Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Curlews And Wheatears Return

In the absence of any substantial news there's just a quick post for Another Bird Blog today. 

The same thing happens every year at the end of June and early July, a noticeable influx of upland Curlews coming back down to the coast and the appearance of juvenile Wheatears. At Pilling I had a count of 195 Curlews plus a sighting of a young Wheatear, the chat probably from the Bowland Hills not far away. I had meal worms ready but the Wheatear did a bunk along the sea wall towards Fluke Hall and Knott End and I didn't see it later. 

Curlew

Wheatear

Otherwise there's not too much to report except for 5 Corn Buntings along the sea wall, the 2 singing males indicating breeding in the silage fields. The Corn Buntings seem to have partly filled a niche previously occupied by Meadow Pipits, a species which no longer breeds here. 

Two Grey Herons and a single Little Egret again with left overs from Sunday and Monday's strong winds represented by singles of Sandwich Tern and Common Tern. 

Sandwich Tern

Other waders, wildfowl and miscellaneous today - 40 Lapwing, 30 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 45 Shelduck, 2 Cormorant, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Linnet 8 Swift, 15 Swallows. 

Hopefully there's a fuller post tomorrow for blog followers. Meanwhile take a look at Stewart's Gallery for lots of links to other birdy blogs.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I hope that this means we will start catching young birds to ring at long last. Make the most of the next three months, then, Phil.

Isidro Ortiz said...

Estupendas capturas.Un abrazo

mick said...

Beautiful flight photo of the Curlew. That really shows the very different under-wing patterns from the Curlew I see down here.

Unknown said...

Another fine series!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

eileeninmd said...

Wow, Phil! I love the first shot of the Curlew. And the Tern are awesome flight shots. I need more practice on the birds in flight. I have seen Shelducks, they are pretty. Great count for the day. Thanks for sharing, happy birding!

Russell Jenkins said...

The Wheatear shot is a beauty, Phil. I really like the textures and tones of the bird and the wood. The flight shots are pearlers too....not just frozen in time but obviously darting about with speed. Great action.

Neil said...

Great photos.

Hootin Anni said...

Love the 'dive bomber' tern. Excellent capture. As always, your photos are superior.

Oh, and by the way...if you DO enter yourself in the scarecrow exhibit...I'm sure you'll bring home top prize!! [kidding of course]

Karen said...

Marvellous in flight shots!

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Hi Phil fantastic flight shot of the Curlew. Margaret

Unknown said...

Excellent photos as usual.

Arija said...

Love the flying curlew and diving tern as well as the others. Nice captures.

Mary Howell Cromer said...

The Curlew and Tern are great Phil, but that Wheatear and the elements and colourations of the image are wonderful!!!

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