Glovershaw 05-09-2006

Dave,

I held off my visit to Glovershaw this morning until the rain had passed and the mist had cleared. Asyesterday, the family of Whinchats were still to be seen along the wall and bracken that fringes the Eldwick side of the Glen Road. Today I countered five birds. Again most of the action was at the point where Birch Close Lane meets the Golcar Farm fields, besides the golf course where a Wheatear was feeding. There were two more in the vicinity of the 'sheds', one on the tin roof tustling with a fat worm! A Whitethroat flitted by and four Stonechats took time out to perch on a fence in between feeding amongst a patch of thistles. Another Whinchat was feeding alongside the field boundary and an excitable flock of Meadow Pipits, chased madly around an area of thistles and gorse. As I walked across the pasture a fourth Wheatear appeared, more Meadow Pipits and about 80 Starlings launched themselves onto the wet field from their perch on a telephone wire. It appears that Golcar Farm's young Swallows have now probably all fully fledged, about 30 of them, with parents ascended as a chattering mass over the stables.

Summary: 4 Wheatear, 6 Whinchat, 1 Whitethroat, 4 Stonechat, 25 Meadow Pipits.

Cheers,
Paul King