140 Lapwings roosting on flooded fields.

This evening around 140 Lapwings settled on the flooded fields between the railway line and the A53.

Butterflies in October.

Today was warm and dry enough for two species of overwintering butterflies to take (perhaps) their last feed before hibernation.

Small Tortoiseshell on Echinacea flower.

Red Admiral on Sedum flower.

Birds on Flooded Fields between Endon and Longsdon.

After about 30mm of rain over the past three days the Endon Valley is flooded once again.

This afternoon many of birds were feeding, preening resting and flying in and over the flooded fields.

The photos shows an area of shallow water (up to breast height on LBB gulls). This area contained:
25+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
35+ Lapwing
c250 Black-headed Gulls
30+ Starling
c5 Carrion Crows
 1 Magpie
2 Buzzards

The recently ploughed and sowed field beyond held:
perhaps another 200 BH Gulls
more LBB Gulls
more corvids

In the small rush fringed seasonal pool (next to the wildfowl scrape) were a few male and female Mallards
On a deeper floodwater pool further towards Longsdon there was:
4 juvenile Tufted Ducks (these may be the four ducklings that were reared on the Caldon Canal this year - see photo)

Further along on another shallower area (near Hazlehurst Junction) there were:
another c15 BH Gulls
c20 Jackdaws
c5 Rooks
c10 Carrion Crows
Also seen were;
a Kestrel
2-5 Jays

Endon Valley floodwater.

 



One of four juvenile Tufted Ducks that were reared on the Caldon Canal between Endon and Longsdon this year.

Birds and insects on a sunny day in October.

It was a lovely calm and sunny late October morning so I walked up to Stanley Pool to see what birds were on the lake.

A view of the upper end of Stanley Pool with a freshly ploughed and rotovated field on the far side.

   4 Juvenile Mute Swans
 c4 Great Crested Grebes plus 2 juveniles
   3 Grey Herons
c25 Mallards
20-30 Carrion Crows feeding on muddy bank - they had probably been attracted to the pool by a recently, though previously unploughed field. There were more crows feeding in the field.
c20 Jackdaws - as above.
 c7 Woodpigeons
c25 Black Headed Gulls
   3 Coots
   7 Cormorants
c50 Canada Geese flew in during the time I was there.
    1 Magpie
       Blue Tits and Great Tits
       Robins
   1  Jay
plus two or more dragonflies and other insects, notably feeding on Ivy flowers.

A vespid wasp, greenbottle and other flies feeding on Ivy flowers growing on garden wall at Stanley village.



Mesembrina meridiana basking on a rusty gate near Stanley Pool.  

Stanley Pool.

Birds seen at Stanley Pool today.

Great Crested Grebe feeding young on Stanley Pool.

 

Mistle Thrush	c13 flying over
Blue Tit	c9
Long Tailed Tit	c7
Teal (inc juveniles)	c10
Great Crested Grebe	7 adults 2 juveniles
Black Headed Gulls	17
Mallard	9
Coot	7
Cormorant	5
Robin	5
Great Tit	5
Carrion Crow	3
Wood Pigeon	3
Jay	2
Grey Wagtail	2
Nuthatch	2
Wren	2
Blackbird	1
Grey Heron	1
Magpie	1
Kestrel	1
Canada Goose	1

Lapwings and Grey Wagtail.

The photograph below shows a field between the A53 and railway. It has recently been ploughed and rotovated and possibly sown with some sort of agricultural crop - perhaps autumn wheat. Whatever it is, that bare soil and perhaps the seed, is attracting numerous birds. Yesterday (01/10/13) there were flocks of gulls (mostly Black-headed Gulls), corvids (Jackdaws, perhaps Rooks and Carrion Crows), two Buzzards and around nine Lapwings. The gulls, corvids will be feeding on invertebrates or seeds, whereas the Buzzards and Lapwings are finding prey such as beetles and worms, or (in the case of Buzzards) creatures that were killed during cultivation.  As far as the Lapwings are concerned, this field will be a welcome source of food as we have had a fairly dry September, around 50ml of rain, and no significant rain for the past nine days. Lapwings favour damp soils that they can reach prey with their medium length bill.

 

We in Endon should relish the presence of the Lapwings as this species is in pretty desperate straights, on the way to extinction in Britian and perhaps over the whole of its range. Lapwing is now a Red Listed Species of Conservation Concern which indicates that it is Globally Threatened. Lapwings bred in Endon this year. Judging by the hostile reaction of Lapwings to me walking along the railway line adjacent to the field, there were at least two pairs nesting this summer. On the 16th June I counted three chicks. Another place to look for Lapwings is the steep fields on the eastern side of the Caldon Canal between Endon and Longsdon. 

 

 

 

Here is another bird that feeds on invertebrates. This Grey Wagtail is either one of the adults or offspring of the pair that bred on the Caldon Canal near Park Lane this year. Here it is flicking about as it snaps up emerging insects from the canal overflow.