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!

Two Megas, a Moth, and a Tern.

Burnished Brass. Katie Fuller.

There's a couple of 'Megas' in the country at the moment so if its another tick in your little book you're after you'll need to fly off to Norfolk and London. But first an excellent image of an excellent moth the Burnished Brass. OK this is a common moth but non the less a smart one which looks like it has gold leaf on its wings. Thanks to Katie Fuller whose website is HERE and currently has some rather stunning photographs of moths and are well worth a look....thanks again for the BB moth Katie it is much appreciated. 

The River Warbler is - and has been since it's discovery - at Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe in Norfolk on land with no general access but some negotiations have been successful and ongoing to gain access at designated times for birders to view this rarity the first record in Britain of which was as recent as just under fifty years ago on Fair Isle, Shetland, 24 September 1961, it was found  by four men who gained very brief views of the bird before erecting a mist-net.The bird was soon caught but ironically escaped the hands of its captor during a photographic session, but it was soon caught again and taken to a safe place for release.

I myself remember racing down the M6 after work one evening in 1995 with my old pal and mentor John Leedal to Scotsman Flash in Greater Manchester to observe a River Warbler at a distance with its amazing song which is given with the bill fully opened, it is a high-pitched, pulsating z-z-z-z-z-z which rises and falls in pitch as the bird turns its head from side to side, the song is even more amazing in that at the same time it gives a metallic undertone which is more cricket-like and reminiscent of a slowly spinning bicycle wheel....a truly amazing experience to see/hear. 

The other rarity is that of another White-tailed Plover at Rainham Marshes in London, to follow the one in May this year at Seaforth in Liverpool which itself followed the famous Leighton Moss bird which stayed for eight days from 10-17 June 2007.

And finally....

Common Tern. Gary Jones.

Another cool image of another cool Common Tern at Preston Docks. I had no idea the terns were being accommodated and breed at this location until I read about them on Garys website HERE....Thanks for this photograph Gary.