2 - 7:30pm. Weather: cloudy, some sunshine, a few showers, one heavy & long.
After a snooze to recover from our early morning outing, Rob & I headed off to a location where Rob had seen ouzels before, another target bird for the trip. We parked up & headed off towards Cow Green Reservoir & then joined the Pennine Way, along Falcon Clints to Widdybank Farm & then Sayer Hill, before a long slog up the road back to the carpark. A much longer walk than I do normally but thoroughly enjoyable, even after nearly getting a leg sucked off in a hidden bog & after getting caught in a downpour when the heavens opened up, & with some great upland birds too.
Widdybank Fell.
Golden Plover - a few couples about, presumably preparing to breed, later on several over calling.
Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Curlew - all seen amongst the upland tussocks.
Red Grouse - a few with heads poking out from the heather & calling distinctively.
Black-Headed Gull - over the reservoir.
Ring Ouzel - 3, after a quick stop for lunch besides the river which flows from the reservoir, Rob & I clambered down to the Pennine Way. As we did so we looked down into the valley where we were headed & I caught a good look at a distinctive black bird with a white collar perched bodly on a rock. It wasn't there for long but it was close & distinctive: a male ring ouzel. As we descended we saw the individual again as well as a couple more including a good view of a female which clucked disapproval at our presence for a few minutes until it disappeared & we headed off, well satisfied.
Dipper - as we continued along the path next to the river a distinctive dumpy bird in the river was unmistakeable. An unexpected treat, a bird I hadn't seen in a while.
Widdybank Farm.
Pheasant, Redshank.
Snipe - 2, roding constantly over a nice secluded area of upland bog, a great sound & nice to see the birds after only hearing them in the dark in the morning.
Common Gull, Starling, Fieldfare, Skylark, Woodpigeon.
Black Grouse - distinctive lekking calls heard but we couldn't locate them on the hills.
Song Thrush - 2.
Greylag Goose, Oystercatcher.
20 species, 1 new species.
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