Saturday, May 20, 2017

Living Dangerously

After yesterday I just knew that Oystercatcher nest was close to the road. But why would the silly birds make their nest just 12 inches from the verge where vehicles whizz by and where just yards away large wagons and other vehicles park while the occupants stretch their legs. 

Feet away on the other side of the hedgerow is Conder Pool with tons of places they might set up home. The “oyks” picked a spot where a tiny area of gravel lies next to a roadside marker post. Good luck with that - they will need it. 

Oystercatcher

 Oystercatcher nest

Oystercatcher nest

Maybe the other pairs of Oystercatchers, at least four others around the pool, chased them away, or possibly the two pairs of Avocets? I noted that the female Common Tern is now sat on her nest on the floating pontoon, the bird just visible behind the opaque screen while the male stood guard just a metre away. 

Also today in my flying visit – 120 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Tufted Duck, 6 Little Egret, 2 Wigeon, 2 Greylags, and a handful of both Sand Martins and Swallows. Two Ravens croaked overhead as they flew around in a circle and then back up the river towards Lancaster. 

Greylags

Black-tailed Godwit

I drove down towards Bank End in time to see a rainbow and just before it dissolved into the morning sunshine. 

Bank End, Cockerham

Bank End, Cockerham

The quarry held about 120+ Sand Martins, two pairs of Oystercatcher and a pair of Redshanks. At the end of the lane I counted 15/20 Lapwing and 6 Oystercatcher on the bare earth field where I think the farmer has designs that don’t include nesting waders. In the coppice there was both Blackcap and Willow Warbler in song plus a male Reed Bunting singing from a post on the marsh. I watched the male fly into a patch of reedy marsh and where it was joined by a female. 

Redshank

A Pied Wagtail waited for my car to move as she sat on a barbed wire fence with a bill full of sheep’s’ wool with which to line her nest. There’s enough sheep’s wool around here to line a million nests. Eight or ten Brown Hares were having a frenzied chase around until one stopped to take a morning wash. 

Brown Hare

Pied Wagtail

I had things to do like still catching up from Menorca, but time to take a look at Gulf Lane. 

Farmer Richard has replanted his set-aside with a crop of wild bird seed and other goodies so that the field looks spot-on for a productive autumn of ringing as long as there’s no more avian flu. There was Sedge Warbler singing from the ditch, Oystercatcher on eggs, a pair of Skylarks, 5 Stock Dove and a distant Buzzard. 

Things are looking good!

Meanwhile I'm linking to Anni's Birding

16 comments:

Linda said...

Wow, I don't like the Oystercatchers' choice of place for a nest. Lovely photos of these birds, Phil!

Stuart Price said...

Hope the chicks know their Green Cross Code........

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Good morning Phil: Killdeers here are just about as prone to nest in the most unlikely spots in close proximity to otherwise perfect (and safer) locations. It makes you wonder whether the birds see something that we don't.

Rajesh said...

Wonderful shots of birds. Nice variety.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

What a spectacular rainbow! Oh....the nest so close to the road worries my too! Enjoy your weekend!

Lea said...

Beautiful rainbow!
Great bird photos, too
My favorite photos from your series today are the Pied Wagtail and the Brown Hare
Hope you are having a great week-end!

Anni said...

I do thank you so much for sharing this with us birders at I'd Rather B Birdin'...it's always a pleasure visiting!!

Terrific rainbow image...and so many birds seen. That nest reminds me of our skimmers who lay their eggs just feet from the shoreline only to have high tide wash some out to sea.

Gordon said...

That is an amazing post phil, its hard to beleive those Oystercatchers, like you say, it will be interesting to see how long they last!!.
Forgive me Phil I saw your comment in my e-mail but somewhere between my inbox and my blog it disappeared into the ether never to be found again.
All the best Gordon.

Jean said...

Loved seeing all the different birds. Really neat photo of the bird eggs in the nest, hope the nest placement works out okay for the little soon to be birds.

Jo said...

Oh no, I shudder to think of that nest so close to danger. The other bird images are beautiful. And I love the rainbow.

Photo Cache said...

Beautiful birds.

Worth a Thousand Words

carol l mckenna said...

Birds do lay their eggs in strange places it seem ~ Great bird photos ~ love the nest with the eggs and that fantastic rainbow shot ~ thanks,

Happy Weekend ahead ~ ^_^

Lowcarb team member said...

Just love the rainbow shot and the one with the Pied Wagtail.
...worrying the nest so close to the road!!!

All the best Jan

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Back home from your wonderful vacation and it looks like home is pretty darn wonderful too. Lovely birds, good to know the farmer has planted his field with just what the birds (and their observers/ringers) need. That wagtail with his mouth full of nest stuff is great -- all your pictures are.

Jim said...

Great nature shots.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

Great shots and nice narrative.

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