Another good day - but 234 still at the end!

Subtitle: I hope you like common tern pictures...

Determined to get out and try to see something new, I was torn between Blacktoft and Cleveland. A tip I'd heard tempted me try to find a spot frequented by little owl near Tanton. I think I found the right spot but there was no sign of any owl. So I moved on to Saltholme. There was a lot of tern activity and with water levels lowered at Phil Stead hide pool a few waders were present, including ringed and little ringed plovers. They weren't quite near enough for my camera but the redshank and lapwing were..

Lapwing Redshank Redshank

A lesser black-backed gull was eating an egg and two crows were desperate to get the egg from him. He was too clever and kept it underwater when the crows came near. He looked very proud of himself.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

A few terns flew overhead, coming no doubt from Paddy's Pool where there are a large number. Fishing in front of the hide produced my first few common tern pictures of the day.

Common Tern Common Tern Common Tern

Common Tern Fish caught!

Common Tern This tern is ringed - maybe one born here a couple of years ago.

Common Tern Fish number two! This one he took to the exposed mud to eat it.

Common Tern Back on his perch. Heron waiting in the background. I always feel they are waiting for something to happen.

Common Tern Common Tern More diving practice.

Common Tern

The heron decides to make his move too!

Grey Heron

I decide to move on. Other people in the Phil Stead hide suggest we go to Paddy's Pool hide. The light should be good, they say. It's a fair walk with the camera, scope and bins hanging round my neck! Still it's usually worth it - and whichever of my things I don't take I often regret it.

The hide was pretty full. The air was full of the cries of black-headed gulls mixed with some tern noise. Soon a tern landed on the 'goalposts' in front of the hide.

Common Tern Time for a bit of a preen.

Common Tern When another tern arrives the first one checks it is a tern and not one of those pesky gulls!

Common Tern Squabbles soon arise.

Common Tern Later I notice some terns down left are having a bathe near the bank. They splash around vigorously in the water.

Common Tern

Almost completely submerging themselves at times...

Common Tern Then they fly up onto the bank which is just a metre away, have a good shake and sit a while on the bank to dry off perhaps before going about their business again.

Common Tern Common Tern

Common Tern No more tern photos this posting, I promise. I set off again to visit the Saltholme Pools hide. Things were pretty quiet there. A few shelduck and avocets were pottering about. The Shetland lambs were doing well but seemed unwilling to look my way or pose for me!

Shelduck/avocet

Shetland Lamb

The long-billed dowitcher came up on the pager so I left the hide for my walk back. Just outside a crowd of baby blue tits were scattering everywhere.

Blue Tit Blue Tit

I drove the short distance to where I would see the pool where the LBD had been reported. A fair number of birders did the same. We never saw the bird although I had seen it twice before. Whilst scanning the area with my scope I spotted some dark red flowers down the gravel causeway. Orchids immediately sprang to mind. I put my bins and scope away, swapped lenses to the 100mm macro and set off.

As you will see, my hunch was right. I think they are northern marsh orchids. One birder passed me when I was lying on the ground in front of a paricularly attractive plant.

'What are they then?' he asked.

I told him.

'At least those buggers don't fly off,' he replied.

Northern Marsh Orchid Northern Marsh Orchid Goodbye Cleveland! I headed back south intending to go back to Cod Beck reservoir and see if I could get a photo of the whinchats.

I got more than I bargained for. A mistle thrush was particularly active as was a family of song thrushes.

Mistle Thrush Song Thrush

I walked around knowing that whinchats were about. I had seen one soon after getting out of the car.

Nervous birds seemed unapproachable and I feared I wasn't helping. I decided to find a rock with a view over a good area.

I sat patiently for half an hour. The mistle thrush came close again. Another bird alighted on a rock.

I photographed it although it was quite distant. The bokeh* is particularly attractive. But what bird is it? Answers please as I am not absolutely certain.

Have a look.

Meadow Pipit Ok. The books say that meadow pipits have no supercilium. Zoomed in this bird definitely does. Or is it an eye-stripe?

Meadow Pipit Well, I think it's a tree pipit but better birders than I may know better. It might just be a meadow pipit after all.

Eventually my patience was rewarded. I spotted a female whinchat on the ground not too far in front of me. I took a couple of record shots. Fortunately she hopped up onto the tips of the bracken. I'll end now with this nice set...

Whinchat

Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat Whinchat *bokeh = pleasantly blurred background intended to help make the subject matter of a photograph stand out. From the japanese. Of course.

234 uk still!