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Zim Girl's 4th Big Year 2021


Zim Girl

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On 3/23/2021 at 5:18 PM, Soukous said:

Congrats on the 50. Everybody seems to find a Nuthatch except me :(

In this small woodland, there is the 'nuthatch' bush.  If you stand there long enough one will eventually turn up. I only had to wait a few minutes :).

We also had them in our garden for the first time last year - lovely little bird.

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On 3/23/2021 at 5:18 PM, Soukous said:

Congrats on the 50. Everybody seems to find a Nuthatch except me :(


and me!

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3 hours ago, Zim Girl said:

If you stand there long enough one will eventually turn up. I only had to wait a few minutes 

I'm on my way :ph34r:

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@Soukousand @Tdgraves, don't want to make you jealous or anything but we saw the nuthatch on one of our feeders just this morning:)

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3 minutes ago, Zim Girl said:

@Soukousand @Tdgraves, don't want to make you jealous or anything but we saw the nuthatch on one of our feeders just this morning:)

:(

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21 minutes ago, Zim Girl said:

@Soukousand @Tdgraves, don't want to make you jealous or anything but we saw the nuthatch on one of our feeders just this morning:)

:angry:

 

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On 3/24/2021 at 2:48 AM, Soukous said:

Congrats on the 50. Everybody seems to find a Nuthatch except me :(

 

I think I can safely promise there will be no Nuthatches in my BY this year ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Another batch coming up from various locations over the last couple of weeks.

 

We are still on a mission to find a green woodpecker and this location is probably our best chance.  We were also looking for crossbills and hawfinches.  We bombed out on all three although we did hear the woodpecker taunting us :(.

 

However, we were treated to a very nice view of two kestrels hunting.  Not my best kestrel picture but I like it perched on the stone wall.

 

51.  Common Kestrel

P1350286c.jpg.d1a646b354f23cb70c2420da440aada2.jpg

And just because I very rarely get a BIF.

P1350289c.jpg.393b20660a836e64b0fdcda16b652591.jpg

Cunswick Scar  -  27/03/21

 

 

 

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This little bird took pity on us after failing to find the woodpecker.

 

52.  Coal Tit

P1350323c.jpg.6b7f6d2dc02ade43bb8948ec7661e693.jpg

Helsington Barrows  -  27/03/21

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Given there are numerous rookeries in our local area you wouldn't think it be so hard to get a picture of one, but it is!  This was taken a long way off in a field near home.

 

53.  Rook

P1350356c.jpg.d2c2c6d57e1d1a9265cc586438039294.jpg

Field near home  -  29/03/21

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Warton Crag has a big expanse of limestone cliff which is a popular breeding ground for Jackdaws.  If you are lucky you can see Peregrine Falcons as they also nest here.  (We didn't).

 

54.  Western Jackdaw

P1350371c.jpg.12b6b7c9b6eabdc707ff99834fb653d2.jpg

 

P1350378c.jpg.ba036a8a6cbda1304256639ba99c72b0.jpg

Warton Crag  -  03/04/21

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Just up the road is RSPB Leighton Moss.  We popped in to see how 'open' they were.  The trails are now all open but all the hides are still closed, including the estuary ones.  They were hoping to open them back up on 12th April but we have since found out they are to stay closed until 17th May:(

A quick walk round gave us two new birds.

 

55.  European Greenfinch

P1350404c.jpg.b8cf6d47bb1f1cd15092220243fa75e2.jpg

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  03/04/21

 

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Pleased with this one, didn't get it at all last year.

 

56.  Eurasian Bullfinch

P1350422c.jpg.6ff186e0b28ca0b97b4366f0f329708f.jpg

 

P1350439c.jpg.b9ba2e8780d750c38bb8adb8433d3754.jpg

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  03/04/21

 

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Also pleased with this one.  This is a new bird for the garden list and another I missed last year.  (I am ignoring the goldfinch for now, will get better later).

 

57.  Eurasian Siskin

P1350565c.jpg.f6d2a64fb2006c0d4d12fc80a779a20b.jpg

Back garden  -  04/04/21

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Another trip up to South Cumbria, this time to Foulshaw Moss to try and get the Redpolls and Reed Buntings I missed last time we were there.  This time we got what we went for plus a bonus!

First, this bird was high in a tree at the entrance to the reserve.

 

58.  Mistle Thrush

P1350587c.jpg.e4ffc06e9c6834f9ef9b23347e94370e.jpg

Foulshaw Moss  -  10/04/21

 

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59.  Lesser Redpoll

P1350599c.jpg.d5ecb3225af7868a680a70d87a2b75d2.jpg

 

P1350610c.jpg.c4e2c4f2115d31abd4cca0b5a256e2ac.jpg

Foulshaw Moss  -  10/04/21

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60.  Common Reed Bunting   (I noticed this one is ringed but I can't make out the writing)

P1350657c.jpg.94d7ae6af3cf5e6e294f82b348ffe904.jpg

 

P1350677c.jpg.07e6f7bcbdae40b781e666994d293351.jpg

Foulshaw Moss  -  10/04/21

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Now bonus bird of the visit.  While taking pictures of the buntings I had noticed a bird wander out from the trees but didn't look at it properly.  It wasn't for another minute or so that I actually looked across and thought, 'oh, bloody hell, it's a water rail!'.  Thankfully it hung around just a bit longer so I could take a picture.

 

61.  Water Rail

P1350631c.jpg.1f1896195048da3b448e2e8717c2f5b3.jpg

 

P1350638c.jpg.2bb27474f93959b2364b33abcde2834c.jpg

Foulshaw Moss  -  10/04/21

 

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After that we parked up across the road at the foot of Whitbarrow Fell which is a regular dog walk for us.  (No sheep on this fell).  There is a choice of routes up and this time we took the forest in the hope of any warblers.  As soon as we entered the forest we were surrounded by the sounds of Chiffchaffs.  I was hoping for a Willow warbler but this little guy will have to do.

 

62.  Common Chiffchaff

P1350702c.jpg.be363f7434655ecf80a05b3480773833.jpg

Rawson's Wood below Whitbarrow Fell  -  10/04/21

 

 

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On the north end of the fell is an area that is very good for Wheaters, Skylarks, Meadow pipits, Stonechats etc.

The dog ran through what could have been a promising Skylark shot so instead I went chasing the Wheatears and finally managed both the male and female.

 

63.  Northern Wheatear

Female

P1350751c.jpg.9fd6f810678f04a0df73e0cdd8318ca2.jpg

Male

P1350768c.jpg.e27e6a8d64d1f73f97dacf6e925f03f2.jpg

 

P1350783c.jpg.06915bf74e1d34dfad5e64e353f432f9.jpg

Whitbarrow Fell - 10/04/21

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The last one for this batch is a bird that has been a work in progress since February when we first noticed it perched in a very small wood, two doors down from our house going into the village. A couple of the neighbours said they saw it every day.  So each time we walked that way through the village I took my camera, each time it wasn't around.  Every time Adrian walked the dog past on his own he would come back and say he had seen the buzzard, often to early or too late (or raining) for me to bother to go and look.  But this Sunday when he came back and said it was there, the weather was blue sky and sunny so I whizzed down quickly.  Yay, it was still there, not quite as close as I would have liked but it will do.

 

64.  Common Buzzard

P1350815c.jpg.397989f011156ff0edad15bea47ac15c.jpg

 

P1350826c.jpg.708f5b52d3607e469c2201b61ee7d199.jpg

Home village  -  11/04/21

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Excellent additions. Your patience with the Buzzard paid off, and well done with the Water Rail - beautiful!

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Well done with the Water Rail a real bonus bird.

I see both Ospreys are back at Foulshaw. She has made the nest cup. I will call in in June. should not need Osprey by then but good to support and a few of those others would be welcome.

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A host of good additions and that Water Rail certainly was a nice surprise!

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20 hours ago, Galana said:

Well done with the Water Rail a real bonus bird.

I see both Ospreys are back at Foulshaw. She has made the nest cup. I will call in in June. should not need Osprey by then but good to support and a few of those others would be welcome.

She already has one egg, another one due anytime!

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