This was my
eighteenth trip on
an undergraduate university field
course at a Field Studies
Council's centre. After the course was cancelled in 2020 due to
Covid, it was great to get away again for the first time in 18 months.
The centre has a small patch of mixed woodland which is surrounded
by sheep-grazed meadows and a bracken-covered hillside with Meadow
Pipit and Skylark, and Wheatear and Ring Ouzel on the higher hill
ground. Slightly further afield are some nice patches of Sessile
Oak woodland with Redstart and Tree Pipit, and upland streams with
Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Goosander. Below is a list of bird
species noted and some sound recordings.
pr,
nesting in dining room outer wall, Blencathra Field Centre, 12-19 Jun.
Heard singing, Brundholme Wood, 14-Jun.
Singing from 04:10, Blencathra Field Centre, 15-Jun.
Singing from 04:02, Blencathra Field Centre, 16-Jun.
Singing from 04:11, Blencathra Field Centre, 17-Jun. Sung 28 x
6-sec strophes in first five minutes (rate ~ 5 strophes/min).
Singing from Larch wood between Blencathra Field Centre and Derwent
Folds, 17-Jun.
5 singing mm, Brundholme Wood, 17-Jun.
Singing m, Wescoe, 17-Jun.
4
singing mm, Blencathra Field Centre to Threlkeld, 18-Jun.
Dunnock
Prunella
modularis
Heard singing, Brundholme Wood, 14-Jun.
Singing from 03:41, Blease Fell, 15-Jun.
Singing from 03:52, Blencathra Field Centre, 15-Jun.
Singing from 03:58, Blencathra Field Centre, 17-Jun.
Singing from Backen slope above Brundholme Wood, 17-Jun.
Singing m, Wescoe, 17-Jun.
2
singing mm, Blencathra Field Centre to Threlkeld, 18-Jun.
Robin
Erithacus
rubecula
Fledged
brood, Blencathra Field Centre, 13-Jun.
pr, feeding nestlings in wood store site, Blencathra Field Centre, 13-Jun.
Heard singing, Brundholme Wood, 14-Jun.
Singing from 03:34, Blencathra Field Centre, 15-Jun.
Singing from 03:38, Blencathra Field Centre, 16-Jun.
2nd fledged brood, Blencathra Field Centre, 16-Jun.
Singing from 03:42, Blencathra Field Centre, 17-Jun.
Fledged young, Larch wood between Blencathra Field Centre and
Derwent Folds, 17-Jun.
4 singing mm, Brundholme Wood, 17-Jun.
1, giving hawk alarm call in response to Sparrowhawk, Brundholme Wood, 17-Jun.
Singing m, Wescoe, 17-Jun.
2
singing mm, Blencathra Field Centre to Threlkeld, 18-Jun.
RedstartPhoenicurus
phoenicurus
1
singing m, Blencathra Field Centre to Derwent Folds, 13-Jun.
Heard singing, Brundholme Wood, 14-Jun.
Female with food for young, Larch wood between Blencathra Field Centre
and Derwent Folds, 17-Jun
Singing m + another alarm calling in 2nd territory, Brundholme Wood, 17-Jun.
Female with food for young, Wescoe,
17-Jun.
RedstartPhoenicurus
phoenicurus
Blencathra
FSC,
Cumbria, England54°
37' 08" N 003° 05' 10" W11 June 2019
Alarm calls from a female Common Redstart with food
for nestlings or fledglings in sheep pasture with small
oak copses. Two call types: an upslurred Chiffchaff-like
hueet (2.9-4.5 kHz) and a sharp Robin-like
teak (3.4-7.0 kHz).
3 singing mm, trail up Blease Fell to Saddleback, 15-Jun.
Wheatear
Oenanthe
oenanth
Blencathra
FSC,
Cumbria, England54°
37' 08" N 003° 05' 10" W11 June 2019
Alarm calls from a female Northern Wheatear with food
for fledglings in a Bracken-covered rocky hollow in
hillside. Two call types: a downslurred zeep (4.09-5.3 kHz) and a hard, sharp tuk
(1.5-7.1 kHz).
Fledgling,
in Rhododendron at basketball hoop, Blencathra Field Centre, 12-Jun.
Heard singing, Brundholme Wood, 14-Jun.
Singing from 03:48, Blencathra Field Centre, 15-Jun.
Singing from 03:42, Blencathra Field Centre, 16-Jun.
Singing from 03:45, Blencathra Field Centre, 17-Jun.
Alarm calling in response to Tawny Owl at 03:38, Blencathra Field Centre, 17-Jun.
Heard singing, Brundholme Wood, 17-Jun.
Blackbird
Turdus
merula
Blencathra
FSC,
Cumbria, England54°
37' 13" N 003° 04' 53" W11 June 2019
Territorial
song. Loud and measured delivery of 3-4 sec stropes
interspersed with 3 sec pauses. Each stope comprised
of two parts: low fluting, melodic phrases (1.3-3.2
kHz) followed by a complex, high-frequency twittering
(up tp 11.5 kHz).
'Singing' from 03:49, Blencathra Field Centre, 16-Jun.
Raven Corvus
corax
1, over Blease Fell, 15-Jun.
Starling
Sturnus
vulgaris
2, Threlkeld, 18-Jun.
House
Sparrow Passer
domesticus
10+
(inc fledglings), Wescoe, 17-Jun.
50+,
Threlkeld, 18-Jun.
Chaffinch
Fringilla
coelebs
2
singing mm, Blencathra Field Centre, 13-Jun.
Heard singing, Brundholme Wood, 14-Jun.
Singing from 04:26, Blencathra Field Centre, 15-Jun (sunrise 04:36).
Nest with b/4, ready to fledge from Beech hedge, Blencathra Field Centre, 15-Jun.
Fledged on 17-Jun.
Singing from 04:24, Blencathra Field Centre, 16-Jun. Initially
sang two hesitant intro phrase before launching in to full song. Sung 26
stophes in first five minutes, then 24 strophes in the
second five minute period (rate ~ 5 strophes/min).
Singing from Larch wood between Blencathra Field Centre and Derwent
Folds, 17-Jun.
2 singing mm + 2 rain-calling, Brundholme Wood, 17-Jun.
2 singing mm, Wescoe,
17-Jun.
2
singing mm, Blencathra Field Centre to Threlkeld, 18-Jun.
Chaffinch
Fringilla
coelebs
Blencathra
FSC,
Cumbria, England54°
37' 13" N 003° 04' 53" W11 June 2019
Chaffinch
with two song types, both incorporating the perched call (highlighted
in blue)
of a Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba) as the first
syllable in the opening phrase. Repeated twice in most
song type 2 strophes.
