Conder Pool.

The Common Terns Champion

Ian Pinkerton turned golfer to birder overnight the day he discovered Conder Pool, and soon became The Common Terns Champion, virtually moving in to live at the pool where he spent endless hours at the viewing platform monitoring the birds.

Ian would have been pleased to see the development being currently carried out at Conder Pool, but sadly he isn't around anymore to enjoy this and the terns he loved so much.

I have dedicated this post to Ian who died in August 2019.

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I'm grateful for having had the details forwarded to me about an update on some work to be carried out by the RSPB to further develop Conder Pool and improve this already excellent site for wildlife, in particular the birds.

Conder Works 7 February 2022. Howard Stockdale.

I have no entitlement to put too much detail on B2B into this project, but machinery is already in place and hard at work, including that to be carried out to reduce the height of the breeding islands, and some reshaping of the current layout, as well as remedial work on the inlet sluice.

A Dangerous Combination. Pete Woodruff.

A trio of dedicated individuals - Howard Stockdale, Ian Hartley and Paul Ellis - formed a working party to push for improvements at the site since the livestock disturbance during the 2020 breeding season. In 2021 livestock was prohibited between March - July, the result was immediately seen with 8 pairs of Avocet successfully hatching their broods. The same year also saw the introduction of colour ringing of the Avocet and Common Tern to support the very important research group activity. 

Photographic evidence of Redshanks with 3 chicks at Conder Pool 10 June 2021. Howard Stockdale. This was another excellent breeding record for Conder Pool in 2019.

 

Female Stonechat Conder Pool 6 Feb. Howard Stockdale.

Included in his message, Howard sent me this excellent image of the Stonechat within a few metres out from the viewing platform at Conder Pool. On seeing this picture, a sickly green feeling came over me....Stonechat, Conder Pool....WOW!