Lakeland day 4

My dad decided that today, seeing as though it was boiling hot again, we would walk down to the reservoir and then go on the boat again, for the last time this holiday. The only issue was that there was now a serious haze building up to spoil the views. I caught a newspaper headling-"killer smog hits britiain", but I seriously doubt that this is killere smog, just some heat haze.

-Heat Haze
In the toilets there was anoth stunning moth that I had to remove to try and get a photo. I think its a carpet moth, but thats as far as my identification can go!

-Carpet moth
The walk was a good one, going from woodland to farmland, to woodland and then to the lake. On the way there I spotted an orange tip butterfly and an oystercatcher. In the second section of wood there was a split in the path, I went one way and my family went the other. My path went up to a large mound of rock, perhaps a roche moutonee! (Thats a glacial landform) but it gave great views of the surrounding countryside. When I left the hill ,I found another path that would take me around the the mound, across the road and into the woods next to the lake. I walked round to the boat facility, but my mum and dad were not there yet so I wandered around the back of the cafe in the scrubby woodland there. Good thing I did too, I got another new bird! It's one I have wanted to see for so long! everywhere you go they apparently live there, they live locally at Elland Gravel Pits But They have eluded me for so long. Yes Its the elusive garden warbler.

-Garden Warbler

The only issue was that it only stuck around for a few minuets! And then trying to track it down was an absolute nightmare. The call would normally be a good thing, but to the untrained ear (mine) it sounds just like a blackcap, which were absolutely everywhere in this wood. I must have followed about 10 calls all of them being blackcaps.

-Blackcap (male and female)

I caught up with my family for lunch and we then decided to go on the boats, our original intention. The row started as usual with the mallards and canada geese. But near the reedbeds there was a smaller grey goose associating with the graylags, and after photo analysis it became clear that it was a white-fronted goose. This bird I have only seen in Norfolk, in a huge flock. The fact that there was only one was making me doubtful as to weather it was genuine. It flew off quite well though, which infuriated me, because my photos were not great. I didn't see where it landed but I was hoping we would encounter it again.

-White fronted goose
there were lots of barnacle geese flying overhead which just highlights the blue sky and the lack of clouds. The geese look stunning against the blue backdrop.

-Barnacle geese
Near the island there were mergansers swimming about and also a female perched up high on a rock, which is not a usual view, as they are often swimming rather than perched.

-red breasted merganser
A bit further round there were some barnacle geese roosted, which suggests that they were happier on this new island, probably because of the lack of interference with their lives.

-Barnacle geese
On the return trip I spotted That there were a number of geese rested on the grassy back of the lakeshore and I wondered if the white-fronted goose might be there. I asked if I could have a look and my parents said I could and that they would pick me up after they had been shopping. When we landed I set off immediately and in good spirits, due to the potential of seeing a rare bird. On the way there I got a great view of a willow warbler resting above my head, which offered me potential to get some more willow warbler photos-willow warbler being a bird that you have never taken enough photos off!

-willow warbler
I made it to the Field where the birds were. They were still there, but to reach them I had to cross a sedge filled swamp-not nice. Luckily it was worth it because The white-fronted goose was amongst the graylag geese. It was roosted but I disturbed it and I immediately wandered if it was going to fly off. Luckily not, it just walked away, so I gave it a wide birth and tired to get closer from a different angle. I managed to get some decent shots, and these also prove that the bird had no ring on its leg, so i am now pretty sure that it is a wild bird.

-White fronted goose
There were also a few other birds there, notable the barnacle geese, probably grazing on the grass that they cant find on their wooded island. I cant imagine that they would be breeding but they sure look like they are.

-Barnacle geese
Having had my other memory card broken, I was having a bit of a problem with photo shortage so I was reluctant to take photos of things I didn't need. Luckily the white-fronted goose was very camera friendly, staying in the open and not flying away (but walking away!)

-White-fronted goose
It was kind of special to see all the different kinds of geese all in one place, there were also canadas there too which I had not mentioned. The star no doubt the white-fronted. I decided to leave as I could see that the geese were getting nervous, and so to avoid disturbing them.

-Barnacle geese, graylag geese (behind)
back at the boat depo there was a family of ducks with four ducklings, which are the first I have seen this year and therefore is quite special to me. It was a bit nerve racking because the males were still trying to mate with the female and the ducklings were ending up all over the place, but when I left there were still four so that's good.

-Mallard duckling

This has to bee the best day of the holiday, its sad that it has to be the last full day, but even so, There is still tomorrow to look forward to!