Eider with male sky-pointing in courtship behaviour
At South Walney, the eye is drawn toward Piel Castle as we consider what we might discover today. There’s lark song on a calm, bright morning A few turnstone forage on the shoreline of Walney Channel and a seal swims close. From a freshwater lagoon comes the courtship cooing of eider duck with males sky-pointing, rising up in the water to impress females. Always, the plaintive call of redshank. High tide is 12.30 pm and we arrive well before that. Salt marsh and mudflats are lost to an incoming tide. Returning that way, we stop at Bay hide to look west over a fresh water lagoon where most birds congregate today. To the east, the tide ebbs and sea- water drains away to leave salt marsh and mudflats exposed once more.
In early April, I hope to see linnet on display perches atop bramble bushes. As we head for Groyne Hide we hear them calling and they alight on thorny stems arcing against the sky. It's enchanting to see these small twittering birds in flight above marram grass, against the backdrop of the Irish Sea.
I know the profile from years of studying linnet. A tiny bill, a distinctive shape of the head and a forked tail. In the breeding season the male has a greyish head and a crimson breast, not easy to see in today’s strong sunlight. Linnet used to breed in gorse on Scout Scar and I loved to see and hear them. The UK population is estimated to have fallen by 57% between 1970 and 2014 (RSPB data). Having found none on Scout Scar in the last year or two I wonder how much further numbers have declined since 2014. I became so familiar with linnet I could tell them on their first note. During winter, the song element of a small bird's brain shrinks away, to regrow at the start of the breeding season. Linnet and skylark must relearn their song. And so must I. Last year, I listened in vain for redstart which arrive at the end of April and sing from whitebeam rising above Scout Scar escarpment. I searched and searched, finding few. Our relationship with wildlife inevitably changes as numbers decline. That sense of easy intimacy is lost.
So as we look out to sea from the Walney sand dunes an interlude with linnet is special.
Latin names often suggest a particular aspect of bird or plant. Common linnet (Linaria cannabina) feeds on seed, preferably hemp and flax. Scientific name, cannabina, from Latin for hemp (cannabis) Linnet comes from flax, known as linseed. I wonder what seeds are available for linnet here on the coast of South Walney.
I know the profile from years of studying linnet. A tiny bill, a distinctive shape of the head and a forked tail. In the breeding season the male has a greyish head and a crimson breast, not easy to see in today’s strong sunlight. Linnet used to breed in gorse on Scout Scar and I loved to see and hear them. The UK population is estimated to have fallen by 57% between 1970 and 2014 (RSPB data). Having found none on Scout Scar in the last year or two I wonder how much further numbers have declined since 2014. I became so familiar with linnet I could tell them on their first note. During winter, the song element of a small bird's brain shrinks away, to regrow at the start of the breeding season. Linnet and skylark must relearn their song. And so must I. Last year, I listened in vain for redstart which arrive at the end of April and sing from whitebeam rising above Scout Scar escarpment. I searched and searched, finding few. Our relationship with wildlife inevitably changes as numbers decline. That sense of easy intimacy is lost.
So as we look out to sea from the Walney sand dunes an interlude with linnet is special.
Latin names often suggest a particular aspect of bird or plant. Common linnet (Linaria cannabina) feeds on seed, preferably hemp and flax. Scientific name, cannabina, from Latin for hemp (cannabis) Linnet comes from flax, known as linseed. I wonder what seeds are available for linnet here on the coast of South Walney.
From Groyne hide, we look out across the bay to the spit where grey seal gather and slither into the sea.
Saturday 4th April and named storm Dave is waiting in the wings. South Walney is exposed and known as windy Walney so let's hope birds are hunkered down and able to find some shelter. It's a place I love and the day is the more special, being a fine day in what feels like a long spell of unsettled weather.
Linnet are becoming harder to find in SW England too. Birder Jeff Holmes used to find flocks of over 500 in winter fields but farming practices have changed. More and more farm land has been given over to growing hybrid grass and rye mix for 'green energy' so fields are become uniform and sterile- not much habitat left for small finches. Linnet are still found on hills and moorland, when breeding
Saturday 4th April and named storm Dave is waiting in the wings. South Walney is exposed and known as windy Walney so let's hope birds are hunkered down and able to find some shelter. It's a place I love and the day is the more special, being a fine day in what feels like a long spell of unsettled weather.
Linnet are becoming harder to find in SW England too. Birder Jeff Holmes used to find flocks of over 500 in winter fields but farming practices have changed. More and more farm land has been given over to growing hybrid grass and rye mix for 'green energy' so fields are become uniform and sterile- not much habitat left for small finches. Linnet are still found on hills and moorland, when breeding
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