27 Lapwings, 20 Starlings, 2 Pheasants and 2 Crows
Archive for January, 2010
Bird spotting
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
A visitor to our bird hide made a note in our wildlife diary of the birds seen:-
27 Lapwings, 20 Starlings, 2 Pheasants and 2 Crows
27 Lapwings, 20 Starlings, 2 Pheasants and 2 Crows
3 peaks and Pendle – views from Foxhill
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
I went for a walk this morning to take in the full splendour of the stunning panorama you can see when you look North from Foxhill; Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent still wearing their snowy caps, Whernside only revealing itself from a higher vantage point when the light catches it at just the right angle, allowing you to distinguish between normally blurred horizons. My photo, taken from our yard this morning, really doesn't do this magnificent view justice.
These beautiful views of Pendle are the ones that greet us when we open our front door. Bonny, our pony, is always to be found nonchalantly grazing in the foreground.
Elizabeth Mills 2010-01-28 18:23:00
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
Snowdrops are out in St Marys Churchyard, Gisburn, look lovely and cheerful, Spring is finally on its way!
Surprise Lunchtime Guest
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Sat having lunch watching the birds on the bird table when all suddenly dived for bushes or froze on feeders. Bird of prey landed in hawthorn hedge and then proceeded to try to get at sparrows in hedge, who stayed in the hedge but tried to keep out of its reach, eventually it came out of the hedge bottom and flew off low down the road. I assume its probably a sparrowhawk!
WELCOME
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Welcome to the new Parkfoot Blog.
We hope to add bulletins about the wildlife here at Parkfoot.
We'd be pleased if you would add photos of any birds, animals, insects, flowers etc that you see on the Park or close by.
We hope to add bulletins about the wildlife here at Parkfoot.
We'd be pleased if you would add photos of any birds, animals, insects, flowers etc that you see on the Park or close by.
update on the blackrock
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
Our bullied blackrock is recovering well with most of its feathers having regrown and looking much happier. The are all enjoying the milder weather and continue to have access to the vegetable plot while there is not too much there for them to damage.
webs
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
The recent foggy weather highlighted these ground level spiders’ webs. They are suspended on the grass around the edges of our planted woodland. No actual spiders have been seen so not sure what has made them. Suggestions welcome.
#January 2010
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
It's difficult to believe the weather that we have had in the first three weeks of January.
First the lovely powder snow, followed by the thaw or maybe not if you look at the water butts and yesterday we had a Pied Wagtail bobbing about in the yard.
BTCV at Forrest Hills
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
BTCV are running a series of conservation activity days at Forrest Hills for people aged 16-24. Activites include tree planting, bird and bat box building, woodland management and river bank maintainance. BTCV provide all equipment and training and sessions are on Jan. 30th, Feb 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th, March 6th and 13th. Contact Dave Turner at BTCV on 01772 250316 if you are interested in getting involved.
AN OWL SHELTERING FROM THE COLD WINTER SNOW
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
PHOTO TAKEN APPROX 3rd JANUARY 2010 DURING SNOW
WINTER WONDER LAND
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Broadgate farm on a snowy day, 9" in 2 hours
Photos taken at Broadgate on 21st December 2009, even the bird feeds were covered in snow!
WINTER WONDER LAND
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
Coldest night was 12th January 2010 when the wind chill dropped temps to -15.7 degreesC.
winter snows
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
The top picture was taken from our bedroom window one frosty night in December 2009
The middle one was taken of our two visitors that were staying over the Christmas period. Gareth played Prince charming at the Guild Hall
The last picture is of the garden during Christmas when we were snow bound. We lived in our own little world. It was lovely
bat course
Sunday, January 17th, 2010On Friday 15th Jan, Gail Armstrong (’bat lady’) ran her first bat course at Forrest Hills. This course was aimed at experienced people and will hopefully be the first of many. See her website for details. While the group were in Conder lodge, they spotted a water rail. These are fairly common around fresh water and are seen at Leighton Moss bird reserve.
chickens
Sunday, January 17th, 2010
The snow and ice didn’t go down well with our hens. They couldn’t scratch the ground for grubs or get at their usual greens, they don’t like standing on ice and don’t much like the cold. As a result they either stayed indoors, perched in the hawthorn tree in their run or stood looking miserable on one leg. Unfortunately, they took out their stress and frustration on one of the blackrocks and pecked out most of its feathers.
We did consider isolating it but it would get bullied even more when it re-joined the group and the next in the pecking order would probably have been attacked too.
The good news is that as the ice has thawed and weather improved the group seems to have returned to its usual routine with all the hens getting on very well and the blackrock’s feathers growing back.
