Dear Anne
Suzanna and I saw 24 Lapwing whilst doing the first of 5 Lapwing survey visits for the RSPB's Lapwing Recovery Project. Last year at about the same time there were 29 birds so perhaps the cold winter has taken its toll on some of the birds. At least 3 were on nests and we almost trod on one of the nests in the small field just to the east of the farm house (see photo).
Suzanna and I saw 24 Lapwing whilst doing the first of 5 Lapwing survey visits for the RSPB's Lapwing Recovery Project. Last year at about the same time there were 29 birds so perhaps the cold winter has taken its toll on some of the birds. At least 3 were on nests and we almost trod on one of the nests in the small field just to the east of the farm house (see photo).
By my reckoning this and probably 3 other eggs will be ready to hatch any time from 2nd to the 11th May.
Other waders on the farm included 25 Curlew feeding in various fields on the farm and a pair of Oystercatcher in the field in front of the bird hide. We also saw at least 9 hares.
But the most exciting sighting was a RED KITE. This was really unexpected and appeared over our heads at the same time as a Buzzard. Single Red Kites winter almost annually somewhere in Bowland but the nearest breeding area is Harewood House in Yorkshire. Other than that you would have to go to the Black Isle in Scotland, Wales or Cambridgeshire to see a Red Kite. The Kite wasn't wing-tagged so we will never know its true origin.
Jean Roberts.
