Larids

I took an hour and a half out this morning to go and have a look at the Gulls on the river. As I walked along the edge of the saltmarsh I had full cloud cover with a light northwesterly wind. Pink-footed Geese were leaving their estuarine roost and heading off to feed and I had 550 go over.

I didn't see much else as I walked along the edge of the saltmarsh other than a couple of Reed Buntings, a Song Thrush, Rock Pipit and 700 Lapwings. I started to look through the Gulls and estimated there to be 7-800 Herring Gulls with low double figures of Great Black-backed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 80 Black-headed Gulls. All I could find amongst the Herring Gulls was a single adult Yellow-legged Gull.

 Reed Buntings

In addition to the Gulls I had 14 Reed Buntings and when I got back to the Nature Park (that name's a laugh) I had a male Stonechat. The Nature Park is a very depressing place now with huge number of dog walkers that have trashed and continue to trash the site, and this morning I could actually smell the disgusting aroma of dog shit floating towards me on the northwesterly breeze!!!

 Stonechat

A couple of singing Skylarks brought me out of my 'dog walker' induced depression, whilst a Cetti's Warbler called from the margins of the pools and two Pochards and six Tufted Ducks were on the pools. Back at home I had the adult Med. Gull that has wintered around my house for the second year now.

It's site visits in deepest, darkest, inland, upland Lancashire for me tomorrow so I'm not too hopeful for many birds. I'll let you know.