Third Time Lucky.

Clik The Piks in this post....they are bigger, and hopefully much better.

 Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank 5 July. Pete Woodruff.

It was third time lucky for me at Birk Bank on Friday. I had been there three times recently and failed to hit the target, but it changed for the better this time. 

Keeled Skimmer mating pair Birk Bank 5 July. Pete Woodruff.

The bog wasn't excactly alive with activity, in fact the peak count was four dragonflies seen at the same time, but the male Keeled Skimmer behaved impeccably most of the time including coupling with the female, evidence they are attempting to keep the colony going, the only one in Lancashire as far as I know, the next one north being in Cumbria. A Four-spotted Chaser and a male Broad-bodied Chaser were the other two seen today. 

A Buzzard soared mewing overhead, and a female Blackcap and 2 Robin juveniles seen. Butterflies seen, 4 Painted Lady and a Small Tortoiseshell.

At Conder Green, the first two Common Tern young have fledged, the second bird doing so at 2.08pm was a pleasurable sight, particularly for the dedicated and determined Common Tern champion Ian Pinkerton. The second Common Tern continues to tend to it's three young in the right hand corner of the pontoon.

There was at least 10 Common Sandpiper on the small island at high tide, 2 Little Grebe seen today, 2 Greenshank, and the Little Ringed Plover put in an appearance.