Two mornings round Thacka

Right, part of Thacka flood,
Had a walk round the area this last two days not a great deal about. Yesterday very little on the flood apart from a few Mallard and 6 Lesser Black-backed gulls.
In trees near by there was the usual, Chaffinch, Goldfinch 1, Blackbirds, a few Woodpigeons about, and the usual Corvids.
This morning I had to take my car in for its MOT, (nasty ) I can see more than coins leaving my pocket after this little inspection. Anyway after dropping the car off I continued on foot up through Gillwilly and on to Thacka. Mallard on the settling pond, 1 Oystercatcher flew over, and 1 Kestrel glided across and landed in trees nearby.
Up at the flood there was 4 Common Sandpipers, 1 Curlew, 1 Moorhen, possibly 1 sitting, 2 more Oystercatchers flew over. And that was about it

Morning walkabout with the Westies

Misty nearest to camera looking mischievous
before rolling in poo !!

Even though there was a cold wind blowing the sun was warm, and it seemed to be lighting up all the Blackthorn blossom, which is a bit later than further South in the country.

We took the track from Thacka that runs along side the railway, and just after taking the photo of the blossom, a bird flew up into a bush and it turned out to be this young Mistle Thrush.

We just pottered about following various tracks, only turning back just before reaching the river petteril. Also on our wanderings we saw quite a few butterflies, 3 Orange-tip, 1 Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, and this Green-veined White, giving a friend a ride ?. and the only one that stayed still long enough for a pic.
We had been lucky with the weather, the Westies, particularly Misty enjoying swims in Thacka beck. Our timing was good as we hadn't been in the house long when it started raining and there was very little sun for the rest of the day.

Local patches

Had a walk round Thacka first thing with Kyfer and Misty after dropping Mrs W off at work. Scanned the flood first but very little on it, some Mallard, Moorhen, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Lapwing.
I decided to have a walk to the settling pond, again not a lot there the usual Mallard waiting to be fed, about 6 House sparrows, and mixed in with them this Reed Bunting. Quite a few Willow Warblers could be heard, and Kestrel flew over.

Later in the day I had a ride over to Greystoke Forest and pottered about for quite a while again there was considerable numbers of Willow Warblers about and this time one was very obliging.

It made a change being able to take a photo without a clutter of branches getting in the way. In one area the was plenty of signs of woodpecker activity, then one started drumming very heavy, then it called, that familiar yaffle, yes Green Woodpecker.
On the way home I called in at Bright Tarn, a few Mallard, 2 Black Headed Gulls 7 Greylags. and that was about it. Quite a good day really.

Leighton Moss

A pair of Shoveler

The sun was shining through the window before 7-30 this morning, so as Mrs W had the day off we decided to make a move and head down into Lancashire.
On arrival at Leighton we parked up near the causeway and made our way along it, stopping off at the public hide before moving on to Lower hide. During this first part of our visit the Marsh Harriers were very visible from every part of this area, both male and female. also all the warblers could be heard but not seen, same as regards Bearded Tits.
Next we made our way to the Centre and as it was after 11 by now we had to take Mrs W's food intake into consideration so just pottered around the feeding station and Lillians till it was time for refueling. Good sightings of a Marsh Tit near the feeding station, only 1 Little Gull, and no sign of the White fronted goose at the hide or out by the level crossings.

After lunch we made our way over to the Eric Morecambe hide, water still quite high so not a great deal about. The best of what there was being 7 Avocet, 1 Little Egret, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 summer plumage Dunlin.

Look at the difference in plumage of these male pheasants, top photo, Dumfries, bottom photo, Lancashire.

After leaving Leighton we made our way home via Arnside to give the estuary the once over, and also call for some homemade icecream, yum yum.

A beautiful morning up Thacka

No new photos as yet so thought I would put a few more of my Red Kite pics up, they are such a beautiful bird.
Went up to Thacka this morning and what a great morning it was, sun shinning , and quite a few birds about,
On the flood there was 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Moorhen, Mallard. 6 or more Oystercatchers coming and going, 4 Blue Tits in trees next to us, and 2 Goldfich. There was also quite a few Blackbirds about and carrying food to young somewhere. 2 Stock Dove bathing at the edge of the flood, and a Mistle Thrush singing close by. It was good to be out early.

The return of the PC.

Wednesday 21st

Greylag Goose Bass Lake

Thankfully pc back in a good mood and willing to work as normal, so we are good to go again.
Mrs W and myself have done quite a bit of touring round of late but nothing really exciting to report, even though we have been as far afield as Bowland and the Lancs coast. the best of that day was probably Cockersands and the fields near the old Abbey where we saw upwards of 20 hares and good views of a Merlin, plus bits and bobs on the estuary including Eider.
Every morning this week I have had a look at the flood but there has been nothing on there apart from a few Mallard and a pair of Moorhens one of which is on a nest. Saw my first Swallow over the area this morning.
Yesterday we had a ride over to Bassenthwaite Lake, again there wasn't a lot about, but it was nice to be able to watch the Ospreys clearly even from the west side of the lake. Female sitting on the nest, then the male came in and started to pluck bits from a fish. there was two blokes over from the North East and we had a good crack with them.

Some bits not working

Computers, you can love em, you can hate them, they can be so frustrating at times, they can make you cry they can also make you laugh. you can see things with them that amaze you, and things that shock you. Some people embrace them fully using them to keep in touch with friends and family, watch films, catch-up tv , use them for studying while at uni. and a whole host of other things. Whilst other people are frightened to death of them or totally and utterly abhor them, those people I feel a bit sorry for.
As for myself, well I first came across a form of early computer in an advert in one of the Sunday broad sheets way back in the seventies. Even then I had this Idea (and I don't know where it came from) that with a computer you should be able to put things into it and get answers, and be able to interact with it in some way. We had to Wait nearly 10 years before the first what we now call primitive computers started to appear, and most of them just became game machines.
Then suddenly everyone was talking about home computers, and the machine I had imagined back in the seventies had finally arrived, and with it all the problems and frustrations that we all know so well.
So finally I arrive at the reason for this ridiculous monologue, anyone who pops into my blog more than once, and thank you for doing so, will have noticed a distinct lack of photos with this post, no nothing to do with volcanic ash unless some has mysteriously managed to get into my computer tower as it flew at 40,000ft after I had given it a great thumping kick . No my computer for some reason known only to itself at the moment, has decided not to read my camera card, and when I try the route I have used most of the time , that is via an sub cable, it has now fallen out with my Nikon D60, saying it doesn't recognise the device at the other end of the cable, device !! of all the insults, to call a Nikon the king of all cameras a device.
So having tried every trick in the book as they say , it looks like a trip to the local computer shop to try some therapy on the computer, and I'll call in a the local psychiatric clinic to get my nerve ends treated.
You either love em or hate em.