Thanks Mono, I have joined the Yahoo Group, I am keeping my fingers crossed that i wont be called into work in Whit Week. If you had 3/4 days to spare and visit your area where would you go ? Leighton Moss etc ?
Cheers
Andy K.
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Birds in Cumbria (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter thorin
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Thanks Mono, I have joined the Yahoo Group, I am keeping my fingers crossed that i wont be called into work in Whit Week. If you had 3/4 days to spare and visit your area where would you go ? Leighton Moss etc ?
Cheers
Andy K.
Andy,
If you are just interested in the birds then best bet would be a tour of the reserve areas. Leighton Moss then along to Walney then up to St.Bees stopping at Hodbarrow on the way. If you are camping and mobile then this would make a good 3 day tour. If you want to go walking in the Lakes proper then basing yourself at Wasdale Head would give you great access into the hills but also allow for trips out to Walney, Hodbarrow and St. Bees.
Cumbria is a big place and the roads can be awful, it can take two hours to get from Kendal to St. Bees especially in the summer.
If you are just interested in the birds then best bet would be a tour of the reserve areas. Leighton Moss then along to Walney then up to St.Bees stopping at Hodbarrow on the way. If you are camping and mobile then this would make a good 3 day tour. If you want to go walking in the Lakes proper then basing yourself at Wasdale Head would give you great access into the hills but also allow for trips out to Walney, Hodbarrow and St. Bees.
Cumbria is a big place and the roads can be awful, it can take two hours to get from Kendal to St. Bees especially in the summer.
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
South Walney comes with a health warning at this time of year. If you want to get up close and personal with breeding gulls it is not to be missed, if you don't like being dive bombed and being covered in guano it may be best to go elsewhere. North Walney is of course completely different, but has less birdlife at this time of year.
Stephen
Thanks guys, great information, I will post here and on the yahoo website when I click into gear.Thanks for you help.
Hawfinch up close
Here's some more hawfinch footage shot in Sizergh Castle car park from several weeks ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdAbrmFKCjo
Here's some more hawfinch footage shot in Sizergh Castle car park from several weeks ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdAbrmFKCjo
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
If anyone would like to see Sand Martins nesting and feeding their chicks then you need to go to Bootle beach(Cumbria,not Liverpool)Drive down the long road from Bootle village to the beach,turn right,a field full of cows,also concrete blocks.Behind the blocks you will see a sand quarry,full of Sand Martins feeding their chicks.Bear in mind that the afternoon sunset across the Irish sea is not very good for photos.
The Cumbrian
Well-known member
Windermere Otters
Has there been any sightings of Otters on Windermere since the barbaric trapping incident in June?
Also does anyone know if the culprits were ever traced?
Has there been any sightings of Otters on Windermere since the barbaric trapping incident in June?
Also does anyone know if the culprits were ever traced?
Im not sure how the morons could be traced, I have not heard or read anything more about it, lets just hope the otters return this winter.
Hi could someone please help me. I'm planning on visiting Cumbria to see the Snow Goose, but am not quite sure where I can see it as the only news is that it is at Abbey Town. I've found Abbey Town, but where abouts are the geese and where is it safe/sensable to view them from.
Also is there anything else in the area of note.
Thanks in advance.
Also is there anything else in the area of note.
Thanks in advance.
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
It's on large floods which can apparently be viewed from Abbeytown village, looking south I think? PM eagle33 and he should be able to tell you as finder.
There are lots of decent birds in the area at the moment though mobile, including Tundra Beans and Bewick's Swans. A Taiga Bean was also claimed yesterday.
Stephen Dunstan
Registered User
Did you go to Marton Mere in the end btw?
No Stephen. The awfull weather put me off. Probably make the trip next week.
thorin
Well-known member
Hi
the floods at Abbeytown are pretty obvious and there are 2 places to view from. From in the village on the road out towards Silloth at a gateway, the problem here is if the sun is out the light is awful. The other place is found by taking a very small road on the left as you enter Abbeytown from the Wigtown direction and driving c 300m from which the flood can be viewed from another gateway, this is more sheltered and the sun is behind you all day. Either way its a pretty small place and its all pretty obvious when you get there.
Do be warned the Snow Goose is not there all the time. On Friday there were no Geese at all just lots of Swans about 10am and I found the Snow goose in a very hard to access area near Silloth, but then by c11.30am it had returned to Abbeytown with c600 Pinkfeet. The Geese had all gone again by c2pm. also on this flood are c200 whooper Swans, between 10 and 40 Eurasian Whitefront and up to 7 adult Bewick Swans and in the past week there have also been Greenland Whitefront and a single Bean Goose. there is also a Bean Goose flock in the area which sometime appear in a stubble field near Blackdyke, Silloth, reached by going c 1 mile past Abbeytown until you reach a crossraods with a sign for a tearoom then turning left and after c1mile field is on your right and usually has some Whooper Swans in it, but again though they are always in the area these bean Geese are often hard to track down, it is this flock of 24 that has an apparent Taiga bird with them. Its probably worth having a tour round the area if the Snow goose is not on the flood but returning every hour or so to check it out again.
Grune Point at Skinburness is a nice walk if you have time and should produce Twite, Pintail, Scaup, Peregrine, Merlin and poss Hen harrier out on the marsh.
cheers Nick
the floods at Abbeytown are pretty obvious and there are 2 places to view from. From in the village on the road out towards Silloth at a gateway, the problem here is if the sun is out the light is awful. The other place is found by taking a very small road on the left as you enter Abbeytown from the Wigtown direction and driving c 300m from which the flood can be viewed from another gateway, this is more sheltered and the sun is behind you all day. Either way its a pretty small place and its all pretty obvious when you get there.
Do be warned the Snow Goose is not there all the time. On Friday there were no Geese at all just lots of Swans about 10am and I found the Snow goose in a very hard to access area near Silloth, but then by c11.30am it had returned to Abbeytown with c600 Pinkfeet. The Geese had all gone again by c2pm. also on this flood are c200 whooper Swans, between 10 and 40 Eurasian Whitefront and up to 7 adult Bewick Swans and in the past week there have also been Greenland Whitefront and a single Bean Goose. there is also a Bean Goose flock in the area which sometime appear in a stubble field near Blackdyke, Silloth, reached by going c 1 mile past Abbeytown until you reach a crossraods with a sign for a tearoom then turning left and after c1mile field is on your right and usually has some Whooper Swans in it, but again though they are always in the area these bean Geese are often hard to track down, it is this flock of 24 that has an apparent Taiga bird with them. Its probably worth having a tour round the area if the Snow goose is not on the flood but returning every hour or so to check it out again.
Grune Point at Skinburness is a nice walk if you have time and should produce Twite, Pintail, Scaup, Peregrine, Merlin and poss Hen harrier out on the marsh.
cheers Nick
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Seems like there are otters back at ambleside jetty now , last week some people saw two around the jetty, calling for about an hour before swimming off across the lake.
Brownrobin
Member
Birds of Geltsdale
Gelt Valley--Can any of you Cumbria birdwatchers give me any up to date news of this area. Hoping to visit early May but have heard some sorry reports that many of the raptors in this area have been killed. Black grouse and owls are on my list to see but would also like to know what species of smaller birds can be found here. Hope to be in the area for at least five days and what would be the best place to look for a rental cottage etc. Any help fully appreciated. Terry
Gelt Valley--Can any of you Cumbria birdwatchers give me any up to date news of this area. Hoping to visit early May but have heard some sorry reports that many of the raptors in this area have been killed. Black grouse and owls are on my list to see but would also like to know what species of smaller birds can be found here. Hope to be in the area for at least five days and what would be the best place to look for a rental cottage etc. Any help fully appreciated. Terry
I live not far from Tindale Tarn which is a stones throw away from the Geltsdale visitors centre , Stagsyke cottages.
At the moment around Tindale tarn there are male and female Smew, goosanders a single cormorant amongst other more common birds but not much going on.
To be honest there isn't masses of activity here at any time of year, last year a sea eagle appeared for a couple of days !!??? and we had a male Hen harrier which was around for a while which made an appearance over the moor above the tarn at around 4pm for a few days.
We have some Black grouse and during the summer loads of Lapwing and curlew and also a couple of Cuckoos' come back each year .
The Tarn is about 700+ft above sea level and is a pretty bleak but natural area, the RSPB reserve around the tarn area is not that busy, You sometimes see six or eight cars parked in the car park near Howgill .
last year I heard there were eagle owls further up the Gelt valley above Castle Carrock village.
I have not ventured further up the gelt valley much and so I couldnt give you an accurate report on that area.
There are some Raptors , I see a few Sparrowhawks and Kestrels and occasionally a Goshawk comes over from Denton Fell but yes a lot of them have been killed, Allegedly by the game keepers.
At the moment around Tindale tarn there are male and female Smew, goosanders a single cormorant amongst other more common birds but not much going on.
To be honest there isn't masses of activity here at any time of year, last year a sea eagle appeared for a couple of days !!??? and we had a male Hen harrier which was around for a while which made an appearance over the moor above the tarn at around 4pm for a few days.
We have some Black grouse and during the summer loads of Lapwing and curlew and also a couple of Cuckoos' come back each year .
The Tarn is about 700+ft above sea level and is a pretty bleak but natural area, the RSPB reserve around the tarn area is not that busy, You sometimes see six or eight cars parked in the car park near Howgill .
last year I heard there were eagle owls further up the Gelt valley above Castle Carrock village.
I have not ventured further up the gelt valley much and so I couldnt give you an accurate report on that area.
There are some Raptors , I see a few Sparrowhawks and Kestrels and occasionally a Goshawk comes over from Denton Fell but yes a lot of them have been killed, Allegedly by the game keepers.
Brownrobin
Member
Birds of Geltsdale
Pedalman--Many thanks for your note. It looks as though I may have been oversold on the proposed visit to Geltsdale as it would appear that there is not enough activity to justify four days specially as many of the raptors appear to have fallen to gamekeepers. Looks as though it may also be hard work for someone not in their prime. I am afraid the info given to me may be from an earlier period when the birds in this lovely area were more plentiful. I should have done this trip earlier and unless anyone in the area can convince me otherwise then I shall have to look elsewhere, possibly further east for this short 4/5 day venture. Thanks again.
Pedalman--Many thanks for your note. It looks as though I may have been oversold on the proposed visit to Geltsdale as it would appear that there is not enough activity to justify four days specially as many of the raptors appear to have fallen to gamekeepers. Looks as though it may also be hard work for someone not in their prime. I am afraid the info given to me may be from an earlier period when the birds in this lovely area were more plentiful. I should have done this trip earlier and unless anyone in the area can convince me otherwise then I shall have to look elsewhere, possibly further east for this short 4/5 day venture. Thanks again.
lazza
Well-known member
Am I going completely mad....? We were in Kirkby Stephen yesterday, and as we sat by the river having a picnic, I swear two macaws flew over! They were rather silhouetted, so I can't be absolutely sure, but their outline was right, and the calls were pretty distinctive. Are there any known escapes locally?
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