Common Tern. Geoff Gradwell.
I was quite impressed by this image of the Common Tern at Preston Docks which appears to have bitten off more than it can chew. You do have to ask yourself what is going on here, has it not realised yet that this fish is really too large for it to down, can it actually swallow a fish this size, or is this bird really taking this catch....
Common Tern. Geoff Gradwell.
I was delighted to find a pair of Little Ringed Plover on Conder Pool this morning with at least one young chick. These birds have clearly illustrated again this year just how elusive they can be on a small complex like Conder Pool with its many hiding places. Despite in excess of twelve visits here since their arrival - many of which showed no sign of any birds - it took me until seven days ago to find the female sitting. Fingers crossed for a while now bearing in mind there are a pair of Lesser Back-backed Gulls nesting here and all manner of danger around, later today at Cockersands I watched a Magpie take a Lapwing chick only to drop the poor creature as it flew off with it. A Common Sandpiper was also on Conder Pool, with 7 Black-tailed Godwit in the creeks, I also saw my first Meadow Brown of the year here.
On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock c.220 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank of note. And at Cockersands equally as quiet as Glasson Dock, I noted 7 Eider, Shelduck with eight young. Small birds on the circuit included c.12 Tree Sparrows widely scattered and surely many more in the area, 6 Sedge Warbler, 4 Skylark, a Reed Bunting, and a Blackbird in good song.
I've created a link in my sidebar to follow the journey if five Cuckoos back to Africa. You will see how amazed everyone involved in the study is that one of these birds is already on the southern tip of the south of France and had left this country a good month before anyone ever expected it to have done. Follow this incredible journey of Clement, Chris, Kasper, Lyster, and Martin here with Tracking Cuckoos
I've created a link in my sidebar to follow the journey if five Cuckoos back to Africa. You will see how amazed everyone involved in the study is that one of these birds is already on the southern tip of the south of France and had left this country a good month before anyone ever expected it to have done. Follow this incredible journey of Clement, Chris, Kasper, Lyster, and Martin here with Tracking Cuckoos
Hi Pete, thanks for using the images... by coincidence the adult with the fish is the male that has returned for the last 3 years and effectively started the colony with his Mrs.... and yes those youngsters are his and yes he had brought the fish back to the nest to those youngsters, they missed out as did Mrs Tern as he swallowed it himself (I have the pictures).
ReplyDeleteInteresting post on the Siskins, I enjoyed and thanks for that.
Can quite believe the CT swallowed the fish Geoff, quite amazing just what birds can 'down', but I actually observed a Grey Heron with a Pike one day, almost too big for the bird to lift never mind consume, wishful thinking on that occasion but took an eternity for the bird to submit to defeat.
ReplyDeleteIts me who has the thanks for using the pics Geoff, the idea works well for us both.