetles and various flies. Meadow Brown butterflies are really hard to photograph as they drop to the ground to avoid predators (photographers) attention.
Sericomyia silentis
Eristalix pertenax
Sunfly, Heliophilus pendulas
Sawfly, Tenthredo arcuata
Grypocoris stysi
Gasteruption jaculator with Soldier Beetles
Soldier Beetles, Rhagonycha fulva
Meadow Brown
Hogweed, Pink Valerian, Meadowsweet, Blackberries, Knapweed, Thistles, Nettles and Meadow Vetchling all flowering which meant there were loads of insects flying on a warm, breezy overcast day with some sunny spells. Some of the hogweed flowers were just covered in soldier beetles and various flies. Meadow Brown butterflies are really hard to photograph as they drop to the ground to avoid predators (photographers) attention.
Sericomyia silentis
Gasteruption jaculator with Soldier Beetles
Soldier Beetles, Rhagonycha fulva
Meadow Brown
Hedgehogs Post Origin "elizabeth mills Blog" added here on July 15th, 2010
height top farm 2010-07-13 12:55:00 Post Origin "Height Top Farm Blog" added here on July 13th, 2010
Height Top Farm
Taken lots of photographs of the two little owls and just managed to get one of them both.
The smaller of the two is lighter in colour and sitting on the post on the left.
swallows update Post Origin "colin Blog" added here on July 11th, 2010
The swallows nesting in the resource centre are progressing and looking slightly less alien. It is amazing how much they develop in a week. Meanwhile others in one of the older buildings have already fledged. One particular family can usually be seen as a gang of four sitting together on a wire fence or in a tree, occasionally still being fed by a parent.
This year there seems to have been more swallows, swifts and house martins than usual. They are a pleasure to watch in the evenings as they fly low over the ground and in amongst the buildings.
Spotted this damselfly on the edge of the fishing lake. It is probably a relatively common Blue-tailed damselfly Ischnura elegans though other suggestions welcome.
