There's some positivity in this post, and it's difficult to know were to start, but this being Birds2blog, it has to be with the Stonechat.
Stonechat Young. Howard Stockdale.
To date I have collated some encouraging breeding records, 10 of which are confirmed, and 26 probable, not all of which are in our recording area, but of little distance outside, and some of which are at lowland locations not previously known to me as breeding sites.
Martin Jump has paid multiple visits to the Cam Brow colony, and has concluded there are up to 10 active nests and as many as 30 Sand Martin in the air at any one time. More interest from Martin was, a peer over the wall into the field opposite the plantation on the Catshaw track, he counted up to 50 Curlew feeding together as a flock.
Windswept Female Stonechat. Martin Jump.
Martin also collected a record of Stonechat at Grisedale Bridge, where he suspects the female is sitting on a second brood....Excellent stuff.
It was satisfying to see an e-mail informing me that the Birk Bank/Clougha Bilberry Bumblebee records had been accepted. I'm grateful to Ian Mitchell and Ben Hargreaves for records and acceptance respectively....Scarce in Cumbria
A report from Conder Pool yesterday, claims 13 Mediterranean Gull of three age groups, 22 Common Tern including 8 chicks, and 14 Avocet including 4 juvenile....LDBWS Sightings
Ian Michell captured Blue Flag CJ....
....and a record shot of three juvenile Avocet, all marked and currently on Conder Pool.
I'm grateful to everyone who has contributed to this post - their names are appropriately credited - and to Ian Mitchell for his stunning header image of the amazingly aerobatic Common Terns.
Great pictures of the Stonechats, glad they are doing well.
ReplyDeleteThought you would be interested in the BBC Cumbria article on the Bilberry Bumblebee, glad we have found some near us and they have been recorded, prompts me to wonder if they are under recorded as there can’t be many people looking out for them.
Conder Pool last night there was a very young Avocet chick about that had a distinct limp but seemed to be feeding OK.
As always thanks for the updates - Ian
That's positive news with the Stonechats this year. Some lovely shots of them too. Take care.
ReplyDeleteIan....My turn to thank you once again for keeping in touch. Re your comment about the under -recorded Bombus monticola, being an uncommon species and almost entirely restricted to upland areas in Lancashire, this is no big surprise.
ReplyDeleteMarc....Thanks to you also for keeping in touch, and yes, I'm pleased with the results so far with the Stonechats this season.
Regards to both....Pete.
Great news about the Stonechats, Pete. I'm pretty sure that I'd have struggled with the ID of that juvenile Stonechat.
ReplyDeleteIan's Common Tern header image is a real attention-grabber. I enjoyed his Avocet video too.
Best wishes - - - Richard
'I'm pretty sure that I'd have struggled with the ID of that juvenile Stonechat'....The young Stonechat isn't a million miles away from looking like a young Robin is it Richard. Ian's tern header pik is firmly in the brilliant category for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your words Richard....Pete