Newts and all and first Skylark (17th Feb 2014)

A newt out early doors yesterday - size 4 1/2".  That sunshine makes all the difference!

This morning (Monday 17^th February 2014) was really good, simply because I had my first singing “Skylark”, which turned out to be “Sky” which resides up in Dalton Crags (deforested).  You had to listen hard to hear him because of the accompanying  cold wind background noise.  I do wonder now if today is actually his first day back on territory or whether he did get back for Valentines Day.  He certainly sounded well happy and made someone else well happy to.

A pair of Mistle Thrushes have also been hanging about in Dalton Crags, and are obviously paired up and holding the same territories as last year and the year before.

Not many Meadow Pipits seen, but I can hear them with their faint contact calls here and there up in Dalton (deforested) but with a stronghold at the moment on The Common.

Caper Spurge found in old Sand and gravel pit

Last week I saw a party of four grouped male Blackbirds on the Common and from the size of them and their respective behaviour can only think that they are continental birds foraging whilst probably heading off back to the Scandinavia’s.

Yesterday (Sunday 16^th February 2014) whilst checking out a lovely “dyke” in a disused sand and gravel pit near Borwick saw a large “newt” not sure which category it falls into but did manage a poor quality photo shown here.  It was about 4 ½” long. I was surprised to see it! and what a difference it makes when some sunshine is offered up.

I also found this small tree/shrub – photo shown here.  Can’t recall having seen this one before, probably some sort of introduced specimen, but seemed to be thriving. Its been confirmed to me since by my friend Brian that it is Caper Spurge.

A nice party of Goldfinches flying around and wondering if it was the spent teasels which held there attraction. 

(Starlings)- Where have all the Starlings gone

Its been mentioned by plenty o’er last few weeks,

Why am I not getting any birds at the feeders in my garden?

Well all I can think is that it’s because the birds are finding, plenty of food just where they are!  here, there and everywhere (in the Countryside), because its been ridiculously mild this Autumn, this Winter! In fact unprecedented in my life time.

If we are to get severe weather or frost, you can bet they will come back into the gardens then. 

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Others have said the Starling roost over at Leighton Moss is poor this year,

Have some of the birds decided to roost elsewhere?

Well maybe some have, there’s usually a sub roost in Burton In Kendal, and probably other sub roost as well.

But from my experience, the Starlings never even came into the Country last Autumn in the large amounts you would get in normal years. During the periods of usual high migration entry, day in, and day out I checked on all days, but gave special attention to the “usual peak dates” eg: October 26^th ish…. And it just never happened, they probably was about less than half of the normal numbers.

It was a similar situation with the Fieldfare, it was a really poor showing this time around.  Because it’s been so mild there has been lots of obtainable food over in the Scandanavia’s.  Even the Waxwing have stayed over there and been enjoying the added bonus of insects at that!

The Redwing fared much better with reasonable numbers recorded.

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"I want them frosts, and I want them now!!"

Seriously I do hope we get them very very soon eg: February, I am sure we will get them, so please lets have them NOW!  It could be disastrous if what happens is similar to last year and we don’t get them til March (throughout March), and cruelly the worst scenario the end of March. And last years figures are maybe in now, and they may show that the very early small migrants eg: Chiffchaffs and even the early migrating Goldcrest, just could not handle the severe frost, some blown off course with those strong winds, but many perished on account of no available food on their arrival, no insects!

It still has not gone down well at all here! How we lost 50% exactly of our breeding stock of Chiffchaffs all in one “foul swoop”  in and around Burton In Kendal.  Usually we have 34 nesting pairs, last year this number was down to 17 pairs. I have no results of the outcome of the breeding.

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Smart A** is having a day with the Ringer.

Smart A** is out and about yet again.

He’s decided to have a day with the Bird Ringer.

Ringer has caught a bird in his mist nets

Soon a inquisitive crowd has gathered around him,

One of the onlookers is guess who? Yes its Smart A**

He starts to take over and advises the gathered crowd,

“Do you know how to tell the difference between,

A Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff in the field”

Well its easy when you know how!

Just take note of the leg colour, if it’s a pinkish yellow,

It will be a Willow Warbler and if the legs are blackish,

It will be a Chiffchaff.

So Smart A** says to everyone “ So here we are we have

Got a lovely condition Willow Warbler.”  And then goes on to brag,

“its pretty good when you know your stuff when it comes to birds”.

Within seconds the ringer realeases the “Willow Warbler”,

Which quickly shot off and ascended on a nearby tree not far away.

And  to everyone’s amazement the bird started to sing.

“Chiff-Chaff-Chitty”, Chiff Chaff Chitty.

18^th September 2012.

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Dairy notes for (4th February 2014)– with some earlier notes as well.

Just some of the February activity, but to check out the latest please read below.

A lovely sunny day (4th February 2014), with regular passing white but some fluffy clouds, but warm intermittent between the clouds. A day when some of the birds may have thought! Yes this is it  …… chorus time….

Today was the very first day this year for me to hear the Blackbird happily singing away in a fluty bubbling lead to a chorus joined in by many other birds in the close neighbourhood.  It certainly wasn’t the best of dawn chorus’s I’ve heard, but most certainly the best and most welcome I have heard for at least ten months.

The Great Spotted Woodpeckers began drumming on the 20^th January, and already I have counted no less than 6 pairs, busy with their “echoed” tapping between one another offering different tones between them according to how far away from one another or maybe the thickness of the tree, or how rotten or how solid, but there where certainly subtle differences in the tones of the responsive drumming.  These counts were purely taken from the margins of Dalton and so I would guess that up to 10 pairs at least are present just within this small area, that’s the norm count anyway for Dalton.                                                                                                                         

On arrival at the Trig today, I was very surprised to see and hear a lonesome Meadow Pipit calling from high above the scattered hawthorn bushes.  It gave the first impression that it was a resident, but impossible to be sure, after all I was seeing them up here in December and with the “very mild” weather we have had so far its possible the bird has over wintered.  It’s usually the end of February or the first week in March that I record returning birds. 

Having a chat with Bill who looks after the cattle on Dalton and elsewhere, we were putting the World to rights between us, and soon after he started calling the cattle from afar and when they heard him shouting them “they were off” without any delay to race down to receive their “tit bits” from him.

Over the past few weeks, I have had good counts of “Woodcock” here and there usually disturbed in the margins of the upper pavements on the Common, they are so noisy at take off and give the show away all too often.

As usual Snipe have also been plentiful in the upper Crags, they too are noisy when disturbed climbing high whilst zig-zagging from one side to the other.

Well I have heard Starlings mimicking other birds, but never until today heard one doing the call of a Pied Wagtail whilst sat comfortably on a television aerial. So clear its call with the correct timing etc.

Well it wont be long now before the early Skylarks are coming through, I usually start to get them at around the third week in February.

The toads and frogs will be on their way any day now crossing the roads to find their respective ponds for mating.

I’ve never known it to be so mild before, in fact if we are to have some severe frost, lets have it now and get it over with.  I hope and pray it won’t be like last year, when the heavy frost set in from early and right through to the end of March.  It was a disastrous episode for the early migrants coming into the Country and just locally we lost 50% of our Chiffchaff breeding stock, bring down the breeding pairs from a regular 34 pairs to 17 pairs.

Signalling Love

“Signalling Love”

Pecker, not one but two doth drum and prod and peck those rotted trunks.

Belated echo from this side to that side and back with just the lane between,

Whilst Nuthatch calls fast whip, whip, whip, but never so fast as pecker pecks.

Bordered walls of pure green which does not change its shade, nor darkens 

  with age whatever the time of year, Its velvet look and feel so soft and kind to touch,

 so snug its cover, and fits those fossils like it’s glove.

Pecker, its time for you to mate, and make your holey place to rest and nest,

You’ve chose that peaceful hallowed place where many souls do lie,

That place to see the deer run past, the doe and fawn amongst it’s cast.

And from that budding canopy, the distant lure of constant chorus sings out,

so sweet a sound you’ll ever hear, approaching love is all so near.

(20th January 2014 whilst walking down the small lane between Pear Tree Cottage and Dalton Lane, Great Spotted Woodpeckers were calling to each other from within the Dalton Woodland Burial Ground and the woodland on the opposite side of the lane and it gave the initial impression of a "echoed" sound. Besides the air was filled with many other singing birds telling you that "love is in the air" )

Some of todays stories!

(Burton In Kendal)

Keep stopping to check above my head,

Hoping to catch view of passing geese.

For anyday now the skeins will start, of,

Pink Feet going from East to West.

(About 10 minutes after writing this down,

Guess what went directly over my head,

30 Pink Footed Goose, came in from the NE,

distantly noisy and out to the  South/SSW……

And further across from behind Arnside,

Another couple of skeins of 50 or more)

Some village Rooks are guarding their old nest,

Whilst others are canvassing a spot and sit, tight,

And you can hear them, discussing party stories,

Yet times raising their tone, to tell the encroacher,

Now clear off, this is my spot.

I must have spent a good ten minutes,

Squeaking a stoat, not ermine.

He stopped in his tracks and bobbed his head,

To stare with wonder whilst smacking his lips,

In and out, In and out of that hole or hiding,

At times he would stand and stretch so high,

Like a mere cat stance with lots of glance.

Now be off with thi, I’d shout, he’d run away.

On Slippery the Celandine is sprouting early,

Already a carpet of dotted green cress,

Your one of the first I know, but January!

Can’t have you beating the snowdrops and daffs,

So get back in the queue please and wait your turn,

I’m still checking out the odd “owd” fern.

Greyfriars Bobby and Greyfriars Kirkyard

"Greyfriars Bobby"

Its New Years Eve and there is only one place to be,

So North across the border to Edinburgh,

Only two hours on Virgin from Oxy to Wav’ly.

Got to spit on the “Heart Of Midlothian” custom says,

Met the World’s most “pierced” lady "Guinness" said, 

Colourful but didn't frighten me! Well that was,
Until she pulled her tongue out..

Wanted to meet dear Bobby at Grayfriars

Found his statue, then found his grave, and

Found his master John Gray’s grave has well,

And found the sextons grave as well, who....
befriended Bobby throughout those lonely fourteen years!

Whilst “Bobby” stood loyal guard to his dead masters grave.

Besides Bobby, Grayfriars Kirk was a very special place,

With lots of much decorated tombs of notability all around,

Poets, Earls, Regent, Lord advocates, Judges, Covenanters, and,
the "naughty" Sir George Mackenzie's poltergeist, were
strange things have happened close by his mausoleum,
and “mortsafes” shackle graves to stop the grave robbers.

Please read my poem called "Greyfriars Bobby" by clicking here

"Bobbys Grave"

World's most pierced lady


If you wish to see my other photos which I took, please click here and it will direct you to my photo hosting where you can then enlarge to full resolution if you so wish. 

Happy New Year

Just days away from another New Year,

Already there has been snowdrop cheer,

And lots of other wintering buds will start,

Like Winter Aconite and hellebores

You may see the ermine leaping and hunting,

For what a stoat in their new coat gloat,

Whilst listening for the squeaks it seeks

Amongst the forest or open floor.

Looking out for mistletoe on the trees,

a rare site it would be for one to see,

The host is apple, then hawthorn and lime,

Levens or by the Kent it climbs.

Rudolf has been and gone for now,

And time for our doe of the roe to bow

Whilst she doth run as sweet as heart

O’er hill or dale she will take her part.

Robin is singing whilst pouting his breast,

It’s orange, not red to put to the test,

No fighting today or angry mood,

Today its peace and hostility cease.

The Holly and the Ivy with holly berries bright,

And ivy slowly spiralling up the tree whilst clinging tight,

Stretching out in silence a new vein is born,

And yet its still the Holly who wears the crown….  

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year

Seasons Greetings to all

The Saturday preceding Christmas 2013

Thrushes are darting over the hedgerow,

Good job its cars on the road and not a bus,

One, then another, then a pair, until a dozen passed,

So low down and skimmed the car roof Into Curwen.

Further on,  passing Endmoor and Summerlands,

And even further to where the road bends,

Whilst watching out for the White Crow,

And just on cue you was there among the rest,

You stood out, to welcome a Christmas best.

And further on past Oxenholme and Nat

And just before the asda roundabout,

Looking up into the snowy sky,

There were Seven Swans a Flying,

On reaching Wainwrights “happy” Kendal,

I could here the song “We wish you a Merry Christmas”,

Followed by “Get your Big Issue Here”,

And brass did play across the road,

To welcome Christmastide.

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Ho Ho Ho!

It hailed with stones as big as beans,

Whilst winds blew and rains came as well,

And thunder and lightening too,

Then “One almighty bang” was heard,

And all the lights and electric was gone,

And plunged into darkness all around.

And on that very second “Santa” appeared,

He came around that corner on his sleigh,

With lights so bright, and carols so clear,

Whilst shouting lots of words of cheer.

And waved to all the children, one by one.

Ho Ho Ho…

( Experienced on 18^th December 2013 approx 1930hrs - Burton In Kendal.)

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So late the "Bombus"

Last Saturday the 14^th December 2013,

So late your appearance caused a stir,

I had to look twice to make sure.

You must have been one inch and a half in size,

And you seem to hover at times,

You are so nosy, your checking out all around,

In and out of the leaf litter on the verges,

Then you went in one hole and you were gone!

It must have been so mild this year your majesty!

The queen of (bombus) – the great big black bumblebee.

 (21^st December 2013) and for the records – so so late!

Memories of Sheep shearing high above Ullswater

“A shearer’s assistant for the day,

High on Cumberland heights,

“Dadd-y-ing" * sheep along their way,

To each shearer’s delight,

Or carrying chalk to shearer’s shouts,

If nicked a sheep to stop the bleed,

And taking ale or juice at regular bouts,

Throughout that “magical” day”.

                                                     The day’s finish was signalled to all,

                                                     And to the barn we did retreat,

                                                     Laid out was a meal fit for a King,

                                                     Home killed, homemade, homebrewed!

It was a Saturday morning when we set off and I remember us catching the 244 Ribble bus which at that time went over the Haslingden Hud Hey and through Blackburn to Preston.  Then at Preston we changed buses onto a old double decker Ribble bus that took us all the way to Eamont Bridge near Penrith. And little did I know then, that the week was going to throw up some great experiences, but the main memory was of becoming a “Sheep shearer’s helper for a day.

The summers then (1959/1960 period) were generally sunny and very hot on most days especially during July. We had arrived on summer vacation to my friend Malcolm’s relation who fortunately for us just happened to be the River Bailiff on the River Eamont near Penrith. It was great to stay here in his family home which was built on the banks of that fast flowing river. As the week went on we would try our hand at fishing on most days and also had the pleasure of slipping the bank and accidentally ending up within the river. On another day we visited the fabulous waterfall named Aira Force.

But still the best had to come, and that was the day we went along to help (or I wonder if we hindered) with the sheep shearing at a farm which was so high up in the monstrous heights somewhere overlooking the great lake of Ullswater. The account of that very special day as I remember it went as follows:

“The day had been previously arranged for us, and can only think that perhaps our host farmer was some relation or close friend of Jims, the River Bailiff at Eamont Bridge where we were staying.

We certainly didnt complain about
"Peripheral Vascular Disease" those days

We set off peddling those bicycles, it was hard work climbing the ascent to the farm which seemed to us at the time, the highest building on the planet. The long road ascension seemed to go on and on and on with such painful leg challenging work as I remember, but at the tender age of 12 you would never have considered complaining of things like “Peripheal vascular disease” . Everything was a new challenge and we were young and active and filled with excitement of the unknown!

Eventually we arrived at the farm, and I remember that just looking back to Ullswater below and the long twisting road we had come up looked so small, set within that far bigger picture. And that “pain peddling” achievement was now so well rewarded by the beautiful feeling of being on top of the whole wide World in front of you. It did not stop at that, much more was on offer as well with that farmhouse set out in such a picturesque setting of oldy, worldy. It seemed idyllic even before the eyes of a sprouting (almost) teen.  With local stone flags and cobbles as well set out in true “westmorland/cumberland style”, and the buildings were well aged with weather worn stone which you immediately thought could date back to the “arc”, there was character all around with lots of small windows which were very narrow and tall, which today I understand would be called “mullion” windows, and the door to the farm was very old and very thick and heavy, in fact you wondered how on earth did those hinges support such a weight, but they did and had done for probably decades.  All the tops of the surrounding walls were covered in a thick most beautiful green coloured moss which lay there perfect and looked like the whole area had been fitted into a green velvet garment.

All around the farmyard there were several wooden chairs which had seen better days, forming a poor shaped circle, and these were to house the buttocks of the dozen or so “shearers”, who were the local collection of neighbouring farmers who had come today to carry out the annual sheep shearing duties. They all helped one another at this very busy time, moving around from one farm to the other, until all the farms in the neighbouring collective had been completed. What a beautiful way of doing things and I wonder if this is still the practice today.

Prior to this most spectacular of days, lots of preparatory work had obviously taken place with the farmer and his family members or their appointed shepherds together with their agile working dogs gathering the sheep, and driving them down from positions higher up on the fell sides, and down to the few noticeable enclosures dotted around the farm, and near to where we were stood. 

So the working day began!  And we were quickly shown our duties, one of us was to carry the sheep out from the enclosure to the shearer, whilst the other was to “run with the chalk”.  After a hour or two we would swap over jobs.  If you was the carrier you had to quickly get the knack of sort of getting the sheep into position by a sort of twisting movement, then to perform the art of what we called “dadd-y-ing”* the sheep whilst upright and between your legs and with your hands holding the sheep under its front legs and taking them towards the shearer where he would then take the sheep from you and re adjust the sheep into a more comfortable position, before he carried out his shearing duties.  The shearing was carried out with specially designed “shears” which were made from a springy metal.

The other person who carried the chalk, was to run to the shearer as soon as he shouted for the chalk.  It meant he must have “nicked” the flesh of the sheep whilst shearing and the white ground up chalk powder rubbed into the wound seemed to quell the small amount of blood and dry up the wound almost immediately.

There was also another job that day, but we were were not allowed to take part directly in this particular job, which was to carry around a large white jug of ale to each of the shearers every now and again and when they had worked up a sweat. But guess what, every so often we did manage to get the odd glass spilling over our way.

"Everything you could think of"

Another memory is at the end of the sheep shearing day, probably around tea time we were all invited into the barn of the farm, where in the middle of the barn surrounded by wooden benches stretched this very old large timber oblong table and it was absolutely full up with home killed meats, homemade foods and lots of homebrew to swill it all down. They had their own butter and it tasted so good, I can still remember the taste today, I have never tasted butter like that since, they had their own peanut butter, their own cream, milk, cheeses, jams and chutneys and lots and lots of other home produce. The meat had been a product from their own fields. All this good food had to be swilled down with some good beverage and although the orange juice was OK it seemed far better at the time to manage to quietly squeeze yet another “jill”* or two of ale.

Now it was almost time to leave that farm to return back to Eamont Bridge.  We could see Ullswater lying in the distant bottom.  So on our bikes in our semi inebriated one eye open and one eye shut state we began to freewheel all the way down that bendy road to the bottom.

What a very special day that was, and one that has stayed within my memory now for well over 50 years.

 (* Dadd-y-ing is probably a Lancashire slang word for the motion of moving a large oversize object (similar to a flag),

whereby you would  rock it from side to side whilst at the same time edging one of the corners forward and then edge the other corner even  more further forward. I suppose it is not unlike the “waddle”  motion of a duck.)

(* Gill pronounced Jill is a measure of ale between a quarter of a pint, or a third of a pint and as in our case was a half pint measure) 

"The Face in the limestone"

The Face of a Mate,  Found this one a couple of days ago up on the Common of the Hutton Roof Crags. Not sure who he is, but a very interesting face.  Some good features there, can you make him out? 

I think this is the fungus called "Nostoc Commune" or (Star Jelly, Witches Butter, Mare's Eggs) and seen regularly on limestone.  This was on limestone on the Common this morning.

This is "Pollyholly", I just could not resist it, being in the close area... Holly Fern No.2 (Polystichum lonchitis)

Jelly on the plate!

No thanks……

The face of a mate!   

Dun know…….

And over there is Pollyholly!

Just couldn’t resist a photo……..

Heading up through Dalton Crags,

Fieldfare, Blackbird and Green Woodpecker.

Then up onto the Common, to check out,

The Spleenwort’s and the Polystichum’s,

And anything else up for grabs as well.

Nice pavements, gleaming clints in the sun,

Sloping well on North West to South East faults

Grykes not just fifteen foot but to twenty at least.

So dark down there I cannot see,

Were water runs to cascade thee.

The Hazel, Hawthorn and Ash are almost bare,

Giving you a far greater stare! Amongst it all.

Pavement strikes up in patchwork crazed,

From all around but mainly North or East.

So good a view to Hybrid Hill, that very special place,

Were Helliborine’s debate, not sure what they want to be.

July next will tell, and then we shall see.

Showing the deep gryke which is approx 20ft or so.

Spindlewood, Autumn Leaves and a peeping Tawny Owl

"Spindle" is such a beautiful tree and instantly recognised with its "pink fruit capsules".

This shows the "bark pattern" of the Spindle Tree. (ignore the lower leaves shown here, they do not belong to this tree, the spindle leaves are to the top right)

I have found this regularly on limestone, especially on both Gait Barrows and Hutton Roof. The above specimen found on Thursday last in Lancelot Clark Storth.

Also a couple of photos here of the changing "Autumn Leaves" in Dalton Crags.

Photograph taken  14th November 2013 - Dalton Crags (from Nineteen trees approach)

Photograph taken 14th November 2013 - Dalton Crags (from Nineteen Trees approach)

And here is a photo from yesterday showing the beautiful "mossy stones" which are regularly discovered on some of our local limestone pavements (Hutton Roof).

I just can't get enough of these beautiful limestone covered mossy areas which tend to lie so secret in their dense hidden cover and as a rule are under the more mature of trees which offer them their shade and keep the area well watered. What a lovely shaded green furry mossy snugfit!! Can you see the tawny owl eyeballing the green polar bear?

Well what about this then, found yesterday whilst search through the dense cover of one of the pavements up on Hutton Roof, was this remnant of the Broad Leaved Helliborine, still well preserved from last July, and can only put it down purely to the cover it had with it being within a two foot deep gryke.

Still can't believe finding this on the 16th November 2013!

Purgatorial Tormentus of the Turdus (Pilaris)

Chaffinch and Swallow migration routing through Burton In Kendal 2013 (Please click over to enlarge)

Visible Bird Migration - Sat Nov 16th 2013 - from Burton In Kendal. (Final watch for 2013)

0730hrs-0900hrs. Dry Wind: WSW 13mph, 8c, 79% Cloud cover, 17500m vis, 1030mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 49 (18SE 31W), Redwing: 12W, Woodpigeon 26W, Starling: 5W, Goldfinch: 10SE,
Whooper Swan: 4W. 

Visible Bird Migration - Fri Nov 15th 2013 - from Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs-0830hrs. Dry, Wind: W5mph, 6c, 77% cloud cover, 19900m vis, 1034mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 51 (34SE 17W), Meadow Pipit: 10 SE (one party), Woodpigeon: 9W, Redwing: 3W.


Visible Bird Migration - Thr Nov 14th 2013 - from Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs - 0830hrs. Dry, Wind: W15-20mph, 6c, 15% cloud cover, 18100m vis, 1020mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated.  Chaffinch have taken a plummet in numbers over the past two days.

Chaffinch: 80 (11SE 69W), Starling: 60W (two parties), Redwing: 22W (3 parties), Fieldfare: 50SW (40 and 10 party), Woodpigeon: 79 S, Blackbird: 4W (1 & 3).


Visible Bird Migration - Wed Nov 13th 2013 - from Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs  - 0900hrs. Dry, Wind: SW 5-7mph, 7c, 72% Cloud, 18700m vis, 1031mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated.  

Chaffinch: 96 (19SE,77W), Starling: 90W (5 parties), Woodpigeon: 60 (24S,36W), Fieldfare: 24SW (one party), Redwing: 35W (4 parties), Siskin: 12SE (one party), Curlew 1NW, Meadow Pipit: 1SE.


Visible Bird Migration - Tue Nov 12th 2013 - from Burton In Kendal.

0715-0845hrs. Dry, Wind: W10mph, 8c, 5% Cloud cover, 19000m vis, 1024mb pressure, all movement SE unless Stated.

Obvious that there was some movement today with Starling and Fieldfare.

Chaffinch: 249 (111SE 138W), Starling: 291 W/NW (10 parties), Alba Wagtail: 2W, Woodpigeon: 228S, Redwing: 45W, Blackbird: 2W, Redpoll: 4, Fieldfare: 32W

also:
1100hrs-1130hrs, Wind now freshening to W20mph, 9c, 30% Cloud cover, 19100m vis, 1025mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 80 (53W 26SE), Woodpigeon: 8S, Starling 48W (3 parties), Skylark: 7W (one party), Fieldfare: 282W (7 parties best 80), Redwing: 90W (4 parties), Greenfinch: 1

Visible Bird Migration - Mon Nov 11th 2013 - from Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs to 0830hrs, Continual drizzle throughout, Wind SSW 5mph, 8c, 100% Cloud cover, 7400m visability, 1014mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 195 (12W 183S), Woodpigeon 12S, Starling: 135W, Fieldfare: 8W, Goldfinch: 6SE, Brambling: 2W, Redpoll: 12SE (one party), Alba Wagtail: 1

There is also now a Chaffinch blogging party formed which can be also suspected to feeding on the recent spent maize fields.

Visible Bird Migration - Sun Nov 10th 2013 - Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs to 0930hrs, NW 3-5mph, 2-3c, 2% Cloud cover, 19400 to 19900m vis, 1011 to 1014mb pressure. Very hard frost overnight with clear blue skies.  All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 176 (58W 118SE), Mistle Thrush: 1W, Redwing 50W, Woodpigeon: 68S, Starling: 36W.

Very quiet this morning, even the Chaffinch were blogging with a party of perhaps 100 in and out of the spent maize fields and hedgerows.

Perhaps another indication of the milder weather in general is the shortage of Jays moving this year compared to past years.

Visible Bird Migration - Sat Nov 9th 2013 - Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs to 0900hrs, Wind: WSW 5mph, 5c, 64% Cloud cover, 18000m visability, 1003mb pressure, Heavy rain showers off and on throughout. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 463 (328SE,135W), Redwing: 60W or SW, Starling: 29W, Mistle Thrush 2W, Woodpigeon 218S.

Some "vismig" notes on the Starling shortage this year:

It had crossed my mind that maybe the Starlings were again doing badly this year because of the following indications:

At my site I usually have at least one if not two really good days with Starlings moving West when I would have at least 20 parties or more over the morning.  This year it has not materialized, at best I have only had maybe two or three parties.

Also I have noted (in my opinion) that the Leighton Moss Roost is perhaps half of its normal size eg: with a probable estimate of maybe 40,000 birds (and thats being conservative), whereby now I would have expected the roost to be in the 80,000 at least.

Leighton Moss roost exit to the East which in part come over my watchpoints at Burton or Hutton Roof every morning, with the early morning passage to number quantities of only small hundreds instead of small thousands.

These are only indications obviously, but when I check the fabulous graphs on Trektellen over the past five years, it does look very much that this year will turn out to be the poorest on record (over 5 years), unless something really drastically improves within the next few days.

Whether its to do with a shortage of birds (as most people suspect), or whether its to do with them taking a more direct route into Central Europe this year and not bothering to come over the UK in their usual large quantities because of blocking weather, or it maybe too mild for all of them to even come over here this year, if theres plenty of food on the continent why bother coming over here.  This also could perhaps be a similar indication to what we have with the Fieldfare this year.

Here is the trektellan Starling counts for the UK (as a whole) over the past five years given in very approximate (my rounded off) figures for JUST the peak days: (please note these figures are only a small percentage of the actual birds present in the UK and are the results of some 10 to 15 observers from various parts of the UK, and obviously would not be a "guide" to the full quantities present, but only a token number to what are actually present, although they do give a indication in relation to the recording from the same "watchpoints" over that period of five years.

2008  Peaked over two days in October - Oct 29 & 31st      150,000.

           Peaked over one day in November - Nov 3rd                   27,000.

2009  Peaked over 4 days in October - Oct 14,18,19,22             220,000.

           Peaked over one day in November - Nov 1st                   60,000.

2010  Peaked over three days in October - Oct 17,18,25.           115,000.

           Peaked over three days in Nov -  Nov 1,7 and 8th          150,000

2011  Peaked over three days in October - Oct 14,15,23              65,000.

           Peaked over one day in November - Nov 9th                   20,000.

2012  Peaked over two days in October - Oct 28 and 29th          150,000.

           Peaked over one day in November - Nov 12th                  30,000

2013  Peaked over three days in October - Oct 19,24,25th            56,000

           Peaked over one day in November - Nov 8th                      6,620

Interesting also to see that 2011 was also a poor year in comparison, but 2013 UK peaks have been very low indeed, although I have noticed that in the past two to three days Starling numbers have been very good in the Netherlands. 

Visible Bird Migration - Fri Nov 8th 2013 - Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs to 0900hrs, Wind: SSW 9mph, 6c, 79% Cloud cover, 18000m vis, 1002mb pressure. Heavy rain showers over the first half hour. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 168 (58W 110 SE), Greenfinch: 2, Meadow Pipit: 2, Redwing: 20 SW (one party), Woodpigeon: 71S, Starling: 4W.

Not much happening this morning, even the Chaffinch were very slow, I guess it could have been down to the heavy showers early on.

Visible Bird Migration - Thr Nov 7th 2013 - Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs to 1100hrs, Wind: SW 15mph and increasing to 20mph, 4c to 8c, 10% to 75% Cloud cover, 1000m to 18200m vis, 1001 to 1002mb pressure. Mainly blue skies, sunny at times, very cold icy wind. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 453 (171SE - 282W), Fieldfare: 26 (8S,18NW), Redwing: 2 SW, Mistle Thrush: 1W, Starling 20W (one party), Woodpigeon: 51S, Goldfinch: 27, Brent Goose: 4 NW, Tree Sparrow: 12 (One party), Greenfinch: 4SE, Stock Dove: 4SW.

Visible Bird Migration - Wed Nov 6th 2013 - Burton In Kendal.

0730hrs to 0900hrs, Wind: West 1-3mph, 6c to 7c, 95% Cloud, 17300m vis, 996mb pressure, the odd light shower every now and again. All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 295 (108SE - 187W), Alba Wagtail: 3, Woodpigeon: 76, Brambling: 2, Starling 20S



And below are a few notes in regards to the poor showing of the Fieldfare this year. (written Tuesday November 5th 2013)

Purgatorial Tormentus of the Turdus (Pilaris) (To be taken light hearted please! not too serious......)

Why should this year be any different than some years? Why do the vismigger’s keep tormenting themselves, and telling themselves that the main push for the Fieldfare is just around the corner, with lots and lots of excuses like any day now, once the weather improves, once the block over the North Sea has cleared, its been too mild over in the Netherlands to push them through, and even now with this cold snap of yesterday some of us may live in hope and be thinking they will be away today and with us in the next 24 hours.

Ah! I know what it is now and maybe I’ve suffered it for such a long time, in fact I’ve probably had it now for 27 years if the truth be known. That’s just what it is, the vismigger’s illness what might has well be called “purgatorial tormentus” and here we are again this year, thinking exactly the same as last year, and going down the same route again and expecting this year will be that “special year” when the birds will turn up, but late.

I need to get it into my head, that if the Turdus have not arrived by the 2^nd November, they are not even thinking about coming this way, its simple to work out if we really want to take it serious and accept the past histories, or at least my own histories since the mid eighties.

The birds that did come over to the UK this year have already been and gone long ago, in fact its more than probable that they came through with the Redwings on October 11^th. The 10,000’s plus in a day has certainly not matured this year for me, and neither is it likely to do, in fact I have never even managed the 5000 per day mark or even a “token” count of 1,000 birds in one session! This year.

For me, its no good thinking each year that the goal post may have to be shifted, I must stick with a “cut off point” with November 2^nd as the deadline, well go on then, we’ll stretch it just that little bit further for goodwill and make it November 5^th, Bonfire Night.

So where have they all gone then?  For me I will go along with what I have thought for years.  If they don’t get away on the right day, they don’t come this way at all, in fact they just trundle down the dutch mainland into Central Europe. 

They’ll be lots of “berries” spare this year dear Turdus, so the one’s over here now should get fat bellies before they move off,  and because it’s so mild in the Scandinavian countries, even the “Waxwings” this year are preferring the insects! Rather than boring berries.

After saying all that, they will probably come in tomorrow.

1600hrs: Tuesday 5th Nov -  Just heard that 41000 Fieldfare have come into Bergen aar Zee in the Netherlands and a further 16000 Fieldfare into De Vulkaan in the Netherlands earlier today, and some now also showing coming in off sea and crossing over Spurn Point on the East Coast heading West, so maybe there is a chance we will get some tomorrow after all..... fingers crossed....

0600hrs: Wednesday 6th Nov - Further reports of more Fieldfares yesterday, but astonishing numbers of Starlings have hit the Netherlands, with one site in particular (Eggmond Aan Zee) having already clocked up One Hundred and eighty seven thousand yesterday. So hopefully some of these will come west to the UK today...

Wed 6th, Thurs 7th and Friday 8th Nov - But sadly for us, they did not come our way and can only presume again they have all gone down Central Europe instead.  

Visible Migration - from Friday November 1st 2013.

Guy Fawkes on top of bonfire.

Visible Bird Migration - Monday November 4th 2013. from Burton In Kendal. (St. James Way)

0800hrs to 1200hrs - Wind: NW: 10mph, 5c, 0% Cloud cover (blue skies), 19300m visability, 992mb pressure. First proper thick frost.  All movement SE unless stated.

Chaffinch: 223 (62W 161SE), Alba Wagtail: 2W, Woodpigeon: 97S, Redwing 55W, Starling: 13W, Pink Footed Goose: 60 S (one party).

Visible Bird Migration - Sunday November 3rd 2013. from Burton In Kendal. (Mike Taylors Fields)

0715hrs to 0815hours - Wind: Westerly 20mph, 6c, 75% Cloud cover, 17000m vis, 991mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated. Chaffinch still strong passage with over 200 in the hour. Also over 100 blogging Chaffs trying to get through West, with many attempts.  It seems strange that they will cut a 25mph Easterley to go East in one go, yet struggle with many attempts to cut a 20mph Westerley to go West.  Never been able to work that one out yet!.  All maize fields lifted yesterday, so only got trees and hedgerow cover now.

Chaffinch: 210 (89SE, 121W), and up to 100 blogging in the trees and hedgerows. Brambling 2 West with Chaffinches.  Starling: 30W (one party), Fieldfare: 2W, Woodpigeon: 4 South, Greenfinch: 2W with Chaffinches. 

Visible Bird Migration - Saturday November 2nd 2013.  from Burton In Kendal.  "Still lots of Chaffinches".

0715hrs to 0915hours- Wind: SE10-12mph and rising, 6c, 76% Cloud cover, 17700m visability and 995mb pressure.  All movement SE unless stated. Chaffinch still very strong passage, and still going strong on leaving.

Chaffinch: 508 (29W 479SE)  Goldfinch: 72 (6,2,18,10,10,20,6), Woodpigeon: 83S, Starlings: 142 (6 parties all SE), Fieldfare: 23 (SE), Redpoll: 21 (2 parties)

Visible Bird Migration - Friday November 1st 2013. from Burton In Kendal.

0700hrs to 0800hrs - Wind: 10mph SW, 8c, 40% cloud cover, 1900m visability, 1007mb pressure. All movement SE unless stated.  Chaffinch in really good numbers for one hour count.

Chaffinch: 289 (112SE 177W), Starling: 14W, Redwing: 37SW, Fieldfare: 2S, Woodpigeon 62S, Goldfinch 37E, Tree Sparrow: 2.

Whats happened to Shebbies and Fieldfares?
Each day I wait in anticipation for you,
to come over that hill in party after party after party.
A sight for sore eyes, if it happens,

For Fieldfare, (who travels across the fields),
for you the Rowan and Haws are in plenty,
Your trees have branches weighted down,
in readiness to fill your empty travelled bellies.

Shebbies in Lancashire, Starlings elsewhere,
You are late and eagerly awaited,
I am missing your tight squadrons,
like shooting straight bullets to the West.

Its still so mild in the Scandie's,
One chap has told us today,
His Waxwing's are leaving the berries alone,
Instead, their preference for insect fayre.