Dotterel, Dippers, North Wales and my past Month of Birding.

 Highlights this month: Cetti's warbler-Spotted redshank-Little gull-Leighton moss: Black grouse-Hen harrier-Worlds end: Dotterel-Ring ouzel-Pendle hill.

Whitethroat

Stonechat

Hi, it's been over a month since my last posting and I have managed to get out several times. First of all I visited Worlds End a moorland between Llangollen on the west side and Minera not far from Wrexham on the east side. My first trip was good with Hen Harrier, Red grouse and the target bird Black grouse being spotted. The second visit was brief and produced Peregrine falcon, Buzzard and Black grouse again.
Locally has been quite good with visits to Moor Peace near Bashall Eaves. On of my first visit there lately I met Anne Pollard a keen Bird watcher and wildlife enthusiast. Anne has visited Scotland's west coast many times and has posted me video footage of Pine martens, Badgers and lots of photographs of various animals and birds that I will share with you in a future posting I hope.
One of the highlights of the past month was a climb up Pendle hill.
A great place for passing Dotterel this time of year. It had been a poor wet start to the day but at 2pm I ventured up towards the Trig point. Zig -zagging my way  towards the trig point I was lucky to

find 3 birds to my left that flew 100 yards away almost immediately. Sneaking and crawling slowly towards them I managed to get within 25-30 yards of them. Keeping low the Dotterel became more comfortable with my presence and ran about feeding, sometimes coming within 10 yards of my camera.

On my way down the hill I was fortunate to stumble upon a male Wheatear along the footpath fanning his tail feathers. I suspect this would be part of his courtship display ?
If anyone can confirm this I would appreciate it. The female Wheatear was several yards away perched upon a stone wall.

Another cracking bird seen along the slopes of Pendle hill this time of year is the Ring ouzel. A bird that I had dipped on in my last two visits onto Pendle. Whilst watching the male Wheatear strut his stuff I noticed  a blackbird type bird in the field behind the stone wall where the female Wheatear had been sat. Using the wall as a shield I noticed I had two male Ring ouzel coming from my left towards a stone wall just to my right hand side....I hope you like this photograph as much as I do ! I am really pleased with this photograph it is one of my favourites.

Before Anne ran off towards her highland retreat she tipped me off on a pair of nesting Dippers in the Trough of Bowland. On her advice I visited the spot where she had said and grabbed some decent shots of both birds grabbing grubs from the fast flowing stream. I could sit and watch Dippers all day they are so unique.

 Tomorrow I am visiting Anglesey chasing Chough, Puffins, Razorbills and with a bit of luck Black guillemots.
I hope I can make a great posting when I get back home !