PIED FLYCATCHERS IS ONE OF OUR EARLIER RETURNING TRANS-SAHARAN MIGRANTS and is back on its territory in East Lancashire by mid April. I spent a few hours over the last couple of days watching one deliver its jaunty song in between scrapping with every other bird that came anywhere near its chosen nest box. Even a poor little Goldcrest was sent on its way. Of course Great Tits came in for the worst treatment and it may come as a surprise that such a cute little bird is so feisty when it comes to protecting its chosen nest site. The pretty wooded valleys of Bowland are one of its strongholds and, once you learn its song, Pied Flycatchers are easy to find in early spring. However, when the leafy canopy of the woodland develops they become much more difficult to track down.
THE GRASSHOPPER WARBLER, WHICH JOHN METCALF FOUND LAST WEEKEND REELING in a bed of rushes at the foot of Pendle was the highlight of another lovely walk on the hill. There were a few migrants around including at least 10 Northern Wheatears, 10 golden plovers and we also heard two redpolls flying north over the summit this morning. John had another four Ring Ouzels as he went up the steps early this morning but they were not present later, however, four stonechats were very welcome - two males and a pair below the 'long wall'. We also found the remains of a lapwing here, presumably taken by a fox?
Ring Ouzel, Pendle Hill
A LOVELY STILL AND SUNNY AFTERNOON ON PENDLE HILL ended with a flock of eight Ring Ouzels flying in to the landslip area from the southeast. I had already seen at least two, or maybe three others in this area before this happened so there may have even been up to 11 birds present today. There seems to be a big movement of them across England at the moment and I wonder just how many birds are involved in sightings on Pendle, maybe many more than we realise? Ring Ouzel used to breed on Pendle, along with Twite, Merlin and Dunlin but these birds are all gone now, some completely and others reduced to the status of occasional visitors. Despite the lack of variety I love Pendle and it gets easier with each visit. I am looking forward to racing up the hill over the next few weeks! I enjoyed this afternoon very much, even though the weekend's dottie has now moved on now but I returned home to be met by the news that missing Preston birder, Martin Lucas was found dead on St Annes beach on Monday. It makes me sick to think that I should have kept in touch with him but I did not find the time....
River Ribble at Ribchester looking towards Pendle Hill
SPRING IS NOW WELL UNDERWAY ALONG THE RIVERBANK and today I added Blackcap and Stock Dove to the Ribchester year list, my walks this weekend and last totalling 49 and 40 species respectively, the former my highest so far, boosted by the summer migrants. There is now a pair of kingfishers along the Old Park Wood bank, which I hope will stay to breed and a Linnet was singing from the wire fence near Osbaldston Hall. Cormorants are few now and the winter thrushes have gone (although I did see a Fieldfare near Todmorden today during a futile attempt to see the hoopoe there). The Rib year list now stands at 68, with a few more easy ones still missing so I think somewhere between 80-90 is possible if I keep at it.