Tonight's pool-based entertainment was provided by a couple in wetsuits, swimming caps and goggles giving it full lengths in the main Freeman's Pool. What next? Frankly, I give up...
What few birds there were included 2 adult and 1 juv little ringed plover on the upper pools. Another juv LRP was at the Wildfowlers' Pools though I couldn't find any green sands anywhere.
The male broad-bodied chaser was still in its favoured spot.
Welcome to Aldcliffe & Freeman's Wood, Lancaster - an area of the Lune Estuary in Morecambe Bay, North Lancs.
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Swiftly does it
Having given a bit of advice to Warren Bevan regarding a collapsed house martin nest at Lancaster Golf Club a couple of days ago (brood saved and doing well thanks to Warren's rapid action) tonight's bird in peril came in the form of a swift.
Dave & Holly (of the appropriately named band The Lovely Eggs) came round with an unknown bird in a box. The mystery creature had been found by Dave in a state of distress before it collapsed on the floor of the Music Co-Op on Lodge Street, where he works.
Opening the box I was faced with a lovely adult common swift - giving it a quick check, I took the gamble that it was well and simply unable to take off from the deck and took it out.
The bird climbed up my hand -indicating it was indeed in OK shape - before I launched it successfully into the air.
Amazingly free of lice considering its species, this was the first time I'd ever handled a live swift and we all let out a little cheer at our special Disney moment...
Dave & Holly (of the appropriately named band The Lovely Eggs) came round with an unknown bird in a box. The mystery creature had been found by Dave in a state of distress before it collapsed on the floor of the Music Co-Op on Lodge Street, where he works.
Opening the box I was faced with a lovely adult common swift - giving it a quick check, I took the gamble that it was well and simply unable to take off from the deck and took it out.
The bird climbed up my hand -indicating it was indeed in OK shape - before I launched it successfully into the air.
Amazingly free of lice considering its species, this was the first time I'd ever handled a live swift and we all let out a little cheer at our special Disney moment...
Monday, 22 June 2009
'Sands of time
I received a call while heading for Aldlciffe after work saying that a couple of local youths were 'enjoying the facilities' at Freeman's Pools with at least one swimming in the main pool and mucking about around the island.
By the time I arrived they were long gone though the pool seemed, perhaps unsurprisingly, pretty quiet. It's a good job the little ringed plover have fledged - a week earlier and it could have been quite disastrous...
The coot brood appears to have become 2 (from yesterday's 3) though it's possible one was hiding in the vegetation. The mallard ducklings were at 5.
On the upper pools a drake pochard was an odd new arrival. The adult and 2 juv LRPs were present as was the drake tufted duck and a little grebe.
Three green sandpiper and a little ringed plover were at the Wildfowlers' Pools.
By the time I arrived they were long gone though the pool seemed, perhaps unsurprisingly, pretty quiet. It's a good job the little ringed plover have fledged - a week earlier and it could have been quite disastrous...
The coot brood appears to have become 2 (from yesterday's 3) though it's possible one was hiding in the vegetation. The mallard ducklings were at 5.
On the upper pools a drake pochard was an odd new arrival. The adult and 2 juv LRPs were present as was the drake tufted duck and a little grebe.
Three green sandpiper and a little ringed plover were at the Wildfowlers' Pools.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Baby birds abound
Further to Guy's comments to the posting below it was good to see that 2 juv LRPs were still doing well at Freeman's Pools this morning. Both were feeding along with an attendant adult on the upper pools.
A sedge warbler was blasting away from the water's edge - earlier I'd noted a food-carrying pair active by the old footy pitch, where whitethroat were also busy feeding young. Once again both whitethroat species were much in evidence around the patch.
Other news from Freeman's Pools included the first mallard brood and one of the coot pair with 3 newly hatched young.
The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent doing my WeBS count from Aldcliffe Marsh to Conder.
Highlights included:
3 common tern
25 grey heron
1 little egret
2 raven
At Conder the stunning summer plumage spotted redshank was showing well - I highly recommend going to see this bird before it gets stuck into its moult, it's an absolute cracker!
1 ad LRP was kicking around and 3 common sandpiper were on the river.
2 very young oystercatcher & 2 lapwing chicks were at the Pools, a handful of redshank were amongst the adults feeding on the Conder.
Keeping on with my mutterings about the lack of willow warblers this year I heard ONE (near Ashton Hall) on the entire stretch from Lancaster to Glasson...
A sedge warbler was blasting away from the water's edge - earlier I'd noted a food-carrying pair active by the old footy pitch, where whitethroat were also busy feeding young. Once again both whitethroat species were much in evidence around the patch.
Other news from Freeman's Pools included the first mallard brood and one of the coot pair with 3 newly hatched young.
The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent doing my WeBS count from Aldcliffe Marsh to Conder.
Highlights included:
3 common tern
25 grey heron
1 little egret
2 raven
At Conder the stunning summer plumage spotted redshank was showing well - I highly recommend going to see this bird before it gets stuck into its moult, it's an absolute cracker!
1 ad LRP was kicking around and 3 common sandpiper were on the river.
2 very young oystercatcher & 2 lapwing chicks were at the Pools, a handful of redshank were amongst the adults feeding on the Conder.
Keeping on with my mutterings about the lack of willow warblers this year I heard ONE (near Ashton Hall) on the entire stretch from Lancaster to Glasson...
Saturday, 20 June 2009
Seeing green
The highlight from a morning trawl around the patch were 2 green sandpiper at the Wildfowlers' Pools - traditionally a favoured site for both passage birds and returning winterers.
Another green sandpiper on Frog Pond later was quite likely one of these birds but it might just have been a third individual.
At Freeman's Pools there were at least 2 adult and 1 juv little ringed plover in the area. The youngster is clearly now capable of flight and was feeding on the muddy upper pools. There might still be 2 young around, any news to confirm this would be appreciated. An adult LRP was also around the Wildfowlers' Pools.
The roe deer pair were showing superbly.
Waterbirds were a bit thin on the ground with a few moulting mallard, 4 shelduck, 3 tufted duck and the usual coot and moorhen plus a little grebe showing.
Further to Guy's observations the other day it was good to see a healthy number of lapwing chicks around the maize fields though I couldn't see any young oystercatchers and no adults appear to be sitting any longer.
A kestrel was hunting around the wood and both common and lesser whitethroats and blackcaps were in good voice and widely distributed around the area.
Another green sandpiper on Frog Pond later was quite likely one of these birds but it might just have been a third individual.
At Freeman's Pools there were at least 2 adult and 1 juv little ringed plover in the area. The youngster is clearly now capable of flight and was feeding on the muddy upper pools. There might still be 2 young around, any news to confirm this would be appreciated. An adult LRP was also around the Wildfowlers' Pools.
The roe deer pair were showing superbly.
Waterbirds were a bit thin on the ground with a few moulting mallard, 4 shelduck, 3 tufted duck and the usual coot and moorhen plus a little grebe showing.
Further to Guy's observations the other day it was good to see a healthy number of lapwing chicks around the maize fields though I couldn't see any young oystercatchers and no adults appear to be sitting any longer.
A kestrel was hunting around the wood and both common and lesser whitethroats and blackcaps were in good voice and widely distributed around the area.
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