15 April 2022 - Hollingworth Lake - Rakewood
« Newer | Older »Blackcap, Stock Doves, 2 Linnets, Sand Martins Nuthatch, 2 Greylags, Sandwich Tern, Little Owl, possible Whimbrel
With little to report around the reserve this morning apart from a few Long-tailed Tits, Wren and Willow Warblers, I decided to have a walk up Rakewood Valley. En route a Wren sang just by the stream at the side of the road and allowed me to get close, but it was among branches and against the light somewhat. A couple of Blackcaps were in trees just past the village. In Rakewood Valley, there were around 8 or so Sand Martins, and a couple of Stock Doves, but not much else of note. On the way back down though I disturbed a couple of Linnets from a patch of Gorse by the side of the path but they flew off across the valley. A Whatsapp message appeared from Simon to say there was another Sandwich Tern on the lake (and two Greylags) so I hot-footed it back down, stopping briefly to get some not very good photos of a calling Nuthatch.
When I got back, the tern was still present on a buoy, but didn't move off the whole time I was there, and I had to get back. The Greylags were visible on the water but too distant to bother with photos.
In the evening I had a walk down to Shaw Moss. As I neared the Peanock farm area a wader flew right to left in front of me. I'm fairly sure it was a Whimbrel. It looked too small for Curlew and the wingbeats were faster. Unfortunately it was going away by the time I got onto it and I didn't really get enough to be 100% sure (and it didn't call). Walking up Bib Knowl, there was a commotion around a Hawthorn, with various thrushes and tits, suggesting an owl. I peered into the tree for a few minutes but couldn't see anything, although the bird activity continued. Suddenly, a Little Owl flew out and bounded over the brow of the hill out of sight. A first for the year, they've been hard to find of late.
Long-tailed Tit, 1/500 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 2000 (view full size image)
Wren, 1/500 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 6400 (view full size image)
Wren, 1/640 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 1250 (view full size image)
Blackcap, 1/640 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 1600 (view full size image)
Sand Martins, 1/500 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 320 (view full size image)
Stock Dove, 1/500 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 3200
Nuthatch, 1/640 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 800 (view full size image)
Sandwich Tern, 1/500 sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 250
Sandwich Tern,1/640sec. f/7.1 500 mm, ISO 320 (view full size image)