Tag Archives: Common Tern

Yellow Wagtail – 13th April

April 13, 2012Recent wildlife sightings13th April, 2012, birds, Causeway, Common Tern, Deep Pit, House Martin, Redpoll, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Swallow, Yellow WagtailPete Smith

This morning was cool and over cast and not very promising for migrant spotting. Towards mid-morning the clouds started to break up and the sun nearly shone. Over the Deep Pit eight Common Terns squabbled and chased before two pairs settled on the breeding platforms. A Sedge Warbler was singing in the Deep Pit, along the Causeway. Most other migrants flew through, including four Swallows, two Sand Martins, a House Martin, three Yellow Wagtails and a Lesser Redpoll. PS.

This egg was found on the Causeway, it had been predated by a Magpie. It is about 25cm long. Can anybody identify it ?

House Martin – 11th April

April 11, 2012Recent wildlife sightings11th April, 2012, Blackcap, Cettis Warbler, Chiffchaff, Common Tern, House Martin, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Willow WarblerPete Smith

This morning was cold and overcast and did not encourage birds to sing. There were still 11 Chiffchaffs singing as well as 8 Blackcaps, 4 Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a Cetti’s. Two Common Terns were pursuing each other high over the site and a Sand Martin and a House Martin were briefly seen. PS.

Willow Warbler – 6th April

April 6, 2012Recent wildlife sightings2012, 6th April, Common Tern, Cormorant, Deep Pit, Speckled Wood, weasel, Willow WarblerPete Smith

Despite the hard frost and cold wind there were still signs of spring at the lagoons this morning. On the Deep Pit a Common Tern dive bombed the Cormorants on the breeding platforms. Along the river bank a Willow Warbler was singing and several butterflies, including a Speckled Wood, were seen. PS. AE.

IMG_0162a - Speckled Wood — Speckled Wood

On the Causeway two Weasels were seen. JG.

Weasel b - John Gunn — Weasel on Causeway

Common Tern – 3rd April

April 3, 2012Recent wildlife sightings3rd April 2012, Common Tern, Slurry LagoonJacqueline

A single Common Tern was resting and preening on the Slurry Lagoon edge late this afternoon. JMD.

Greenshank – 22nd August

August 22, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 22nd August, birds, Common Tern, Dunlin, greenshank, Herring Gull, Hobby, House Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Reed Warbler, Slurry Lagoon, Swallow, Yellow-legged GullPete Smith

This afternoon the Swallows and House Martins were gathered on the wires by the railway bridge when they all took off in alarm as a Hobby made an appearance. They all flew together and kept above and behind it, some making stoops to drive it away. The Hobby seemed unconcerned, making a couple of stoops of its own, probably at dragonflies. Suddenly the swallows were making a lot more noise and then the Hobby flew up out of its stoop with one of them in its talons. The Slurry Lagoon was a lot more peaceful with several each of Shoveler and Teal feeding on the water and a Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover on the shore and a family of Reed Warblers were feeding in the reeds. The Lesser Black-backed Gull flock contained a Herring Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull plus a couple of Common Terns and later a Greenshank called three times as it flew over the site. PS.

Red Kite – 14th August

August 14, 2011Recent wildlife sightings14th August, 2011, birds, Common Tern, Hobby, Red Kite, Slury Lagoon, warblersPete Smith

This morning, during the monthly bird count, a Red Kite paid a visit to the site. It flew low, over the Slurry Lagoon, before gaining height and drifting away over Carlton. Some Common Terns were moving north along the Trent Valley and a Hobby was seen alarming the Swallows beside the river. There were still plenty of warblers to see, several in family parties. PS.

Dunlin – 9th August

August 9, 2011Recent wildlife sightings9th August, Common Tern, Cormorant, Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover, SlurryJacqueline

A single Dunlin was feeding along the Slurry shoreline this afternoon and two Little Ringed Plovers were again on the Slurry. The Terns appear to have abandoned the Tern Platforms now their young have fledged and the Cormorants have been quick to take them over. JMD.

Red-crested Pochard – 22nd June

June 22, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 22nd June, birds, Common Tern, Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Shoveler, Slurry Lagoon, WigeonPete Smith

This morning there were seven Red-crested Pochard on the Slurry Lagoon. Also present were the two male Wigeon and a male Shoveler. The Gadwall still has all eleven of her ducklings and a Mallard now has five. There is still no sign of the Pochard ducklings though. Two recently fledged Common Terns were dipping for insects from the water surface. PS.

Common Tern – 15th June

June 15, 2011Recent wildlife sightings15th June, 2011, Common Tern, Gadwall, Slurry Lagoon, teal, WigeonPete Smith

The first of the juvenile Common Terns has made it onto the Slurry Lagoon. It was expertly picking insects from the waters surface while its parents were aggressively attacking passing crows. The Gadwall duck still had all eleven of her ducklings with her. Also present were a pair of Teal and now two male Wigeon. PS.

Cuckoo – 20th April

April 20, 2011Recent wildlife sightings2011, 20th April, birds, Common Tern, cuckoo, House Martin, Yellow WagtailPete Smith

At last a Cuckoo has arrived on site. He called from the willows around the gravel pits and then found the posts around the Deep Pit. There were also four Yellow Wagtails fifteen Common Terns and a House Martin. RW. JMD. PS.