The Best Laid Plans...

The plan this afternoon was to finish work early, drop some bird seed off at Rawcliffe Moss and do a spot of birding. The first bit went to plan, but the constant drizzle meant that I couldn't have a walk round the Moss. I dropped the seed off and 2 Yellowhammers were duetting close to the barn. A good record for the atlas.

Yellowhammer

I decided to head home and curl up with a coffee and the latest Ibis, and pretend that I can understand the papers within! However, as I headed west it started to clear so I dived into Fleetwood Marsh Nature Park for a quick look.

The 'shallow' pool was virtually dry and all it contained was a single Black-headed Gull. The 'deeper' pool (pictures below) did have a few more birds on it and included 30 Coots, 10 Mallards, 6 Little Grebes, 3 Tufted Ducks and 3 Pochards.



On the artificial pool a number of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls were flighting in to drink and bathe, and I counted 52 Herring Gulls and 42 Lesser Black-backed's.

Herrings and Lessers

We were due to do a ringing demonstration here tomorrow for the general public but we have had to call it off due to the weather forecast. On my way home I dropped in at Rossall School as it has been a while since I have had a walk round the 'obs'. It was a bit blustery and mid-afternoon so I didn't see much at all other than 3 Mistle Thrushes, 10 Goldfinches, Skylark, 2 Whitethroats, Reed Bunting and female Kestrel.

I had a quick look on the sea but it was very quiet. Here's hoping that the weather forecast is wrong so I can get out tomorrow. By the way I did get that coffee and started to read Ibis, but I won't embarrass myself and tell you how many papers I didn't understand!