Yarrow Valley County Park near Chorley
Doffcocker Lodge in Bolton
An online birding diary, photo album and scrapbook - it's not much but it keeps me amused
Showing posts with label Yarrow Valley Country Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yarrow Valley Country Park. Show all posts
Monday, 10 June 2019
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Sing, Sing, Sing!
A few from Yarrow Valley Country Park in Chorley this week. The Dippers have moved downstream from their favourite place at the weir and there was no sign of the Kingfisher whilst I was there. But 'Billy' the boss Mute Swan cob was parading around scaring everything in his path.
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
Return to Yarrow
The weather has been awful for photography recently and, having a new lens to experiment with, I've been desperate to get out following a very busy January. With the prospect of just a glimmer of sunshine, I decided on a return to Yarrow Valley Country Park near Chorley today, with the main target bird being the famous Kingfisher which has been posing for everyone it seems, except me!
On arrival I decided to skip my normal scanning of the main lake and head straight for the Kingfisher's favoured location. However, on the way my eye was taken by some Goosander on the lake, and when I counted them I found there to be five males and six females - the most I've ever seen here. Later on I was told there were actually fourteen of them present.
Although I was first at the railings which overlook the small pool that the Kingfisher frequents, I was soon joined by a couple of the regular local bird photographers who I've seen there before. Today I learned their names, Dave Croasdale and Steve Cook, and they kindly provided me with loads of information about the birds in the Park. Dave even told me what time the Kingfisher would be appearing and believe it or not he was pretty much correct!
My first shots were far from ideal, with the bird perched on the furthest branch in a dark area near the back wall of the pool and, after catching a very large fish which was probably a common Bream, it proceeded to slap it around quite a bit on its 'eating perch' which was behind quite a few other small branches. It actually dropped the first fish it caught but here are two record shots of what it got on the second attempt.
After my first encounter I decided I was going to stick it out here for the day or at least until it rained, which the forecast did promise later in the afternoon. The light is never great in this pool, and today the generally dull weather didn't do us any favours. However it did brighten up from time to time.
After it had eaten, the bird would fly away to the river and wouldn't return for at least half an hour to an hour. At times we could hear it calling and there was definitely another bird in the area which we heard and very briefly saw.
I did take a quick walk along the River Yarrow up to the weir to look for the Dippers and Goldcrests on the way, but had no luck there. So the other birds of note today were this gorgeous, almost tame, Treecreeper and a Nuthatch which both were within touching distance as they came to seeds and nuts placed in a tree. I need to go back to get some better shots of these as my new 500mm lens is too big most of the time with the birds coming so close.
The Kingfisher returned quite a few times during my stay here and the best shots I got were on its very last visit for me today. The word is that it will probably soon be mating and it will then fly off up stream to nest and therefore it won't be seen for quite a while. So that's why I 'filled my boots' with shots as they say today.
I'll let this glorious bird have the last word.
On arrival I decided to skip my normal scanning of the main lake and head straight for the Kingfisher's favoured location. However, on the way my eye was taken by some Goosander on the lake, and when I counted them I found there to be five males and six females - the most I've ever seen here. Later on I was told there were actually fourteen of them present.
Although I was first at the railings which overlook the small pool that the Kingfisher frequents, I was soon joined by a couple of the regular local bird photographers who I've seen there before. Today I learned their names, Dave Croasdale and Steve Cook, and they kindly provided me with loads of information about the birds in the Park. Dave even told me what time the Kingfisher would be appearing and believe it or not he was pretty much correct!
My first shots were far from ideal, with the bird perched on the furthest branch in a dark area near the back wall of the pool and, after catching a very large fish which was probably a common Bream, it proceeded to slap it around quite a bit on its 'eating perch' which was behind quite a few other small branches. It actually dropped the first fish it caught but here are two record shots of what it got on the second attempt.
After my first encounter I decided I was going to stick it out here for the day or at least until it rained, which the forecast did promise later in the afternoon. The light is never great in this pool, and today the generally dull weather didn't do us any favours. However it did brighten up from time to time.
After it had eaten, the bird would fly away to the river and wouldn't return for at least half an hour to an hour. At times we could hear it calling and there was definitely another bird in the area which we heard and very briefly saw.
I did take a quick walk along the River Yarrow up to the weir to look for the Dippers and Goldcrests on the way, but had no luck there. So the other birds of note today were this gorgeous, almost tame, Treecreeper and a Nuthatch which both were within touching distance as they came to seeds and nuts placed in a tree. I need to go back to get some better shots of these as my new 500mm lens is too big most of the time with the birds coming so close.
The Kingfisher returned quite a few times during my stay here and the best shots I got were on its very last visit for me today. The word is that it will probably soon be mating and it will then fly off up stream to nest and therefore it won't be seen for quite a while. So that's why I 'filled my boots' with shots as they say today.
I'll let this glorious bird have the last word.
Thursday, 10 March 2016
Dipper at Yarrow Valley Country Park
I paid another visit to Yarrow Valley Country Park today with one main target species in mind, the Dipper, and the possibility of a second, the Kingfisher. Both are well-known at this site but photography can be difficult due to low light levels and spray from the weir.
The habitat here is typical Dipper country: a fast-flowing river or stream close to a weir or bridge with lots of rocks and shallow areas for perching and diving. The Dipper is the UK's only aquatic songbird and it's underwater feats are quite amazing.
The birds nest in holes or cracks between the stonework which they line with moss and leaves and there is usually have a clear perching rock from which they fly into the nest. This location has all these features and it isn't hard to spot the nest after a minute or two of watching the birds.
This is the main area from which the Dippers were getting moss, just above the nest hole. As you can see in the video above, they made many trips to and from the next to this location whilst I was there.
This is the shot I really wanted, a Dipper in front of the water falling down the weir. It's not as good as I had hoped so I'll be going back to to try again soon.
This is the closest I got to the bird today and it wouldn't turn round for me so I'll have to make do with this shot for now. But I'll definitely be back a little later in the year when they've got young to feed.
Just for sake of completeness I did get some distant Kingfisher record shots, but they're nothing to write home about. I've still to see one in its traditional well-known close location here.
Oh, and a Black-headed Gull on a post shot too:
The habitat here is typical Dipper country: a fast-flowing river or stream close to a weir or bridge with lots of rocks and shallow areas for perching and diving. The Dipper is the UK's only aquatic songbird and it's underwater feats are quite amazing.
The birds nest in holes or cracks between the stonework which they line with moss and leaves and there is usually have a clear perching rock from which they fly into the nest. This location has all these features and it isn't hard to spot the nest after a minute or two of watching the birds.
This is the main area from which the Dippers were getting moss, just above the nest hole. As you can see in the video above, they made many trips to and from the next to this location whilst I was there.
This is the shot I really wanted, a Dipper in front of the water falling down the weir. It's not as good as I had hoped so I'll be going back to to try again soon.
This is the closest I got to the bird today and it wouldn't turn round for me so I'll have to make do with this shot for now. But I'll definitely be back a little later in the year when they've got young to feed.
Just for sake of completeness I did get some distant Kingfisher record shots, but they're nothing to write home about. I've still to see one in its traditional well-known close location here.
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