Hi Folks! There were an impressive sixty-one species of bird seen at Old Moor today. That’s not a bad total at all for the traditionally ‘quiet’ month of July. Here’s a quick summary…
Little egret numbers were significant again today with eleven birds on the Mere and Wader Scrape this morning. Meanwhile another thirty-nine egrets were counted at Wombwell Ings early on, along with twelve ringed plover and a greenshank.
Little egret disguised as a passing cloud!
Four grey heron could be found around the reserve today either ‘actively’ feeding or, in one case, just basking in the sunshine. Rather than ‘puddle’ or chase fish around like the egrets, heron often take a more leisurely approach.
Slowly does it…
Almost unnoticed, young wagtails seemed to be present in front of every hide I visited. These juveniles are often accompanied by their parents in small family groups particularly along 'shorelines' or wherever insects gather.
But it was, once again, those terns that stole the show. Visitors got some incredible views of these acrobatic birds today as they fished a few metres in front of Wader Scrape, Bittern or Wath Ings hides.
For me, one of the most impressive elements of their flight is their ability to hover just before plummeting into the water after a small fish. No doubt the stability of this manoeuvre helps them make final calculations for the dive. So, I’ll finish tonight with a picture of just that.
Until next time.