I have worked in the Preston, Ormskirk, and Lytham area several times over the last 2 months so if finishing early I try to take some trips out.From Ormskirk I have made trips to Lunt Meadows Nature Reserve near Maghull and Martin Mere Nature Reserve near Burscough.When working in Preston I made a trip to the Tern colony at Preston Docks.
The Tern colony at Preston Docks is an artificial site which has both specially made nest boxes and car tyres for Terns to nest in.There are more Common Terns but some Arctic too.In summer Lesser Black Backed, Herring, Black-headed and the odd Great Black Backed Gulls too.Coot, Moorhen and Mute Swan also nest here.The Docks seems to attract Roseate Tern on occasion, and I was hoping at least one would be present but sadly not this time.I have managed to see one quite scarce bird here an American Ring Billed Gull in 2015 and I think I waited 4 hours for it to show.Once upon a time this species was less scarce but now it is becoming rarer.Other scarce species turning up here are Caspian Gull, Yellow Legged Gull, Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Black Tern, Little Tern and even a Manx Shearwater.There may have been other scarcer species too.
It is nice to watch the Terns fishing in this busy urban spot, but the highlight of this day was a Lesser Black Backed Gull catching a Coot chick and taking it away to eat.It happened so suddenly, and I do not think I have ever seen a Gull doing this with my own eyes.I did not feel sorry for the Coot at all it was deliberately trampling all over the Tern nests and may even have pecked a few eggs.Oh well that is nature for you.
Lunt Meadows has become an area where many bird species congregate and in good numbers too.Lots of Black-headed Gulls breeding alongside Lapwing, Redshank, Avocet, Shelduck, Mallard, Tufted Duck and all the other usual suspects.The reserve is new, and it has already attracted Garganey who successfully bred here once at least, Common Terns and even booming Bitterns.The first bird I heard was a Cettis Warbler in the car park!They were never recorded here until the last few years, but the reserve must now hold maximum capacity of Cettis now.
Lunt is by the River Alt, and it is used as a flood storage reservoir.The banks broke earlier in the year and the reserve was closed to the public in most areas.It became fully open this week.Lunt has developed a bit of a reputation with several rarities seen over the last few years the biggest being a Silt Sandpiper in May 2019.Other rare birds that have visited the reserve include a Caspian Tern, White Winged Tern and 2 American Golden Plovers.It is also a bit of a hot spot for Short Eared Owls, Barn Owls and Hen Harriers over the winter periods.Lunt may have had Lancashires only record of Black Necked Grebes attempting to breed.What did not help were the resident Great Crested Grebes grabbing them by the neck!
Sadly, on my last visit to Lunt which was this week the weather was cloudy, and the best of the bunch were Marsh Harriers.
Martin Mere seemed to have the best of the action with 4 Mediterranean Gulls in the air it was their call that gave their presence away.Then 4 Marsh Harriers hunting over the reserve a male, a female and 2 female types.One of the females was apparently carrying a prey item all morning and into the late afternoon too. They were interacting with the Buzzards too including a tatty and pale one.There were some Common terns nesting amongst the Black-headed Gulls.All the major wetland reserves in Lancashire now have lot of Black-headed Gulls.It is quite refreshing to hear them.On the reedbed walk I managed to see Black Tailed Skimmers, Broad Bodied Chasers and the metallic blue beauty which is the male Banded Demoiselle.They were pointed out to me by 4 regulars whom I had a long and informative chat with.They showed me their photos and video footage of the infamous Cuckoo baby being fed by a Reed Warbler last summer.The baby Cuckoo was so confiding that it would land remarkably close to people hence the excellent shots!However, one day a pile of feathers was found which belonged to a juvenile Cuckoo and it was assumed that this young superstar had been predated.Banded Demoiselle are by far one of Britains most beautiful in this family in my eyes.I watched them by the brook.At the same time a Brimstone Butterfly arrived and spent some time in the vicinity. A Cuckoo also flew past.Could a repeat of last year happen again?
