Turtle Dove

 

I started my birding at Staveley.

The West hide was my first stop. Lots of lapwings, a few young shelduck and a pair of avocets. The avaocets had a chick which is 3/4 of their size, yet they still chase small mallard ducklings who are about 1/4 of the avocet chicks size!

Common terns are still feeding a chick.

Not a brilliant picture of a tern with a fish. This carrion crow was watching the tern.

On the way back to the car park I came across this frog sat in the middle of the footpath.

Nosterfield was where I had lunch.

Similar story to Staveley. Lots of lapwings, 21 curlew and avocets chasing away snipe, redshank and common sandpipers. Flask Lake was next.

No sign of activity at the osprey platform. Lots of lapwings, 17 oystercatchers and two common sandpipers. Sutton Bank Visitor Centre was my next and last stop. I was hoping to improve on my last visit by seeing a turtle dove. 

I arrived just after 1630 and there were not many people about. I was standing on the footpath so that I could see both sets of feeders when a staff member walked by and told me that they had been seen mid afternoon. Siskin, blackbird, yellowhammer, chaffinch, blue and great tit, greenfinch and 5 collared doves!

Then it started to rain, so I sheltered near the building opposite one of the feeding stations. I was behind a tree and as the small birds returned I slowly edged away from the tree with ny back to the building.

Siskins, chaffinches retuned as did 3 collared doves, then after about 10 minutes a turtle dove flew in and landed on the framework around the feeders. I could not see it clearly as I was still behind part of the tree. I slowly edged to my left until I could see the bird clearly. It just stood on the wooden frame and did not attempt to go to the feeders. Then as suddenly as it came it flew off. I waited another 10 minutes but it did not return so I left for home. Year tick 176.