Plan A The Pool....Plan B The Bog!

A little keen for some closer detail whilst checking Conder Pool on Monday, then switching to Plan B for a visit to Birk Bank to see if there was any odonata on offer....All of this whilst giving the new camera a test run. 

Avocet.

All alone and living a life of danger for a while yet

I made a count of at least 14 adult and 6 young, and also spotted the yellow flag 63 bird, which I saw later sitting on the near island to the right of the viewing platform.

Common Tern.

Common Tern Conder Pool 22 May

Fourteen seen, including a pair copulating, also four sitting including the colour ringed bird, which I would guess is a female as it is generally regarded to be the female that incubates, also one bird bearing a metal ring on its right leg.

Little Ringed Plover.

Three seen, with one sitting and shooting off the nest at one point to see off a Black-headed Gull.

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 22 May

Also on Conder Pool, a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull, a Common Sandpiper, a pair of Redshank which may be breeding here, and a lone Tree Sparrow in the hedge. In the creeks, 42 Black-tailed Godwit of note, they were accompanied by 2 Dunlin. On the circuit, a Whitethroat was my first this year, 2 Swift were over, and up to 8 House Martin were around River Winds with one seen to enter under the eaves.

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Having spent an enjoyable 3 hours at Conder Green, instead of the planned Cockersand visit, I decided to switch to Plan B and paid a visit to Birk Bank to find 18 Large Red Damselfly including 6 paired. Just up the track from the boardwalk over the bog, I found a Garden Warbler, and saw 3 Raven and a Kestrel in the air over lower Clougha.

Bull Beck.

Last Saturday, 4 Garden Warbler, a singing male Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler heard, and on the River Lune here, 4 Common Sandpiper were seen.

There was a serious case of disturbance here, when I saw a family group of eight pitched up and picnicking above the bank of the river where a strong colony of birds breed here annually. I estimated up to 100 Sand Martin were constantly on the wing in the hour I sent here, not to mention the length of time these people stayed....I have since appropriately reported my concerns about this incident.

As ever, I am grateful to Ian Mitchell for his image of the Common Tern on Conder Pool with the offering of a fish for its mate.