I am finding it difficult at the moment not to visit some of my favourite areas in the wilds of Bowland. It is a prime time for the arrival of summer visitors like whinchat, ring ouzel, spotted flycatcher, cuckoo etc etc. Unfortunately the weather has not been very welcoming with very strong winds and rainfall on most days this month. The birds are beginning to filter through and hopefully the weather will improve soon enabling them to raise their broods before departing back to sunnier climes.
I visited the hill country yesterday with a friend hoping maybe to catch sight of a whinchat or ring ouzel in areas where I had seen them in previous years. We were greeted by yet more rain and we had to take shelter in the lee of some large rocks until the lengthy shower passed by. We didn't come across whinchat or ring ouzel but had many sightings of meadow pipits and nice views of a male stonechat.
We came back down the hill and then visited a patch of woodland were previously we had good views of pied flycatchers and redstarts. There was quite a bit of activity as the sun was trying to shine and it was noticeably warmer. One very nice surprise was a spotted flycatcher recently arrived and one we hope will stay to nest in this delightful spot. We did eventually have reasonable views of male and female redstarts and the images above show both birds.
As last year with the weather Brian and the previous two, if my memory serves me well the month of May virtually didn't exist in fact the entire summer was a disaster. For example I had no opportunity because of the appalling weather to follow up finding 8 pairs of Whinchat to see what success they had with breeding, a bitter disappointment. Nice pics as is the norm for you Brian, and a 'ringed' female Redstart I suppose you noticed.
ReplyDeleteRegards Pete.