Northern Wheatear, Pendle Hill summit
AUTUMN MIGRATION IS WELL UNDERWAY now on Pendle Hill. A handful of wheatears have appeared along the dry stone walls and on the gritstone cairns at the summit. Swallows hawked for insects over the rough pasture and Meadow Pipits have formed flocks. The most unusual sighting of the day, however, was a Common Chiffchaff that was singing in the plantation at Pendleside Farm. I also heard a Willow Warbler singing in the car park at Two Jays this week so they are also obviously on the move. A couple of Red Grouse called from the heather area towards Ogden Clough, three or four skylarks flushed from the rough grass and a female kestrel flew over the summit. There were also around 10 Peacock butterflies around the summit area today, I often wonder why they are up here with not a scrap of their caterpillar's food plant (common nettle) in sight. I hope to do a few hikes up Pendle before I go down under next month.
Pendle Hill summit trig point looking north into North Yorkshire