The Good Kind of Dipping

I said if the House Finch of Dubious Origins* was still here today I'd think about it.

I thought about it, and what I thought was "Sod it"

Instead I went up on to t'Moor and had a wander along one of the many wooded river valleys there to be found. Overcast and feeling very un-May like, there were still three flavours of flying fly-munchers to be seen - Swallow, Swift and House Martin. The leaves were opening, and while a lack of sunshine prevented the full effect, it was still most easy on the eyes. An upstream toddle was a careful mix of watching the river, the low foliage, the high foliage, and the sky, all the while trying not to trip over the assorted rocks, roots, and worryingly deep holes that, liberally scattered, made the path 'interesting'.

Willow Warblers outnumbered Chiffchaffs, and enjoying the sight of both Marsh and Long-tailed Tits busily gathering billfulls of insects at close range was one to lighten any mood. It being a weekend day when it wasn't tipping it down, I knew Dipper was always going to be tricky, and so it was not entirely unexpected that I reached the point of turning back without seeing one. Birding being birding, within a hundred yards back downstream, a lovely Dipper flew up, and struck poses [well, sort of - it stayed still long enough to get my Li'l Scope on it] on a rock level with me :D It too had a billfull of assorted insects, and then added a few more before continuing on its way. Brilliant!

Heading away from the river, both Green and GS Woodpeckers were vocal, and a Green gave a flyover. A tall ash by an open area briefly held a very active Spotted Flycatcher - flycatching within the spread of the tree's branches and generally not stopping for more than 3 seconds. Two separate groups of Siskin were singing and doing display flights - one group accompanied by the eclectic combined sounds of 2 Blackbirds, a Song Thrush, a Robin, 2 Wrens and a Dunnock! [At some points it merged quite prettily, but mostly it was just loud...] A Blackcap sang near the SpotFly, but refused to show itself, and a Redstart gave a stereotypical view [a very quick flash of it's departing backside!]. Notable flyovers included 3 Ravens in a loose line, a drake Goosander, and a Stock Dove.

I checked a couple of sites both on the way out and back - more out of good practice than any real expectation - and there were duly no Mandarin on offer. Still, cracking views of a Dipper made it a very worthwhile trip. :)

On the home front - I was awoken [not that] early this morning by a corvid cacophony outside my window! At least 12 Carrion Crows and 5 Magpies were stacked up in an ivy-clad tree [not a very big one, either] out the back and making a right old fuss about something. Throwing clothes and shoes on, I grabbed my bins and went to investigate; my suspicions were confirmed by a glimpse of camouflaged feathers in the depths of the tree - Tawny Owl! The wind had picked up quite a bit overnight, and I guess it allowed a lucky corvid to notice the hapless owl through the swaying leaves. After about 10 minutes' abuse, the Tawny abandoned tree and flew off towards the woods - unfortunately I was stood on the other side at the time and so missed it's departure....

[[*This is the polite way of saying it's got 'Made in Taiwan' stamped on it's arse ;) ]]