Sika Deer

Walking in Gisburn Park and walked into a group of deer feeding, all charged up the slope into the woods but keep peering out. Lived here 12 years and first time I've seen a herd. Not an expert but  I think they were a group of adult and young male Sika.

Barn Owl Rimington

Just before we drove into Rimington last night we saw the pale outline of an owl in a tree. Reversed as thought it looked odd - owl sized but skinny! Reversed and could clearly see it was a Barn Owl with a lovely heart shaped face. It looked very indignant to be spotted and took off gracefully flying low over the field. Also nearly ran over a tiny weasel that ran into the road.

Tree Sparrows and Buzzards

We have recently started getting Tree Sparrows in the garden, usually about four at a time. They are quite striking with their chestnut crowns and black cheek patches. We got  a Brambling too but I think it was just passing through. On a recent walk we saw some odd but spectacular behaviour by Buzzards. We heard one calling and spotted a pair, but as we watched more flew in until there were at least twelve all wheeling on the thermals, calling and having the occasional light skirmish. Birds would fly in and then out again seemingly in pairs, so wondered if it was juveniles pairing off. We have never seen so many Buzzards all at once and they looked stunning against the bright blue sky with the sun on their feathers.

Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrow

Goldfinches regularly visit for Niger Seed

Woodpeckers are regular visitors

Brambling, just seen it the once

Browsholme Hall and Lakeside Walk

Went to the farmers market at Browsholme Hall and had a walk around the lake. Got some lovely photos of Common Darter Dragonflies basking in the sun near a marshy area and stream.

Lake at Browshome Hall

Female Common Darter

Male Common Darter

Autumn Changes

I think its the time of year for all teenagers to be told to make their own way in the world, some go off to University and some just get told to spread their wings and find their own territories. Watched a Short-eared Owl hunting at dusk below Pendle. It would hover, then circle off to a new spot, hover again and suddenly drop. It must have impinged on another Short-eared owls territory however as one came in low and fast, there was a short tussle in mid air, then both flew off to continue hunting, though keeping a very definite buffer zone this time. Then today I watched two Tawny Owls fighting, one was sat quitely in the hedgerow and another flew in and literally knocked it off its perch, there was lots of calling and a very short fight in mid air.  The winner didn't get to enjoy its victory however as the racket brought in Rooks and Jackdaws who mobbed it till it left. Hares are really spooky, I watched one feeding under a beech tree and it seeemed to be able to go from hare to "I am a log" by flattening its ears and rearranging its features, really amazing. Two Grey Squirrels were also chasing round and round the trunk of a Beech tree occasionally stopping to feed on the mast. Bramblings, Siskins and Goldfinches are all back on the birdtable eating the niger seed.

Leighton Moss

Went to Leighton Moss late Tuesday afternoon - Barrie was being interviewed about the Lancashire Wildlife website for Diversity FM who are running a series of programmes called Wild Autumn. The rut seems to be starting although the stags are still eating between short bouts of roaring. Saw one stag and one hind at the Tim Jackson hide and two stags at the Grisedale hide both lying down, chewing the cud and occasionally insulting each other. Overhead large flocks of honking geese were coming in to roost. On the way home just before we crossed the motorway we saw a spectacular sight that we've never seen before. Gathering in and wheeling around the top of one tree were about 100 Jackdaws, all calling and seeming to be pairing off. Then as we drove on there were at least a couple of hundred more sat on electricity cables and whirling above it mostly in pairs and some having to see off challengers - the noise was incredible. Small flocks kept forming and flying off, silhouetted against a magnificent fiery orange sunset. Reminded us of the film The Day after Tomorrow when all the birds fly off to escape the impending mega storm - still here though!

 Autumn accessorizing for the well dressed stag.

Little Egrets roosting.

Greylags coming in to roost.

Autumn mists and spiders

Pulled back the curtains to reveal a very romantic, misty scene with the sun's halo low in the sky. After the stormy winds and rain of the last week it was very welcome. A few diseased branches have fallen with only one tree in the field showing major damage, split completely in two, though again you can see where the rot was starting in the heart of the trunk. The fields and hedgerows are ornamented by countless silver, moisture jewelled spiders webs, the world it would seem, belongs to spiders. In the stubble fields, Gulls, Terns, Rooks and Jackdaws are feeding, some rooks always sit on lookout on the fence posts ready to caw a warning to their families, setting off all the birds in noisy flight. On a rotten log there were some spectacular eruptions of honey coloured fungi and from high in a tree overlooking the lane a robin was singing sweetly proclaiming his territory.