I Can See Clearly Now

I just had to go birding today when a parcel arrived by courier post and I welcomed the return of a pair of old friends I hadn't seen for more than two weeks. The good people at Zeiss returned my binoculars after I sent them for repair. The poor old bins led a neglected existence for many years - out in all weathers, sand and salt blown, thrown into the car or a shoulder bag and without complaint trailed through the hotspots of Europe and coldspots of the Fylde. Finally although the optics were perfect the body needed some expert attention and a spot of TLC so I packed them off to Zeiss hoping the trusty bins were not beyond rescue and that Zeiss wouldn't castigate me for treating their products so abysmally. In the meantime I was forced to use a spare pair of newer but cheaper and therefore inferior binoculars, wishing all the time I could have my old 10x42s back, and now I have. 

Thank you Zeiss for doing a brilliant job. In this day and age it is refreshing to receive such wonderful old-fashioned customer service. 

Zeiss Bins

And so armed with a new pair of eyes I set off for Pilling shore. Driving with the window down this sunny week I've noted a few Lesser Whitethroats around, their scratchy warm up and rattling song standing out from the usual hedgerow melodies of Dunnock, Whitethroat and Chaffinch. This morning there were two male lessers singing at Fluke Hall, one at the Wheel Lane junction and a second one at the hall itself. Click on the xeno-canto button to hear the Lesser Whitethroat sing.

Lesser Whitethroat - courtesy of Alpo Roikola 

Also here at Fluke, a singing Blackcap, a Common Whitethroat, 2 Greenfinch and 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers. Greenfinches are now so scarce that I make a note whenever I see or hear them.  

Greenfinch

Still 2 Reed Warblers singing at Lane Ends together with the less vocal and intermittent Sedge Warbler. Lane Ends to Pilling Water produced 1 Stock Dove, 1 Corn Bunting, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Linnet, 4 Goldfinch, 45 Shelduck, 40 Lapwing and out towards the tide line, a Greenshank and a male Eider duck. It's hard to say whether the Greenshank could be a late spring migrant or a June returnee.

There was also another “croucher”, a good sized Lapwing chick. But there was but no sign of any Oystercatcher young and the tide too low to bring Redshank young scampering from the ditches and towards the shore.

"Spot The Lapwing"

Lapwing

Lapwing

Please visit soon for more bird news and often visionary stuff. In the meantime take a look at Anni's blog or   Camera Critters for more birds.