Sunny Saturday

Now that August is here both waders and terns are migrating through with increasing momentum so with a tide due 10am I decided to give sunny and scenic Knott End a bash this morning. This west coast isn't the best for sunrises, but sunsets can be spectacular and the photographic light often inviting. 

Tide at Knott End

Sunset - Knott End looking to Fleetwood

Long before the tide turns to head upstream and fill the channel between Knott End and Fleetwood there are thousands of birds picking through the distant mussel beds. Large gulls and Oystercatchers form the myriad bulk with a mix of smaller waders and Black-headed Gulls making up the remainder. As the incoming water buries the muddy, rocky and sand strewn islands the birds fly off in various directions to look for food elsewhere or perhaps to roost. 

Natural England - “Mussel beds have a particularly important role where they occur on soft seabeds, as they provide a hard surface in otherwise muddy or sandy areas. This attracts and supports a greater range of marine life than would otherwise be found there. 133 different animals and plants have been recorded in blue mussel beds, including seaweeds, anemones, barnacles, sea snails, crabs, starfish and worms.” 

Post-breeding time means there are huge numbers of our common and largely ignored Herring Gulls together with much smaller numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Lumped as one this morning gave a count in excess of 1000, how's that for a non committal estimate? 

Herring Gull

The Oystercatcher count reached 400+, most heading upstream and 180 or more staying on the shore. At least 140 Dunlin also travelled upstream towards the Barnaby's Sands roost, as did 25+ Redshank, 45 Curlew, 7 Ringed Plover,1 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Whimbrel. The Whimbrel had hung around for a while searching through the near shore before a procession of early morning Knott End sun-seekers sent it too scurrying upstream. The Turnstones are back, the most approachable of our wader set, and I almost missed the four of them as they fed quietly at the busy jetty when most everything else was gone. 

Whimbrel

Dunlin and Ringed Plover

Turnstone

A small roost of terns pre-tide with 15 Sandwich Terns and 3 Common Tern. Other bits and pieces – 1 Eider, 2 Pied Wagtail, 8 Linnet, 1 Swift, 14 Swallow 

Talking of sun here's a picture of the grand-kids' giant Sunflower in the back garden and grown from the debris of a cleaned out bird feeder. The flower now measures some 8½ inches diameter. 

Giant Sunflower

Linking today to Camera Critters and  Anni's Blog.

Thursday's Tour

Conder Green enjoyed a purple patch of late with a superb selection of species which has kept birders entertained and then coming back for more. But a run of high tides and nights of rain has dramatically filled the pool to such a degree that this morning I struggled to see much bird life on or around its breezy and choppy waters; after all, “waders” pass their days picking through muddy margins or sandy shores, herons and egrets prefer to fish the unmoving shallows, and dabbling ducks favour a dip not a dive. 

The regulars were there, 4 Common Sandpipers, 1 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank and 4 Dunlin in the creek with tiny numbers of Oystercatcher and Lapwing on the pool, plus an overflying Black-tailed Godwit which landed in the field beyond where Curlews and Lapwings fed. Two Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron stayed mostly out of sight, not so the 2 Wigeon, 2 Little Grebe and single Goldeneye which although present, kept a distance away. 

Many Swifts appear to have left these shores in recent days, numbers this morning counted on one hand. As I watched Swallows and House Martins feeding across the marsh I saw some break off to pursue a Sparrowhawk that was cruising the hedgerow alongside the railway bridge; the hawk eventually disappeared out of sight into the trees above the car park. It's many weeks since spotting a Sparrowhawk and while they do go more than a little secretive in June and July, I get the feeling that Sparrowhawk numbers are low at present as they are absent from regular spots I know of. 

Sparrowhawk

Three noisy Ravens flew over, the trio heading together towards Glasson and beyond. Passerines consisted of 3 Tree Sparrow, 3 Pied Wagtail, 6 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Whitethroat and a still singing Reed Bunting. 

A look at calmer Glasson revealed 1 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 15+ Swallows and 2 Swift. 

Tufted Duck

Barn Swallow

From the bowling green but looking directly into the sun and the backlit waders there were lots feeding at the incoming tide, approximately 450 Dunlin, 200 Redshank, 80 Lapwings and 2 Grey heron; later I would see most if not all of the Dunlin arrive at Cockersands after the tide filled the Conder sandbanks and stopped the waders from feeding. 

The full tide at Cockersands held the aforesaid Dunlin, 42 Eider, 3 Whimbrel, 25 Curlew, 2 Ringed Plover, 120 Oystercatcher and 7 Grey Heron. 

Dunlin

Whimbrel

It was good to see a flock of about 30 Linnets here feeding in the depths of the marsh grass where the seeds fall to the sand below. Come November the Linnets will be gone, replaced by their northern cousin the Twite. 

Just along the road I found a family party of 5 Whitethroats, a species which appears to have experienced a good breeding season. After a cold spring the season has been an average one for Tree Sparrows, so after their slow start it was good to find a flock of 50+ flitting between a ready to harvest field and the roadside hawthorns. 

Tree Sparrow

“Click the pics” for a closer view and then log in to Another Bird Blog soon to see what Friday brings.

Eye Spy

Another Bird Blog is taking a day off from birding today, doing a few chores, watching the Hungarian Grand Prix and indulging in a spot of garden ringing in pursuit of Goldfinches. 

There's been a good number of juvenile Goldfinches appearing on the feeders together with one or two adults. 

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

A Woodpigeon blundered into the net and handling a monster like this takes some adjustment after working with tiny Goldfinches. The woody proved to be a female, males usually bigger, the wing measurement a way to sometimes determine the sex. 

Woodpigeon

Here's an unusual news story concerning a ringed bird. After posting a picture of a Kestrel yesterday I later and quite accidentally found the following story buried in Saturday's newspaper. 

“Turkish authorities have cleared a renegade bird captured in the Ağın district of the eastern province of Elazığ of suspicions of working for Israel's state-of-the-art intelligence agency. Residents of Altınavya village became suspicious that the little kestrel could be more than a bird that lost its way when they found it wore a metallic ring stamped with the words "24311 Tel Avivunia Israel," and delivered it to the district governorate. 

Local authorities submitted the bird to careful medical examinations to ensure that it did not carry microchips. An X-ray test carried out at Fırat University in Elazığ finally convinced the authorities that the bird was just a simple specimen of Israeli wildlife. However, the X-ray showed the initial degree of suspicion, as the bird had been registered under the name "Israeli spy" by medical personnel. 

Following the tests, the authorities decided not to press official charges and the falsely accused bird was free to fly away.” 

Kestrel Spy?

Israeli use of non-human spies is apparently a large concern in the Middle East. In May of 2012, authorities in Ankara dissected a European Bee Eater after becoming concerned that it was carrying an Israeli listening device, and in December an eagle with an Israeli tag in Sudan was captured and touted as a Mossad spy. 

In 2010, an Egyptian official said Israel-controlled sharks could be involved in a number of attacks on tourists in the Red Sea. 

Aren't we lucky that our UK birds don't ever become embroiled in such political intrigues? 

Log in soon to Another Bird Blog for more news, views, pictures and birding tales.

Linking today to  World Bird Wednesday .

Toughing It Out

My early morning car journey produced another Barn Owl this morning, the bird flying across Head Dyke Lane just ahead of a cyclist. So close was the owl the cyclist might well have been surprised enough to stop for a closer look. He didn't, so maybe he needed to get to work and not clock in late after lingering to bird watch. 

I had about five seconds with the owl before it continued on its way across the roadside fields. Further along the road a Kestrel sat atop a roadside pole. After a horrific winter and spring Kestrels in these parts are definitely scarce this year with my own sightings limited to one or two a week. I fear many starved to death in the new year. 

Kestrel

There's been a high turnover of birds at Conder Green this week, the twice a day very high tides serving to clear birds from the marsh, many being pushed firstly into the creeks and eventually to the pool beyond. But when I arrived at Conder this morning there wasn't much doing on the pool or in the creek so counts are on the low side. 

After high counts of Little Egrets this week, think of a number between 1 and 16, today just two. Three Grey Heron, one on the pool, two on the marsh. One Greenshank, 35 Redshank, 24 Lapwing, 2 Common Sandpiper and 1 Little Ringed Plover. Yes, the plover that has been playing hide-and-seek with birders reappeared along the muddy edges before quickly trotting off to conceal itself on the back pool. Two Stock Doves and 2 Pied Wagtails picked through the muddy margins where the swans and now the cattle are doing a splendid job of turning it to wader heaven. 

 The wildfowl at least are mostly consistent even though I couldn't see/find any Little Grebe today, just 1 Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon, the Tufted Ducks with 4 young, and 4 Canada Goose. 

Canada  Goose

Goldeneye

Wigeon

Lots of Swifts this morning, 40+ here at Conder with 15 more at Glasson. A decent number of Swallows at Glasson, with 30+ hawking the walkways, the yacht basin and the dock. 

Barn Swallow

Black-headed Gull

There were 8+ Whitethroats alongside the churchyard and the canal tow-path, all skulking in the flower-filled brambles. It's going to be one hell of a year for blackberries. I stopped to take a picture of a family of Mute Swans, Mr Swan being especially assertive and more than a liitle aggressive. I reminded him that I may well have upended him to fit that blue ring some years ago, and if necessary I could defend myself. 

Whitethroat

Mute Swan

Mute Swan

Linking today to Weekly Top Shot,  Camera Critters and Anni's Blog.

Pilling Circus

Pilling wasn't too productive yesterday but I thought to give it another go in the hope that the Marsh Harrier might show again, especially after overnight downpours probably influenced the bird to stay around. 

On Wednesday the harrier was out beyond the tide line halfway to Heysham, today a little closer but still miles away. It stayed high, drifting and circling to the west in the direction of Knott End and Fleetwood where some other birder would surely see it a few minutes later. This species, Circus aeruginosus, wherever I see it in the world is a real bogey bird as far as my photographs go, today's effort as poor as ever and yet another "record" shot.

Marsh Harrier

The harrier interrupted my attempts to get photos of Skylarks feeding their second (or third) brood. The adults were dropping to different spots in some long grasses and by the size and quantity of the grubs they carried it was clear the youngsters were out of the nest. 

Skylark

Skylark

The high tide produced a few bits and pieces but mostly my sightings proved unremarkable again. A few waders arrived with the incoming tide – 60+ Lapwing, 22+ Dunlin, 10 Knot, 8 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Oystercatcher and 300+ Curlew. Curlew numbers build rapidly here once the breeding season is over, so while 300 is a good number the final autumn and winter total will be many more. 

Snipe

Three Grey Heron again today and rather surprisingly, a zero count of Little Egret at this their Over Wyre stronghold and nearby roost site at Lane Ends. 14 Shelduck and 3 Great Crested Grebe on the full tide as 4 Common Terns came in from the west, headed east to Cockerham and then disappeared from view. 

Small numbers of Swift, Swallow, Linnet, Goldfinch and even Greenfinch completed the picture for another day. 

Don't forget, "click the pics" for a close up view and come back soon.

Wednesday's Waders

There was a Barn Owl hunting the fields next to Head Dyke Lane this morning - almost inevitable for an early morning in July. Just as predictable was the way it veered across the landscape and out of sight as the car drew level. Never mind, I was to enjoy a good few hours birding and a bit of photography quite soon. 

When I arrived at Conder Green there was the usual gaggle of Redshank and Greenshank in the creek and a smaller bird amongst them. When I studied the bird more closely it turned put to be a Curlew Sandpiper, an adult in partial summer plumage, the species an annual visitor in small numbers to these parts. 

Curlew Sandpiper - Photo credit: Mick Sway / Foter / CC BY-ND

The Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) is a small wader that breeds on the tundra of Arctic Siberia. It is strongly migratory, wintering mainly in Africa, but also in south and southeast Asia and in Australasia. It is a vagrant to North America. These birds are slightly larger than the closely related Dunlin, but differ from Dunlin in having a longer down-curved bill, longer neck and legs and a white rump. The breeding adult has patterned dark grey upperparts and brick-red underparts, the reds in the plumage giving rise to the Latin ferruginea. In winter, this bird is pale grey above and white below, and shows an obvious white supercilium. Juveniles have a greyer and brown back, a white belly and a peach-coloured breast. 

There were other waders sandpipers about too, the presumed same Green Sandpiper of recent days plus the more reliable and numerous Common Sandpipers, nine or ten today. Redshank totalled 40, Greenshanks 4, Lapwing 15, Curlew 6, Oystercatcher 8, Spotted Redshank 1, and Snipe 1. 

 Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Looks like Little Egrets have now arrived in autumnal numbers as I counted 8 on the pool this morning and 2 more in the creek, but only 1 Grey Heron. One or two of the Egrets were quite obliging if I kept out of sight and provided the large vehicles leaving Glasson Dock didn't noisily park up overlooking the pool. Glasson is two minutes down the road so why do these wagons stop so soon again after leaving the docks? Beats me. 

Little Egret

Wildfowl numbers remain the same – 2 Little Grebe, 2 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck,4 Canada Goose. A Kingfisher put in a brief appearance at the sluice gate, sitting there long enough for me to rattle off a few distant shots before it streaked off towards the canal. 

Kingfisher

Up at Glasson I counted 15 Swifts screaming overhead, 2 Common Terns paying a quick visit, 10 Tufted Duck on the yacht basin and a single Grey Heron in the accustomed spot. 

Grey Heron

Narrow Boats at Glasson

After neglecting Pilling Lane Ends for few weeks I decided to pay a visit on the way home today. There wasn't much doing apart from a Marsh Harrier half way to Heysham and had I stayed for the midday tide the bird would almost certainly have showed closer in. 

Otherwise 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Grey Heron and 1 Buzzard. 

More news from Another Bird Blog very soon.

Sunday Morning Sights

A bird wasn't the initial sighting this morning. Instead it was a hitch-hiker heading home from a Saturday night party. He didn't appear to be carrying bins and 'scope so I gave a cheery wave then stepped on the gas.

Next was a Roe Deer standing in a field alongside Head Dyke Lane, the main A588, where on a quiet Sunday morning I would normally expect to see a hunting Barn Owl. I slowed the car, wound the window down and reached for the camera but the deer had turned and already hi-tailed it towards a small copse. There was a Barn Owl near Cockerham but it too turned tail and disappeared over the fields before the camera could be readied. 

A good selection of waders awaited at Conder although it took some time to round them all up from the pool and the creeks. The Spotted Redshank of late continues to change its dusky coat into something more suited to blending with the greys of winter, the present mix of new and old feathers a study in wader moult. What a puzzle bird this could be for an inexperienced watcher without a field guide? Apologies for the poor picture, water reflections and digital cameras don't work well together.

Spotted Redshank

Common Sandpipers reached a round dozen today, most of them in the roadside creek where they vied for attention with 4 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 50+ Redshank, 3 Curlew, 20 Lapwing and 6 Oystercatcher. 

Oystercatcher

The elusive Green Sandpiper reappeared briefly on the far side of the pool while 3 Snipe worked their way around the muddy edges. Two Little Egret and 2 Grey Heron were in residence with an increase to 8 Teal and the now ever present Goldeneye. 

Little Egret

There were 4 Stock Doves feeding at the roadside again this morning. The species is something of an early morning speciality here, unlike the closely related and commonplace Wood Pigeon and the less so Collared Dove, the two never making it into notebook entries for here. 

At Glasson village there seemed to be more Coot than of late, my count of 32 pointing to an autumnal and post breeding influx to a site which regularly holds 150+ of the species. I found some recently fledged Swallows, youngsters via the invisible-from-above nest lodged under the road bridge which crosses the keepered lock. Boats regulalrly pass to and fro between the yacht basin and the dock, eventually into the River Lune or Morecambe Bay beyond. 

The Swallows were so young I can only think they fledged from the nest this morning while sleepy Glasson slumbered.

Glasson Dock

 

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Don't forget to "click the pics". Join Another Bird Blog very soon for more sleepy town news and pictures.

Linking today to World Bird Wednesday.