Back on the hills 18TH AND 21ST

A cold and snowy visit to Walshaw Dean , 3 Barn Owls  , 3 Short -eared Owl , 2 Hen Harriers , 6 Stock Dove , Fieldfare , Redwing , 28 Pink - footed Goose , Buzzards , Kestrel , Meadow Pipit , Pied Wagtail , + usual...

 

Raven ( photo NCD)from last week

A walk through Blake Dean saw my first Nuthatch in this area along with 8 + Cole Tit , Robin and Blackbird. Walshaw Plantation held a decent sized flock of 20 + Crossbills and a Barn Owl hunting out in the day at 12.10..A noisy Raven was mobbing a Buzzard and 2 Carion Crows were mobbing a Hen harrier above middle Walshaw. A beautiful male Stonechat was my bird of the day and as I was watching it feeding along a dry stone wall a flock of 85 +  Pink- footed Geese headed high west. Mallards and Greylag Goose on the reservoir and a flock of 200 + Fieldfare were feeding on the ground.The odd Meadow Pipit are now being seen...........

Acleris logiana 

Only the second  local record of this species..