June 2023
19.06.23 : A walk along the Calder river and evening Hare walk
Today I wanted to see if there was any sign of the Night Heron I spotted on Ponsonby tarn last week, since that day it has only been seen by twop other people and no one has seen it since. I thought that if it had moved it may not have gone very far and the river Calder is close by with dark shaded, woody banks that might suit. So I started of walking from Calder Bridge up to the Abby and then back along the river all the way to the coast, for good measure I also did one last look around Ponsonby tarn. Sadly I saw no sign of the Heron, save a glimpse of a white bird taking off through the trees at the tarn, on balance though I think this was probably not the Heron.
Regardless of the lack of rarities, it was a nice walk, the Wrens were chirping in the trees, Buzzards were soaring overhead, Dippers flying fast and low over the water and wagtails bobbing along the rocky banks.
At home in Parkside the Lesser spotted woodpecker is still visiting, a pair of Tufted duck visited the pond, the Martins, Swallows and Swifts are still feeding in the evening and the Curlews are in the fields. The garden is full of all the finches, Rooks, Ravens and Jackdaws, and of course Sparrows.
The pond has the resident Grey Heron of an evening and a few of the young Mallard are still hanging around, although Mum has long since given up parental duties. We have had a couple of Herring Gull deaths, no clear signs of predation make me think they may have fallen foul of Avian Flu, and since they died the normal crowd of sixty of so gulls that spend each day on the side of the pond have departed so its somewhat quiet.
Elsewhere in Cumbria the evening Hare walks have still continued to show large numbers of flourish hares and I have identified at least 4 breeding pairs in the area I patrol
