MIpit Madness 1780 ( aprox) in 3 hours

From 7.15 to 10.15 the skies were alive with Meadow Pipits , there were small groups on the cricket pitch , on the fences on the walls and as I walked through the fields they were popping up and flying south calling loudly. I have long awaited a big Mipit day as I have read about them many times . At one point I reckoned on 15 per minute for an hour ..they were every where. Also a Wheatear , Pied Wags , 6 + 23 lapwing , 1 Snipe  , 4 Redpoll , 100 + Goldfinch ,  Linnets and 7 Swallows might have been the last here. Mistle Thrush , Song thrush and one Bullfinch high north  made for a hectic morning......Pinks and Redwings next , Fieldfare and Starlings then Woodpigs and Whoopers  ...and who knows what else...

Lakes , Barrow in furness area 22nd - 24th

18 Geenshank ( 14 together ) , 25 Black tailed , 5 Bar tailed Godwits , 25 Snipe , 1 Curlew Sandpiper , Otter again , 2 Common Tern , 2 Red throated Diver , 41 (yes 41 ) Little Egret . 45 Pink Footed Geese high south , 3 Grey Plover , 350 Golden Plover . 300 Widgeon , 200  + Teal , 500 + Redshank , 700 + Curlew , Watched a Peregrine take a female Pintail , 100's of Oyks , Shelduck and Eider//////////////

Little Owl puzzle..???

In 2010 my local little Owls deserted , when the barn they nested in collapsed .I have not seen them in Northowram since.?? They nest at Shelf , and in the Coley area. The puzzling thing is for the last 3 Septembers I have found Little owl feathers on the Cricket pitch I can only assume that one Owl must come to the cricket pitch at this time of year to feed.?????
Note ~~~~ on the 3.10.16 I found a dead Little Owl on the road down to Copley....

Wheatear....and distant Buzzard

One Wheatear on the cricket pitch today was a first actually on the pitch that I remember seeing . Plenty in the fields before. Meadow Pipits (20+ ) , Swallows(200+) and House Martins(15 +) on the move this week  .Also  up to four  Buzzards about .  A call from Bri alerting me to a   Honey Buzzard heading my way was too good to miss. After about 15 minutes a Buzzard sp flew high over the house it looked to have a long neck but unfortunately it could have just as easy been a Common Buzzard .Also it looked to have flat wings and was being mobbed by Swallows , but it could have been a territorial Common Buzzard so will have to let that one go..

Ringstone

Widgeon    11
Lapwing   176
Golden Plover   2
Great Crested Grebe 1
Cormorant    3
Snipe  4
Common Gull 1
BHGull       200 +
Mallard           4

First Meadow Pipits on the move

A flock of 14 Meadow pipit  on the cricket pitch this morning were the first here this autumn with 12 Pied wags , 250 + Goldfinch ,9 Linnet , 2 Greenfinch , 18 Starlings  and 1 singing Chiffchaff  .