Sunday 27 March 2011

Hawfinch and spring migrants

25th March 2011 A visit to see the Hawfinches at Sizergh Castle in Cumbria
had me up and out early in time to see these wonderful birds. I arrived at the car park
where the birds had been feeding at 7.20. and immediately there were two birds calling
high in the crown of a tree.
After several minutes of waiting the birds dropped down to the ground to feed but
frustratingly, i couldn't see them behind a small bank on the edge of the car park.
The birds would feed for a little while then escape to the tree tops. Around 3-5 birds
were around that morning with the last sighting at 8.40 when a single bird fed on the
gravel of the car park with Goldfinches.

Leighton Moss rspb was the next stop, with a singing Chiffchaff by the car park and
several Sand Martins over the reserve were the first of the year for me.
A lovely 2nd summer Med' Gull was in the Black-Headed Gull colony in front of the
Lillian's hide and A single Sparrowhawk hunted over the reed-bed.

The Eric Morecambe Pools held around 1000 Black-Tailed Godwit with smaller
numbers of Redshank, 7 avocet and a single Knot, Merlin, and 2 Peregrine.
A little further away at the saltmarsh near Warton were more spring migrants in the
form of 5 Wheatear and a White Wagtail, with a steady northward movement
of Sand Martins. 9 Buzzards were in the air together over the
Warton Crag hillside.

Hawfinch

a little closer!

Black-Headed Gull colony

air combat

Lapwing

Pied Wagtail

Mediterranean Gull

Sparrowhawk

 Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

singing Skylark

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