Jay House Lane and Ryburn Res.

On Saturday I topped up the feeders as usual at Jay House Lane.( Well done Jane for cleaning them.) There didn't seem to be many Tree Sparrows about. A big female Sparrowhawk attacked something on the feeders as I was looking back. It didn't get anything that time.

The House Sparrows were at the cottages again along with a few Tree Sparrows.

A large flock of Lapwings were kind of hanging high in the air above the fields. I wrote in my notebook "c.220 but photo might reveal exact number." When I printed a photo and sliced them off in groups with a pencil - I got 220 ! I've read that birdwatchers can get pretty accurate estimates of moving flocks, but surprised myself there.

 Lapwings against clouds - dirt inside my camera.


Ryburn Res.; one Cormorant up in the trees on the south side. A single Great Black-backed gull going towards Baitings Res, a Robin, 25 Lapwings, 5-6 mallards and at dusk a roost of 600 - 700 Corvids - Carrion Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws, in the trees to the south.

There's a lot of felling going on south-east of the dam; seems to be mostly the conifers and sycamores. It will be good for warblers, etc when the new trees start coming up, which I assume they will be planting.