27 February 2022 - Hollingworth Lake & Shaw Moss

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Redpoll, Redwings, Goldeneye, Stonechat, Curlews

Bright and sunny today, and relatively calm, but overnight frost, and 2°C to start with, rising to 5°C. Had a long walk around the Lake, Shaw Moss and Clegg Hall.  Bird of the day was a splendid male Redpoll that perched in the sunshine at the top of one of the pathside alders between the gate and big hedge.  A few Goldfinch were behaving similarly near the path to the campsite but I couldn't get a proper shot of any of them.  Also, quite a number of Chaffinches were in song, which gave the morning something of a Spring feeling, despite the numbness in my fingers. 

Close to the reserve three Tufted Duck and a female/imm Goldeneye were in residence; when I reached the hide, the Tufteds were on the pool, but no sign of the Goldeneye. As I stalked some Redwing in pavilion wood, a Curlew flew low overhead, not calling.  I walked down to Shaw Moss, where a female Stonechat finally gave itself up around one of the dry stone walls, and another Curlew flew over. As I reached Wildhouse Lane, a Meadow Pipit flew up, (No. 64 for the year), followed by another. Then I walked down Branch Road towards Clegg Hall. A pair of Curlew were in the fields in the valley, and a Common Gull flew around, followed by a couple of Lapwings over, but little to report from the pools apart from a few Tufted. 

Redpoll, 1/400sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Redpoll, 1/640sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Goldfinch, 1/320sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Goldfinch, 1/320sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Stonechat, 1/250sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Stonechat, 1/500sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Curlews, 1/400sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Common Gull, 1/2500sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm

Lapwings, 1/1600sec. f/5.6, ISO 100, 220 mm