Dotterel..Fairsnape Fell..April 25 2011.

 It is at this time of the year that I remember one of my most memorable bird watching and photographic trips to see and photograph Dotterel.The Dotterel is a member of the plover family and is a rare bird in England.It breed on the Cairngorm Mountains and other areas of the Scottish Highlands.It spends the winter in Southern Europe and North Africa.On its way in the Spring to its Scottish breeding grounds it occurs as a passage migrant in England stopping off to feed at favoured locations.For many years Pendle Hill in Lancs has been one of those locations.I have been lucky in previous years to see Dotterel on Pendle Hill.However numbers have now declined and I dont think any have occured in recent years.I was very lucky back in 2011 to see a trip of five birds on the summit of Fairsnape Fell on 25th April.

I am showing a few images from that memorable day of these wonderful birds plus a few shots of those lucky enough to be present on the day.It was indeed a fabulous day and certainly worth the effort of an early morning climb up Parlick Pike above Chipping and onto Fairsnape Fell. No longer able to reach the mountain tops I can still admire the landscape and scenery of this  beautiful part of Lancashire and recall how lucky I was to be present on this very special day.

Bowland Curlew.

 I came across this curlew on a recent scooter trip into Bowland.I visited an area where I had previously seen reasonable numbers of lapwing,oystercatchers and the occasional curlew.Apart from this curlew and a few distant lapwings thare was a distinct lack of birds.However this lovely curlew was very close to the road and I was able to take a couple of dozen shots without disturbing the bird.I think maybe the topsy turvy weather this Spring has delayed the arrival of more birds.I will of course be returning later this month when hopefully there is more wildlife to photograph.It had however been a great day in a lovely quiet and beautiful part of Lancashire.

A. FEW. MORE

 To keep the blog ticking over thought I would just publish a few more images from the last year or so!

I like from time to time to publish in the form of a montage of images which is what I have done today

With the arrival of the lovely month of May and better weather promised I will be out and about on my mobility scooter with camera in hand to bring your more from the beautiful countryside on my doorstep.

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Update to Blog..Recent images from Parlick Pike

 Hopefully I am getting to grips with Blogging again!! A few recent images of the Bowland Fells Scenery and a few shots of the wildlife encountered on a lovely Spring day in this lovely part of Lancashire

BLOGGING AGAIN !!!

 I have decided to start blogging again! Following an amputation in 2021 I have had to make many changes and adaptations to be able to lead an independant and active lifestyle.I am obviously limited to where I can go and what I can do.However I have very good friends who help me with everyday tasks.

I am still able to get out and about with the use of mobility scooters and Ican still visit many of my favourite places,particularly in Bowland and can take my camera gear to record memories of this lovely part of Lancs.Iam attaching a few recent images and hope to show many more as I travel the Quiet Lanes and backroads of Bowland.

End of An Era

 It is with a heavy heart that after 12 Years of posting to my wildlife photography blog that I have decided to call it a day.I am currently having mobility problems and am finding great difficulty in getting around as I would like.

It has indeed been a wonderful twelve years when I have taken many thousands of images of Lancashire's wonderful wildlife and put the best of these regularly on the blog.In those twelve years I have made 559 postings to my blog.I look back regularly through my work as a wildlife photographer and am very pleased at what I have achieved. It will remain as a legacy to twelve very happy years.

I will still post images to the internet but they will be on my Flickr site. www.flickr.com/photos/brianrafferty  Thanks for looking in and hope you can continue to keep in touch via Flickr. Enjoy Christmas if you can and keep safe and well in these very difficult times

Swans..Geese..and..Stonechats

 It has been another mixed week weatherwise with mostly dull and gloomy though dry days.Monday however was different with blue skies and strong winter sunshine.The perfect recipe for me to head off to Cockerham and Pilling again to see what was about.The first stop was down near the abbey at Cockerham.Here the main flock of whooper swans had moved to the fields near Lighthouse Cottage,apparently disturbed and moved by the farmer from their previous location.The 350 swans looked very nice in the sunshine.Also looking splendid were a pair of stonechats feeding in the set aside area close to Lighthouse cottage.From time to time they perched on fence posts and obligingly posed for me showing off their colourful winter plumage.

I then moved on to Pilling looking for geese and found a large but distant flock and I stopped to take many images as many more pinkfeet were arriving from the north.I wasn't able to get any closer but still managed a few flight shots of the geese.My final port of call was to Eagland Hill where a nice group of around 30 whooper swans were feeding in the wet fields.They were nicely lit by the afternoon sun and made for some nice images.

Hope you enjoy the latest selection and I will be out again soon if we get some decent weather.In the meantime stay safe and thanks for looking in.