I always think that I like May more than I like April – but I have liked this April a lot! I can’t wait until the next one. For a birdwatcher April is a month of arrivals (though, at the same time, there are departures too). I have a few mental ‘targets’ (not quite the…
Tag: Stanwick Lakes
Spring rolls on…
Yesterday’s walk at Stanwick Lakes showed that spring is moving on. Instead of the air being filled with Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler songs it was the newly arrived Whitethroats, Garden Warblers and Reed Warblers that seemed to be in best voice. I think I could probably tell you what time of year it is, quite…
Striptease at Stanwick
Comments Off on Striptease at Stanwick
I’ve never been to a striptease show (doesn’t really appeal) but there were two at Stanwick Lakes this morning. When I got into my car at 0730 the windscreen was frozen up – an unusual experience over the last several months. As I drove the few miles to the lakes I could see that…
The week in birding by Jonnie Fisk @jonniefisk
Comments Off on The week in birding by Jonnie Fisk @jonniefisk
Mark writes: I’ve been lucky enough to see a few spring migrants this week, whilst hearing almost every day that the death toll on Red Kites and Buzzards keeps rising in Ross-shire. This week I added Sedge Warbler, Ring Ousel (in a rabbit-grazed field in east Northamptonshire) and Garganey (in nearby Cambs) to my list…
If song were solid…
It was the snails that got me thinking… On my walks at Stanwick Lakes, at least on those fairly early in the morning, I am sometimes struck by the trails of snails, and the occasional slug, across the gritty tracks. Although almost all the molluscs are departed one can see where they have been on…
Arctic Tern by Oscar Dewhurst
Comments Off on Arctic Tern by Oscar Dewhurst
Oscar writes: This was taken on the Isle of May last Summer. I’d never seen or photographed these birds before, so spent most of the day with them. Nikon D300s, Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR. Mark writes: Quite by chance, I saw an Arctic Tern yesterday evening at Stanwick Lakes. Although it’s often a bit of…
The week in birding by Jonnie Fisk
Mark writes: The reward for information about the deaths of 12 Red Kites and four Buzzards in Ross-shire keeps increasing; £5k from the RSPB, £5k from an anonymous donor and over £1k from the public so far. To contribute, visit this Just Giving page. Do Wood Ducks cross the Atlantic sometimes? And did the…
More bits
isn’t this result on whaling absolutely fantastic (see also here, here, here)? I heard my first Blackcap this spring at Stanwick Lakes on Monday – a March Blackcap IPCC – we’re doomed, but not if we do something (lots, soon) BGBW results I was distracted a few times in a meeting the other day by…
A new month
Since it is a new month I have decided to turn over a new leaf. From now on I will: take up game shooting vote Conservative enjoy Flat racing more than National Hunt racing give up going to Stanwick Lakes take up botany give up birding stop being vegetarian four days a week give up…
Three rare birds on my local patch
On Saturday I saw three rare birds on my local patch of Stanwick Lakes. Well, to be fair, they were all much rarer once. And, to be even fairer, one of them is only rare at Stanwick Lakes – you can see loads of them less than a mile away in Stanwick itself. But then…