Dean Clough and Parsonage Reservoirs

Today saw the first real influx of Pink-footed Geese on the back of favourable northwesterly winds with several skeins reported from various areas of east Lancs. I was busy in the morning but had the afternoon free so decided on a walk round Dean Clough and a check of Parsonage to see if there were any migrants about, and hoping to catch some of the the pink-feet.

The only migrant activity of note was a steady flow of Swallows and House Martins, with at least 50 of each passing through in an hour or so and 3 hoo-weeting Willow Warblers.

A Green Woodpecker flew over and a presumbed second was yaffling below the dam. Alsp below the dam was the Stonechats - 2 adults, 2 juveniles, and along the north side of the main res another juvenile with a male by the upper res, making a total of six.

There were also three Grey Wagtails below the dam and I got a photo of one of the adults. At first I put this down as a female, but I later decided that I wasn't sure if it was a male or female, as it was now in its winter plumage when both sexes have white throats.  I checked the id guides later at home and despite the decent image below still wasn't 100%.

Grey Wagtail

I also got the following photos of the juvenile when it flew up the main res and landed on the upper res outflow.

Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

I'd seen the Grey Wagtails in he vicinity of the main res outflow but wasn't sure if they had bred given the levels of disturbance from dog walkers so it was nice to see the juvenile.

There was a pair of Little Grebe on the upper res which have been there for a few weeks now along with the obligatory pair of coots and two Great Crested Grebe on the main res. There was also juvenile GC Grebe on upper Parsonage along with a pair of Tufted Duck.  Around 250 Lapwing were feeding on the north side of upper Parsonage but there were no other waders evident - not surprising given the high water levels.

A Brown Hawker was patrolling the south-west corner of upper Dean Clough and two Red Admirals headed south.

Green Woodpecker 2
Stonechat 6
Grey Wagtail 3
Willow Warbler 3
Goldcrest 1
Meadow Pipit
Goldfinch
Reed Bunting
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe (2 DC, 1 juv UP)
Coot 2
Tufted Duck 2 (UP)
Mallard
BH Gull
LBB Gull
Cormorant 1
Kestrel 1
Pied Wagtail
Carrion Crow

Bowland Fells

I've spent a quite a few days in the Bowland Fells this month getting off the beaten track. I've been encouraged by the numbers of raptors that I've seen with regular sightings of peregrine, hen harrier, merlin and buzzard (can't say where exactly for obvious reasons). It also good to seen ravens increasing in Bowland, due no doubt to lower levels of persecution. I do wonder what the success of the raptors and ravens will mean for other moorland birds; there are no ring ouzels in the white greet area for example (although they are doing ok in other areas) and a regular quarry nest site in area is now occupied by ravens but with the ring ouzels absent for the first time in years. Could be chance, but maybe not.

This gorgeous whinchat and raven were both in the White Greet area. The grey wagtail and green hairstreak were at Cross of Greeet Bridge.