All Things Bright And Beautiful!

I've been off the road and side-lined since my last outing on Tuesday 9 September, with tomorrow being my next chance, that's going to be a 12 day break from birding. Over this period and a little before it, our recording area and beyond has produced some impressive records, some of which are first or peak counts taken from the LDBWS and FBC WhatsApp groups....I've not catalogued them in date order.

Glossy Ibis Conder Pool. Paul Ellis.

Conder Pool has claimed two 1st records and peak counts, with 39 Greenshank and 19 Ruff recently on Conder Pool, also 2 Glossy Ibis put in a first time appearance here. The Little Stint previously posted on B2B, is also included in this list of Conder Pool records.

Curlew Sandpiper Conder Green. Gary Coulburn.

Curlew Sandpiper have been appearing in good number - some in double figures - at several locations including Conder Pool and on the Fylde, where a staggering 57 Buzzard were over Preesall in a vis mig watch. Another staggering record, was that of 24 Yellow Wagtail seen in the Bank End area. Even more amazing about this record, was that a Kestrel on a fence post was surrounded by the spectacle of these wagtails. 

Three Black Tern were on Conder Pool, and a Black Tern was reported flying downstream on the Lune Estuary, and multiple sightings of Hobby have been seen at Conder Green and through Conder Pool.

7 of 29 Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool 26 June. Pete Woodruff.

Away from the Lune Estuary, two spectacular records were made, 216 Little Egret were noted going to roost at an undisclosed site, and 208 Mediterranean Gull were recorded at Heysham where Grey Phalarope was seen, also seen off the Stone Jetty at Morecambe, and two at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve.

Last But Certainly Not Least.

If I'm going to draw up a list of amazing events in and around our area, this one has to be included.

Sabine's Gull Off Star Gate Blackpool. Ashley Cooper.

Along with many other seabirds during the recent stormy weather, this juvenile Sabine's Gull flew through Ashley's viewfinder to give him the perfect opportunity to capture it on film. 

My header image is of the same Sabine's Gull, and for me is the photograph of the year....Thanks Ashley, much appreciated. Thanks also to Paul Ellis and Gary Coulburn for the use of their excellent images, they too are much appreciated.

All Things Birds Bright And Beautiful!

Better Late Than Never!

It wasn't looking good for a post on B2B this week, that was until I received some excellent images in my inbox which prompted the title of my post.

I've not been birding since Wednesday 25 June, that's for different reasons, not least of which is the weather, and more to the point, at the moment it's not looking good that I'll get out any time soon....But let's bury that one.

Howard Stockdale.

I received an excellent illustrated update for Conder Pool....

After the disasterous and upsetting year which the birds of Conder Pool have suffered, it was pure delight for me to see this image of the juvenile, fledged and begging to the parent bird....

Two for the price of one, with siblings attended to by the adult....Magic.

I'm not entitled to publish details and numbers, but as I have indicated previously, the birds of Conder Pool have had a disasterous year, including Common Tern chicks lost from the platform. I am also aware the Little Ringed Plover were also unsuccessful with four attempts lost to predation, and I know I'm not alone in my thoughts, that this is an upsetting reality.

On the positive, recently there has been an inflow of immature birds prospecting Conder Pool. Perhaps Arctic, Little, and Black Terns may show here again as they did last year....here's hoping. 

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for keeping me posted with news and images on Conder Pool.

Ian Mitchell.

More in the inbox, were some moths....

The Burnished Brass is a common moth throughout the UK, but no less spectacular for that. It has areas of metallic colouring on it's forewings.

Another 'two for the price of one' image, this time a pair of Buff Arches. Some colours about this moth are, smooth grey with white and russet brown, make this for me, one of the prettiest of our moths.

Thanks Ian, much appreciated, and keep'em cumin!

Martin Jump.

Martin has been sending many hours around the Sand Martins, and also experimenting with macro photography. 

This picture is particularly special to me, in that the birds right wing tip just skims the water with some precise timing.

A brilliant macro image of one of the Colletes-Plasterer Bees.

I'm grateful for these, thanks Martin.

And Finally....

An image of my own, with two of the seventeen Mediterranean Gulls on Conder Pool 25 June. This male was posing in a display to the female, or was it a female posing to the male!

In The Garden.

It's been good to see a juvenile of, Blackbird, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, and 4 Swift high overhead one evening. Also at least 3 Red Admiral and 2 Comma.

We have also had a couple of interesting wasps....

Ectemnius sp

This species of solitary wasp is difficult to ID without close inspection.

Greater Pennant Wasp

This one....I couldn't decide whether it was something out of Star Wars, or a visitor from Mars!

Another Estuary Mix!

A day with mixed feelings, but I'll keep the whingeing about flooded pools, anglers and canoeists to myself and just get on with the story. 

I think there's more than meets the eye to the fact the raft has partially sunk in the flood at Conder Pool....We'll just have to wait and see what happens next!

But 3 Black-tailed Godwit and a dozing Ruff seem to have found some solid ground, and the Canada Geese, Greylag, and a few farmyard geese, appear to be enjoying the situation. In the creeks, 2 Ruff and a Greenshank.

These two canoeists about to launch and enjoy their pursuit, managed to disturb a few hundred waders on the Lune Estuary, but further upstream up to 2,350 waders were unperturbed by them, with estimates of 1,550 Lapwing, 400 Black-tailed Godwit, 220 Redshank, 150 knot, and 32 Snipe seen.

An hour up to and including the high tide at Plover Scar, to be honest didn't produced one or two species I hoped for, but it was a magical experience to stand and watch the tide slowly pushing in excess of 600 waders towards me, including 430 Dunlin, up to 95 Ringed Plover, and 80 Turnstone, with 25 Eider and a Great-crested Grebe off the scar. A Wheatear and hovering Kestrel were around the Lighthouse Cottage parking area.

High Tide Plover Scar. Pete Woodruff. 

Red Admiral And Black Tern.

Red Admiral On Rhododendron. Pete Woodruff. 

At least 10 Red Admiral still being seen in the first days of October, with a total of up to ten seen in Williamson's Park, Lancaster Cemetery, and in our garden.

Black Tern Heysham 30 September. Mike Robinson.

Mike paid a visit to Heysham and achieved this excellent image of one of the juveniles present here for 13 days, but I understand have now departed....Thanks Mike, much appreciated.  

Steam Days And Birding!

With the breeding Common Tern and Avocet all departed, and just 6 Greenshank to be seen, Conder Pool took on a look of desolation, but the count of 17 Little Grebe turned the pool into a mid-winter feel. 

In 15 minutes looking from the viewing screen, I counted 10 Migrant Hawker passing, and saw 2 Red Admiral. I think the property on Corrick's Lane is now holiday accommodation and not the cafe it once was, 6 House Martin were around with a nest still active there.

Common Darter Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

 

On Saltcote Pond, a few Common Darter included a female seen oviposting over open water, also a few Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselfly. Along the canal towpath Glasson - Conder Green, a low count of 8 Migrant Hawker, I think September will change that to something bigger and better, 6 Specked Wood seen.

Pity the birds were distant, but the footage is evidence of an adult Common Tern on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, a juvenile was hovering and plunge diving, and 24 Little Egret seen.

Sunday 27 August.

On the sea defences and shore, 6 Wheatear seen along the Sandylands promenade. 

Picture Gallery.

Having recently received several excellent images, I wanted to show some respect to three of the many authors who continually keep me supplied with news and illustrations of 'what's on' in our area and beyond.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly Haslem Park. Martin Jump.

Black Tern Glasson Dock. Howard Stockdale.

Black Darter Foulshaw. Ian Mitchell.

Thanks to Martin Jump, Howard Stockdale, Ian Mitchell....Much Appreciated.

The happy days in another life came to mind as I pondered for a header pik, when I was a fireman for good old British Railways and dinosaurs ruled the world. I have Peter Guy to thank for the image of the beautiful beast called the Duchess of Sutherland.

Good Rewards Around The Estuary.

Yellow Wagtail.

The Yellow Wagtail no longer breeds in our LDBWS recording area of Lancashire, and any evidence of breeding attempts is largely restricted to the south of the River Ribble, and the nearest site for breeding Yellow Wagtail to the north as far as I'm aware of, is in South Cumbria. That taken into account, Andrew Cornall dedicates the entire month of August to monitor the Yellow Wagtail on autumn passage moving south through Bank End, his peak count in 2022 was 14 on the 15 August.

On Monday, I first shot off to Bank End to immediately find 3 Yellow Wagtail amongst the sheep, seen as a female and two juvenile. 

Next stop Conder Pool, to find 10 Greenshank accompanied by 2 Ruff, also a Common Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Stock Dove, and a Kingfisher which came briefly to perch on the sluice. If you really need to see a Kingfisher, patience and a little time gives you a 75% chance of seeing one, especially during the winter months.

As I was about to leave Conder Pool, things began to 'hot up' when Andrew Cornall pulled up to tell me a goodie had been found just down the road on the Canal Basin at Glasson Dock. I hot footed it there to find an adult Black Tern in winter plumage. It was great to watch the tern with its lazy flight, hawking and dipping down to the surface to take insects.

From the canal basin, I crossed the road to view the Lune Estuary from the bowling green to find 8 Common Tern, including 2 juvenile one of which was fed by an adult which had been seen hovering and plunge diving. Following good numbers seen on the estuary recently, I counted at least 10 Mediterranean Gull in view distant, certainly there was more hunkered down, with 3 Back-tailed Godwit to note.

American Golden Plover With Lapwing Glasson Marsh 21 August. Copyright Paul Slade.

Bodie Hill was the next stop, the Golden Plovers had started to create a pattern, seemingly moving from Cockersand in the morning, and relocating to Glasson Marsh to roost over the high tide, from where a smart adult American Golden Plover had joined the small group of up to 60 Golden Plover.

Thanks to Paul Slade for his image of the AGP, much appreciated. Also thanks to Ian Mitchell for his header image of the Canary-shouldered Thorn. The connection to B2B and this post, being its beautiful yellow colours to match the Yellow Wagtail.  

CP Rules....OK.

Much appreciated the text received on Monday at 5.13pm, and was chuffed to hear that Conder Pool had struck again, this time a brilliant juvenile Black Tern....Top of the league, the list goes on.

Juvenile Black Tern. Conder Pool 2 October. Stuart Piner.

No such high quality found yesterday anywhere on and around the Lune Estuary despite considerable effort, but some increased numbers included 18 Little Grebe with three of these in the creeks. A lone Wigeon was the first of the winter on Conder Pool, with the Common Sandpiper around the muddy edge below the viewing platform where I saw a Dunnock.

On the Lune Estuary, as the tide ebbed the birds started to drop in in small numbers, including 35 Golden Plover, 30 Shoveler have steadily increased to this over my last three visits, 21 Wigeon is my best count so far, and another good count was 16 Little Egret, 14 of which were seen together. A lone Bar-tailed Godwit was on the mud below Colloway Marsh where 2 Goosander were hauled out, and a distant Merlin was on the marsh.

Pink-footed Geese. Brian Rafferty

A few small skeins went south over the afternoon amounting to at least 300 Pink-footed Geese. Not quite as impressive as this, but I'm sure I missed many more. 

Thanks to SP for the text and image re the Conder BT, and to BR for the PFG.

Time And Tide.

I got the timing right at Heysham yesterday and got there three hours before high tide to take up the challenge and find 15 Mediterranean Gull on Red Nab and Stage 2 outfall, they were seen as 9 adult, 2 1st summer, a 2nd summer, and 3 juvenile. A juvenile Black Tern was at the seaward end of Stage 2 outfall.

Mediterranean Gulls. Red Nab. August 24. Pete Woodruff.

In the image above there are three adult birds on Red Nab in this shot. For bigger pictures 'clik the pic's'.

Little Gull. Red Nab. August 24. Pete Woodruff.

A sub-adult Little Gull obliged me again - as one had done on a visit 8 July - by showing well close in on Red Nab around an hour before the high tide. 

Earlier I had been to take a look over Conder Pool and the Lune Estuary, a rather fruitless affair really, although after the customary multi-counts I eventually peaked at 10 Little Grebe, up and down like yoyo's taking small fry by the dozen. A Common Sandpiper was on the back terrace, and I noted 2 Little Egret, 3 Pied Wagtail a single female Teal and drake Wigeon.

The Lune Estuary was also rather fruitless, but up to 300 Golden Plover were camouflaged on the weedy stones at low tide, and a dread of unknown origin revealed several hundred waders mainly Lapwing in the air....All a bit short, but sweet as ever.  

Common Tern.

In Preston on Sunday I went to show KT the Common Terns at Preston Dock in the hope perhaps some recent Black Terns there would still be around as a bonus. I reckon in excess of 200 Common Tern here today, and our timing was good with one pair, the male of which began displaying to the female walking around her a few times, resulting in some mating behaviour. 

I managed to get a small four frame sequence of the action which was rewarding.

Common Terns. Preston Dock. Pete Woodruff.

In 2009 following an epic journey from their wintering in West Africa, a pair of Common Tern successfully bred on a pontoon at Preston Dock raising two young. Fylde Bird Club with the RSPB, capitalised on the opportunity to create what is seen today as a thriving colony, by introducing artificial nest sites on pontoons at Preston Dock, today's trays can be seen in the pictures above.

All this adds to the excellent return of the Common Tern pair to Conder Pool on Friday 6 May, a fortnight earlier than last year when they arrived on Friday 22 May 2015 and went on to rear three young, and 2 months earlier than their first year here, when they surprised everyone by arriving on the much later date of 2 July in 2014 to successfully rear their first two young....Hopefully these successes will continue on Conder Pool this summer with similar accommodation now in place as at Preston Dock thanks again to FBC and the RSPB. 

Paying The Price.

View from the Lower Hide. Pete Woodruff. 

I paid the price for a visit to Leighton Moss today which happened to be my second choice, the first one abandoned due to circumstances out of my control.

The rewards for the first couple of hours were excellent and when I entered a deserted Lower Hide, straight out across the far side were 16 Little Egrets not visible in my moderate photograph above but honestly they are dead centre of the frame. It wasn't many minutes later that a juvenile Black Tern flew across the mere and perched on a post in the middle for the next thirty minutes, from my observations it appears to be the only one left from what was four birds during this week, 6 Greenshank were also at the back of the mere, and 2 Great-crested Grebe were of note. A little later on I noticed a few 'hirundines' in the air - some low some high - and eventually I estimated up to 100 House Martins with single numbers of Swallow and Sand Martin. But then came the best of the rewards I had already enjoyed when an Otter came in to view at 12.30 and 'porpoised' for several minutes, thirty five minutes later at 1.05 it appeared again, this time it eventually hauled itself out of the water on to the very area in front of the reeds where there was just five of the initial sixteen Little Egrets left, it stood staring at them within just a couple of metres, all the LE's were alert but not one of them moved off, the Otter then went back into the water and swam the full length in front of them and soon disappeared into the reeds....this is great stuff....and free of charge.

At the Public Hide I counted in excess of 200 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, and 3 Black-tailed Godwit.  Anyone who knows the Leighton Moss Reserve will appreciate this island is just small and this number of waders on here definitely meant 'standing room only' and the Redshank number far exceeds anything like this figure on here before in my records book. At the Grisedale Hide things were a little quiet but I noted 4 Black-tailed Godwit and c.15 Gadwall with a similar number of Shoveler, and watched a Snipe feeding like a sewing machine at half speed, as I was leaving the hide I spotted a Peregrine Falcon over the woods opposite.

Now I was about to pay the price of a visit to the RSPB Reserve of Leighton Moss, when I stepped into the Lillian Hide I was reminded of the days when Saturday night meant an evening for me in the Melbourne Club, a lively working mans watering hole with the associated noise, the same environment inside this hide isn't 'my kind of birding' and I made a speedy exit. But things were not about to improve unfortunately and now I'm in the Eric Morecambe Hide where I counted 29 Little Egret on the Allan Pool along with 7 Greenshank, a Kingfisher perched close by, and 42 Wigeon were of note. But inside this hide was a group of about six people who had obviously decided a day at LM was a good idea for a social gathering to discuss just about anything and to hell with any suggestion of 'quiet please' in the hides....I went home!

By the way if you are planning to visit the Eric Morecambe complex it's more reminiscent of Lake Windermere at the moment with not a cat in hell's chance of finding a wader on there. This complex was once described to me many years ago now by a high profile ornithologist as one of the best in the north of England to which I readily agreed at the time....and - in the right condition - still do.