Conder Update.
I've decided to leave my post exactly as I had drafted it yesterday, it reflects the sightings as seen by me on Friday. However, a report I read this Sunday morning (Fylde Bird Club) claims 2 adult Avocet with 4 chicks at Conder Green hiding in the grass on the marsh, and being defended from intruder all comers by the parent birds. But my original post reads that the Avocet chicks had obviously escaped my attention....
Having received an e-mail Friday morning, of an adult Avocet in the creeks with chicks being harassed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull, it was no surprise to find the two west end small islands deserted having been occupied by two sitting birds for the past few weeks. The only 2 Avocet seen at Conder Green were in the creeks, creating another 'no surprise' with not a chick in sight.
I've decided to leave my post exactly as I had drafted it yesterday, it reflects the sightings as seen by me on Friday. However, a report I read this Sunday morning (Fylde Bird Club) claims 2 adult Avocet with 4 chicks at Conder Green hiding in the grass on the marsh, and being defended from intruder all comers by the parent birds. But my original post reads that the Avocet chicks had obviously escaped my attention....
Having received an e-mail Friday morning, of an adult Avocet in the creeks with chicks being harassed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull, it was no surprise to find the two west end small islands deserted having been occupied by two sitting birds for the past few weeks. The only 2 Avocet seen at Conder Green were in the creeks, creating another 'no surprise' with not a chick in sight.
Common Tern seen on Conder Pool, three chicks from the second pair on the pontoon, though the runt gave cause for concern, being only half the size of it's two siblings, one of which downed a large fish in a couple of gulps. The two fledged CT's of a week ago were looking good, and a pair of CT are almost certainly nesting on the back-side of an island, in which case Conder Pool will have had three breeding pairs in 2019. The two Black- headed Gull young are hanging on in there, and 2 Little Grebe and 12 Greylag were noted.
In the creeks, 5 Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank seen. From the coastal path, 9 Gatekeeper, and a wander along the canal tow-path saw, 3 Emperor Dragonfly, 2 Brown Hawker, 5 Meadow Brown, 3 Painted Lady, a Red Admiral, and a Small Tortoiseshell.
The Conder Green Swift.
I had seen a Swift on Monday at Conder Green Farm, and made the comment in my previous post, that I had seen Swift at the farm around this time last year, and went on to say, at both sightings I had observed the bird flying head on toward the gutter before veering away at the last minute.
On Friday I was watching the Swift again, this time I eventually saw it enter the underneath of the guttering. Going in to the farmyard, I spoke with three people there, to explain what I was up to hovering around their property and what I had seen, giving them the news that the Swift was almost certainly breeding at their farmhouse, the first time it had done so at the farm that I was aware of in many years birding the area.
No piks in the post, but a short half decent video of the Spotted Redshank at Conder Green early May (Best Full Screen)
The Conder Green Swift.
I had seen a Swift on Monday at Conder Green Farm, and made the comment in my previous post, that I had seen Swift at the farm around this time last year, and went on to say, at both sightings I had observed the bird flying head on toward the gutter before veering away at the last minute.
On Friday I was watching the Swift again, this time I eventually saw it enter the underneath of the guttering. Going in to the farmyard, I spoke with three people there, to explain what I was up to hovering around their property and what I had seen, giving them the news that the Swift was almost certainly breeding at their farmhouse, the first time it had done so at the farm that I was aware of in many years birding the area.
No piks in the post, but a short half decent video of the Spotted Redshank at Conder Green early May (Best Full Screen)
A shame about the Avocet chicks. Bloody Gulls! Otherwise a nice selection seen on your visit.
ReplyDeleteJust to keep the record straight, the Avocet young are still on the marsh today with the adult birds. As indicated in my opening paragraph, they had apparently escaped my attention on Friday.
ReplyDeleteSorry if I said anything misleading Marc.
Spotted Redshank, well done Pete. Lovely catch.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bob....The bird was at Conder Green in early May, I had forgot to put it on B2B until now.
ReplyDelete