28th June ff

July 03, 2014 • Leave a Comment

More than I bargained for!

Monday 28th June

A trip to Saltholme to try to photograph the roseate terns if they were still about. That depended on them being down at Paddy's [where I had read they spent some of the time] rather than outside the Visitor Centre on the distant spit. I popped into Phil Stead's when I arrived but soon left. A birder was down the path to the fire station pool but looking into the grassy areas to the right. I knew this was where the 'gropper' lived but in spite of various attempts I had previously neither heard nor seen anything other than whitethroats.

The birder had just seen the bird in question and moments later I heard it. Grasshopper warbler loud and clear. We waited a while...

Grasshopper Warbler Grasshopper Warbler

We saw him move right. Minutes later he started up again. Then a third birder who had just arrived spotted him. Reeling.

Grasshopper Warbler Grasshopper Warbler

News was that the tern had left Paddy's but would probably return eventually. I headed in that direction. The hide was pretty full. Some said the bird was just out of view on the other side of the island. It turned up minutes later on a post.

Roseate Tern

Then it disappeared behind the island until, bless it, it decided to perch up outside the hide!

Roseate Tern

A mite smaller than a common tern, black bill, paler grey and a flushed chest.

Roseate Tern Roseate Tern

A great crested grebe juvenile swam past us and was later given a fish by its parent.

Great Crested Grebe Great Crested Grebe

The roseate spent quite a while on the 'goalposts'...

Roseate Tern

...but eventually flew off...for a wash...

Roseate Tern

...and a fly around.

Roseate Tern Roseate Tern

Other bits! I presume this is the exuvia* of a dragonfly. [*shed larval skin]

Dragonfly exuvia

This young fox was drinking outside the visitor centre.

Fox Fox

Rosy pastor in Burnley: Monday 30th June

The place was found without difficulty: Sycamore Avenue. The bird was not located until we had walked around the neighbourhood for nearly two hours. Lockyer playing field. This was not my first rose-coloured starling [I had seen a very drab juvenile at Easington, Spurn a few years ago] but it was my first pristine adult. Great scope views: no photos I'm afraid. Many thanks to Sheila for wandering the streets of Burnley and for fetching the scope while I kept an eye on the bird hoping it didn't disappear. A very good spot!

Tuesday 1st July

Day at home in the garden. A comma butterfly appeared so I got the camera. Unfortunately the comma put a full stop to my photographic plans. I resorted to trying to snap the swifts that were overhead. Here's one of my better efforts. In some shots there's just blue sky!

Swift Swift

If you don't like kingfishers look away shortly!

Wednesday 2nd July

Un grand départ of a slightly different kind! Mon petit tour de Yorkshire - I began at Fairburn to pick up some peanuts, fish food and mealworms and a glossy ibis down Lyn Dike way.

Glossy Ibis

Five little egrets were on a pool west of the hide.

Little Egret Little Egret

I stopped in the village by the old gaol where sand martins use the old sandstone cliff/wall at the roadside. Good to see good numbers of birds there. Sand Martin Sand Martin

Next stop would be North Cave - just a quick break on my way to Tophill Low. Meadow brown and small skipper butterflies were plentiful.

meadow Brown Small Skipper

Up to five common terns were fishing on Far Lake.

Common Tern Common Tern

I spotted my first common darter of the year too.

Common Darter?

Funnily enough one of the first sightings at Tophill Low was another ruddy darter immature. Common Darter

By the woodland pond black-tailed skimmers were very active and never pausing in their constant chase around the pool. A juvenile moorhen was precariously advancing along a reed stem that lay across the water. What enormous feet!!

Moorhen Moorhen Moorhen Moorhen

A red admiral paused on some bramble...

Red Admiral

...and a common spotted orchid was still in flower in a clearing.

Common Spotted Orchid

North Marsh hide is the best place I know to photograph kingfishers. Always approach and enter the hide as quietly as possible: the kingfisher may be there before you! As he was this time. I'll sign off now with an album of kingfisher images.

Kingfisher