Friday 30 June 2023

Halcyon, and on...

The weather has been a bit too gloomy today to be considered the halcyon days of summer, but spending time with the halycon bird, the Kingfisher, certainly brightened up the morning. A pair were showing incredibly well from the pool hide at Wheldrake Ings, diving into the water repeatedly and sitting on the perch and in a nearby overhanging willow. I see Kingfishers regularly, but usually just a flash of electric blue arse shooting low up the river. To see them like this and to be able to get a bit of phonescoped video was a real treat. 


Three young Common Terns have fledged from the raft and were busy trying out their wings, whilst waiting for the parents to bring in fish. The LDV is pretty much a duck factory at the moment, with broods of eight Garganey ducklings seen and several Gadwall and Shoveler broods. Little Egrets and Grey Herons seem to have done ok too this year, with 14 of the former on the pool. Several well-grown Lapwing chicks were on Bank Island, suggesting they've managed to breed successfully too. 

Also, three adult Black-tailed Godwits were presumably early returning 'autumn' birds. 

     

Good to see this brood of Garganey ducklings growing well.
 

A pair of very fresh Commas were doing their best to warm-up in the cool temperatures, along with a Large Skipper and many Banded Demoiselles.



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