Monday 18 April 2011

Whitethroats, Garden Warblers & Blackcaps...Also Great Grey Shrike film by Fraser.


Monday 18th April 2011 (0900hrs - 1345hrs)

- Walk along the Canal from Carnforth to Borwick (0900hrs-1200hrs), then continued through Borwick, Priest Hutton and over Coat Green to Burton In Kendal (1200hrs - 1345hrs).
Along the route to Borwick I had:
2 singing Whitethroats in the immediate verges.
17 singing Willow Warblers in the immediate plus field hedgerows beyond.
10 singing Blackcaps in the immediate verges and field hedgerows beyond.
6 singing Chiffchaffs in the immediate verges and field hedgerows beyond.
2 Male Reed Bunting calling at 2 separate points close to the "phragmites" reedbeds

8 paired Moorhens, plus Oystercatchers (2), Meadow Pipits overhead (4) Several Swallows overhead, also Goldfinch, Linnets, Redpoll,Chaffinch, Greenfinch.

9 Small Tortoishell Butterflies, 3 Peacock Butterflies, 2 Green Veined White Butterflies,5 Orange Tip Butterflies and 1 Large White Butterfly.

Also Rabbits, and large hatches of Black Gnats. Large Bumblebees.

Also flora: Lots of Garlic Mustard showing throughout, Bluebells, Purple Vetch, Dandelion, Daisy, Lords and Ladies, Silverweed,Lesser Celandine, Marsh Marigold, Cuckoo Flower (May flower), Chickweed, Wood Anemone,Cowslips throughout, Coltsfoot, Butterbur.

From Borwick, to Priest Hutton via Coat Green to Burton (1200hrs - 1345hrs)
2 singing Garden Warblers (Borwick & Priest Hutton),
2 singing Willow Warbler
1 singing Chiffchaff (Borwick)
1 pair of Moorhen

Also 3 Peacock Butterflies, 4 Small Tortoishell Butterflies.

Also, Yellow Archangel (introduced), Herb Robert, Wood Sorrell, Barren Raspberry, Daisy, etc.

Please click here to see the great film (on youtube) made by Fraser of the Great Grey Shrike recently at Dalton, and can anyone guess who that guy is walking up Dalton at the beginning of the film!!! What a great job, and you can see the Shrike with prey and impaling Lizards etc...... (Thanks Fraser, and can't wait for Part 2)...