Cliffe Pools 01/08/23

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A visit to coincide with high tide in mostly sunny, albeit very breezy conditions.

Plenty of butterflies in evidence today, with Gatekeeper probably outnumbering Meadow Brown as the commonest species. Two Wall Brown at the mouth of the creek were nice, while a female Common Blue did its best to look like a Brown Argus before the genuine article appeared nearby. Around the general area Buddleia were in magnificent full bloom and had attracted many Red Admirals.

Flamingo had relatively few birds though a solitary Black-tailed Godwit was quite confiding and there was a more distant Whimbrel. A flock of 300 Black-headed Gulls contained only two juveniles possibly evidence of a poor breeding season due to the effects of bird-flu against the species.

Black Barn Pools had a large flock of c1000 Black-tailed Godwit, with small numbers of Bar-tailed also present. A colony of Common Tern on one of the islands was very active and vocal, with 10 juveniles counted and  approx. 25 adults. Two Ruff were also seen, one being a white-headed bird.

A surprise on the way back was finding a Willow Emerald damselfly by the side of the creek track.

Black-tailed Godwit 

Black-tailed Godwit with Bar-tailed lower right 

Common Tern adults and juveniles 

Wall Brown

Female Common Blue 

Red Admiral 

Willow Emerald 

As above 

Allens Hill pool




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