Photos
First summer Mediterranean Gull, Bull Beck, Caton
Distant record shot of two adult Meds on the far bank of the Lune from Conder Green
Adult and juvenile Common Lizards, Foulshaw Moss
Black Darter dragonfly, mating Emerald and Common Blue Damselflies
July 9th
Very early am I took Bill to HGF. A few waders present today with 6 Common Sandpipers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers and a Ringed Plover present. The Tufted Duck flock had also increased to 32. Three juvenile Kestrels were on the barn roof again. We then headed north to the van.
After lunch I took Bill for a wander. First we went to Forge Bank weir at Halton, however the river was well up and there was little to see, a single Common Sandpiper being the only noteworthy bird.
I sussed that Bull Beck was probably the best bet with the river fairly full as the shingle bank tends to get covered in birds and I was right. A largish mixed flock of Lapwings and Oystercatchers covered the far end of the bank along with a flock of Black-headed Gulls. I immediately scanned the gulls and the nearest turned out to be a first summer Mediterranean Gull. Nice one!
A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were present with two young juveniles. An older juvenile which had fledged some time ago seemed keen to try and join the family, the adults were having none of it! Three Common Sandpipers were also scurrying through the shingle.
Back at the van later in the afternoon I heard a Tawny Owl calling from somewhere nearby. Very few birds around the van though. The feeders are empty because they attract the local Rooks and Karen was not chuffed about being woken up at 4am every morning by 50 odd corvids on the roof of the van!
July 10th
Set off for Conder this morning. First I headed off down the coastal path which I assume was an old railway and which runs roughly parallel to the west bank of the Lune. There is usually a lot of warblers in the hedgerows down here, today the only bird of note was a male Chaffinch which was making a noise which sounded like a hiss combined with a croak and confused the hell out of me for a few minutes!
Approx a quarter of a mile down the path the hedge opens out and looks out over the salt marsh toward the Lune. I noticed a small group of Black-headed Gulls on the opposite bank and scanning them revealed two adult Med Gulls. A group of three Ravens were perched on a fencepost a little further down and a few Bar-tailed Godwits were feeding on the mud bank.
Next stop was Glasson. From the hill I could see a flock of large gulls in the distance – how anyone can pick a Yellow-legged Gull at this distance is beyond me. I couldn’t and gave up. From behind the bowling green I could see plenty of waders on the opposite mud bank which included around 250 Bar-tailed Godwits, many of them stunners in breeding plumage.
At Conder Creek there was a Greenshank along with 6 Common Sandpipers and a few Redshanks feeding away. There was also a flock of 60+ Redshanks roosting on the far bank of Conder Pool – too far away and too asleep to see if anything more interesting was with them.
Late afternoon I wandered up to Foulshaw Moss – very hot and sunny! I spent most of my time there watching dragonflies and lizards, trying to photograph them and marvelling at the battles between male Emperor Dragonflies. A small group of Lesser Redpolls kept buzzing the pond area.
I wandered over to the viewing screen where two couples in residence (not serious birders) commented they had been watching a Merlin. I got my scope out and soon found a 2cy Hobby which was busy catching dragonflies. I wonder what would happen if it wiped out the White-faced Darter colony? A male Marsh Harrier soon appeared shortly after and gave good views while a family party of 4 Ravens flew repeatedly back and forth over the screen. One of the couples spotted 6 Roe Deer which turned out to be Red Deer and then I found another group of eight. As I wandered away I spotted a Tree Pipit out on the moss.
We arrived back home late evening from the van but just in time for a quick trip with Bill to HGF. One of the juvenile Kestrels was wandering through the potato patch – suddenly a rabbit popped out of a grass tuft it was stood next to and a staring match ensued. I thought this Mexican stand-off would go on for ages, however the rabbit eventually became bored. Suddenly an adult appeared carrying prey with three juveniles in line astern chasing their supper. A covey of 25+ Grey Partridges flew out of the south field.
Very early am I took Bill to HGF. A few waders present today with 6 Common Sandpipers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers and a Ringed Plover present. The Tufted Duck flock had also increased to 32. Three juvenile Kestrels were on the barn roof again. We then headed north to the van.
After lunch I took Bill for a wander. First we went to Forge Bank weir at Halton, however the river was well up and there was little to see, a single Common Sandpiper being the only noteworthy bird.
I sussed that Bull Beck was probably the best bet with the river fairly full as the shingle bank tends to get covered in birds and I was right. A largish mixed flock of Lapwings and Oystercatchers covered the far end of the bank along with a flock of Black-headed Gulls. I immediately scanned the gulls and the nearest turned out to be a first summer Mediterranean Gull. Nice one!
A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were present with two young juveniles. An older juvenile which had fledged some time ago seemed keen to try and join the family, the adults were having none of it! Three Common Sandpipers were also scurrying through the shingle.
Back at the van later in the afternoon I heard a Tawny Owl calling from somewhere nearby. Very few birds around the van though. The feeders are empty because they attract the local Rooks and Karen was not chuffed about being woken up at 4am every morning by 50 odd corvids on the roof of the van!
July 10th
Set off for Conder this morning. First I headed off down the coastal path which I assume was an old railway and which runs roughly parallel to the west bank of the Lune. There is usually a lot of warblers in the hedgerows down here, today the only bird of note was a male Chaffinch which was making a noise which sounded like a hiss combined with a croak and confused the hell out of me for a few minutes!
Approx a quarter of a mile down the path the hedge opens out and looks out over the salt marsh toward the Lune. I noticed a small group of Black-headed Gulls on the opposite bank and scanning them revealed two adult Med Gulls. A group of three Ravens were perched on a fencepost a little further down and a few Bar-tailed Godwits were feeding on the mud bank.
Next stop was Glasson. From the hill I could see a flock of large gulls in the distance – how anyone can pick a Yellow-legged Gull at this distance is beyond me. I couldn’t and gave up. From behind the bowling green I could see plenty of waders on the opposite mud bank which included around 250 Bar-tailed Godwits, many of them stunners in breeding plumage.
At Conder Creek there was a Greenshank along with 6 Common Sandpipers and a few Redshanks feeding away. There was also a flock of 60+ Redshanks roosting on the far bank of Conder Pool – too far away and too asleep to see if anything more interesting was with them.
Late afternoon I wandered up to Foulshaw Moss – very hot and sunny! I spent most of my time there watching dragonflies and lizards, trying to photograph them and marvelling at the battles between male Emperor Dragonflies. A small group of Lesser Redpolls kept buzzing the pond area.
I wandered over to the viewing screen where two couples in residence (not serious birders) commented they had been watching a Merlin. I got my scope out and soon found a 2cy Hobby which was busy catching dragonflies. I wonder what would happen if it wiped out the White-faced Darter colony? A male Marsh Harrier soon appeared shortly after and gave good views while a family party of 4 Ravens flew repeatedly back and forth over the screen. One of the couples spotted 6 Roe Deer which turned out to be Red Deer and then I found another group of eight. As I wandered away I spotted a Tree Pipit out on the moss.
We arrived back home late evening from the van but just in time for a quick trip with Bill to HGF. One of the juvenile Kestrels was wandering through the potato patch – suddenly a rabbit popped out of a grass tuft it was stood next to and a staring match ensued. I thought this Mexican stand-off would go on for ages, however the rabbit eventually became bored. Suddenly an adult appeared carrying prey with three juveniles in line astern chasing their supper. A covey of 25+ Grey Partridges flew out of the south field.
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