This afternoon for a change we cycled over to Blackpool Mill.
Lots of the resident species were busy feeding young – including blue tits collecting caterpillars from the willows to feed their brood in a crevice in
the mill bridge.
There was no sign of a kingfisher today nor a dipper, but we
were surprised to see a single sand martin briefly feeding over the river. We aren’t
aware of a breeding colony along this stretch of the Cleddau so perhaps this
one was just a late migrant passing through.
Pied Wagtails were busy on the river collecting aquatic
insects – mayflies, stoneflies etc - to feed their young in a nest in a wall crevice – they were regularly in
and out in a flash.
A pair of grey wagtails was occasionally present but showed
little in the way of breeding behaviour. One of the pair appeared to have some nest
material on one occasion which it promptly dropped into the river and showed no
interest in collecting any more.
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| Both wagtail species seemed to be finding this perch a useful spot to catch insects form |
It was pleasing to see a spotted flycatcher perching briefly
on a fence. They have become quite scarce in our area, although a pair often
nests somewhere near the mill. It was intriguing
to see that this one was ringed.
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| Where had it been ringed we wondered! |