Birding With Bertha.

High Tide Cockersands. Pete Woodruff.

Although my photographic efforts don't show the force of the wind at Cockersands yesterday, a walk along the headlands proved to be an adventure in quite a howler, presumably the tail end of Hurricane Bertha which soon had me in the 'why am I doing this' mood.

The tide was at 10m around 12.25pm, and on what little was left of Plover Scar at the landward end stood, c.220 Dunlin and around 12 Ringed Plover. As I walked along the headland I found in the field south of the abbey, estimates of another 230 Dunlin and 100 Ringed Plover, with 8 Turnstone taking refuge from the tide and wind, all of which tolerated me observing them at just a few metres.

Conder Pool an hour before and up to high tide proved quite active and eventually c.350 Redshank and 6 Dunlin had assembled here. I also noted, 4 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover which is by no means a regular on the pool or anywhere else at Conder Green, also a Great-crested Grebe which isn't a regular here either, whilst a Little Egret certainly is these days. Four Little Grebe were seen as three adult in summer plumage, and a juvenile, 2 Swift over were the only two seen on the day....I had to leave, the tide was lapping at my tyres.

The Conder Common Terns.   

Common Tern Noushka Dufort

Interest yesterday started with four Common Tern on Conder Pool at one point, including a bird on the nest, one attempting to feed it with a fish, and two visitors showing interest in the nest site, though I saw no sign of any aggression and they eventually departed, but three birds in the air for several minutes.

When I returned to Conder Green late afternoon, the male gave an excellent display fishing from and close to the viewing platform, and was taking small fry out of the pool at a ratio of around every other dive, two of which at intervals it took to the nest. Although nothing could be seen below the vegetation, and with no sign of the female reaching to take the fish, by my reckoning this pair now have young in the nest.