Help the apprentice please. π common or Arctic tern? I have no idea what the difference is I took this a few weeks ago and its bugging me now!!!!
Looks like the Sand Martin box might have a tenant. Phil W spotted this Wren going in & out of the top right hole.
Phil,I came across this strange creature in Holkham Pines yesterday - can anyone help me identify it? I am struggling to tie it down to any known species; is it a weird hybrid or some form of unsanctioned release?
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust is leading a campaign to stop the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive being scrapped (which protect rare species and important habitats such as the Natura 2000 sites)
Their campaign is here.
Great to see pictures of the Little Gull. Can't wait to get back to UW in the Summer.
Moors:am
Shoveler pr, shelduck, Oystercatcher 6, Common Tern 6, Med Gull, Kestrel, swift 120 - 150
cettis w,
Flashes:
Teal fem, shoveler pr, gadwall 3 (pr + male), shelduck 6 (3 prs), tufted 15/20
Avocet 24 + 20 chicks (4:4:3:3:3:2:1), lapwing 12 - 14 (6 sitting), LRP 4, Oystercatcher 2, common sand, Med Gull 2nd summer (from Moors),
Kestrel, raven 2, stock dove 3, whitethroat,
Sailing pool:
Lesser whitethroat - east side.
North Moors:
Shoveler pr, tufted 8, water rail, cettis w, sedge w 2, reed w 3, reed bunting.
1991 - one paired with a Canada Goose
1992 - one paired with a Canada Goose, producing a hybrid offspring
2007 - one pair produced one gosling which emerged on the 17th May (killed 12 days later by the resident male Mute Swan)
2008 - one pair bred at the Moors Pool, hatching five goslings from the 9th May (only one was present by the 23rd May and not noted at all in June)
2009 - one pair bred at the Sailing Pool, hatching eight goslings from the 2nd May, of which seven progressed to fledging
2015 - one pair bred at the Sailing Pool, hatching four goslings
Have we lost an entire brood of three young Avocet comparing today's count with Dave J's from Sunday?
Phil
A bit late reporting this, but a pair of Greylags with 3 pos 4 young were on the Shingle Island (Med Gull Island!) at the Moors Pool on Thurs 7 May.
Would they be the same as those on the Sailing Pool? Would they bother making the journey with such young goslings?
Richard
Brood A - 4 young hatched from the left hand side of the peninsular. Still have 4 young, currently located on the foreshore to the left of the hide
Brood B - 4 young hatched from the left hand of "pipe" island. Still have four young, now relocated to the "saucer" (ringed bird "64" appears to be the father)
Brood C - 3 young hatched from the "pipe" island. Still have 3 young, currently located on the foreshore to the far left of the hide.
Brood D - 2 young hatched from one of the small islands in the saucer. Still have 2 young, currently ranging between the right hand side of the peninsular to the left hand end of the delta
Brood E - 3 young hatched from the right hand of the pair of second Flash islands. Still have 2 young, ranging between the right hand side of the delta and the secondary fox fence
Brood F - 4 young hatched from the right hand of the pair of second Flash islands. Now reduced to 3 young, currently on the "beach" in front of the third Flash
Brood G - 3 young more recently hatched from one of the islands in the "saucer". Still has 3 young, currently located on the far shore near the sewage works
Brood H - 1 young more recently hatched from island just right of the peninsular. Still has 1 young, currently located at the end of the peninsular
So in summary, to date 8 broods have hatched 24 young with 23 still surviving. Will see if there is any up-to-date research on Avocet mortality rates; suspect Upton is far ahead of the flagship reserves of Norfolk and Suffolk.
Some of the chicks have moved around a bit now Phil. Although same feeding areas utilised as in previous years. I was confused when you mention 'pipe island' - I refer to this as 1st Flash island. The pipe island is in the NE corner of the 'saucer' where the pipes used to be around the edge - here 1 poss 2 are sitting:t:.