More Blanks Than Birds!

Barn Owl. Phil Slade.

The photograph of the Barn Owl is just one of the two birds PS of Fylde fame recorded today which JB and I failed to connect with, the second of which has to take precedence over the BO being an adult Hobby which caused us to don our 'twitching' gear for a while to no avail, despite two separate twenty minute visits to Pilling Lane Ends the Hobby was nowhere to be seen, but PS had got the message out (RBA) for which we all must be grateful, Phils website is HERE where you can see his account of today's birding, and always some excellent photography. 

More blanks than birds today but that didn't go for Conder Green which - in keeping with it's excellent past record as the best in the area for the species - produced at least 12 Common Sandpiper along with the Spotted Redshank which is just beginning to show signs of plumage change, the Little Ringed Plover pair were seen and evidence shows they continue with their breeding programme, a single Dunlin in the creeks was lost in the midst of c.200 Redshank, the Shelduck with a creche of at least 30 young were again in the Conder channel. On Conder Pool, 4 Wigeon drakes, at least 60 Lapwing, and two pairs of Oystercatcher have two young each, a very young downy duckling - obviously detached from the parent bird - was of some concern looking lost and bewildered and appeared to be a Tufted Duck.

As expected there is no build up yet on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock but 6 Little Egret were over on the far side in the Waterloo Cottage area. At Cockersands the Common Tern seen here on Monday and previously at Glasson Dock on 24 June was still patrolling in the Plover Scar area and regularly plunge diving, the guardians of Plover Scar were again represented by just c.60 Oystercatchers, I heard a Skylark, and saw 6 Brown Hare together in the abbey field in the brief visit here.

The two aforementioned visits to Pilling Lane Ends was in all honesty to view a vast empty marshland but a Buzzard soared over Fluke Hall, and a 'large' number of Swift over the marsh unfortunately has no recording value whatsoever.

And finally....

 

Elephant Hawk Moths. Katie Fuller.

An excellent macro image of Elephant and Small Elephant Hawk Moths - left and right respectfully - with my thanks to Katie whose website can always be linked to from my sidebar on the left.