On arrival at the Sailing Complex car park I was surprised to see a Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (WWT)-badged car already on site. For the second consecutive day I was intrigued to see if there was any evidence of Common Tern activity at the new (larger) Tern Nesting Raft that John Belsey and Stuart Croft kindly floated and put into place on Tuesday. Black Headed Gulls (BHG) had roosted on the raft and were still present on Wednesday morning. This morning it now appears that the BHGs have built a nest on the new raft . I love these early morning sessions at the Flashes but the light (because you're generally looking East) is not brilliant and compensation has to be dialled into the camera which itself introduces noise and a general graininess of imagery.
BHG on Tern Raft
There has obviously been some procreation of the Starling variety as they've formed their crèche in the hedgerow along the final stretch of board walk before the main (Avocet) hide.
Juvenile Starling
The place is inundated with them - I estimated 80 birds but it could be a lot more with parents busy feeding their fledglings. In the hide itself, I encountered Gary Prescott (The Biking Birder) and Andy Pitt, whose car I assume I had seen earlier.
Adult Starling
There was a lot of chick activity in front of the hide this morning several broods (of various age) of Avocet chicks are busy feeding - emulating their parents' sideways swiping and filtering of the shallow waters.
Avocets and Chicks Feeding
The first three Lapwing chicks are still doing fine and venturing further and further from their ever-vigilant parents. I've been lucky enough to watch Lapwing chicks grow up and fledge on my own fields. They don't seem to develop as fast as Avocets to me.
Female Lapwing with Chicks
A Summer plumage Dunlin and a Ringed Plover were also present but the low sun precluded all attempts at anything-like decent photography. I can include a picture of the Dunlin from 24 hours earlier though.
Summer Plumage Adult Dunlin
When I got back to the sailing pool a Great Crested Grebe was quiet close in to the shore but the sunlight was right behind it.
Great Crested Grebe
A Common Tern was busy fishing for its breakfast. Unfortunately it was intent to fish on the furthest away part of the Sailing Lake which meant I could either go to the nearest shore and perhaps get close-up shots, or operate at distance with the sun behind me. I opted for the latter with variable results. Please remember that these pictures (of a relatively fast flying species) are taken at a range of up to 250 metres.
A Successful Fishing Sortie by a Common Tern
