Zim Girl's 7th Big Year 2024

[Zim Girl]

This is the time of year when we spend a lot of time peering through reeds.  We could hear this warbler very clearly but it took a while for it to finally come into view.

 

UK 77.  Sedge Warbler

Brockholes  -  23/04/24

 

[Zim Girl]

A couple from the garden.

 

UK 78.  European Goldfinch

 

Back garden  -  23/04/24

 

[Zim Girl]

UK 79.  Eurasian Collared Dove

Back garden  -  25/04/24

 

[Zim Girl]

A quick visit to Leighton Moss at the weekend produced three more birds including another lifer.

 

UK 80.  Common Shelduck

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  27/04/24

 

[Zim Girl]

So having got the sedge warbler out of the way we made a big effort to find the reed warbler, a bird I have heard but never been able to take a picture of.  

We heard several, and stood for ages trying to find them in amongst the reeds.  We did just see one but I only managed a blurry blob.  We carried on walking around the reedbed and eventually we saw one singing just above the reeds in the lower branches of a tree.  It was a long way off for a photo but at least you can see what it is this time.  Result!

 

UK 81.  Common Reed Warbler

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  27/04/24

 

[Zim Girl]

To finish, a little wren I found in the bushes belting out it's song.

 

UK 82.  Eurasian Wren

 

RSPB Leighton Moss  -  27/04/24

 

[PeterHG]

What a beautiful set of birds again! Well done on the redpolls and and the reed warbler. The water rail was a great bonus. The photos from the goldfinch in your garden are just stunning!

[TonyQ]

Excellent additions and well done on your first Reed Warbler

[Galana]

Good to see the feeder station at Foulshaw is still delivering. Must have a look when passing next month.

Well done with the Reed Warbler.

 

Forgot to ask. Do you have the ring number for the Reed Bunting?

Edited April 30 by Galana
added text.

[Peter Connan]

Foulshaw Moss appears to be well named!

Lovely Goldfinch in your garden, and great shot of the demonstrating Wren.

[Zim Girl]

21 hours ago, PeterHG said:

What a beautiful set of birds again! Well done on the redpolls and and the reed warbler. The water rail was a great bonus. The photos from the goldfinch in your garden are just stunning!

Thank you, Peter.  The goldfinches are one of our more numerous garden visitors.  We can have a dozen or so around the feeders sometimes.

 

17 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Excellent additions and well done on your first Reed Warbler

Thanks, Tony.  It took a while, but we were determined to find one this time.

 

2 hours ago, Galana said:

Good to see the feeder station at Foulshaw is still delivering. Must have a look when passing next month.

Well done with the Reed Warbler.

 

Forgot to ask. Do you have the ring number for the Reed Bunting?

I did try to work out the ring number but is just not clear enough on the photo when zoomed in.

 

1 hour ago, Peter Connan said:

Foulshaw Moss appears to be well named!

Lovely Goldfinch in your garden, and great shot of the demonstrating Wren.

Yes, indeed.  It is a lovely little low key reserve, mainly restored peat bog and moss with boardwalk access. There is a hide looking into a small wooded area where the feeders are kept very well stocked.  I was pleased with the wren, not often I can get a half decent picture of something moving!

[Kitsafari]

great shot of the goldfinch! and I had always enjoyed the songs of the wren when we saw them in the UK. 

[michael-ibk]

Great photo of the Water Rail, and congrats on your first Reed Warbler photo, well done!

[Zim Girl]

Thank you @Kitsafari and @michael-ibk.

[Zim Girl]

Next batch of locals, including another lifer.

 

UK 83.  Northern Lapwing

 

Newton Marsh  -  28/04/24

 

[Zim Girl]

This swallow was on the wires just outside an upstairs (very dirty) window. It was looking a bit bedraggled and grumpy.

 

UK 84.  Barn Swallow

Front garden  -  30/04/24

 

[Zim Girl]

UK 85.  Mediterranean Gull

Conder Green Pool  -  02/05/24

 

[Zim Girl]

We were pleased to find this one.  It had been reported for a couple of weeks and we were hanging on before going, to let it get more into it's summer plumage. Only ever seen this bird once before.

 

UK 86.  Spotted Redshank

Conder Green Pool  -  02/05/24

 

[Zim Girl]

Now the lifer, mainly because we had never tried too hard before for this bird.  We carried on down the coast to a marsh area where they had been reported earlier and managed to find one in the distance.

 

UK 87.  Whimbrel

Pilling Marsh  -  02/05/24

 

[Zim Girl]

UK 88.  Song Thrush

Beacon Fell  -  04/05/24

 

[Zim Girl]

UK 89.  Pied Avocet (and chick)

 

Newton Marsh  -  05/05/24

[Zim Girl]

Another trip into the Forest of Bowland.  Had a few target birds in mind, got two of them plus a bonus.  Hoping to see the sand martins at their usual spot on the river bank but no sign of them yet, bit worrying as they were already nesting this time last year.

 

UK 90.  Eurasian Oystercatcher

Forest of Bowland  -  06/05/24

 

[Zim Girl]

UK 91.  Pied Wagtail

Forest of Bowland  -  06/05/24

 

[Zim Girl]

Finally, the bonus bird.  Cuckoos are heard regularly here at this time of year but we have yet to actually see one in this location.  So when we heard our first one we made a big effort to find it.  Adrian spotted it in the trees some way off, so not a great picture but probably my best yet of a cuckoo.

 

UK 92.  Common Cuckoo

Forest of Bowland  -  06/05/24

 

[TonyQ]

Some excellent birds in this batch, and well done with a lifer and a cuckoo!