Birds Viewed by a visitor to Broadgate Farm

Hi Anne & Brian,

Sorry we have not got back to you sooner we have been rather busy. Thanks for a pleasant stay. As promised here is a list of the birds we saw whilst walking in the area roughly in a 5 mile radius as seen over 7-8 June 09 ;

blackbird, song thrush, magpie, jackdaw, carrion crow, curlew, buzzard, woodpigeon, house sparrow, lapwing, swallow, house martin, wren, kestrel, hedge sparrow, partridge, pied wagtail, goldfinch, mallard, chiffchaff, pied flycatcher, spotted flycatcher, dipper, grey wagtail, chaffinch, blackcap, robin, nuthatch, blue tit, willow warbler, greater spotted woodpecker, pheasant, merlin, siskin, coal tit, green finch, bullfinch. We hope this is of interest to you .

We look forward to our next visit.

Regards Ken & Shirley ( casual birders & walkers)

This woodpecker is busy feeding in the garden.

Birds Feeding at Breakfast Time

Guest watch the bullfinch feed at a window feeder whilst eating their own breakfast

What a cheeky chap!

Visit by RSPB Project Officer on 4th June 2009

Today's walk round the farm:

First birds seen were two juvenile Pied Wagtails being fed by one of the parents. At the farm the Swallows were busy feeding their young. The House Martins have built nests on the farm house and 6 birds were seen hunting insects over one of the fields. House Sparrows were chirping noisily in the outbuildings. Then it was onto the hide to check on the progress of the Lapwings. There was just one pair left in the "hide" field and they obviously had young as they were getting a bit agitated on my approach but all the other Lapwings had disappeared. Next it was on to Broadgate Wood which was a lot quieter than last visit but some birds were still singing including Mistle Thrush, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Chiffchaff and Treecreeper. A Great Spotted Woodpecker called. 4 juvenile Mallards stayed motionless on Winsnape Brook until danger (i.e. me) had passed. The fields beyond the wood were a riot of buttercups and, in the sunshine, Painted Lady butterflies and a Small White were nectaring on the flowers. Just one Lapwing, one Redshank and one Curlew were seen in the far field.

Visit by RSPB Project Officer on 16th May 2009

I saw 16 Lapwing in the survey fields at Broadgate on my visit on 16th May. One pair definitely had young in the field near Bleasdale Tower as the adults were alarm calling and dive bombing me. The chicks were too well hidden so I couldn't see how many there were. I couldn't see any chicks with the 7 Lapwing in the field that the hide overlooks but it's possible that they were hidden in amongst the rushes or in the longer grass. The other possibilities are that the cool and very wet weather in the intervening 3 weeks has taken its toll on chicks or, a more optimistic possibility given the fact that there were fewer Lapwing than on the last visit, is that the chicks and parents have wandered off into the non-survey fields. As with many farms in Bowland Lesser Black-backed Gulls are constantly cruising around looking for a meal and 3 flew over the "hide" field whilst I was there.

Other waders seen on the 16th included 4 Snipe, Redshank, Oystercatcher and 3 Curlew.

It's so peaceful at the farm that I could hear a Cuckoo in the distance. Broadgate Wood was alive with birdsong from Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Wren and Woodpigeon. A Buzzard soared over the wood. 4 Sand Martin hunted for insects in the lee of the wood whilst Swallows flew around the farm yard. House Sparrows chattered in the bushes near one of the barns. Birds near the stream included Grey Wagtail and a Grey Heron. Other birds on the farm were Goldfinch, Jackdaw and a single Carrion Crow.

I managed to see a Roe Deer this visit. Finally, there were at least 11 Brown Hares. They seem to occur in just about every field!

Birds Feeding

A wide selection of garden birds enjoy the feeders in the garden, guest enjoy watching them from their rooms and from the breakfast room window.

RSPB Lapwing Survey

I visited Broadgate on 24th April to do my Lapwing survey and found a total of 23 birds i.e. 11 pairs or so in the survey fields. However, you can't just divide the number of birds by two as some males may have two "wives" so 23 birds might represent a number of triangles instead of pairs!

Whilst I ate my packed lunch in the car it was so enjoyable watching the Swallows flying down to a puddle in the farmyard to collect mud and bits of straw to make their nests. One pair squeezed through a tiny gap at the top of the barn door to get to their new home.

I've never seen so many brown hares in one area before. I was hoping that some would box as I've never seen them do that before but I'm still waiting.

Besides Lapwings and Swallows I saw:
22 Meadow Pipits in one field (probably on passage), Curlew, Oystercatcher, Mallard, Pheasant, Mistle Thrush, Siskin, Wren, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Blackbird, Kestrel, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, House Sparrow, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting.

Jean Roberts

The Green Tourism Business Awards

Received my Green Tourism Business 'Silver' Award today at Hornby, had an excellent day out, very good speakers and excellent lunch

for more details about Green Tourism log onto http://www.green-business.co.uk/

Extracts from nature diary in bird hide

21st March, quiet peaceful day following a misty start. Lapwings swooping
28th March, RSPB lapwing today, saw 2 buzzards
7th April, Plenty of phesants, 4 or 5 pairs of lapwings in field to south of bird hide
9th April, A lovely sunset with lots of birds in the field behind bird hide
9th April, lots of birds, lapwings, redshank, spotted redshank, snipe, culews, woodcocks, whimbels, along with plenty of hares and rabbits

Cooler today, but dry
Busy rolling and chain harrowing fields, missing the lapwing nest, there are not as many as last year but still quite lot. Buzzards have been sited in the area which will not help the other birds.
House martins are busy in the building with their nest.
I have been tidying the garden up. The blossom is still not out.

House Martins Arrive

Even though its only 20th. April the weather today has been gorgeous, warm and sunny again.

Saw the 1st house martins yesterday, always a sign of warmer weather. they are busy today re-building their nest in the farm buildings and round the eves of the house.

The garden birds are busy feeding from the new bird feeders in the garden

A clear crisp start to today, then the sun is shining and its a lot warmer,

List of birds seen today; pheasants, curlews, lapwings, wood pecker, blue tits, buzzards, magpies

hares are plentiful

Drier and Warmer

Easter is just round the corner so it's nice to see a drier warmer day, the grass is looking greener.
The birds are busy building nest, a heron was busy in the stream yesterday afternoon, my dogs disturbed it.

British Summer Time Starts Today

A cold and frosty start to a bright sunny day

We had a RSPB bird count today, but I've just seen 2 buzzards near the wood, this would account for the lapwings disappearing from the fields.

The Clocks go Forward Tonight

When its the time of year to put the clocks forward by one hour it is beginning to feel more like spring is hear.
Lighter nights will attract the birds to nest
Hares are plentyful on the fields. The flowering red current bush is in full flower in the garden.
If the weather is ok on monday I think its time to mower the grass for the first time.
There have been plenty of walkers today, the scouts have been out in force, walking from Scorton to Waddacre in groups of 6

A cold wet and windy morning but the lapwings keep swooping, a pair of ducks in the lapwing field seem to be sitting

How the Weather Changes, BUT it's only March

From Sunday you really wouldn't think the weather could change so much. Yesterday was very cold, wet and very windy at times. I felt sure it was blowing sleet in the wind at times. Pity any small lambs that have just been born, what a shock for them.

Today is sunny again with quiet a chill in the wind but at least it's not a windy as yesterday.

April and warmer weather are just round the corner thankfully.

Mothers Day

I left a new nature diary in the bird hide yesterday, hope no one destroys it.

It's been a busy day, cards, flowers and a plant for mothers day

Quiet cool outside, re-lit wood burner yesterday, just shows its not that warm. You wouldn't think so by the daffodils and blue sky!

Green Tourism Business Visit

Just had a visit for my grading for green tourism business, now waiting for report. I will post results in due course.

It a lovely sunny spring day, the birds are singing at about 5.15am, it's nice to hear them after the cold winter days.

I think the lawns are going to need cutting soon.

Nature Diary

Just been to collect nature diary from bird hide, only to find that some children have destroyed it, such a pitch when last years date and bird seen were all in it. Will have to think of some other way , might even have to make site adult only, this would be such a pity!

If you have any simple ideas how to solve this please comment.

Just seen lots of curlews in the field at the side of the farm track. small birds have not found food in window feeders yet, but sprinkled food on floor, this has all gone.

Warm and Sunny again

From the window its warm and sunny again, quite a chilly wind when you go outside.
The lapwings keep swooping today, the smaller birds are collecting nesting materials.
Spring must be here!
Green Business Tourism Assessment on Friday

Spring is here

Another beautiful morning, mild and sunny, birds pairing over lapwing fields

Warm and sunny

What a warm and sunny spring day! The daffodils are ready to burst into colour.
Brian has been putting up bird boxes, an owl box and a bat box. A bird feeder has been placed on a living room window.
We can all now wait for the birds to nest.
Spring seems to have arrived

Spring day

Hares boxing earily this morning, a cool but sunny day, also seen a buzzard today, lapwings pairing up.
Keep planting hedges and trees.