A foray into the far south east corner of the Geltsdale Reserve took us through some swathes of burgeoning bracken ... Curlews alarming overhead and Short-eared Owls foraging up the slopes and some lovely male Whinchats flitting between the bracken fronds and calling urgently ...
... heading up towards the Pennine ridge the landscape is excitingly wild but tempered by the awareness of the Grouse shooting estates of Croglin on one side and Knarsdale looming ahead ...
... with rain clouds looming and a punishing wind, it felt a bit like winter ... but still the Short-eared Owls foraged ...
Back on lower ground at the Stagsike Meadow and the array of buttercups painted a nice picture looking over towards White Tortie ...
... and breeding waders were everywhere ...
Curlews with chicks alarming incessantly ...
Lapwings performing extravagant flights ...
... and Redshank in their obligatory 'sentinel' role ...
Away from the uplands, at Siddick Pond, Carl Thompson had made a great find - a singing Blyth's Reed Warbler ...
... the following day it first of all sang well but the singing tailed off as the sultry day wore on ...
... a great opportunity to experience this rarity giving a comprehensive performance ...
... there was no mistaking the song ... so different from the relaxed rhythmic utterances of Reed Warbler ... it included pure whistled notes and very characteristic descending scales of notes interspersed with clicking calls ...
The sonogram looks really attractive as well !
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