Working in the dunes this morning I came across this magnificent predator in the frontals - luckily it wasn't too sunny, so this fine Northern Dune Tiger Beetle was sluggish enough to allow me to take a pic.
Formidable things - look at the gob on that missus!
Fairly marked passage of Swallows heading north early this morning - several hundred went past Ainsdale over the sands, with smaller numbers of Sand and House Martins, and offshore Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns, while a surprisingly large flock of Common Scoter (about 200 birds!) were out on the horizon on the falling tide - didn't expect so many at this time of year.
The heaven-sent rain is giving hope to the Natterjacks with a few new strings of spawn in one or two slacks.
Today the curmudgeon below was the first adult I've seen this year - with a very prominent back stripe the size of a double yellow line, what a stonker!
Wheatears still moving along the coast, with many more out on Plex this evening during another fruitless Dotterel hunt.
Yesterday three flocks of Whimbrel totalling more than 50 birds out there, but fewer this evening.
Wheatears down at Formby too, where two Whinchats went through, and the hawthorns trembled with singing Willow Warblers and Whitethroats.
One of the Whinchats sat still long enough for me to attempt a very dodgy bit of digi-binning.
After work and pre-Plex pain, a fine flock of 66 Ringed Plovers were at the north end of Ainsdale beach, with beautiful summer plumage Grey Plovers further out on the shore.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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I had my Woodlark again this morning!!!! Only, it's not ... it's a small, short-tailed Skylark, with aberrant white spots on its f***** tail !! The soon to be eaten by a Merlin little runt was feeding with Skylarks in the sandplant at 07:20 this morning and had activated its Woodlark cloaking device, but one thing was missing - where was the very noticeable white ring around the top of its head! Gotcha!!
The little runt flew off and even gave a Skylark-unlike soft 'dit-dit' call. Like many smaller examples of species, he/she obviously likes to cause as much aggro as possible and is succeeding admirably!
Only other birds of note in the Obs garden between 06:50 and 07:30 was a fly-over Cuckoo and four Alaskan-bound Wheatears.
Not much on Plex - Hoody still there.
Fairly standard early morning walk along Station Road and around Haskayne Cutting with Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Whitethroats, Willow Warbler, Swallows, House Martins, Tree Sparrow (becoming a regular sight again), LBB Gulls, GS Woodpecker, Stock Doves, Lapwings, Grey Partridges, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Barn Owls, with superb views of the latter.
Although I'm probably preaching to the converted, they're almost guaranteed at dawn this time of year here (weather permitting!) and do their thing seemingly oblivious to your presence, making the tiniest detour if they find you in their path, to pass almost within reach.
On Saturday evening was wonderful to see one floating past the bedroom window. Simply enchanting birds!
Big movement of Swifts and hirundines over Rimmers this afternoon, after the rain had gone through. The central copse had at least 4 Spotted Flycatchers, my first of the year, plus female Pied Fly and 2 Wheatear and a male Whinchat were at Wheatear Corner.
From Nels later, 4 Curlew Sands,16 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover and the Barnacle was still on Polly's.
Interesting to read about the Woodlark "that's not" from John K Bannon I think it's the one I saw about a year ago at Formby Golf Club it sounds exactly the same .