Sunday 11 August 2019

July doldrums

Just checking in and putting up a few photos of WOW to keep the blog ticking over. England produced little tern at Long Nanny Burn near Seahouses and Bolton turned up nuthatch, jay and tawny owl in the garden again and little else. Pennington Flash feeders were flooded and empty!! We got a nice walk on the lower slopes of Winter Hill and saw kestrel, sparrowhawk, chiffchaff and a few of the commoner species but nothing to write home about. Twenty minutes from Bolton and you are on the lower slopes of the Pennines with views to Manchester. Stunning views and a nice walk but cut short by a tropical downpour.

Manchester on the skyline

Winter Hill in the background with rain heading our way
Good mix of habitats, fields, rough pasture, hedges, woods.

WOW was quiet with a lot of birds hiding, feeding and moulting, I only had 33 species and 11 of those were at Kinnegar as it was a low tide. A late Saturday visit had 40+ swifts over the trees and 3 little egrets in Kinegar lagoon. Common sandpiper was still around with good views of common terns and butterflies. The long-billed dowitcher was seen later on but not by me. There are a few roseate terns as well but they tend to be seen roosting on the planks outside hide 2 in the late evening.

Painted lady - one of 15 million apparently

Common terns

Common tern

Reflections
The light was as good as I have seen and the water was absolutely still, no wind at all. Hopefully as autumn and migration kicks in we will get a bit of excitement.

2019
147: Litle tern

Bangor West
64: Razorbill

Belfast WOW

89: Bullfinch