Common Tern Update

With the first batch of Common Tern chicks ringed and now all fledged and all somewhere around the lake (with maybe a few fatalities), we now have the young from the eggs that were laid somewhat later.  Today there were three youngsters on the closest raft and presumably small number on the other rafts.  They should all have fledged in the next week or so.

Common Tern - A juvenile in the water close to the rafts.  Still being fed by it's parents.  If it swims over to the sand spit it should be safe.

Common Tern - An adult with a small Perch for one of the juveniles.

Wendover Canal Great White Egret

I visited the Wendover Canal along with a few members of the Bourne End U3A group.  We were treated to close range views of this elegant bird.  It has attracted a steady stream of birders over the past few days.  It was regularly taking small items to eat but not easy to make out what they were.

A short video clip of the Great White Egret.

July Gulls

The first of the juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls had been appearing in SE England in the past week or so and despite Adam Bassett reporting a few at Little Marlow GP, each time I visited they had disappeared.  My luck changed on 14th when one was present when I arrived at the lake.

Yellow-legged Gull - The first juvenile.

The first juvenile on the water.

When reviewing the photographs of the first Yellow-legged Gull I noticed another that had dropped in.

The second juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

Black-headed Gull - Colour ringed bird "White AJ66"  Also featured in this blog during  2015 at this link. This bird has visited this site many times since first seen in Dec 2015.

Little Marlow in July

A walk around the lake did not produce any unusual birds but the Poppies in the field to the north of the lake were stunning. Then just as I was leaving the lake a very confiding Song Thrush was doing it's best to completely destroy a prey item.  I am not sure what the prey item was but it let me pass with about 10 feet without flying off.

Poppy field.

Song Thrush eyeing up possible food.

Knocking seven bells out of the prey item!