Friday 20th March

Visited Geltdale RSPB with my sister on the day of the partial eclipse, which I managed to view nicely through a thin veil of cloud (and my sunglasses!) shortly before setting off.  On the way the birdlife was quite active during the rest of the eclipse, if not unduly disturbed.

On parking up at Geltsdale, soon heard skylark and saw kestrel and curlew.  There were plenty more curlew as we followed the path over the moor and a number of canada geese and lapwing nearer the cottage, plus a couple of oystercatchers.  The lapwing were displaying occasionally without producing spectacular acrobatics.  And at this point I did see a skylark, though only because my sister pointed it out!

The Woodland Walk

On the lake were a number of teal, coots and tufted ducks plus swans and gulls and a couple of kestrels and more lapwing above.

Once again followed the sparsely treed "Woodland Walk" and, as before wondered why as there was nothing much up there apart from a single distant buzzard, but on the way back along the tarn I glimpsed another field vole and it proved there was a whole series of holes through the long grass where they were obviously burrowing.

So a good day of activity although nothing very remarkable appeared. Meadow pipit was notable by its absence and I have still to see the first butterfly of the year.  Otherwise four eyes is definitely better than two for birdwatching!