The threatened morning thunderstorms never materialised and it was dry all day, with warm sunshine after lunch. A light SW wind.
Heysham Head (Janet)
Canada geese 19 north this lunchtime
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| Canada geese |
Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)
A pleasant afternoon walk in the warm sunshine
Mute Swan 2 the female is still sitting on the nest, the male was back on the main pond.
Mallard 12
Tufted Duck 2
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| The female's "tuft" is at least discernible now |
Gadwall not seen, but presumably around somewhere
Coot 7 adults with at least 6 chicks. These two chicks on the main pond are just transitioning from the orange faced early stage.
Little Grebe 3 adults (1 on main pond) and 2 chicks seen.
This clip begins with a chick then follows a larger chick with an adult. It wasn't clear if the larger chick was from a different brood or just a more favoured/adventurous one. They pass adult and chick Coots, then watch the end of the clip closely. As the adult gets low in the water look in front of it, there is a pair of damselflies ovipositoring. The grebe dips below the surface and grabs them from below.
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| Little grebe feeding chick a damselfly (or two) |
Meanwhile, the smaller chick remained close to the margins catching its own small flies. Possibly why it was smaller.
Warblers seen/heard: Cetti's, Willow, Reed, Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat
Reed Bunting 1 male
Sparrowhawk 1
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| Sparrowhawk |
Swallow 4
Swift 1
The only butterfly seen was a Small White
Dragonflies:
Broad- bodied Chaser several
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| Male Broad-bodied Chaser |
This female was ovipositoring
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| Four-spotted Chaser |
Black-Tailed Skimmer 1 male
I thought this very worn Silver Y was doing really well for itself drinking nectar. Then it fell off!
It must have been good stuff!
