Willow Warblers and Brimstones

After a busy weekend and a relaxing day yesterday, it was off to Liden Lagoon this afternoon, to catch up on the wildlife. When I arrived the male Great Crested Grebe was close to the bank at the top end of the Lagoon and spent a fair bit of time there catching small fish, before heading back to his mate sitting on her nest. At the back of the bungalows a Willow Warbler was singing and on the sunny ground out of the wind there were Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Brimstone butterflies. With the latter feeding on Dandelion flowers.

Great Crested Grebe

A Peacock butterfly missing a spot!

Small Tortoiseshell

Brimstone on a Dandelion

Further around I could hear both Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing from the trees on the north island. And there was another Chiffchaff singing from the south island. Along the track here were Nursery Spiders, a few flies and bumblebees.

Bumblebee on a Dandelion

Nursery Web Spider

Flies sp.

As I headed on around the southern island a few Moorhen and Coot were swimming in and out from under the overhanging brambles, and every now and then a fight broke out with the Coots. Up by the observation area I could count 19 Canada Geese, and if there were any others, it was most likely they were sitting on nests on the islands. The Tufted Duck numbers were definitely up with 9 in total, 3 pairs and 3 males.

Coots fighting

Canada Geese 

The female Gadwall has now overcome her timidness and both she and her mate were making short work of bread being thrown in by passers by. Only a week ago, she would only venture within a few metres of the islands, but certainly not now. On the other side of the Lagoon the Great Crested Grebes greeted each other and then the male continued catching fish around the south island.

The Gadwalls

The duck is a lot less timid

The Great Crested Grebes together

Another Willow Warbler was singing in the tall trees from the gardens behind me and I could still make out the other one from the direction of the bungalows, so definitely two here. Seeing it and hearing it was easy but photographing it though was not easy. It was a very flighty bird. A Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the southern tip of the lagoon and I just managed to count 15 Mallard duckling before they disappeared onto the island, in an attempt to evade the beaks of several large Gulls landing on the water to bathe.

A quick shot of a Willow Warbler

A Blue Tit looks on

Bird Species recorded: A pair Great Crested Grebe, pair Mute Swan, 19 Canada Goose, Mallard, 2 feral Mallard-type ducks, pair Gadwall, 9 Tufted Duck (3 pairs, 3 males), 7 Moorhen, 9 Coot, 4 Herring Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, 2 Magpie, 2 Rook, 2 Carrion Crow, 4 Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

Butterflies Recorded: Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Brimstone

Today's Photos Here