Trout for Breakfast....

We recently had an enquiry from a keen fly fisherman, I said he was very welcome to use the lake as we did stock with brown trout in 2006 but as it was primarily a wildlife lake there was rather a lot of pond weed. I did send him the leaflet Fishing in Bowland but he was " a man on a missision "and within hours of arriving he had his first catch, well over a pound and as he said "in perfect condition " I also learned its last meal had been freshwater shrimp and water snail. His challenge continued through the week with the rowing boat, rake ect. and an extremely patient wife standing by. He managed to clear enough to use the fly rod, more success and trout for supper !

Ringing Wagtails

The pair of Grey Wagtails that spend the Spring/Summer around Brook House have just reared their third nest of young. The first was in the house wall the second in a planter and the third in a last years blackbird nest. Yesterday Jean Roberts(B.T.O.) called to ring the five young wagtails under the watchful eyes of the very attentive parents.

We also ringed five young swallows from a second sitting in the bird hide.


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If you go down to the woods today??

While it was dry enough to take the tractor into the woods this week, Robert went to mow the pathways. The blossom on the guelder rose and the patches of dog rose look so pretty and we had a new find for us, some Southern Marsh Orchids.

The Joys of Spring

The Brook House wagtails have been busy again !!
We didn't spot this nest hidden in the planter until they were hatched and the parents were busy feeding them. After that we were careful to tell guests of their whereabouts (they had their very own"Springwatch" viewing into the nest from the bedroom window) After they had flown the nest and the weater had been so good,Robert went to water the planters with the hose pipe and I'm not sure who had the bigger surprise - birds flew in every direction, parent birds very cross at having to round them up and settle them down again!
The concrete block wall next to the planter is home to a family of bluetits, the entrance is a hole that used to be a gate fastening.
The first of the young swallows are now flying from their nest in the bird hide, I was relieved to see them as I walked by on the way to vote as I had been a bit worried that the jackdaws had been spending too much time in that area. It's been a regular sighting recently watching both the oyster catchers and the lapwings mobbing the buzzards. The buzzard was seen eating a waterhen last week.

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"Tramper" Birdwatch at Bleasdale Cottages.

Thankfully the weather was fine on both afternoons of the walks. The Sunday crowd seeing a good number of birds with plenty of sightings of the lapwing chicks and the redshanks behaving like they had young about though keeping them well hidden.

On the Tuesday afternoon the wind was fierce making it harder to get good sightings, but still managed to see lapwing chicks, curlew and sitting oyster catcher. The swallows in the birdhide have eggs in the nest.

Still keeping an eye on the oyster catcher sitting on her eggs in the old tree trunk, expect something to appear in the next few days.

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Oyster Catcher Sitting Tight.

This Oyster Catcher has chosen to nest in the top of an old tree stump in the fence. They usually choose to nest on the ground with a few stones or pebbles.
The nest is about a metre from the ground.

The visiting Northern Wheatear have now moved on to their breeding grounds higher up the hills. We enjoyed their stay with us, they are such pretty ones to watch.

The Grey Wagtail that nested in the wall of Brook House have now flown the nest. I kept an eye on them while painting the railings and was entertained with their antics trying everything for the first time, flying to the yard wall, then the roof and then a paddle by the brook.

Hope there will be lots of Lapwing chicks next week for the Garstang Walking Festival Tewit Teas and Tramper Birdwatch here in Bleasdale.

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Boxing Hares and Leverets

Found a special surprise today, not the "Easter Bunny" but three very young leverets. I have seen a Hare in that spot before but I would not have thought she would have given birth so close to the buildings and only a few feet from the washing line. It gave me a thrill last week watching down the front field with a guest, we saw hares "boxing" the fur was flying!
Our first swallows are back this week- always a welcome sight-must leave the barn door open for them.
Guests came back from their walk this afternoon reporting having seen lapwing chicks.

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