Birds To Impress.....

....birds at the observatory, and another plug.

Black-tailed Godwit Brian Rafferty 

When it comes to the birds I never fail to be impressed, and on Thursday I made some notable counts and watched a couple of excellent aerial displays. The c.500 Black-tailed Godwit roosted at high tide again as viewed from the picnic area at Conder Green and put on a spectacular show when taking to the wing. Tuesdays accompanying c.770 waders with the BTG's - Redshank/Curlew/Dunlin - didn't reach a combined three figure today, but persistence turned up the 2 Ruff again. 

Having deserted the canal basin 35 Goldeneye were on the River Lune, with a pair of Eider seen, and c.450 Pink-footed Geese were still on the south end of Colloway Marsh.

Lesser Black-backed Gull. Pete Woodruff.

The Spotted Redshank at Conder Green must be one of the most obliging birds around and it was the first to show for me here again today. An interloper was on Conder Pool and made the number to 3 Goldeneye, with just one Little Grebe, 5 Tufted Duck, a Little Egret, and the L.B.B.Gull still on guard duty on Tern Island.

 

Kestrel Martin Jump  

On Moss Lane the local Kestrel was by Gardners Farm again. The Cockersands swans remain spread out over the fields between Slack Lane and Bank End and the little black book reads....'at least 325 Whooper Swan seen today'....though almost certainly a few Bewick's Swan were hidden in the distant mix. Next to impress me were the c.1,500 Golden Plover at Abbey Farm, flighty and putting on some brilliant wheeling eventually disappearing from view over the headland to the shore. I was definitely impressed with the 14 Blackbird in Bank Houses horse paddock.

Stock Dove Bob Bushell 

Also of note, 7 Stock Dove, the Black Swan was seen in the field from Slack Lane, and I counted 8 Brown Hare.

Thanks to Martin for the Kestrel, to Bob for the Stock Dove - a photographically under-recorded bird - to Brian for the aerial display by the Black-tailed Godwits, and to Noushka for the Dunnock header.

Migrants Making Landfall. 

Keep up to date with what's new on the migrant scene at Portland Bird Obs 

Three Stonechat 'on the move' and seen as a male and two female at New Ridge Farm yesterday morning, with many thanks to one of my Fylde birder contacts for this record.

And The Plug. 

Marc has taken on a project studying Dragonfly and Damselfly nymphs in a tank he has set up at home. The project has had some fascinating results - with more to come hopefully - all executed in brilliant style by Marc....You might like to take a look at some results Here