2024 Wildlife Diary Menu
Use the Menu below to scroll through this years diary as it grows month by month
April 27 2024 : Steel Brow, Frizington, West Cumbria
Another cold early morning & Late Evening
27 April 2024 Cold and bright start to the day
The day dawned clear once again so a trip to see if I ciould catch a Barn Owl photo, sadly I just managed to see a quick glimpse of two in the distance before the sun came up fully and they went to roost. However, there was still plenty to see and the Stonechats were out in force, singing loudly from any high vantage point they coiuld find. A couple of Wheatears were also in good voice and a lone Willow Warbler was hoping about.
April 26 2024 : Steel Brow, Frizington, West Cumbria
A frosty early morning
26April 2024 Frosty bright start to the day
The day dawned clear so I was up with the lark and a trip to Steelbank, West Cumbria. I went looking for the nesting Barn Owls which were sadly nowhere to be seen, however there was lots of other things to see.
Four Roe Deer were calling to each other and one approached me through the grass, only spotting me at the last minute, despite the long grass which made focusing hard I managed to get a few shots.
The ploughed field was full of Lapwings, maybe a dozen in total, all calling out, and the walls of the fields were alive with Wheatears. Along the Hedgerows the stonechats were flitting about and a Kestrel was hovering above. All in all a lovely monring trip, despite the lack of a dawn Barn Owl!
April 25 2024 : Parkside, Cleator Moor, West Cumbria
A bright and cold morning
25 April 2024 bright start to the day
Just a quick look at the garden birds this morning, nice to see a male and female Bullfinch, first time this year they have visited. The Pheasant is still here hoovering up all the leftoveers, A few Siskins also.
April 24 2024 : West Cumbria
A bright and cold morning
24 April 2024 bright start to the day
Quick walk this monring and plenty of interesting wildlife out and about. Jackdaws, Hares, Swallow, Sand Martin and Oyster Catchers.
April 22 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A bright Sunny day first thing clouding over later
22 April 2024 bright start to the day
A nice start and was good to watch a couple of Canada Geese coming in to land on the pond, the Oyseter Catchers were back as were the pair of Curlews.
April 20 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A bright Sunny day, the first in a while/
20 April 2024, evening
The first bright sunny day for a while and good to sit in the garden and enjpy the birds. All the garden birds seem to be interested in nesting with the Blue tits collecting wool I had put out and moss from the trees. As well as the Blue Tits we had Nuthatches visit, Blackbirds and House Sparrows in the garden while on the pond there was a pair of Oyster Catchers, a pair of Curlews and Swallows,and Sand Martins.
All this accompanied by the sound of the Buzzards which must be nesting somewhere close. Fingers crossed for another clear day tomorrow
April 17 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A cold but sunny evening
17 April 2024, evening
Nice evening with Buzzards flying above and 5 Canada Geese flew in, the single Mute Swan wasnt happy so they spent a good hour marching each other around the pond. Swallows and Sand Martins were flying above, all in all a good evening for a short walk around the field
April 16 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A cold but sunny evening and a quick wander to see what was about
16 April 2024, evening
Nice to see some sun for a change so a quick wander to the Hares and then a short stroll at home. Sparrowhawk feeding and Oyster Catchers calling.
April 15 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Wet and windy with rain and hail storms
15 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Not a great day weather wise, but we had a couple of Canada Geese come and visit, two Curlews mating and a military helicopter flying over in the brief window whenit wasnt raining or hailing
April 14 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Wet and Misty Sunday
14 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Today ended in gloom, but I managed to grab a few shots of the Sand Martins feeding before the rain set in. There was even a couple of Canada Geese that made an appearence
April 12 -14 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Wet and Misty with a very odd patch of sun !
12 - 14 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Another grey and unispiring weekend of wet weather, however that comes with an upside, in that the Swallows and Martins use the branch to roost. I'm not sure why but wet weather means that the Swallows and Martins take a rest during feeding, they just dont seem to do that in good weather, the upside is you can get close up shots of them roosting, the downside is that the pictures are a bit gery.
That said its great to watch them coming in to land , and its been surprising at just how well they seem to tolerate each other, with Swallows sitting alongside the Martins.
The garden itself was again quiet but there was a cheeky Chiffchaff that was busy picking up greenflies from the Acers and the Rowan tree.
April 10-11 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Wet and Misty with a very odd patch of sun !
10-11 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
The storm has passed but iot left behind mist, grey and rain ! Not dettered I still managed to get out in the wet and take a few pictures. The branch that I put in the pond bank last year is once again proving a great resting place for the Swallows and Martins, and yesterday we 14 resting in the rain on it. Not great pictures due to the mist, but a great site to see.
We had a visit from a Curlew at the far end of the pond, washing in the water. It was far too wet to venture that far so I only managed a few long distant shots.
The garden was quiet as the wind was blowing the feeders about too much for the small birds, but we did get a Greater Spotted Woodpecker in the afternoon.
April 08 - 09 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Tail end of a storm, sun, showers, wind and rainbows and of course rain
08 - 09 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
The storm is still carrying on, high winds and rain but with some sunshine inbetween so it was a case of grabbing the camera and running whenever the weather allowed and something good was spotted. Thankfully, its been a good couple of days with the pond very busy with wildlife. Initialy there was just a single Mute Swan but this was soon joined by Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins, almost the full hand - just the Swifts left to return this year now.
The Swallows and Martins continued feeding even when the rain came in, but they did use an old branch to rest inbetween which gave me the chance to run out in the rain and grab a few shots. Once the sun came out three Lapwings moved in and stayed for the whole day, hopefully looking for nesting in the next door grass field, only time will tell but it was great to see them.
While watching the Swallows, I spotted what I thought was another one circling a tree, closer inspection revealed it was actually a Noctual Bat feeding in the day time, it was fast and a good way off but I managed to get a few shots which was great. It stayed feeding for around an hour before remembering that it was bed time and dispearing !
The garden was busy too, the Pheasants were sheltering under the Hawthorns, and a first for us, we had a Red Legged Partridge appear and joined them eating the debris under the seed feeders, hopefully it will become a regular. The Chaffinches were still very busy, and there was Great and Blue tits checking out the nest boxes, and even one flying in and out of one of the Swift boxes.
Hopefully tomorrow will be sunny and bright.
April 07 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Tail end of a storm, sun, showers, wind and rainbows
07 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Still the end of the storm and a little bit of everything weather wise today, and bird wise as well. A Cormorant visted the pond , and was a ringed bird, I will try and find out where it was ringed and why. The garden ws mainly alive with Chaffinches today but a Chiffchaff made a quick visit and the Blackbirds were fighting in the trees. As evening came the pond was alive with Martins and Swallows, nice to see them home again, it makes the pond seem alive to see them feeding in the evening. Not a great day for photography as the light was dim, but nice to see so many birds despite the high winds.
April 06 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Tail end of a storm, windy and very quick changing weather
06 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Not great weathre and very windy, but managed to get out in the few sunny spells, and was gld I did as the Sand Martins chose today to return for the Summer. Great to see four of them swooping over the pond feeding, they are normaly very quick but with the storm winds as well you could hardly see them they were so quick.
The garden was busy too with the Woodpeckers feeding, two at a time on the fatballs.
April 03 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A wet day today but still some interesting birds on the pond
03 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Wet and windy day in Cumbria today but the pond got a few visitors, two Canada Geese that stopped by for a couple of hours, a lone Little Egret and three Swallows feeding over the pond, there might have been more but it was too wet to look !
April 01 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A mixed weekend ending in rain but with some sun as well
03 April 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A nice day today with plenty of garden visitors plus a Cormorant and Grey Heron on the pond
March 24 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
The sun came out and with it the first Swallow of the year arrived over the pond today.
March 24 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
The first sunny day for a while, cold but clear. The garden was quiet save from the usual suspects, but the pond was busier with a pari of nesting Mallards, two Oyster catchers, a lone Cormorant fishing and a couple of Pied Wagtails flitting about. Perhaps the most exciting spot though was the one lone Swallow, this is the first one to arrive this year and is a full 7 days earlier than last year
March 16 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Another grey old day with the odd spot of sun to rush out in with the camera !
March 16 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Another wet day with all of the activity on the pond, nothing in the garden despite lots of new food put out. The Cormorant was having a good fishing day and the Swans keeping them company.
March 13 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Another grey old day with the odd spot of sun to rush out in with the camera !
March 13 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A wet and cold day, but the pond was busy with 4 Canada geese visiting, a Cormorant, lots of Herring gulls and a Pheasant on the fence. There wasnt much else about as the wind was blowing the garden birds away
March 10 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Another grey old day with the odd spot of sun to rush out in with the camera !
March 10 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
Another grey and dark day, but that didnt stop the Oyster Catchers looking for mates, their call was going most of the day and we now have three on the pond. We also had a dozen or so Teal, dozens of Herring Gulls, the two Mute Swans and in the fields the Woodcock are back in the grass lands.
March 09 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A grey old day with the odd spot of sun to rush out in with the camera !
March 09 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A dull, Grey weekend so not many photos or much wildlife about. The Swans are back on the pond, and the Oyster Catchers are still around looking for a mate. Herring Gulls are here in large numbers with the odd Lesser Black Backed Gull hidden among their numbers.
Further afield the Hares are still about, but not boxing yet although its only a matter of time, for now though I will make do with the odd fleeting sighting !
March 07 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A cold bright day, and a quick evening stroll
March 07 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A cold but bright and clear day, so I managed to get out just as the sun was going down. Good to see the Hares coming out, not seen them actually boxing yet but its getting close to the time for them.
The pond was quiet, with just the two Mute Swan, a Cormorant, two Oyster Catchers and a handful of Teal.
Fingers crossed for a good day tomorrow and a slightly longer walk.
March 02 & 03 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A weekend of mixed weather but some good wildlife
March 02 & 03 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A mixed weekend of weather , but when the sun came out I took the chance to walk around the local fields and see what was about. Further afield ( location withheld ) I took a trip to see if the Hares had come out, and I wasnt disapointed, at one point there were 3 boxing, but too far off to take a photo, I did manage a couple of running shots, and one which was hiding. Fingers crossed there will be some sunny weather and better images soon.
Back at Parkside, the pond was busy with lots of birds coming and going, Gooseanders, Teal, Malllards and a visiting Cormorant. Elsewhere above there were two Buzzards that looked like they were lookng for a nesting site, the Crows were not happy though and spent a good 40mins mobbing them.
There was even a domestic duck , a Mallard hybrid, that made a quick appearence, no idea where it came from but was good to see.
March 01 2024 : Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A cold wet day on West Cumbria
March 01 2024: Parkside , Cleator Moor, Cumbria
A very cold day today after a night of wind and hail, but a good wildlife day. Our normal 2 Mute Swans were missing from the pond this morning, with only a couple of Gooseanders and a few Mallards braving the cold first thing. This changed however when a single Male Mute arrived, quickly followed by the 2 regulars who were less than impressed by the new arrival. The three of them then spent an hour chasing each other around the pond before all three flew off , I can only assume none of them won the battle for the pond, so I will have to watch to see if it continues tomorrow.
Mid morning the Roe Deer appeared running through the fields, but they left one behind who stayed in the distance for most of the morning.
Once the Swans left, a lone cormorant visted for a spot of fishing along with 2 Little Grebes, but theses didn't brave the cold for long and the pond stayed empty for the rest of the day so far.
The garden was busy with all the usual suspects - Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long tailed Tits,Coal Tits, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Tree Sparrows, Reed Buntings, Robins and Blackbirds. We also had a few Jackdaws, the pair of Pheasants along with the Collared Doves, but the star attraction today was the Red Squirrel who visted the feeders for a few minutes before heading back into the hedges along the old railway track.
Great to see the Red back again, will have to make sure I put nuts out on the feeders again now.
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