Downham-Worsaw Hill Walk

Saturday was a perfect autumn day with sunshine and blue skies, though clouded over in the late afternoon. Went for a short walk from Downham and round Worsaw Hill, which is a limestone Knoll and back again along the road. We had some lovely views from the hill and enjoyed the autumn colours and berries in the hedgerows. Watched a Buzzard hovering above the hill before being seeing it chased off by Jackdaws and saw a Heron in a field. Some fungi looked like it had made a good meal for a vole, with lots of teeth marks on its crown.

View from base of Worsaw Hill to Pendle.

Fields around the hill.

Doves looked stunning circling in the sun.

Buzzard circling above Worsaw Hill.

Bit too far away, but lovely chocolatey markings.

Buzzard briefly landed on hill, before mobbed by Jackdaws.

Dusk Leighton Moss

Dropped in at Leighton Moss in the late afternoon. Treated myself to some new binoculars with some guidance from the very helpful and knowledgeable staff. Went to Griesdale hide, plenty of Teal and saw my first Shovellers. Small flocks of geese continually flying overhead think they were headed for the salt marshes. Stags roaring abuse at each other from the safety of the reeds. Cormorants flying in to roost, look very prehistoric in flight somehow. Egrets also coming in to roost in the trees.

Geese Leighton Moss

Teal Leighton Moss

Male Shoveller Leighton Moss

Late Summer Walk

Bramble birdwatching Stocks Reservoir.

Sunday was such a lovely mild, sunny day that we decided to have a walk up at Stocks reservoir. Flocks of Long Tailed Tits flew from tree to tree calling as they went, quite surprising as the paths were busy with walkers. Went to the hides and watched flocks of Lapwings circling over the water. Lots and lots of Cormorants sat out on a bank drying their wings and plenty of Canada geese. Even Bramble tried a spot of birdwatching although she was much more interested in a discarded ham sandwich under the hide! Went on to walk at Cross o' Greets, the sky was an incrediblle shade of blue against the grey rocks and russet bracken. Found a very brightly coloured caterpillar which I think is a Broom Moth trudging from bracken frond to bracken frond trying to find any remaining green bits to eat.

One of the Stocks Reservoir hides.

Autumn colours Cross o' Greets.

A small part of the large group of Cormorants at Stocks Reservoir.

Long Tailed Tit.

Broom Moth Caterpillar ( Ceramica pisa )