Dalton (Burton In Kendal) Snow Photos from yesterday 29th November 2010

Above are some of the beautiful snow photos from around Dalton (Burton In Kendal). Please click over photo to enlarge, then if required click over yet again to supersize.

Hutton Roof to Park Wood and return from Clawthorpe side.

1400hrs to 1600hrs.
Had a party of 14 Fieldfare crossing over Hutton Roof, at low height heading SW. Several pairs of Chaffinch. Three Raven fighting one another mid-air. Blackbirds and other corvids and Common Gulls returning to roost. (Click over Max to enlarge) -

Walk Plain Quarry Dalton to Hutton Roof Trig - Mon Nov 22nd 2010

at 0930hrs to about 1100hrs had a walk from Plain Quarry, through Dalton Crags up to the Trig at Hutton Roof and a little further.

A party of approx 30 to 40 grouped Meadow Pipits were very active just about 200 yards SE of the Trig. Also a party of maybe 50-80 squabbling Starlings where feeding up just below Dalton Crags in a sheep occupied field close to the nearby road, and a couple of Siskin moved overhead in a NW direction calling constantly with their poor "peu" ventril call. Also some Chaffinch at varied times moving over the Roof, not sure whether they had reached their migratory destination or where still heading South. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen, and the "echoing" "conk" call of the mighty Raven crossing over these Crags.

I am still finding odd samples (but mainly spent) of varied fungi and lichens which still makes everything interesting.

This time last year the Great Grey Shrike had appeared on Hutton Roof, but today, I spent lots of time searching its usual territory without any sightings. And neither where there any Hawfinches at the Plain Quarry Car Park.

Sun Nov 15th 2010 - Burton Fell, Hutton Roof

Had a walk up to Burton Fell, looking out for fungi. Went up by Slape Lane, yet it is still a quagmire, caused through the recent heavy rains taking off the surface soils on the recently harvested perimeter "maize fields"..

After checking out identifications and receiving lots of help with this from Mike Valentine, I now feel convinced that the above fungi are: Top Photo: Cap of Crepidotus epibryus - a small Oysterling fungi which grows on dead stems of herbaceous plants. 2nd photo is the same but the gill underside. The 3rd photo is: White Brain (Exidia thuretiana), the 4th photo is probably: Purple Jellydisc (Ascocoryne sarcoides), the 5th & 6th and the 7th & 8th are: Jelly Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) the first two found whilst going up Slape Lane and these specimens are so mature, whilst the 7th and 8th were found further up on Burton Fell and are younger fruitbodies.

Also whilst on way up I had a calling Green Woodpecker, the usual party of Long Tailed Tits, and flushed a Woodcock on the Fell.

On my return walking back down Slape Lane from Burton Fell, at about 1525hrs, I couldnt help but notice continual large concentrations of finches (mainly Chaffinch, but some Greenfinch) coming overhead which gave the immpression they were heading to roost in perhaps nearby Pickles Wood (just before Lancelot Clark Storth (Hutton Roof). There was 562 birds in about 10 minutes of watching. Whether this movement had been going on previous to me arriving at this point I dont know, but it certainly was very immpressive what I did see.

Its probable that these birds are the result of large feeding parties currently enjoying the spills of the recently harvested nearby maize.

Vismig - Sat Nov 13th 2010

Sat Nov 13th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0730-0930hrs
Wind: SW 5-8mph

Chaffinch: 108 (39NE all others SW)
Greenfinch: 12SW (best 9)
Woodpigeon: 5SW
Fieldfare: 35N (13,22)
Redwing: 3SW
Starling: 10W (best 6)
Siskin: 2SW
Greylag Goose: 2SW (0854hrs)
Twite: 1SW
Meadow Pipit: 1SW
Goldfinch: 1SW.

Vismig - Wed Nov 10th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.

Wednesday November 10th 2010 - Hutton Roof Cumbria.
0630hrs-0930hrs
Wind: NW 3mph, very cold. In the Main blue skies to 85% with 15% Cloud

Its been really quiet here this morning, although there was a large fall of Blackbirds during the night because I had score parties on just this side of Hutton Roof which must have counted 60 plus (at least).

Redwing: 44 (mainly SW but some N & E: best 8,8,8)
Fieldfare: 61 (mainly SW best: 15,8,30)
Chaffinch: 159 (47NE all others SW)
Reed Bunting: 1
Siskin: 4 NE
Greenfinch: 22 (best 10E) all others West.
Woodpigeon: 49SW (best 26,16),
Blackbird: 18 (best 10SW,5SW,3) Lots on Hutton Roof 60 plus)
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1W
Goldfinch: 6NE
Brambling: 2SW

Fungi found recently on Hutton Roof - Early November 2010

Here are a few shots of some recent fungi I have found within Lancelot Clarke Storth on Hutton Roof. Please click over to enlarge if required:

I think the top photo is of Xylaria hypoxylon (Candlesnuff fungi), but not yet sure about the middle photos, they could be milkcaps and the bottom photos possibly deceivers. But I will try and get some further authoritive identifications...

Sun Nov 7th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.

(Please click over notes above to enlarge and then click again to supersize if you prefer)

Sun Nov 7th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0700hrs-1000hrs.
Wind: Easterly 5-8mph

Reed Bunting: 2SW
Chaffinch: 204 (95North East, the rest South West) (best: 10,5)
Fieldfare: 405: devided between going SW and NE. (Again no movement with Thrushes today, probably just local ex roost moves.)
Redwing: 14 (one party 12 NE)
Siskin: 9 SW (singles or pairs)
Alba Wagtail: 1SW
Brambling 4SW (2,2)
Woodpigeon: 120 mainly SW (best 40,20)
Redpoll 2SW
Greenfinch: 18 (5SW all others NE)
Goldfinch: 2NE
Skylark: 1N
Meadow Pipit: 6 (2NE all others SW)
Bullfinch: 4NE
Starling: 60W at 0930hrs. also about (5,000 ex roost to NE)

Also had two Woodcock on way up, one caught in side of road just past Rowley Copse and then another flew past me only yards further on. The must have come in on last nights full moon.

Vismig - Sat Nov 6th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria. WHOOPERS & BULLFINCH

Sat Nov 6th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0700hrs - 1100hrs
Wind: Light Westerley 5mph.

Nice Bullfinch party (which such similarities to Siskin flight calls!!), Some other passerines with unusual calls - need to listen to my cd's. Waxwings Moving with Starling ex roost party, I clearly heard their drawn out "trilling" has they went past. And Whoopers! Missed lots of finches including: Brambling, Siskin and Redpoll together with Greenfinch and Chaffinch which I could hear clearly were in parties, but too high to find.

Fieldfare: 411 mainly SW, but some SE (10 proper parties, best: 120,60,40,40,30)
Redwing: 15 (10SW,1SW,2E,2E)
Chaffinch: 198 (39NE all others SW)
Greenfinch: 30 (3NE all others SW)
Redpoll: 9SW (3,2,2,2)
Goldfinch: 4SW (2,2)
Meadow Pipit: 8 Mainly SE (1NE all others SE)
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 2 (1NE, 1SW)
Blackbird: 4 SE
Woodpigeon: 32 (9SE, 8SW,10W,5)
Siskin: 7 (1,2,2,2)
Starlings: 94W (starting coming through at 1000hrs 60W,14W,20W) also had well over 20,000 came over ex roost this morning split into large parties East over a period of one hour. Also with one close party had trilling birds which could well have been Waxwing.
Bullfinch: 6 NE (a good record for here).
Mistle Thrush: 1W
Brambling: 4 W (2,2)
Whooper Swan: 6 SW (One party 0905hrs)
Jackdaw: 13 (9SW,4E) looked like movers, but difficult, we have hundreds of Jacks here all the time.
Reed Bunting: 1SW

Vismig - Fri Nov 5th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.

(No Count yesterday Thurs Nov 4th 2010 on account of strong wind, heavy rain.)

Friday November 5th 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0645hrs - 0830hrs
Wind: SW15-20mph

Fieldfare: 230SW (3 parties: 80,50,100) could well have been more, but again constantly getting blown back and giving up in the end to come down and feed up.

Redwing: 20SW (in 5s,4s,3s,2s,1s)
Chaffinch: 88 (86SW 2NE) best:5's 6's)
Raven: 2S
Siskin: 2SW
Greenfinch: 2SW
Goldfinch: 2SW
Meadow Pipit: 1S

Went up Dalton Crags to the Trig Point from about 1100hrs from the Dalton Road. Took the above "Autumn Leaves" photo on way up. Had some Redpoll, Goldfinch, Buzzard, a party of 13 Fieldfare, some Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrush, a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Also lots of the fungi: Xylaria hypoxylon (Candlesnuff).

Vismig - Wednesday November 3rd 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.

Wednesday November 3rd 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0645hrs - 0900hrs
Wind: SW 20mph

Wind far too strong and blowing thrushes down, and they were then using the low cuttings and going around Hutton Roof to all its valley cuttings.
After Mondays effort, very little on Greenfinch today. Realizing why we are not getting much stuff going East and I think it is simply because the winds are so strong coming from the W that birds will be flying high and simply missing them. (just like the Starlings coming from ex roost to the E)

Fieldfare: 487W (14 parties: most parties averaging 30 or 40s).
Redwing: 21W or SW (3s,4s or 5s)
Siskin: 2SW
LBBG: 130 SE (one party 100 and one 30 - probably ex roost from W)
Woodpigeon: 2W
Greenfinch: 7W (3,2,2)
Chaffinch: 123 (1E)

Vismig - Tuesday November 2nd 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria

Tuesday Nov 2nd 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0700hrs-0730hrs
Wind: W 25-35mph
Fine for 30mins and then heavy rain.

Chaffinch still coming through strong even against the wind. Even the Crow/Jackdaw ex roost where flattened and literally using all gullies and troughs and probably only inches from the ground as they went W into the wind. Had to retire early because of not only strong winds but also heavy rains.

Blackbird: 2
Chaffinch: 32W (best 10)
Redwing: 3W
Fieldfare: 11SW (one party 10).

PS: My thanks to Chris Taylforth and Dave the Gardener for kindly monitoring any Fieldfare build up in the upper Lyth Valley.

Vismig - Mon Nov 1st 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.

Monday November 1st 2010 - Hutton Roof, Cumbria.
0645hrs - 1100hrs
Wind: E 4-5mph increasing and changing to W

Greenfinch making strong inroads today.

Fieldfare: 213 (all directions W,SW,N,NE) best: 70,37,40 etc (parties seen to come in and drop down to Hutton to feed, no hurry!
Redwing: 41 (either SE or SW) best 20,11)
Woodpigeon: 116 (3 parties all S or SE coming down that Lune Valley and crossing over to Yorkshire on a SE, it does involve hundreds, probably thousands of birds, but today was again one of the "clag East side days" when I could only pick up the odd party. But there are always hundreds moving at first light on this SE routing. These birds would probably end up to the East Side of Ingleborough and be somewhere in West Yorkshire.
Chaffinch: 171 (74 NE all others SW best: 6s)
Greenfinch: 186 (73SW all others NE, best: 40,21,11,10,10)
Goldfinch: 20 NE (one party)
Redpoll: 2 (1SW, 1N)
Meadow Pipit: 17 all SE (1,2,8,1,5)
Linnet: 5 (2W,2SE,1W)
Siskin: 2 SW
Starling: 35 (2 high fast parties 15W, 20W) also thousands Ex Roost to SE
Brambling: 2SW
Skylark: 11 (10N one party and 1E)
Reed Bunting: 1E
Raven: 8 all S/SSE (5,2,1)
BHG: 4 one party W
PFG: One party of approx 20 moving across the bay to a NW or N
Long Tailed Tit: 12NE high and away.

Chris over at The Crag, Nr Crook informs me that yesterday all the current Fieldfare and other Thrushes had moved on from "The Crag" and after a drive and walk in the upper Lyth Valley it looked as though it was currently devoid of migrants.