On And Around Conder Pool.

Conder Pool 5 April.

I refuse to make too many negative comments about the current state of play regarding the Black-headed Gulls vs Common Terns, but I was in the company of Howard Stockdale, he gave me his take on what the coming weeks holds for the terns and his predictions that it's a case of 'all's well that ends well'....Time will tell!

The Tern Raft Conder Pool 5 May. Pete Woodruff.

According to my observations on Monday, the Black-headed Gulls have taken over the tern raft on Conder Pool, and the two terns on the rails left in the picture above, are looking pretty much peed-off about it all. 

I would say there are at least 24 pairs of gulls are breeding there this year.

But the positives kicked in when I saw a pair of terns definitely looking like they were intent on moving in on the island behind the raft. One of these birds bears a ring on the left leg, and another tern on the pool was also ringed. Both these Common Terns were bred and ringed by Ian Hartley at Conder Pool.

Mediterranean Gull. Howard Stockdale.

Birds on Conder Pool on Monday, 2 Mediterranean Gull both 2nd winter, and in addition to my estimate of up to 200 Black-headed Gull, I noted 6 Common Tern, and 29 Avocet.

The Little Ringed Plover put in a brief appearance for a photo opportunity for me before disappearing out of the frame.

In the creeks, 2 Greenshank were with 2 Black-tailed Godwit - one of each in the video - and the Spotted Redshank which is now in full black and spotted breeding plumage.  

Cockersand.

Across The Bay. Pete Woodruff.

Looking to Black Combe on the western edge of Morecambe Bay, I was attracted to the cloud formation and view across the bay. I soon spotted a bird on the left side of the red buoy.

 

It was a Common Tern, it called as two other terns flew towards it and on into the estuary. A few minutes later and close by, I was treated to the spectacle of watching another Common Tern plunge diving.

Over a 500 metre stretch of roadside reeds along Moss Lane, I heard 5 Sedge Warbler. Butterflies seen, my first Painted Lady, a Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined White.

Wednesday 22 April.

Four more first migrants for me on Wednesday all seen at Cockersand, with a trickle of 12 Swallow through, and on one occasion accompanied by a single House Martin. A Sedge Warbler was singing in the hedgerow, and 4 Whimbrel on the shore.

A Shoveler pair were in the wide ditch at the junction of Moss/Slack Lane. I've seen the Shoveler here in previous years. Three Skylark seen, one in flight song, two flew off a fence post in front of me, A Linnet was in song by the caravan park, and 72 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding on the tideline. I saw just two butterflies, a Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.

Up to 12 Lapwing were on territory in the stubble field behind Lighthouse Cottage, one bird drew my attention alarm calling, and as I looked over the gate it soon became apparent why....

On Conder Pool, I made a peak count of 28 Avocet including two in the creeks, where the near summer plumage Spotted Redshank was with a Greenshank. Also of note, 2 Little Ringed Plover, with 54 Black-tailed Godwit and a similar number of Knot still here.

I was more than grateful to receive a message to tell me of the arrival of the Common Tern on Conder Pool Thursday 23 April. This date is 3 days later than last year 20 April 2025....Thanks to Pete Crooks for the info and for adding that John Wood had found 2 Common Tern before he had seen one later in the afternoon. 

River Lune At Glasson. Pete Woodruff. 

At low tide, the estuary resembled a desert save the channel, where 14 Eider were diving, a decent count for the location.

Friday 24 April.

Cuckoo. Marc Heath.

The highlight of a circuit of Birk Bank has to be the 2 Cuckoo heard, one in the Birk Bank area east of the bog, the second to the east of Cragg Wood. Thanks to Marc Heath who found a Cuckoo at Bishopstone on 11 April, seen as an early bird and scarce too in this area of Kent.

There was some excellent birds to run a close second to the Cuckoos, with a good count of 42 Willow Warbler, then marked as seen in the little black book, Blackcap pair, 2 Treecreeper including one sunbathing at the base of a tree, a Wren and Robin, 6 Redpoll, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Swallow, a Coal Tit, 2 Garden Warbler, Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Linnet, 2 Meadow Pipit, and 3 Stonechat which were seen as a pair and a male which was probably standing guard over a nest site, and so almost certainly making 2 pairs of Stonechat. Raptors seen were, a Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

Other than the birds....A quite surprising number of 14 Green Tiger Beetle, 2 Common Lizard, neither of which were associated with Birk Bank bog, in fact one was at Ottergear Bridge. Butterflies seen, 12 Orange Tip, 4 Green Hairstreak, 2 Peacock, a Speckled Wood and Small Tortoiseshell.

Target of the day was to find some early damsels, 3 Large Red Damselfly were seen as a male and 2 teneral.

Garden Bees.

The bees in our garden started to emerge from the Bee House this week. 

Red Mason Bees. Pete Woodruff.

It's a joy to watch the antics of the Red&Blue Mason Bees in and out of the holes in good number. 

Blue Mason Bees. Pete Woodruff.

Invading AC's Territory For Starters!

I messaged AC on Monday morning to ask if he was on territory at Bank End today, he replied he was and off I went to meet up.

It's quite an easy task to find and observe the birds at Bank End, all you have to do is to check out the sheep on the marsh, though that's a task in itself as there are a quite a few of'em. But having spent a pleasant hour here, I racked up 8 Yellow Wagtail, all entered in the book as juvenile, none being close enough to be noted as female, and certainly not a male in sight.

Worthy of note, AC recorded 10 Yellow Wagtail at Bank End yesterday Tuesday 22 July, seen as  a stunning male, 2 female and 7 juvenile. 

I went off to pay my first of two visits to Conder Pool, to find 16 Common Tern, including juveniles, one of which was exercising its wings lifting itself a few inches of the ground with every flap. Avocet seen were one adult and the juvenile marked C6. Also 4 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, and 2 Little Grebe. But the mega triple surprise was 1) the sight of a pair of Little Ringed Plover 2) accompanied by 2 chicks no more than a few says old, and 3) the report of a juvenile seen on Conder Pool recently....Well, work that one out if you can!

On the Lune Estuary, another 16 Common Tern here, brought the total on the day to 32 Common Tern estuary and pool. 

The count on the estuary included an adult with juvenile, the adult had a yellowish ring bleached to near white on the left leg, metal on the right. Also noted, 5 Mediterranean Gull, a Greenshank, and 2 Avocet adult. 

On a short walk along the canal towpath, an Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker, and a Sedge Warbler.

Brown Hawker. Pete Woodruff.

On Saltcote Pond a Brown Hawker, in my experience the species doesn't readily settle very often, though this male did oblige if briefly. A female Broad-bodied Chaser went to oviposit briefly, also 5 Common Blue Damselfly and a Speckled Wood butterfly.

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the header image. I struggled to find one, I've never taken a photograph of Yellow Wagtail in my life. 

Med Gull Spectacular.

Mediterranean Gull.

When I arrived at Conder Pool on Wednesday, someone was leaving the viewing platform, a nice man not serious about birding and just passing by I think. I said hello and asked if there were any Mediterranean Gull here, he answered saying he'd not seen any.

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 25 June. Pete Woodruff.

To my amazement, the first birds I saw were 7 Mediterranean Gull which were seen as 5 adult and 2x1st summer. It only took a few more minutes for me to pick up a total of 17 Mediterranean Gull, 8 adult, 7x2nd summer, and 2x1st summer birds.

I sensed a male following a female with a little posturing here....

Fourteen Mediterranean Gull in the video below....

I thought I was hallucinating, and I reckon the next birder to visit Conder Pool the following day thought he was too, when he found a total of 29 Mediterranean Gull....I think it'll be a while before this record is beaten! 

Avocet & Common Sandpiper.

It didn't take long for another spectacle to develop, that of a line of 42 Avocet at the back of Conder Pool, and when I panned right of the Avocet, 6 Common Sandpiper were also lined up along the back of the pool.

Common Tern.

Mainly focused on and distracted by the gull fest, I made no count of adult birds, but noted 15 Common Tern chicks on the raft, which included one young bird exercising it's wings.

Dragonflies.

Emperor Dragonfly Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

On Saltcote Pond, a lone Emperor Dragonfly was patrolling, occasionally egg laying around the edge of the pond, also up to 14 Common Blue Damselfly including some pairing.

Butterflies.

Ringlet. Pete Woodruff.

Nothing spectacular about these, as I saw just one Red Admiral, but 10 Ringlet lifted the gloom, and takes my sightings of this species to 16 Ringlet seen on two days, with six more seen at Birk Bank on 20 June.    

Glasson- Conder Green Circuit.

Reed Bunting, 3 Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, and 6 Sedge Warbler.

And Finally.

Ian Mitchell kindly sent me a couple of images....

This of an Elephant Hawk Moth

And one of a Large Yellow Underwing.

Ian says 'I was playing around trying to photo this moth in flight'....I don't think you need to try much harder Ian.

The Header.

Howard Stockdale does it again, this time with another excellent header image of 42 Avocet, perfectly lined up for a photograph and an accurate count on Conder Pool this week. 

I would like to take this opportunity, to thank all those who joined me - and some who later hindered me - in reporting this amazing record of 17 Mediterranean Gulls, which I found on Conder Pool on Wednesday 25 June.   

Winmarleigh Moss.

Something of an adventure in the week on a visit to Winmarleigh Moss with Steve Graham.

For starters you have to find somewhere to park, as the Lancashire Wildlife Trust website says....'no parking near the site'....is a bit of an understatement I reckon. But we overcome the parking problem and set off for the adventure on to this huge 90 hectare site which has difficult access due to numerous drains and tussock vegetation requiring care to be taken over this the best lowland raised peat bog in the region. However, you can safely transect along the bank by Crawleys Dyke.

Raptors seen, 2 Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, and a Kestrel. At least 4 Stonechat seen, with a pair behaving like they had hidden young, a few Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit, with a Willow Warbler in a small wooded area, and a Corn Bunting.

Five species of dragonfly were seen, with Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Large Red Damselfly.

Steve's top target at Winmarleigh Moss was a butterfly species, but the visit was a disappointing one in this regard as we saw just 2 Large Heath, perhaps a tad too early, but 2 Large Skipper was a little compensation, and a Speckled Wood was the only other butterfly seen from just three species.

Butterfly Conservation.

Five butterflies seen on a hot sunny day at a 90 hectare site with perfect habitat in June, brings me to note....2024 was one of the worst years on record for UK butterflies. For the first time ever, more than half of our butterflies species are in long term decline, and notably with 85% of the population living in urban areas.

This causes Butterfly Conservation to ask....Will you help us to raise £20,000 to begin one our most ambitious Wild Spaces projects yet....Glasgow Wild Spaces   

Summary.

In my opinion, you would need to spend several hours at Winmarleigh Moss, and even then would only scratch the surface and probably miss finding lots of what's on offer here if you was going to do justice to it. Personally, after a couple of hours walking along Crawleys Dyke, and humping optics - binoculars, telescope, and tripod - weighing 6kg, was a bit much!

Pilling Lane Ends.

Calling in at Pilling Lane Ends, there was clear evidence of the decline of butterflies as mentioned earlier, when we saw just 5 Meadow Brown and a Common Blue, a little more encouraging was 5 Small Skipper....I think Steve might have done better than this!

But feelings were good when we saw a large number of spikes of Orchid. Steve sent photographs off to an expert in the field, to arrive at the ID of a mix of Southern Marsh Orchid and Northern/Hybrid Marsh Orchid.

White-tailed Bumblebee.

This White-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lucorum was found lethargic on the garden bench, it spread its wings a couple of times but was unable to take off. I gave it sugar and water on a saucer to drink, but it remained motionless for a while and I feared it was dead. For an hour or more I kept checking regularly, but the next time it was gone. 

Pool And Pond.

Pleasantly checking Conder Pool and Saltcote Pond on Friday. Mostly cloudy, though a few sunny spells, and at best a chill wind on a day not unlike 6 March as opposed to it being 6 June.

Conder Pool.

I counted 22 Common Tern on the raft, with up to 5 chicks visible underneath the adults. I also counted 21 Black-headed Gull chicks on the raft today, and harmony seems to reign between the terns and gulls, but who knows if that will last....Time will tell!

My count today was of 16 Avocet, with only two on Conder Pool, and 14 on the creeks marsh including the only two surviving young. 

Little Ringed Plover. Pete Woodruff.

Throughout two visits to Conder Pool today, I had several sightings of Little Ringed Plover, but never saw more than two together. Also of note was a Little Grebe in breeding plumage, seen as a first record on Conder Pool for me. The Little Grebe doesn't breed here to my knowledge.

Other notes from Conder Pool, a drake summering Wigeon seen again, with 3 Tufted Duck and a lone Black-tailed Godwit.

Saltcote Pond.

Ruddy Darter 20 July 2023. Martin Jump.  

As can be seen in my header, Saltcote Pond is an attractive little pond, one of the nicest anywhere in our area. The pond's claim to fame being the location were Martin Jump found a rare Ruddy Darter 2 years ago on 20 July 2023. The Ruddy Darter is the second rarest regular breeding species in Lancashire. 

A male and female Broad-bodied Chaser and up to 12 Common Blue Damselfly, with a Chiffchaff and a singing Sedge Warbler was skulking in the Reedmace here.

As I walked around the edge of the pond I spotted a pair of Common Blue Damselflies in tandem. The female appeared to be completely submerged, but as I got closer, the male released the female and flew off. I soon convinced myself this female floating on the water was drowning, in an attempt to rescue I broke of a Reedmace leaf and managed to encourage the damselfly to the edge and out of the pond clinging to the leaf. 

It was a female Common Blue Damselfly of the blue form, not an uncommon form, but are often outnumbered by greenish and brownish ones.

Common Blue Damselfly blue form. Pete Woodruff. 

Drying out its wings was a first for me, as I've never before seen a damselfly at rest with opened wings....Looking away for a second to check the camera settings, it had flown off.

Two Weeks Later.

A decent days birding two weeks after my last. 

Conder Green.

My count of 23 Common Tern didn't reflect the full and accurate picture, with 17 and the possibility of 19 nests currently. My count of 18 Avocet didn't reflect the full picture here either, with just 5 seen on Conder Pool, and 13 seen in the creeks where I saw just one of the only four surviving chicks. 

I saw 2 Little Ringed Plover which have also suffered predation on two earlier attempts to breed. Interestingly, I observed one LRP creating a scrape, then promptly sitting to give the impression there was going to be a third attempt to breed.

Not the best of news from Conder Pool....Obviously a serial predator at large on Conder Pool this year, seeing just a handful of Black-headed Gull chicks, and in excess of an unbelievable 100 Black-headed Gull nests lost.

I am grateful to Howard Stockdale for giving me an insight into the disaster at Conder Green this summer.

But excellent for me, was that two of the four 2nd summer Little Gull found last Sunday, had decided to linger here until I could get to see them....Alleluia!

From the viewing platform, through binoculars I could count at least 7 House Martin nests at River Winds.

Saltcote Pond.

I was pleased to find 12 Common Blue Damselfly, and 2 Blue-tailed Damselfly, also 3 Broad-bodied Chaser, seen as two male, one trying to see the other off, zipping around the pond at lightning speed.

Broad-bodied Chaser Male. Pete Woodruff.

Later a female Broad-bodied Chaser seen ovipositing....

Blue-tailed Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

....and a second rate image of a Blue-tailed Damselfly of the form Rufescens obsoleta

Glasson Canal Towpath.

A 1/4 mile wander along the canal towpath for dragons was a blank, but I noted a Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, and Song Thrush. Up to 12 House Martin were over the canal and fields....Don't know what that was about, perhaps late arrivals?

Picture Gallery.

I was pleased to receive three images recently, all duly credited, and welcomed to hopefully keep B2B interesting....Please view Full Screen for best result. 

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 1 June. Howard Stockdale.

Not all doom and gloom, as a 2nd summer and adult Mediterranean Gull were on Conder Pool this morning.

Macro Ant'ics. Martin Jump.

Martin Jump said he's been 'playing around with the macro lens'. I told him this is impressive macro work, and I reckon the ant is nothing less than razor sharp here.

White Ermine. Ian Mitchell.

The spectacular White Ermine moth, perfectly posed on the flower bud.

Garden News.

Leaf Cutter Bee Megachile centuncularis Pete Woodruff

A couple of nice bees in the garden recently, as yet not verified.

Tree Bumblebee Bombus hypnorum Pete Woodruff 

Along The Canal And On The Bog!

Conder Green- Galgate.

Based on my experience with the 'early'ish' Banded Demoiselle at Bull Beck last Monday, I decided to do the canal walk Conder Green-Galgate which is where I found 16 Banded Demoiselle on a section of the canal on 14 August last year.

But there was no repeat surprise this time, as I found just 4 Banded Demoiselle, seen as three male and a female, all singletons at three locations along the towpath. Other odonata sightings were a little sparse, with 5 Common Blue, 3 Large Red, 2 Blue-tailed Damselfly, and 3 Common Darter male.

Butterflies were also sparse, with 6 Orange Tip, 2 Green-veined White, and a Peacock seen. Birds finding their way into the little black book, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush, and a female Mallard with 12 ducklings. I saw just a lone Swallow in the 3 hours on the towpath....Where are all the Swallows!

Birk Bank.

On Friday, it was a must that I visit the bog to see if there was any life there. I wasn't disappointed, but neither was I ecstatic about what I saw. There was no more than 3 species of dragonflies, with a total of 20 individuals seen.

Broad-bodied Chaser. Pete Woodruff.

There was plenty of activity amongst 4 Broad-bodied Chaser including a female, at least 6 Four-spotted Chaser, and 10 Large Red Damselfly. Butterflies seen, 6 Small Heath, 2 Green Hairstreak, and a Common Heath moth.

Green Hairstreak. Pete Woodruff.

Common Heath. Pete Woodruff.

Birds seen, the Willow Warbler has quietened down now they are busy with established territory and breeding, with 18 males heard, 4 Linnet, 2 Mistle Thrush, a Buzzard over, and a male Stonechat on guard duty around a nest site.

Red-legged Shieldbug. Pete Woodruff.

I was pleased to find this Pentatoma rufipes nymph. Following its next moult, it will become a large brown Shieldbug charecterised by its distinctly red legs. It was in the shade on an Oak Tree, hence the dark picture.

Birk Bank Bog.

I remain unimpressed by the current state of the bog which - to make matters worse - is heading towards drought conditions.

This photograph shows the only water on the bog which will become little more than a damp area in the coming weeks until it rains. The area to the left corner of the boardwalk, is where Keeled Skimmer could be seen patrolling the runnels which are no longer there, and where I watched a Golden-ringed Dragonfly ovipositing last year. As I see it, I don't think we will be seeing any results from the efforts by that dragonfly.

This is the view across the center of the bog. From this viewpoint I observed an Emperor Dragonfly over a pool on several ocassions last year. You can see, that ramblers have created a path over what was the bog, as a shortcut to join the track to Clougha.

Worth Noting....The Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator is not generally known to be found on upland habitat in Bowland, but I have had records accepted at Hawthornthwaite and Birk Bank in 2024. 

Pleasing Rewards Around The Local!

The best counts I came up with on Conder Pool Thursday was 10 Common Tern, but the peak count here to date has been fifteen. My best count was of 13 Avocet, but I suspect there may be double that number and the breeding stats are encouraging.

Also present 3 Greenshank and 3 Little Ringed Plover, though two pairs are reported breeding, with one pair having already suffered a first brood lost. In the creeks, 42 Black-tailed Godwit seen.

The Cockersand wander was a pleasant and rewarding experience.  

As I set off, no sooner had I passed Bank Houses, a Sedge Warbler was in full song hidden in the hedgerow, a second Sedge Warbler was at Slack Lane, 4 Stock Dove were in a field with up to 70 Carrion Crow and a Buzzard over. 

At the junction of Moss/Slack Lane, I saw a passerine fly out of the field to the vegetation along the ditch, it was soon followed by a second bird to be revealed as a male and female Whinchat. I was reminded of a good year in 2022, when I had records of three Whinchat sightings, two at Cockersand on 26 April and 3 May, and a male at Harrisend on 29 April.

As I arrived at Lighthouse Cottage, 3 Whimbrel were on the shore opposite Crook Cottage, and a pair of Eider were drifting on the tide. At Plover Scar, 2 Sandwich Tern were lingering around the lighthouse, occasionally plunge diving and completely submerged for several seconds.

On Plover Scar at high tide, 220 Dunlin, 15 Oystercatcher, and 4 Ringed Plover. As I approached the abbey, a Wheatear was on the kissing-gate. In the 30 minutes along the coastal path between Lighthouse Cottage and Cockersand CP, I must have seen up to 40 Large White butterflies, with 2 Peacock and Orange Tip.

Picture Gallery.

I'm in receipt of two excellent action photographs from regular visitors to B2B which warrant publicity.

Common Tern. Howard Stockdale.

Howard activated the shutter with split timing to achieve the terns in conflict about who can claim the best corner on which to perch on the raft on Conder Pool.

Mallard vs Avocet. Martin Jump.

Martins image of the Avocet in an attack on the Mallard with ducklings, also needed precision to freeze the action between the wader and the duck.

Scalloped Hazel. Ian Mitchell.

Ian's image is of a variable moth species which can range from brown to almost black, it is fairly common throughout the British Isles.

Giant House Spider. Pete Woodruff.

And I discovered a Giant House Spider Eratigena atrica in the greenhouse.

Out Without Pants On!

Birding without optics, are you serious!

It wasn't until I got to Conder Green, that I realised I had left my binoculars at home....Might as well have been out with no pants on.

The Birds.

As far as the Common Tern and the new raft is concerned, I counted 10 adult, five of which are sitting female, and 3 broods of 9 chicks.

On the very low water level at Conder Pool, four Mediterranean Gull including a 1st summer....You might need to be determined to see it in the video. 

I have no idea of the current situation re the Little Ringed Plover, the last I heard 13 June, was one pair had lost three chicks, but were back on eggs again, and a second pair had produced one chick. The only bird I saw this visit, was a lone adult.

Having no intention of counting the Avocet, I reckon up to 14 adult present, with fledged and marked birds, young and a single chick, including a pair with two young in the creeks having walked across the busy B5290 to get there again this year. Also in the creeks - it must be the end of June - I saw 8 Common Sandpiper, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, and an adult Greenshank in breeding plumage....I set off to do a circuit to Glasson Dock, and back to Conder Green via the canal.

There are possibly three active House Martin nests at Crossing Cottage? - in an earlier life was once a cafe - whilst I saw no activity at Rivers Winds which appears to join Tower Lodge as being the first year to have no breeding House Martin.

From the canal towpath, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Chiffchaff.

The Butterflies.

At least by way of a change, the day produced 18 butterflies, with 8 Ringlet, 7 Large Skipper, 2 Red Admiral and a Gatekeeper. But the best was to come when I got to Glasson and saw a butterfly on the grasses. I went to grab a shot and found it to be a White-letter Hairstreak.

White-letter Hairstreak. Pete Woodruff.

My sighting carries the claim of being the first White-letter Hairstreak to be recorded this year on the Lancashire Branch of Butterfly Conservation.

The Dragonflies.

On Saltcote Pond, a Broad-bodied Chaser was egg laying, with Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly and Brown Hawker seen.

Along the canal towpath to Conder Green, 4 Emperor Dragonfly female including ovipositing, and 2 Brown Hawker.

A first experience for me, and perhaps the ovipositing Emperor Dragonfly, which had a lucky escape from the clutches of something under the surface, presumably a fish was the predator.

Please Note.

The figures regarding the Common Tern on the new raft are generated from personal observations and footage on Thursday 29 June, and therefore do not reflect the official number of Common Tern adults/juveniles/and chicks currently present on Conder Pool. Also, following a conversation, my claim of no House Martin at River Winds may prove to be incorrect, as two nests were reported there recently. However, based on no evidence found or seen by myself, my comments stand until my next visit to Conder Green.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the excellent header image of the juvenile Common Tern, the first to fledge from the best colony ever on Conder Pool this year.