For incidental birding around a camping weekend, I can recommend the Hoathwaite National Trust campsite by Coniston Water encamped on the lower field (quite a way from the showers!) where we had roding woodcock back and forth over the tent yesterday evening, a pied flycatcher in the hedge this morning, tree pipits singing in the field on one side, red breasted mergansers on the lake on the other and lots of siskins, willow warbler, blackcaps, and woodpeckers (two species), amongst others all around.
2 Ospreys together circling high up over the lake on 08/08/20. A single bird seen over the lake on 09/08/20 2 Tawny Owls heard calling each night 1 Redstart- male 1 Green Woodpecker 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker- juv begging for food from adult 3 Buzzard 1 Sparrowhawk 2 Treecreeper Numerous Nuthatch Good numbers of House Martins around the village with many still nesting Plenty of Swallows A few Swifts 3 Redpoll Numerous Siskin 1 Willow Warbler singing 2 Jay Oystercatcher heard at night
Grizedale Forest: 1 Spotted Flycatcher heard but frustratingly couldnt see it - but I was doing Go-Ape at the time!
10.15 - 12.15 Ambleside to Laughrigg Fell and summit and back in somewhat misty but dry conditions
Species recorded 1 Green Woodpecker 65 Pink - footed Geese SE 3 Raven Nuthatch Robin Long-tailed Tit Mistle Thrush Jay Jackdaw Grey Wagtail Chaffinch Blue Tit Wren Meadow Pipit
Spent a couple of hours or so at Hay Bridge Nature Reserve this morning. Lovely setting in the Rusland Valley in south Cumbria. Weather cool, cloudy and breezy. Amongst others :-
Walk from Glenridding to Helvellyn and back via Striding Edge yesterday 21st amazingly clear produced
4 Tree Pipit, plenty Skylark & Meadow Pipit, Siskin, Great spotted Woodpecker, Raven, Chaffinch, Grey Heron, Great & Blue Tit, Robin, Jackdaw & Red Squirrel
Full circuit of Loweswater - 29th August 2016. Perfect walking weather - but fairly quite birdwise.
Redstart x 2 (1 female and 1 juvenile) Great Spotted Woodpecker x 2 Coal Tit x 1 Tufted Duck x 9 Great Crested Grebe x 2 (1 adult and 1 juvenile) Great Tit x 2 Blue Tit x 1 Chaffinch x 3 Wren x 1 (heard) Pied Wagtail x 1 Rook x 1 Cormorant x 2 Carrion Crow x 10
Full circuit of Crummock Water (taking in Buttermere village to south) - 28th August 2016.
On way there - driving to starting point...
Osprey seen in flight while driving on B5292 between Bassenthwaite Lake and Crummock Water (heading towards Crummock / Buttermere)
Other birds included: Buzzard x 1 Goldcrest x 1 Nuthatch x 1 Grey Wagtail x 2 Pied Wagtail x 5 Rook x 30 Carrion Crow x 20 Jackdaw x 10 Canada Geese x 8 Chaffinch x 5 Robin x 3 Mallard x 10 Great Tit x 3 Blue Tit x 1
Derwent Water and surrounding area. 26th and 27th August 2016.
Redstart (Female) x 1 Pied Wagtail x 25 (including many juveniles) Buzzard x 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker x 1 Willow Warbler x 1 Meadow Pipit x 1 Coal Tit x 2 Canada Geese x 100 Greylag Geese x 10 House Martin x 40 Swallow x 20 Robin x 7 (including 3 juveniles) Rook x 2 Jackdaw x 20 Carrion Crow x 10 Chaffinch x 15 Blue Tit x 5 Great Tit x 7 Mallard x 100
Skelwith Bridge: 2 Wood Warbler singing and showing well in woods near the waterfall. 1 Cuckoo heard only 1 Female Goosander had 17 young ducklings!! Pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers visiting a nesting hole
Rydal Water and White Moss: 1 Wood Warbler singing 1 Tree Pipit singing and displaying Numerous Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Butterflies
Great Langdale: 1 Cuckoo heard 1 Tawny Owl heard 3 Wheatear 1 Raven 3 Small Heath Butterflies
Elterwater: 2 Spotted Flycatcher flycatching in the private garden behind the Wainwright pub
Two of the three Bassenthwaite Osprey newly hatched chicks have been predated by magpies.
I didn't hold out much hope for the survivor but been watching on the web-cam and the female seems to be brooding it OK.
Possibly the first record of magpies predating ospreys.
The chicks were snatched two days running ... it seems the magpies had worked out a strategy for a brief unguarded moment when the adult osprey could not turn fast enough to retaliate.
Roger.
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Blessed is the man who expecteth little reward ..... for he shall seldom be disappointed.
As mentioned in the other thread, there are also Osprey nesting sought of the Lake District at Foulshaw Moss, just across the Kent river estuary from Leighton Moss. They have successfully bred this year and the first chick hatched earlier this week
the last two years I have been going to see ospreys on Esthwaite instead of Bassenthwaite. There is a Trout Fishery outside the village that has two pair using the Lake with one nesting with views as good as bassenthwaite. Saw two flying males today one over my head and a female sitting on a nest. I was told there are others nearby and believed to be the children of the Bassenthwaite pair.
Coupla days in the Lakes saw me dip most target species (esp golden eagle and red kite) but the undoubted highlight was a good view of the juv (and decent view of the male) osprey at Bassenthwaite. The people manning the viewpoint (a mixture of RSPB and Forestry Commission staff/volunteers) were very helpful. And they had swarovski scopes which were both necessary and much appreciated!
At Haweswater the golden eagle did not show but two buzzards and flocks of goldcrest and meadow pipit were seen.
Grizedale forest held 6+ buzzard and a surprise find of a marsh tit.
Buzzards everywhere were numerous and also conspicuous was the number of hirundines (swallows and house martins) everywhere, just prior to beginning their migration.
A massive thanks to all who assisted me with locations. :)
My family are going for a short trip to Ambleside in the Lake District. I was wondering if anyone knew any good birding areas near there, and any species I'm likely to come across at this time of year?
Also is this area close to Bassenthwaite lake (how close?) and will the ospreys still be around?
Thanks in advance for any assistance :) Tanmay
Ian, I've posted this in General Birds discussion as well as Cumbria, please delete from either if you think it is inappropriate in either thread :)
Cruise from Ambleside to windermere from 8-9 last night produced an amazing sight of an Osprey with fish flying low West near where Troutbeck joins the lake. Shook itself so assuming it had just caught it. Wow! Also 24 Red Breasted Merganser.
6 Red Breasted Mergansers feeding in a group 4 Goosanders 2 Goldeneye 4 Ravens on the tops. 1 Fieldfare at the bottom of Glencathra/sharp edge. no goldies or ospreys this time.
Highlight was Osprey on 3 eggs at Bassenthwaite - excellent views of the new nest site from the Upper watchpoint. A third Osprey tried to muscle in on the nest whilst we were there but was seen off spectacularly by the male.
The old nest still exists and is being left in the hope of attracting another pair.
No Eagle on show at Haweswater although it had been displaying over the Easter holiday period apparently. Redstart, Ring Ouzel, dozens of Wheatear on the walk up Riggindale.
