Wednesday 6 August 2008

Tidal Bore

Parishioner Dan again.

Saw a Lune bore cruising upstream past the Freeman's Pools stretch. Not a jet-skier this time.

A bit later spent about ninety minutes hoping the tide would get high enough to shift a mediterranean gull in my direction. What a bore...

It was a small 1st summer > 2nd winter med (deceptively BH gull-like) snoozing and preening opposite 'Cadaver Corner'.
I had been 'scoping in vain to make out what was on the white ring (a NW European-ringed bird, I'm told) on its right leg. At times it looked like green lettering/numbering. At others I couldn't make out any at all! Too far off.

A dunlin and 3 black-tailed godwits were also on 'Gull Bank', while on the deep marsh channel N of Dawsons Bank (Aldcliffe proper!) there were 7 common sandpipers and a whimbrel as the high water lapped an inch or two below marsh height.

A grey partridge was calling nearby.

Dragonflies-
Around 60 common darters, two emperors and two brown hawkers noted.

Butterflies included a fresh-looking comma, a few small tortoiseshells and many speckled wood.

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