YELLOW WAGTAIL PHOTOS.

The Yellow Wagtail use to be  a common breeder in thr hay and cereal fields of the lancashire countryside,but as farming methods change and with problems in it`s african wintering grounds or migration path it has become a very rare bird to see in lancashire.I`ve been very lucky and been pointed to a secret location in the fylde countrside to were a yellow wagtail has breed in a cereal field.Using a small pop up hide and turning my camera on to silent shooting I managed to capture a few images of the parent birds carrying food to feed their young.Two days later and the nest was empty and the parent birds were seen carrying food to different parts of the large field to feed the fledged young.SO IT SEEMS THAT THE YOUNG WAGTAILS HAVE FLEDGED SUCCESSFULLY,GREAT NEWS.I wish them a safe journey on their migration and hope they return saftely next year.I`ve posted a few images of the parent birds below.

NEWTON MARSH SUMMER OVERVIEW.

This summer seems to have been a good year for breeding birds on the Marsh,aprox 50-60 pairs of Lapwing have attempted to nest with good numbers seemingly successfully,Redshank have nested in good numbers and there has been a number of singing Skylarks.Coot and Waterhen have breed successfully as have Mallard and Shoveler,there was  a report that a pair of Tufted Duck had nested.Apair of Gadwall produced 11 chicks which is a good record for the Marsh,I hope a few of these chicks fledged.A female Teal has appeared with six young chicks,a probable first for the Marsh and a fantastic record.I wonder what other rare breeding birds have attempted to breed on the Marsh,BLACK-TAILED GODWIT,RUFF,YELLOW WAGTAIL who knows as us mortals have very limited viewing and no access to the Marsh.The summer migration has started and Common Sandpiper,Green Sandpiper,Snipe,Ruff and Black-Tailed Godwit have  appeared.I`ve posted a few images of the migrating birds seen in the last week and a record shot of the proud female Teal and here young family.

SWALLOW FEEDING TIME.

I`ve been experimenting with flash photography,cable release,pre focus and different settings on my camera to try and get images of swallows feeding their young.The nest was in a small stable and a tripod was set up and a cable release cord was pushed through a knot hole so I was outside the stable looking through the hole to see when the swallows returned with food to feed the young.Though the nest wasn`t in the right position for the shot I had in mind I carried on knowing the experience would stand me in good stead for the future.I`ve posted a few of my efforts below which I`am very pleased with.Finally I would like to say a big thank you to Janet and Paul for allowing me access to the stable not forgetting Alfie the horse  for his patience while I took my photographs.

THE PIED FLYCATCHERS OF BOWLAND.

In early june I visited a small wood in the Bowland Hills that had a pair of Pied Flycatchers nesting.I set up a small hide and had an enjoyable early morning session photographing their comings and goings as they fed their young.A few of my favourite images are posted below.

THE BEE ORCHID.

On a recent trip to photograph the Common Terns at Preston Dock I had a wander round and stumbled across a patch of set aside grassland which on further inspection contained 13 spikes of Bee Orchid.Returning in the afternoon with a 100mm macro lens and a 17-40mm wide angle lens I

found the best spike and took a few images.The photographs below are all of the same plant but with a different perspective.

TREECREEPER TREAT.

In late Arpil I saw a treecreeper nest building behind the bark of a tree about four feet of the ground,returning about three weeks later I saw the treecreeper carrying food to the nest.I set a small hide up in the  remote woodland and managed to capture a few decent images before leaving the birds in peace to continue their task of feeding the young.

Oh Deer the Fells again.

The Longridge and Bowland Fells have been very productive for my camera this year and more visits have given me plenty of opportunities for photographs.The buck Roe Deer and Grouse were taken on Longridge Fell while the Redshank and Oyster Catcher were in the Bowland Fells.On my way home I called at a local Kestrel nest box for a quick photograph,this box fledged five young it must have been a tight squeeze,and finally the local Tawny Owl on guard with the nest nearby.