I Love Arnside and Silverdale: Getting ready for some Scollie Specials

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Getting ready for some Scollie Specials

Yesterdays "beautiful garden" checking out flora specials (Click over to enlarge)

Thursday 11th May 2017 - Swift watching - Main Street - Burton In Kendal 1900hrs to 2000hrs

Tonight was our first Swift watch since the birds arrived back from Africa. We did manage to count 17 whilst stood at the Burton Memorial Hall, then we had a further 10 ish! over the Royal/Kings area and then a further 7 over the Manor House Area. We can only confirm a definate 17 because we dont want to include any overlap, but I am sure there will be more than this.

We noticed tonight none of the birds seemed interested in going into their nest holes they just seemed content being high and chasing one another and occasionally could be heard screaming.

If you want to read more about our Swifts and Swift group then please Click over this link to access our Swift Group pages.

Thursday 11th May 2017 - Dalton Hall Park - Dalton Hall Estate 0900hrs to 1300hrs
Checked out lots of area on the other side of Dalton today. Still the Common Redstarts are very quiet. I found a new male today and have marked it off, but again it was just a stroke of luck the bird came down quite close and although watching it for 20 minutes it never called once! so I am beginning to think that most of the birds are probably about but not calling just as frequent as what we have been used to. After saying that I did manage to hear a couple calling which are back on territory.

Today I heard about at least 6 Blackcaps and recorded 5 Garden Warblers and also a new Chiffchaff site. There were many more than this I could just about hear them bubbling away from a distance but they where too far back and in difficult woodland terrain, so maybe on another day.

The forestry ride was full of "Bugle" of all sizes, some cracking displays, also lots of Yellow Pimpernel showing up "Seek out - Here and There", terrific Bluebell wood areas and lots and lots of Orange Tips both the colourful males and the white females. Odd Speckled Woods.

Today's beautiful garden on the far side of the Estate (Click over to enlarge)

Opposite Leaved Golden Saxifrage - found in damp bankings etc (Click over to enlarge)

Roe Deer tracks (Click over to enlarge)

Wood Avens (Click over to enlarge)

Wednesday 10th May 2017 - Slape Lane and Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT) 1300hrs to 1500hrs

Recorded two Garden Warblers, also three Blackcaps and plenty of Bullfinch, a pair of Long Tailed Tits and the swiftest of Merlins. Also a great day for butterflies with yet another Brimstone, Peacocks, Orange Tips, Speckled Woods. I also traversed a area which could well have produced Small Pearl Fritillary but none for me today (reports of them being seen yesterday - much further South).
New for the year flowers included Yellow Pimpernel. Managed a great Birds Foot Sedge photo (Carex Ornithopoda)

Birds Foot Sedge (Carex Ornithopoda) (Click over to enlarge)
This photo is great because you can see the "Birds Foot Flowers" check the next photo as well