Wader Roost...Godwits and Knot

As promised in my last posting I am showing a few more images from the wader roost recently visited.Again some images of the knot are shown densely packed together which is always very impressive.The bar tailed godwits tend to be gathered along the tide line and seem to like their feet in the water.However some of the images show the flock of godwits feeding on the beach.I haven't counted the godwits but there would seem to be over a hundred birds which I think is quite an impressive gathering of these elegant waders.A number of the godwits are also showing the red breeding plumage.Cormorants and oystercatchers are shown again and I finish this posting with a few images of the large knot flocks in flight over the incoming tide.

Thanks for looking in.Next time I will be posting more wader images. This time however they will be of curlew sandpipers.This is a scarce migrant visitor to our shores and this week around twenty juvenile curlew sandpipers turned up on the Lune Estuary at Sunderland Point.So tune in again for more from the Lancashire coastline.

Return From The Arctic....Knot and Dunlin

I always look forward to the return to the Lancashire coastline of the waders returning from the breeding season in the Arctic regions of the far North.After a brief breeding season when they will have enjoyed twenty four hours of daylight and abundant insect life they return to their winter quarters in Southern latitudes to avoid the rapid onset of Winter.Many of these returning waders use the rich feeding grounds of the Ribble Estuary to replenish their body fat after the long journey South.

The beginning of August is a good time to visit the coastline as many of the waders are still showing signs of their colourful breeding plumage and the knot in particular look fine showing traces of the red breeding plumage.I made a couple of visits to one of my favourite locations to catch up with the returning waders.On both visits to the high tide roost the weather was warm and sunny and good numbers of knot,dunlin and bar tailed godwit were feeding and roosting on the beach.They were accompanied by the ever present oystercatchers and cormorants.I have shown below some images from my first visit when I concentrated on the knot and dunlin and was pleased with the results.The next post will have more images of the dense flocks of roosting knot and images of bar tailed godwits feeding at the edge of the incoming tide.Thanks for looking in and tune in again for more from the Lancashire coastline.

Blackpool Air Show

Last Sunday I went to see the Blackpool Air Show.This is a wonderful free event staged between Blackpool North and Central Piers. It attracts huge crowds and provides super views of different types of aircraft.The real draw however is the appearance of the RAF Red Arrows a world renowned display team of some of the RAF's best pilots flying their Hawk jets.

The weather had not been good but the skies cleared for the beginning of show and blue skies provided ideal viewing conditions although tempered by some very strong winds.I took many images throughout the afternoon enjoying the challenge of capturing the action.I have selected a few below showing mainly the Red Arrows in action but also shown is the Typhoon Eurofighter and the Breitling Wingwalkers.One or two general views are also included showing the huge crowds present along the seafront enjoying the spectacle.

My next posting will probably return to my normal fare of wildlife images as visits have been made to the coast at Southport and to RSPB Leighton Moss.Meantime hope you enjoy my efforts at trying to capture some of the flavour of the Blackpool Air Show.Thanks for looking in and I will be back soon with more from my travels.

Ospreys...V6 and V7

First of all apologies to my followers as I have not posted for over a month. Various commitments at home have kept me away from the camera. Last week I did manage to get out with the camera and decided on a visit to Cumbria to see how the ospreys were faring.I made two trips north on the Tuesday and Friday.There was a little drizzly rain on the Tuesday and Friday didn't begin well with heavy rain and delays on the motorway.However all turned out well in the end and the results are shown in some of my images below.

The two young ospreys from the lakeside platform nest at Esthwaite had been ringed and had successfully fledged and were being seen in the vicinity of the nest.On both my visits I hired a rowing boat as the site was on private land and only distantly visible from the road on the opposite shore of the lake. It was a good decision as I was able to approach closely and quietly to the lakeshore where the young ospreys were active.

The birds spent some time on the platform nest awaiting the arrival of a parent bird with food but mostly they were perching up in lakeside trees calling for the parents.This provided some super opportunities for a careful approach with the camera and both V6 and V7 duly obliged.They would also from time to time fly around the area and again gave great opportunities for flight shots.Only once during my time on the lake did a parent return with food and this was taken up to the platform nest site out of range of the camera. It was a wonderful experience to be close to these magnificent birds and I wish them well for the future as they will be departing soon for their winter quarters in West Africa.Hopefully they will survive to return to the Lake District in a few years time when they will be ready to breed and continue the expansion of ospreys in the North of England.

Thanks for looking in and I will be back soon with regular postings from my travels.