Some raptors and passerines photographed at Brockholes Wetlands over the past week

November 6, 2011:
Kestrels are frequently seen hunting over the damp grassland on the Reserve whilst in good weather Buzzards thermal over the adjoining woodland. The Hobbys have long since departed south but Sparrowhawks can occasionally be seen.



[One of the ever-present Kestrels hunting over the marsh]


[A Common Buzzard making use of the thermals]


[A distant and distinctly bedraggled over-flying Sparrowhawk]

Flocks of Goldfinches feed on the thistle and burdock seed-heads and Meadow Pipits and Stonechats are also present, the latter often perching prominently.



[A small flock of five Goldfinches feeding on burdock seed-head]


[Meadow Pipit at the car park]


[Stonechat near the quicksand pool]

The Storiths Great Grey Shrike

March 1, 2011
Today’s beautiful spring-like morning, warm, windless, and with a clear blue sky, provided the ideal opportunity to search out the elusive Great Grey Shrike which yesterday had been reported back at Storiths in the Wharfe valley after a long absence.
[UPDATE: What is almost certainly the same bird was was reported 3km to the east by the old A59 road on March 3 & 4; it was back at Storiths on the 6th]



This bird had first been seen here at Storiths on December 8 last year where it remained until the 14th. It was not seen again until January 3 when (what was almost certainly) the same bird appeared at Grimwith Reservoir, some 10km to the north, and remained there until the 13th. A week later on January 20th it was seen briefly from Barden Scale Raptor Watch-point which lies between Grimwith and Storiths but since then there appear to have been no further sightings until yesterday (Feb 28) when it was back at Storiths. This was at a point a little above the hamlet in an area where logs were being stored prior to transport.
This morning, the chances of seeing it seemed slight because heavy machinery was active in the logging area at first. Thankfully though this soon stopped and after an hour's wait the Shrike suddenly appeared and perched on the top of a shrub for a few minutes. Then it was off again but this time despite a long search it couldn’t be relocated. Hereabouts, there is a large about of territory suitable for a Shrike and being a rural under-populated area the bird could be present but remain unnoticed for many days.



The small hamlet of Storiths at the centre of the Shrike's territory.



On the way home over the moors a Buzzard gave a nice view as it soared over Eastby Crags.

Buzzard, Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

September 2, 2010:
After only having had very distant views of the two Ospreys at Foulshaw yesterday, my luck with raptors changed when driving up the Brockholes approach road early this evening. A Buzzard had perched on a fence post opposite the main lay-by but, startled by the approaching car, flew off only to settle again on top of a nearby hazel. There was just chance for a few quick photo before, still suspicious, it flew across the lake and out of sight.



It was a pale-plumaged bird with a rather streaked breast and white feathers in its tail, these especially noticeable when in flight. It was probably the same bird seen distantly three days earlier when its plumage was also remarked on as somewhat atypical.

Common Buzzard with injured wing by A59 at Whalley

January/February,2010:
I first saw the injured Buzzard on New Year's Day when it was perched on a tall lampost above the busy A59 Whalley by-pass. It was holding its right wing very awkwardly and semi-outstretched but when it saw me it managed to fly a short distance into a nearby tree. The ground had been frozen and snow-covered for at least a week already and the bird was probably hoping to find an easy meal from road-kill victims. In some of the photographs its drooping right wing can be clearly seen.





It was in the same limited area on January 15 and 24, its right wing still hanging somewhat but again was quite able to fly. On February 4 it perched on a fence-post by the first roundabout but flew off with ease as I approached. On February 10 it was reported at least four miles further along the A59 near Worston, again by the roadside, so it was obviously recovering nicely and could fly longer distances. On February 19 it was back again by the first roundabout at Whalley where it perched on the fence for a while. When finally disturbed, it flew off at a leisurely rate before becoming lost to sight after 200 metres. This was another encouraging sign suggesting it was well on its way to a full recovery. It was last seen by me on February 23, perched on a fence post near the first roundabout, being harassed by two corvids.