Sand Martins nesting in the raised beach of the Camel estuary. 29th June 2023.

 

Our Cornwall Wildlife Trust Photographic Group spent a pleasant few hours on the north shore of the Camel estuary today. One of our target species for the day were Sand Martins and we caught them just in time as the young are at the fledging stage with many juvenile birds on the wing.

Fortunately they were back and forth the nest holes as it seems to be the most reliable tactic to ensure getting fed by the parents!

It's still early in the year so it's likely these birds will have a second brood in a few weeks time before they finally fatten up in order to be fully fit for the long journey of migration south into Africa for the winter.

4 Spot Chaser Dragonflies, Libellula quadrimaculata. Somerset Levels and Cornwall. May/June 2023.

 

It's been another great year for these dragonflies with numbers seemingly high at many different sites.

We went to Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels on 29th May and there were thousands of them having just emerged and in immaculate condition. 

Latterly I've watched them more locally around the Amble marshes on the outskirts of Wadebridge where I live.

Here are a few of my images, some were taken with a Tamron 90mm macro lens on my Nikon D500 & others on my 500mm telephoto also on the same camera ....

 

Sandwich & Common Terns at Brownsea Island 13th June 23.

Sandwich Tern with sandeel.

 

We've not visited Brownsea Island since before the pandemic so a visit was due, mainly for the terns and gulls which nest in the lagoon. There are 2 really good hides that overlook the tern colonies although I did find my 500mm lens a little too long at times. Also there is chicken wire on posts around the nesting islands which I believe was put there to stop the resident deer trampling on the nests and eggs. That wire does get into the photos at times but most of the time I was concentrating on photographing incoming birds carrying fish to feed their chicks.

It was very hot, in the upper 20's so most of the day was spent in the hides although we did have lunch amongst the trees in the hope of spotting one of their red squirrels but they too were keeping out of the sun (& the shade) so didn't spot a single one.

It was a long day, leaving Wadebridge at just after 5:30 and not back till 9:30 pm, a round trip of 316 miles but oh so well worth the effort!

Here is a selection of tern photos, the Sandwich terns have the yellow tip to the black bill....easily remembered as "mustard on the sandwich"!

The Common Terns have red bills with a black tip.

Sandwich Tern with sandeel

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern with sandeel

Sandwich Tern with sandeel

Sandwich Tern with sandeel

Sandwich Tern with sandeel

Sandwich Tern with sandeel

 

Sandwich Tern with sandeel feeding chick

Sandwich Tern with chicks

Sandwich Tern

Common Tern

Common Terns

Common Terns

Common Terns

Common Terns

Common Terns

Common Terns

Common Tern

Common Terns

Common Terns

Common Tern

A week of birds... 26th May - 1st June 2023

 

Dartford Warbler

What a week it's been with trips to Devon & Somerset mixed in with lots of outings on my local patch.

Most of the birds are well into their breeding time with several already having fledged their young and thinking about starting 2nd broods.

I'm just going to post a lot of photos, all from this week but I won't name any locations as I don't wish to draw attention to those sensitive places. Those of you that are in the loop will already know and hopefully be sensitive to the welfare of these amazing creatures.

Here are a selection of this weeks photos... Enjoy and please comment if you like them!

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Hobby

 

Nightjar

 

Cuckoo

 

 

Mute Swan with 6 cygnets

 

Male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Male Pied Flycatcher

Female Pied Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Male Linnet

Marsh Harrier

Canada Goose pair with goslings

Greylag Goose with gosling, sole suvivor of a clutch of 4.

Barn Owl adult ringed during nestbox survey.

 

 

Barn Owl with young in nest box

Wild White Stork in Somerset

Captive White Stork in Cornwall

Garden Warbler

Mute Swan cygnets

Dartford warbler