Monday 30 August 2010

Buzzard near Redcar Tarn 30th August

This Buzzard was seen from Redcar Tarn quite low initially but it then circled while gaining height and then glided away. These images have been cropped from the originals taken.

Whitethroat B/Holiday weekend



Sunday 29 August 2010

Yellow Hammer (not local)




Yellow Hammer taken last week in the Dumfries and Galloway area. Such a shame these birds seem to have gone from our area.

Friday 20 August 2010

Spotted Flycatcher



Spotted Flycatchers seem to be one of the "Birds of the Moment" as they begin their migration, with a number being seen locally. So far this year I have drawn a blank, so I have had to resort to posting pictures from last year. This bird was photographed on 19/08/09 at Lothersdale, still feeding young adjacent the pub car park

Tuesday 17 August 2010

More from Timble Sunday



Common Hawker, top and centre, Black Darter below

Monday 16 August 2010

Timble Sunday




The last few visits to Timble have been disappointing from a birding viewpoint, Sunday was no exception. Butterflies and Dragonflies were however very active in the warm and humid atmosphere . Didn't have my short lens with me but managed a few images of some common butterflies.

Monday 9 August 2010

Stockbridge images from last week




Taken badly by the "Man Flu" the last few days so haven't been out. Here are a few from last week, including juv' Willow Warbler

Sunday 8 August 2010

Green Sandpiper & Spotted Flycatcher




A couple of pics from this morning, Green Sand at Ponden Res. and Spotted Fly from Slippery Ford (pair were taking food to young in nest)
Ian Hargreaves

The Importance of Reporting Ringed Birds


This week I received details of a colour ringed Avoocet that I photographed at Marshside RSPB Reserve in Southport back in April. When Avocets began to colonise the North West it was assumed that they originated from the breeding populations from East Anglia as they expanded northwards. Colour-ringed birds like the one photographed has shown that the population colonising the west of the UK appears to have originated from the expanding French population.

The Avocet was first rung as a chick in La Barre-de-Monte, France in 2005 and has been reported from Marshside reserve for the last two years.

Ian Hargreaves

Colour-ringed LBBG Redcar Tarn


Hi, I photographed this colour-ringed LBBG at Redcar Tarn on Saturday 7th August. A quck trace via Euring led to ringing project in Lancashire and I have received the ringing history shown below. The bird was first rung at the nest in Bowland in 1998 and winters in Spain each year.

The full sighting history to date is as follows:
10/07/1998 Tarnbrook Fell, Bowland
08/03/2002 Santander, Spain
16/07/2002 Salt Ayr Landfill, Lancaster
07/11/2004 Santander, Spain
15/02/2005 Santander, Spain
18/10/2006 Santander, Spain
19/02/2007 Santander, Spain
10/02/2008 Santander, Spain
09/03/2008 Santander, Spain
30/01/2009 Santander, Spain
07/02/2009 Santander, Spain
29/03/2009 Stocks Res. Slaidburn
05/03/2010 Main-et-Loire, France
07/08/2010 Redcar Tarn, Keighley

Ian Hargreaves

Stonechat Whetstone Gate

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Stockbridge (members only)




A few images taken yesterday