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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Lancashire and Merseyside -> FOREST OF BOWLAND
Post Info TOPIC: FOREST OF BOWLAND
PHIL GREENWOOD


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RE: TROUGH OF BOWLAND
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Belated report from last Wednesday, 15th July. Walk from Dunsop Bridge to Whitendale Farm, across to Trough of Bowland road and back.

Oystercatcher 5
Curlew 1
Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Raven 1
Siskin 12+
Stonechat 4
Green Woodpecker 1
Spotted Flycatcher 2
LBB Gulls,Jackdaws, Rooks, Crows,Pied Wags,Swallows,Swifts,HouseMartins and Meadow Pipits.

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Phil Greenwood
Gary Gorner


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Bolton -by-bowland
Did the 5 mile circular walk not much about today but still managed redstart,4 oystercatchers,great spotted woodpecker,1 green woodpecker,jackdaws,coal tit,grey and pied wagtails.

Stocks Reservoir
Another 5 mile walk past the hide and up the valley
from the hide lots of canada geese,18 barnacle geese,4 gooseanders,4 great crested and 2 little grebe,2 common sandpiper,8 cormerant,2 heron,6 tufted duck,willow warbler and redpoll.
not much on the walk 6mippits ,200 crows,1 wren,1 linnet.
not one bird of prey todaycry.gif

dunsop
1 vannila ice creambiggrin.gif

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Jonathan Platt


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This morning:

Red kite near Bolton-by-Bowland
Male goshawk near Newton
Female merlin at Cross o'Greet
Also 2 family groups of whinchat and 2 of wheatear, spotted flycatchers, dipper, grey wag, common sandpipers, etc.

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sid ashton


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chris rae wrote:


Sid and Gary,

Please can you give me some idea of where to look for the birds from the footpath diversion ? Are there landmarks or even a Google map reference ?

Chris Rae.




Chris I have sent you a private message - Sid

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Mark Jarrett


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Had a day out in the Trough yesterday, arrived at Dunsop Bridge at 10.30, walked up Dunsop Valley, took a right to Whitendale, over the fells to Brennand Farm/Valley before returning to Dunsop Bridge at 15.30 via Dunsop Valley.

Met Gary and Vern - thanks lads for the scope views of the Eagle Owl juvenile, which you need by the way, I only had my bins.

Similar birds seen as the others. Spotted Flycatcher at the beginning of the walk, Buzzard approaching the raptor watchpoint and Sparrowhawk at it. Tree Pipit, Sand Martin, Stonechat, Heron, Kestrel, Curlew, Lapwing, Skylark, Siskin, Grey Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll and around 20 Oystercatcher seen, amongst other stuff.



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Paul Risley


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A friend of mine use to rehab Raptors, I have seen this behaviour in captive Owls when there has been no ants present, definately looks like sunbathing but I also thought the bird might be doing it to cool down by getting its wings away from its body, when they did this, just a thought? confuse.gif

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chris rae


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Sid and Gary,

Please can you give me some idea of where to look for the birds from the footpath diversion ? Are there landmarks or even a Google map reference ?

Chris Rae.

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sid ashton


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Mark thanks for the information - really interesting. Don't think it would have had the need to have been drying itself it was really quite warm and windy and it was some time after we first saw the bird that it started with the "strange" behaviour.

Gary - we were lucky enough to see both birds at the same time and it was easy to distinguish the chick still as a chick, it was also smaller but it was the female that was doing the strange sun bathing trick. So could it have been the female that you saw or do young birds learn the anting habit early on?



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Mark Rigby


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sid ashton wrote:



PS should have said that part of the female's sun bathing involved her lying on her front on the ground with her wings spread out like a huge moth - looked most odd - anyone seen this behaviour with Owls or other species for that matter?

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Sid, it could have been anting.

"This is when birds rub insects on their feathers, usually ants, which secrete liquids containing chemicals such as formic acid, that can act as an insecticide, fungicide, bactericide, or to make them edible by removing the distasteful acid. It possibly also supplements the bird's own preen oil. Instead of ants, birds can also use millipedes. Over 250 species of bird have been known to ant.Some birds, including starlings, babblers, tanagers, blue jays, and weavers, ant actively; that is, they pick up ants with their beak and rub them over their feathers. There are also passive anters, who simply lie over anthills, such as the Eurasian Jay, crows and waxbills."

Owls are listed in the 250 birds that have been recorded anting.

Or, it could just be drying itself in the sun?

Who knows for surehmm.gif







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Gary Gorner


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sat 27th june 09
went up today much the same as Sid .spotted fycatcher in usual position and had a couple of dippers one up by the united utils and 1 just past the wooden bridge and a red leg partridge. could only find the owl chick today, well we think it was the chick wandering around but its now looking very adult like.couple of grey wags and a quick view of a very funny looking pheasant will have to check the books on this one.also nice sighting of a small roe deerand a couple of kestrel.
Sid we two noticed the owl with wings stretched and lying flat to the ground and also had a dust bath and a bit of preening going on .maybe its a way of getting the feathers into primeconfuse.gif
nice to meet another gm birder Mike Jarret hope you enjoyed the rest of your day.
me and Vernon went after the hen harriers and after a hard climb managed views of male and female also had a few stonechat, 2 snipe,curlews ,oystercatchers,redpol,mippits,jays,heron and great spotted woodpecker. just timed it right as we got into the car at the end of the day the heavens opened.
Glad you made it up there Sid and got the owls which makes it well worth it.biggrin.gif

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sid ashton


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Last minute decision to go up to Dunsop Bridge paid off. Found the Eagle Owl and chick. Arrived at the site at about 09.30 (2 hour walk phew) and found the birds almost immediately. Watched them for some time as they sunned themselves and strolled around their area albeit not a very big stroll biggrin.gif

Also found a Spotted Flycatcher in the field right behind the Post Office and on the walk Grey Wag, Buzzard, Kestrel, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Mipits, Swallows, Swifts and House Martins.

The Spot Fly was still there at the end of the return walk - looks like its regular perch.

Alas no Dippers, Hen Harriers, Peregrines or Ravens.

PS should have said that part of the female's sun bathing involved her lying on her front on the ground with her wings spread out like a huge moth - looked most odd - anyone seen this behaviour with Owls or other species for that matter?

Sid

-- Edited by sid ashton on Friday 26th of June 2009 08:33:28 PM

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Gary Gorner


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lower footpath is closed and policing of nest site is still going on.

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chris rae


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Hi Gary ,

Is the footpath up by the Eagle Owls not closed , and are the RSPB still up there ?

Chris Rae.

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Gary Gorner


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Happy fathers day to mebiggrin.gif spent half the day watching hen harriers,peregrines,sparrow hawks,kestrel and buzzards and a special mention to the eagle owls who have one chick which is now showing very well along with parent.They must not have been very hungry as a pheasant walked straight past the chick and the chick and mother just looked at it with pure digust at its cheek. no.gif
grey wags and dippers up by the water step thingys and two grey partridge.
MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THESE so the song goesbiggrin.gif

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Gary Gorner


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Walked the dunsop valley. it was a fairly quiet morning with plenty of mist around . curlews,oystercatchers,greywagtails,pied wagtails,mippits,willow warblers,2 great spotted woodpecker,common sandpiper on the banks of the hodder,dipper by the bridge at dunsop and a possible merlin chasing the hirundines near to the waterboard steps up the valley.A couple of buzzards and a kestrel high above the fells were other raptors of note.one cuckooheared but somewhere in the forest out of sight.
Big dissappointment was not seeing the owls again could have sworn i heard one calling though out of my right earconfuse.gif but a nice surprise was a red legged partridge which made a change from all the squawking pheasants around the place.Also found a nuthatch nest and still failed to get a decent camera shot of one a bogey bird for mefurious.gif
Also called in at stocks reservoir.A couple of common sandpiper,2 cormerants, 2 little ringed plover ,1 female goosander ,2 great crested grebe and several greylags with goslingsbiggrin.gif1 cuckoo and a good mixture of gulls.
THANKS AGAIN FOR THE CAKES AND ICE CREAM VERNON PITTY YOU ATE ALL THE TOFFEESfurious.gif


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Gary Gorner


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brilliant two ospreys biggrin.gif dont know about the tit ive only been up there twice and never seen it but will keep an eye open for it in future many thanks.

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nigel charlesworth


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hi gary
we went up there this morning to where the owls where the other year no sign but kestrel, buzzards loadsof and two osprey (we said it would be great if they went to stocks res) as we got back to the village there was a marsh/willow tit at the back of the post office do you know which it is we had no books with us

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 25th of April 2009 02:11:51 PM

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Gary Gorner


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10.00-1.00PM
nOno.gifsigns of the owl this morning but several buzzards displaying in different locations,lots of smaller stuff about meadow pipits,willow warblers,tits and finches.Also nice to see more swallows wizzing about. Finally got the dipper near the bridgebiggrin.gifbut it swiftly flew upstream.Curlews,pheasant and oystercatchers very vocal and pied and grey wags around the stream. Oh and a greater spotted woodpecker and 2 grey heronbiggrin.gifbiggrin.gif

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Gary Gorner


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hi all there are two paths take the one on the left hand side of the river as you head up to whitendale farm from dunsop bridge the other path on the right of the river was still open but i wouldnt recommend this one a bit too close for comfort no.gif

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nigel charlesworth


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as befoore the RSPB had a view point and the gent maning the point told me that he and the man from the army base in North Yorkshire had ringed the chicks and the female bird attacked them they had hard hats gloves and thick coats on, he also informed me the birds where brought to attention when one of the adult birds took a jack russel

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nige c
Mark Jarrett


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Thanks Sid and Jimmy - I've done the walk up to Whitendale a couple of times in the past before the Eagle Owls were about. Just wondered what the position was with regard to the path as the local press have made a big thing about it being closed, partly due to the danger of possibly kids/small dogs being attacked.

A Rough legged Buzzard used to over winter and one was seen in the area this winter. If anyone is planning a visit, nearby Stocks Reservoir (with hide) and Gisburn Forest is well worth a look also.

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nigel charlesworth


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saw the eagle owls the other year up on the top when the RSPB where there is there a veiw point this time or just find the bird (s) if you can

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nige c
Jimmy Meadows


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Hi Mark
The main path is still open the footpath what is closed is the lower one which takes you along the stream just before you start going up the steep part
If that makes any sense confuse.gif

Cheers Jimmy



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sid ashton


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Mark
I understand that although the road is closed to unauthorised vehicles it is still permitted to walk up the valley from Dunsop Bridge. There is quite a hike up to the tops, circa 3 miles both ways with a very steep bit at the end no.gif

Sid A

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Mark Jarrett


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Gary - is the track still open?

I have been planning a walk up through the Dunsop Valley to Whitendale and beyond but there has been some discussion on the East Lancs site. A Temporary Prohibition of Through Traffic order was made at the end of March and the path between Foot Holme and Whitendale farm is officially closed and has been wef 2 April for 6 months.

I understand that it is the Council's responsibility to put in place some form of barrier etc and that this may happen shortly.

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Gary Gorner


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A great walk from dunsop bridge to whitendale farm lots of willow warblers,chiff chaff,chaffinch,coal tits.Also had 4 grey wagtail and 4 pied wagtails.Lots of pheasant about the place they realy look comical chasing each other about like wind up toys.biggrin.gif
Big thanks to the nice couple from Preston who let us look through their scopes to see one huge eagle owl, what a beast i wouldnt like to meet it on a dark night.
Also 2 peregrine,2 sparrowhawk,2 kestrel and 3 buzzard.
The wife decided the walk wasnt hard enough so off the beaten track we went up the hills no.gif was rewarded with my best view ever of a red grouse, only 2mtr away and it didnt fly away, it even started to drink from a small pool,luckily my camera was to hand and i got some great shots of it biggrin.gif
No hen harriers about and dipped on the dipper pardon the pun.
A great day out and will defo go againbiggrin.gif

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 02:53:56 PM

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