BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND......................................................MEDITTERANEAN GULLS CONDER POOL PETE WOODRUFF

Sunday 11 June 2017

Quiet Please!

All quiet in the west....well my west anyway.


The plan was to get to Plover Scar before the high tide on Friday, I was hoping maybe the last straggling Sanderling might put in an appearance as they head off north, but it didn't happen. I hung around for a half hour to no avail, the scar held no more than forty waders, 29 Ringed Plover, 7 Dunlin, 3 Oystercatcher, and a lone Turnstone which was presumably the same bird seen on here 26 May. 

With most of the fields at Cockersand resembling bowling greens, I saw one Skylark singing it's seemingly endless flight song, 2 Whitethroat were seen as one with a tasty caterpillar which landed on scrub to bring a second bird out to fly off whilst the other disappeared into the scrub with lunch for nestlings. The 2 Whooper Swan were seen in the junction field though the long staying Shovelers have moved on, a single House Martin was over, and Sedge Warbler was on Slack Lane as I drove away. A Stoat ran across the road ahead of me, and butterflies noted were, 2 Painted Lady and a Small Tortoiseshell.

In the thirty minutes I was viewing Conder Pool only the sitting Common Tern was present on the pontoon, until just before I left the other bird came in to take it's turn to brood whilst it's mate flew off. Also on the pool, the Little Grebe, 45 Black-tailed Godwit, 22 Redshank, and 17 Black-headed Gull. I noted just one well grown young Oystercatcher with the previously seen two smaller young nowhere to be seen.

An update of the Avocet on Conder Pool. 

Seven adult seen on Friday, with the first two young having avoided all manner of predation and still feeding contentedly. There are two birds sitting, with the fourth pair appearing to be just hanging around and not going to nest on the front edge of the island as I had initially thought.

The Mole.


The most unexpected sight today was that of a Mole scurrying by the roadside at Cockersand, but soon disappearing into the hedgerow. My first ever of a creature that spends almost it's entire life underground, though they do occasionally emerge following long periods of dry weather when there may be a shortage of food.
WOT NO PIKS

2 comments:

  1. Hi Pete.. Beautiful Cormorant sculture.. :-)))

    How are you??.. I hope you´re right..

    I have been very busy with an exhibition of photography and other things .. In Madrid the sun is terrible and it is very hot .. Bad weather to see birds or take photos. I hope you have a happy time .. A hug

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  2. Good to hear from you Ana, I hope you are well too, and busy at the exhibition.

    Our weather is the opposite to yours, I was on the coast yesterday in weather more akin to April than June with a strong wind and cloudy.

    My Kind Regards.

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