Out and about in the dark

The Safari had a very short Patch 1 walk up the hill, just far enough to see that one of the Peregrines was present. Then it was into the Land Rover for a night time adventure. We headed east to meet up with a group of fellow dog owning Land Rover enthusiasts. On the way an owl flew across the lane only a few yards in front of us and landed on top of the roadside hedge. We enjoyed stonking views of a Tawny Owl (122) as it fluttered away from us and then flew back across the road and out of site.

At our destination the sky was clear and we had a good view across the central Lancashire plains with the towns and villages laid out like an illuminated map before us. Upwards the moon shone brightly with Venus and Jupiter almost in conjunction chasing each other across the ecliptic. Sadly that wasn’t to last as cloud rolled in as we started our walk through the woods to the summit. 

Nothing stirred in the very dark, double dark even, woods. All that could be heard was our chatter and the sniffing of the dogs. frank kept up with pace until the last few hundred yards but once he was on the downhill stretch back to the Land Rover he picked up a gear, even if we did chop half his head off in this pic of his rear end.

After a muddy wallow under the trees we ventured on to the higher and drier health at the top stopping at the OS column to work out from the plaque on the plinth what we would have been able to see had we come during the day. 

From the valley woods below we heard another Tawny Owl hooting and from a lot nearer a Pheasant gave a very loud alarm call.

A very enjoyable fish n chip supper was had from Noblett’s of Plungington Road, Preston (they asked for a plug) by way of a detour back to Base Camp. Excellent to see that they served their meal in recyclable/biodegradable cardboard trays rather than polystyrene – well mine was but Wifey had gravy on her chips so they had to be served in 'soggy-proof' polystyrene. Frank didn’t do too badly either as the portions were of a ‘decent’ size’. The poor boy is cream crackered today!

The early Patch 2 safari was a brief, dull and misty affair. Of note was a Curlew on the beach with a lone Oystercatcher and flying south not too far out was a flock of nine Wigeon (P2 #42) which flew over a full summ plum Great Crested Grebe.

The briefest of looks at lunchtime gave us very little in the bright haze. A small flock of Common Scoters was feeding vigorously close in and we could just about discern numerous black dots in the near middle distance.

Looks like someone wants to know the price of everything but is totally ignoring its value, although if it makes the powers that be sit up and take notice of the natural world we suppose it can't be all bad.

Where to next? More owls please?

In the meantime let us know how dark it gets in your outback.