Egg On Their Face

You really couldn’t make this up. The UK has gone completely bonkers. 

“Natural England has given permission for the destruction of 4,500 Mallard eggs over three years to prevent ducks “walking out in front of cyclists” and causing accidents.” 

Mallard

Environmental campaigner Jason Endfield unearthed the licenses through a Freedom of Information request. The licences to destroy Mallard eggs primarily cover the counties of Suffolk and Bedfordshire, although exact locations have been redacted from the Natural England data. 

The Bedfordshire licence applicant said the Mallard population had risen dramatically and noted that they congregated around seating areas. Other reasons cited were “faeces around seating areas” and the risk of collisions between birds and cyclists. 

Natural England issued the first licence to destroy 500 eggs in Bedfordshire in 2016, with a second licence awarded in 2018 allowing the destruction of a further 1,000 eggs. Officials have also rubber-stamped applications to destroy 500 more eggs this year and another 500 next year, the documents show. In Suffolk in 2017-18, Natural England gave the green light to destroy 2,000 Mallard eggs and 300 geese eggs, according to the papers. 

Endfield, who also brought to light in recent months Natural England’s decision to issue licences allowing the killing of Brent Geese and endangered gulls, said: “I am struggling to find the words to express my disbelief and despair that Natural England decision makers thought it appropriate in any way to issue a licence to an applicant that seriously considered ducks to be a threat to cyclists. 

“Surely someone at the agency should have challenged this stupidity at an early stage rather than proceed to issue a licence that legitimised the wanton destruction of wild birds eggs for such spurious reasons.” 

Natural England was unable to comment due to electoral purdah, but pointed out that a successful applicant must provide evidence that the species targeted is causing a problem; that non-lethal alternatives have been tried; that the action is proportionate and that the species' conservation status will not be negatively affected. 

Comments please. Or, write to your MP, hopefully the new one who will soon replace one of the 650 clowns currently in Westminster. 

Read the comments on Jason's Blog - Comments.

Linking today with Eileen's Saturday Blog and Anni in Texas.

Once Bitten Twice Shy?

I wondered why it was taking so long to catch the single Wheatear along the sea wall at Pilling today as they usually go for a meal worm pretty quickly. When I eventually took the bird from the trap it proved to be wearing number L733748, an adult female “Greenland” caught here on 18th August exactly two weeks ago. Once bitten twice shy is the relevant idiom I think. 

Wheatear

Wheatear - adult female

So much for the theory that Wheatears migrate through here quickly; they certainly do in Springtime but less so in Autumn, especially if they are in post-breeding moult like this one was on 18th August. The moult appeared complete today, her weight up from 24.1gms to 28.7gms leaving her in good condition to set off to Africa very soon. 

Wheatear - L733748 adult female 1st September 2014

 Wheatear - L733248 adult female 18th August 2014

There wasn’t too much doing along the sea wall except for a noticeable influx of wildfowl to the shooters’ land with 270 Teal and 34 Pintail flying in from the marsh to the pools where feed is being put out and water pumped in from Pilling Water. 

Pintail

Less wild were the first releases of Red-legged Partridge and “Mallards” in preparation for the cming shooting season with several hundred of each species in the area. Below is a photograph of the Mallards - gun fodder in a week or two providing that the beaters can persuade the ducks to fly after their pampered existence in large cages where they learned how not to find food in the wild. 

 Mallards

Two Green Sandpipers and 2 Grey Herons spooked from the ditches and on the marsh 13 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Buzzard and 4 Meadow Pipits. Blimey! - It must be September if Meadow Pipits are beginning to appear. 

Meadow Pipit

More birds, news and views soon on Another Bird Blog.

Linking today to Stewart's World Bird Wednesday.

That Elusive Owl

Regular blog readers may remember the Little Owl on the garden fence at daughter Joanne’s home. 

The owl still makes regular but unpredictable appearances except on the two or three occasions a week Sue and I go round to let Holly the black labrador outside for her essential requirements.  I’ve still to get my 400mm properly trained onto the elusive owl, with the best garden bird I could manage a Mallard. 

So Joanne borrowed my old Canon and bog standard 300mm lens then took some photographs. The owl seems to be a juvenile of the year judging by the eye colour and hint of downy feathers still visible on its breast. Looks like Joanne doesn’t need any photography lessons from Dad? 

Little Owl

Little Owl

Mallard

I was out Conder Green way this morning where the most obvious change was the increase in numbers of Little Egrets to nine birds now that their breeding season is over. Two were feeding in the roadside creek when a loose party of seven arrived from the north to drop into the area of the pool. The birds fed for a while before scattering off in various directions and over towards the Lancaster canal which is located just over the back of the pool. 

Little Egret

Two Grey Herons were about the creeks and the pool, one lording it over the marsh, stopping to preen and have a good old scratch. 

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

No variation with the waders and wildfowl - 1 Little Grebe, 2 Wigeon, 10 Tufted Duck, 12 Shelduck, 55 Redshank, 15 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew. 

The numbers of passerines varies little at the moment with 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and 1 Meadow Pipit still in song from the marsh and hedgerow, together with brief snatches of Chiffchaff from the car park. Otherwise, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 6 Linnet, 2 Tree Sparrow, 1 Greenfinch and more than 1 Robin. I’m pretty sure the juvenile Robin had two legs, but the photo looks like there was just one. 

Robin

At Glasson a Great Crested Grebe was new on the water to join with a handful of Coot, Mallard and Tufted Duck. I watched a Lesser Black-Backed Gull have breakfast, a dead fish left behind by the weekend anglers. Some birds just have no table manners do they?

Great Crested Grebe

 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

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Linking today with Theresa's Run A Round Ranch .

Green For Go

Conder Green and Glasson were the venues this morning, where after a slow start I eventually found a good selection of birds. Following a few blank days with the camera there are new pictures for blog readers, so as ever dear friends,  'click the pics' to enjoy. 

I finally got good views of the somewhat elusive Little Ringed Plovers, two siblings running around the pool margins close together but not near enough to get the two in the same frame properly. A little patience paid off when one came closer. 

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

The Spotted Redshank here since mid-June is now in almost complete grey winter plumage and I found it feeding alone again, not mixing with the 40+ Redshanks in the tidal channel. A single Greenshank today, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Oystercatcher and 45 Lapwing completed the wader count. Wildfowl and herons - 1 Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron. 

Little Egrets are indeed little and here’s a picture of one in the company of Mallards today. 

Little Egret and Mallards

Passerines - 10 Goldfinch, 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Greenfinch and 3 Pied Wagtail. 

A Kingfisher treated me to a fishing display, plunge diving or then barely breaking the surface of the water to grab a tiny fish before flying back to sit at the sluice wall. 

Kingfisher

 

Kingfisher

Good numbers of waders at Glasson where against the bright morning light I managed an approximate count of 700 Dunlin, 250 Redshank, 350 Lapwing, 15 Curlew and 1 Little Egret. 

A look at Glasson yacht basin revealed 40+ Coot and 15 Tufted Duck, with a single Willow Warbler in the roadside trees. 

A very enjoyable couple of hours were had by all.  

Linking today to  Camera Critters,  Paying-Ready-Attention-gallery and  I'd Rather Be Birdin' - Well who wouldn't sooner be out birding?

Sunny Shots

There's not much news from Conder/Glasson this morning but I took a small number of brand-new photographs. What a difference a little sunshine makes. "Click the pics" for a grandstand view of the birds.

An adult Oystercatcher was on lookout duty next to the road, the sun behind the bird rather than the ideal situation in front or to one side. I had to overexpose almost two stops to get any sort of picture. The chick was better placed. 

Oystercatcher chick

Oystercatcher

Not too many other waders this morning and no sign of Greenshank or Spotted Redshank. It was the usual 25+ Common Redshanks, 6 Common Sandpipers, 8 Lapwing and 2 Curlew, although a single Snipe on the pool was new. 

A Kingfisher made a single pass along the creek before heading off towards the canal - good to see them back in the area. 

Kingfisher

Six Tufted Duck, 2 Wigeon, 1 Goldeneye, 4 Canada Goose and 1 Shelduck on the pool 

Passerines from the pool/road – 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Goldfinch, 3 Linnet, 1 Tree Sparrow. 

Glasson was quiet and peaceful where the usually shy grebe was more accommodating today. The Great Crested Grebe is the largest member of the European grebes and an excellent swimmer and diver, pursuing its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with their head and neck decorations. 

 Great Crested Grebe

 Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

The heron kept a safe distance with a watchful eye again, while the Coots and Mallards are accustomed to people at the water's edge.

Grey Heron

Coot 

Mallard

Linking today to  Stewart's World Bird Wednesday. In Australia it is Wednesday already!

Sunny Survey

It was the Cockerham round today - Conder Green, Glasson and Cockersands.

Common Sandpipers continue to pass through with 11 today, joined in the creek by 25+ Redshanks, 1 Curlew and a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank.

Spotted Redshank - Lorenzo L M. / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenzo-l-m/3646591077/ 

At this time of year adults spot-reds look totally different from their autumn and winter cold-grey plumage. Although July seems early for returning migrants from relatively cold northern climes, female Spotted Redshanks leave breeding sites first. Exhausted from producing eggs, it is an advantage for them to arrive at staging areas early and have first pick of the food. Males usually leave next, and juveniles later. These waves are not due to the lack of food on the northern summer grounds, but because there is more food at the staging area for those that arrive first. Female Spotted Redshanks sometimes leave up to a week before eggs hatch, leaving males to look after the youngsters, a breeding and survival strategy adopted by other wader species.

It is a number of years since a mid June outing to the then undisturbed River Ribble found 14 of the black beauties on a tidal pool that was also the site of a Ruff leck. Oh Happy Days.

I counted just 10 Lapwings this morning plus the usual number of Oystercatchers, a pair with 2 well grown chicks and other adults still behaving territorially. And here's proof if any were needed that Oystercatchers eat more than oysters.

Oystercatcher

The juvenile male Goldeneye is still around but a long lonely wait for more to join him in October with for now just 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Wigeon and a few Shelduck for company.

Goldeneye

Small birds and others – 1 Reed Bunting, 4 Tree Sparrow, 2 Whitethroat, 4 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, and it's hard to get any passerines into double figures at the moment. Two Stock Dove, 30 Swift and 8 Sand Martin and 1 Grey Heron.

Two Sedge Warblers in song this morning, one at the lay-by the other towards the Stork, the pub that to be strictly accurate should be renamed “The Grey Heron”. The pub dates from 1660 when any large wading bird with long legs, a long bill and long neck would be referred to as a stork.

It was a lovely sunny morning for a look at Glasson Dock and a walk along the canal towpath. I found a single Great Crested Grebe, 6 Goldfinch, 2 Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff in song and 2 Willow Warblers feeding in a sycamore tree although not much else unless you count a Song Thrush, and I guess we really should.

Glasson Canal

Mallard

Cockersands was quiet too with 2 Grey Plover, 6 Curlew, 1 Reed Bunting and 2 Grey Heron moved on by the incoming tide.

Looks like a sunny weekend ahead - hooray.

Linking this post to Camera Critters and id-rather-b-birdin .

Early Bird

It's hard to sleep these light mornings but lying awake while the sun shines outside isn't an option. Or maybe I'm just a natural early bird keen to catch the birding action. Whatever it is I soon found myself heading north for a wander around the hot spots of Cockerham for a couple of hours before clouds rolled in and rain returned. 

The Barn Owl is an early bird too, hunting the marsh and the roadside before most normal people are up and about. I was stood in a cloud of morning midges hence the black dots appearing to surround the owl, tiny insects which are actually whizzing around the camera lens pointed unerringly at the owl. A little more road traffic soon sent the owl back home for a daytime sleep.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

The swarm of midges attracted Swifts again with 25 or more hawking the insects along the hedgerow and over my head, but only tiny numbers of Swallows and House Martins. I was to see Sand Martins later when I called at Hillam Lane where the colony now numbers 10/12 nest holes and c30 birds including this season's juveniles. 

Sand Martin

Waders and wildfowl on the pools/creek - 3 Grey Heron, 3 Lapwing, 1 Curlew, 12 Oystercatcher, 14 Redshank,1 Goldeneye, 3 Wigeon, 14 Tufted Duck, 6 Shelduck and 1 Teal. 

Alongside the road were 2 pairs of Reed Buntings feeding young, 1 singing Reed Warbler, 1 Pied Wagtail and 7 Tree Sparrow. While there are mainly juvenile Tree Sparrows about, the few adults I saw were busy collecting insects to feed their nestlings. We perhaps think of sparrows as seed eaters but Tree Sparrow youngsters are fed a high diet of insects.

Tree Sparrow

Jeremy Lane to Cockersands produced 4 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, 10 Skylark, 2 Sedge Warbler and several more Tree Sparrows. 

The tide was well in at Cockersands helping to find a number of waders and wildfowl, including 4 Curlew, 170 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Plover, 8 Teal and a good count of 53 Eider. The Eider count comprised a flight of 5 heading out of the estuary together with a crèching group of 48 birds, 8 adult females and 40 ducklings. 

Eider

Eiders are colonial breeders. They nest on coastal islands in colonies ranging in size of less than 100 to upwards of 10,000-15,000 individuals. Female Eiders frequently return to breed on the same island where they were hatched. This can lead to a high degree of relatedness between individuals nesting on the same island, as well as the development of kin-based female social structures. This relatedness has played a role in the evolution of co-operative breeding behaviours amongst Eiders. Examples of these behaviours include laying eggs in the nests of related individuals and crèching, where female Eiders team up and share the work of rearing ducklings. The picture below shows just part of today's Eider crèche. 

Eider crèche 

That's all for now folks. Look in to Another Bird Blog soon for more early news and views.

"Click the Pics" for a better view.

A Green Day

Destination Conder Green again this morning. Just a couple of hours later there was a decent list of birds in my notebook plus new pictures to share with blog followers. And remember to "click the pics" for the birding tour.

There must have been a recent hatch or awakening of insects at the line of hawthorns because lots of hirundines and Swifts fed there, all dashing alongside, through and above the hedge. In all I estimated 25+ Swift, 20+ Sand Martin, 14 House Martin and 10 Swallows taking part in the feeding frenzy for an hour or more before most moved on to the next feast. 

It was less frenetic on the pool and the river where apart from the noisy Oystercatchers, the wildfowl go about their business in a quiet sort of way. Similar numbers to recent days with 16 Tufted Duck, 1 Teal, 3 Wigeon and then 2 Canada Goose with 2 youngsters. There are 3 broods of Mallards numbering about 15 chicks + 3 adult females, the males seeming to be absent on this Father's Day. 

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Waders as normal with 1 Curlew, 15 Redshank and 10 Oystercatcher but a few passerines in evidence with 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Whitethroat, 5 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 5 Tree Sparrow, 6 Goldfinch and then 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing from the car park area. 

Tree Sparrow

Two Ravens flew over honking loudly and heading in the direction of Cockersands/Pilling. My cue to take a look at Glasson Dock where I didn't find much save for more Tufted Duck in the dock, Swallows nesting in the toilet block, a Blackbird feeding young and a Grey Heron looking for a fishy breakfast down in the muddy waters of the dock. 

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Blackbird

Mostly From Wiki. The settlement of Glasson village built up slowly in the 19th century with the main buildings being Christ Church in 1830, a shipyard and Customs House constructed in 1834, a Watch House in 1836, and a Dry Dock in 1841. The shipyards were largely concerned with ship repair rather than shipbuilding, eventually closing in 1968, with the dry dock filled in a year later. 

Glasson Dock

The quay was connected to the UK railway network in 1883, operating until the closure of passenger services on 5th July 1930. Goods traffic continued until 7 September 1964. The trackbed of the disused branch-line is now a linear park and cycleway (popular with birders). A limited amount of commercial traffic still uses the dock, with outbound shipments including coal for the Isle of Man and the Western Islands of Scotland, and incoming cargoes including animal foodstuffs and fertilizer, which are stored in sheds located on the dock side. 

River Lune - Glasson looking to Conder Green

The River Conder meets the River Lune at Conder Green, the latter a tiny settlement of a few dozen homes (and The Stork pub) formerly served by the London and North Western Railway's Glasson Dock railway line which had three stations in the parish: one at Conder Green, the terminus at Glasson Dock and a private stop at the local gentry's home of Ashton Hall further north towards Lancaster. 

Conder Green

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This post is linking to Stewart's gallery in Australia  .