Finally saw the night heron tonight after work, just glad that I pass the bridge on my way home, it's taken 3 journeys to get it. Wouldn't want to have used all that fuel on dips..LOL

Toying with going for the Eagle Owls at Dunsop tomorrow...anyone else interested?
Car share etc.

Keith, went on Tuesday otherwise I'd be in. Put aside any concerns about whether you can tick them... just enjoy them ! Didn't manage to see them in the air but got really good views of the 3 chicks and the male. Real party atmosphere up there [but not too busy], ages ranging from 3 to 80, everyone sharing scopes and just enjoying the sight.

Cheers Gary....making me more sure that I'm going. What's the terrain like? Is it bog-hopping or reasonably dry?

Just got back from Blacktoft where I saw my first ever Phalarope (Red-necked) on Marshland. Also had two Spoonbills and a drake Garganey from Xerox. Great stuff!

Would love to go a see the Eagle Owls Keith but I have to work unfortunately. Good luck if you decide to go.

Hard surface all the way and level until the last half mile. Park in the village - either the car park or by the bridge if there is room and follow the river up stream. Just keep walking - you will eventually come to a 'footpath closed' sign [on the right] and shortly afterwards the path splits - go Right towards Whitendale Farm. About an hour / hour & ten minutes walk in total. Ref SD 658540 on OS103 if you have it.

I went yesterday Keith. It's probably a 5/6 mile round trip but well worth the effort. Also Grey Wagtail along the stream that you follow up the valley.

It's a bit remote so take water or warm gear depending on what the weather's doing!

Good luck but you won't need it.

Also Kestrel, Ringtail, and I'm pretty positive a quick view of a Gos over the woodland just before you get to the owls, and Sandpiper on the stream. Shame it's the wrong side of the Pennines ! Have fun.

Saw Nick Patel's Red-Backed Shrike at Spurn this evening. Also Whinchat, Little Terns, Yellow Wag, Cuckoo and a lovely gathering of small waders at high tide. Wish I'd known about the phalarope at Blacktoft as I would have stopped on the way over.

Graham

Can anyone give me a steer on where I can see Chough in the Lake District ?

Well I did it, got the owls this afternoon, also raven, kestrel and buzzard. Missed merlin and seo by about 15 minutes.
Thanks for the tips chaps. There were a great bunch of folks up there, very matey. I was surprised at the ages of some of the folks, like Gary14 said...8 to 80. There was also a local lad of about 14 who was helping people find the birds.

You do realise that you've been to Lancashire? Make sure you have bath Keith.

Sorry don't know Gary. Not aware it's a stronghold for them. If anywhere I would have thought St. Bees Head area but I've never heard of them reported.

If it is Chough you are solely going for, go to South Stack instead. They are easy there.

I know I said I wouldn't but I called in for the Night Heron tonight.

Good 'photo opportunity. If you go it was directly opposite the boats, not 100m beyond them.

Apparently it tends to wander a bit, last night it was about 100m beyond the boats. Out in the open on a rock, and me with no camera as well. Just look on it as insurance Steve...if the bird is declared a tick ..you got it, if not it was a nice one to look at...LOL

Second South Stack and also don't know of any Chough in Cumbria, although I guess there may be some somewhere. I'm off to South Stack at the weekend which will leave Quail as the only regular English or Welsh breeder, winterer or passage bird I haven't seen in my first twelve months of serious birding. (not counting rare breeders of 20 or fewer pairs which I am leaving well alone unless there is an official watchpoint)

If anyone has any gen on Quail it would be hugely appreciated. I've tried a couple of early mornings and evenings in the LDV without luck and am happy to twitch instantly.

Would have been all British birds but dipped Corncrake and the big fat angry grouse in Scotland - ballsed up ferry times and diligently observed the caper code of conduct.

Graham

I know Keith seems disappointed with the Owls being in Lancashire-has anyone seen this weeks Birdguides greatest ticks? Eagle Owl pic from an undisclosed location in West Yorks. Nice.

Only nailed on gen about quail I have is that they are bloody difficult to see, after spending nearly 3 days trying to see the little swines in fields in Majorca and having to be satisfied with a glimpse as one crossed a clearing in the grass.
Choughs feature in an item in today's Independent, apparently the chough have returned to Cornwall and bred, these being the only English birds? So does this mean that there are no chough in the Lakes or is it just the press screwing up again?

I've seen two "nature programmes" in the past year on the Cornish Choughs, I think one was Coast. I think both featured the local RSPB warden working there, and I seem to recall a statement that they were the only Choughs breeding in England.

Im not aware of any Chough in the Lakes/ Cumbria BUT im sure there must be a handful somewhere id imagine. As for finding them. Needle. Haystack. Head for South Stack.

Many thanks for the tip. The better half had us visiting friends in the Lakes this weekend - so was going to leave them to 'talk' and try Walney & St Bees. However - the Mrs has a stinking cold and the trip is postponed. The Chough was just part of the wish-list [along with Eider, Black Guillemot & Rock Pipit] in case anyone knew of a site that wasn't well publicised - will make a seperate trip for them later in the year.

I do have a very old BTO Atlas of Breeding Birds - and the only English reference is a single dot on the north Cornwall coast... I was just hoping that as it was so old things may have changed ! - forever the optimist - or I probably wouldn't go out birding at all !

The Cornish Choughs are indeed publicised as England's only pair, indicating there is no resident population in Cumbria. WRT Quail if it has to be heard-only then so be it but I am a patient man, or rather, I quite like sitting staring at a field for hours on end. Curiously, hardest bird to date wasn't Leach's Petrel, Goshawk, Golden Eagle, or even Bittern, Spotted Crake, Cetti's or any notorious skulker but Crested Tit - fourteen hours solid searching - and I expected them to be sat waiting on the Loch Garten feeders. I'm ready for the Quail challenge now!

Graham - I have heard that Quail are seen on the farmland to the south of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park [SE 283117 approx] Jebb Lane - just off J38 of M1. Don't know if anyone can corroberate this ?

Hi Gary 14,
sounds like you were watching the owls at the same time that I was.I was the short, fat ,bald bloke whose scope was taken over by the 2 young children.Whatever any one says the owls are a tick in my book