My local patch of Stanwick Lakes is actually a small part of an EU SPA – a Special Protection Area for Birds, notified under the EU Birds Directive. But to me, it’s simply my local patch where I go for a walk to see birds, ignore plants, and to think about the world. It is…
Tag: Stanwick Lakes
All’s white with the world
I was keen to have a look at my local patch, Stanwick Lakes, in yesterday’s snow. I’m like a big kid really – snow still makes me excited. Just like removing all the furniture from my living room on Monday made sounds echo in it, a covering of snow lying all over the ground and…
The remarkable Raven
I know they are quite like Carrion Crows and simply black but the Raven is a remarkable bird. I saw half a dozen Ravens deep in Northamptonshire yesterday. They were feeding with crows in a field of sheep. Thirty years ago they would have been an arresting and newsworthy sight. These days they are a…
Blown away
I needed to get out fairly early to finish delivering leaflets for my excellent MP, Andy Sawford. This meant leaving the house before it was light and walking around the neighbouring streets around 0745. Funnily enough, there weren’t many other people about. I don’t want to be a postman when I grow up! Just a…
Quiz results
I set you a quiz and none of you won! But thank you for playing – I hope it was a bit of fun. These were your commonest (very sensible) but incorrect selections, with some comments from me: Coal Tit – I had to check that I hadn’t missed it off by accident! But no…
Last chance
Comments Off on Last chance
Today’s the last chance to have a go at this simple little quiz. Any entries to be posted as comments on this blog by 10pm. Which five species of bird have I seen over the years at Stanwick Lakes and omitted from the list? A signed copy of A Message from Martha or…
A little Stanwick bird quiz – and there’s a prize.
I’ve seen 154 species at my local patch of Stanwick Lakes since I started using Birdtrack in 2004. Here are 149 of them. Which are the missing five? Mute Swan Whooper Swan Pink-footed Goose White-fronted Goose Greylag Goose Canada Goose Shelduck Wigeon Gadwall Teal Mallard Pintail Garganey Shoveler Red-crested Pochard Pochard Tufted Duck…
First day of winter
I’m regarding today as the first day of winter because there was a decent frost. You couldn’t call it a hard frost, more a soft frost, but a proper frost all the same. When I parked at Stanwick Lakes a little after 0730 it was cold and frosty. It felt cold as I took off…
I do like Mondays
I like every day. This Saturday I was talking at Martin Mere at the North West Birdwatching Fair – that was fun – and I’ll write about it. And yesterday I was having a look at a few grouse moors in the North of England – and I’ll write about that too (though not necessarily…
Stanwick Lakes delivers unique experiences
My local patch of Stanwick Lakes is nothing special in birdwatching terms – except it is my local patch. My Birdtrack records tell me that since September 2004 I have visited this site, and kept a species list of birds for the visit, on 368 occasions, recording in the process 152 species of bird. Some…