Aldcliffe 2
Tags aldcliffe, goldeneye, lancashire, red deer
There have been reports on the internet recently of a female/juvenile Smew, and 3 very obliging Water Rail at Aldcliffe, just outside Lancaster, so I set off this morning at 7am on a quest to see them for myself.
I arrived at 8.30am. It was a cold and overcast morning with a chilly breeze, but by 11am the sun was shinning through and it turned into a glorious, warm day.
Walking through Freemans Woods there were many Great tits, Blue tits, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens and Woodpigeons.
I arrived at Freemans Pools and started scanning for the Smew. I was there for an hour, but no sign of it. There were however plenty of Oystercatchers, some Shelduck, Teal, Wigeon, Coot, Mute Swans, Shoveler and a pair of courting Goldeneye.
In the newly planted woodland area around the pools were 2 Red Deer - a stag and a hind.
On the pools either side of the cycle path there were numerous Mallards, Redshank, Curlew, Lapwing and Grey Heron.
I was chatting with a man who was riding a bike along the path, who said he had seen the Water rail the previous week. After chatting, he rode off and stopped at the point where he had last seen them. I walked on and as I neared him, he was gesturing and pointing to let me know that the Water rail was there.
I was so nervous and excited it was unreal! I got to his location and he said, ''it was just here in the water (it was in a ditch) and has just climbed up the bank into the shrubbery.
After about 10 or 15 minutes he moved on. Determined to see a Water Rail, I stood staring at a ditch for over an hour, before losing the will to live and moving on myself. The headlines should read, ''British Rail - No service at Aldcliffe''
Along the banks of the Lune there were hoardes of Black-headed gulls and Herring gulls and I saw 3 Great Black-backed gulls, several Cormorants skimming the water, many more Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and a couple more Grey Heron.
Once I arrived at the section of path that leads to the Village of Aldcliffe in one direction and Glasson in the other, I turned around and made my return journey.
Nothing different was seen on the walk back, especially in the now hated ditch. Another scan of Freemans Pools failed to reveal the Red-headed Smew and so I trundled off to the station and my journey home.
The first two attachments are of the River Lune as seen from Freemans Pools and the last is of the cycle path.
I arrived at 8.30am. It was a cold and overcast morning with a chilly breeze, but by 11am the sun was shinning through and it turned into a glorious, warm day.
Walking through Freemans Woods there were many Great tits, Blue tits, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens and Woodpigeons.
I arrived at Freemans Pools and started scanning for the Smew. I was there for an hour, but no sign of it. There were however plenty of Oystercatchers, some Shelduck, Teal, Wigeon, Coot, Mute Swans, Shoveler and a pair of courting Goldeneye.
In the newly planted woodland area around the pools were 2 Red Deer - a stag and a hind.
On the pools either side of the cycle path there were numerous Mallards, Redshank, Curlew, Lapwing and Grey Heron.
I was chatting with a man who was riding a bike along the path, who said he had seen the Water rail the previous week. After chatting, he rode off and stopped at the point where he had last seen them. I walked on and as I neared him, he was gesturing and pointing to let me know that the Water rail was there.
I was so nervous and excited it was unreal! I got to his location and he said, ''it was just here in the water (it was in a ditch) and has just climbed up the bank into the shrubbery.
After about 10 or 15 minutes he moved on. Determined to see a Water Rail, I stood staring at a ditch for over an hour, before losing the will to live and moving on myself. The headlines should read, ''British Rail - No service at Aldcliffe''
Along the banks of the Lune there were hoardes of Black-headed gulls and Herring gulls and I saw 3 Great Black-backed gulls, several Cormorants skimming the water, many more Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and a couple more Grey Heron.
Once I arrived at the section of path that leads to the Village of Aldcliffe in one direction and Glasson in the other, I turned around and made my return journey.
Nothing different was seen on the walk back, especially in the now hated ditch. Another scan of Freemans Pools failed to reveal the Red-headed Smew and so I trundled off to the station and my journey home.
The first two attachments are of the River Lune as seen from Freemans Pools and the last is of the cycle path.
Total Comments 4
Comments
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I'm sure you'll get your Water Rail soon Alan,they're very difficult to see,we heard one at the weekend but just couldn't catch a glimpse of it......all very frustrating!
Shame about the Smew too another bird that can be elusive!
Those are nice pics of the river Lune,we often walk it higher up at Kirkby Lonsdale,another nice spot!Posted 25-02-10 at 09:20 AM by Twitcheruth
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A good report Alan still sounds a nice day despite the Water Rail and Smew playing hide and hide. I'm sure you'll get a Water Rail soon when your looking for something else and not expecting it.
Posted 26-02-10 at 07:24 PM by JONNY74
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Still a good day you had and in good weather, Alan! It does look a nice place and productive judging by the species seen...and not seen when you were there! You will get your Water Rail eventually, as Jonny said when your least expecting it! An enjoyable report and some nice scenic pics!Posted 26-02-10 at 09:30 PM by Little Sparrow
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Thanks for the comments everyone. Maybe another caption ought to be; ''British Rail - The wrong kind of birder!!'' One day I'll get one.........from my wheelchair..........spotted and described to me by the nurse!!!!!Posted 01-03-10 at 08:00 PM by alanjns
