Uneasy truce

Showers, some heavy, started in the early hours and continued throughout the day. A strong and freshening SE wind

A few shots from yesterday - Janet

Shelduck out from the foreshore 

The light on the mud ripples makes for a mesmerising scene 

Redshank

Carrion Crow

Male Chaffinch 

South shore today - Kevin Eaves

Common Gull

Middleton Nature Reserve  -  Malcolm 09:30

Much of the ice had thawed 

Mute Swans - The adult female was bonding with the newly arrived male. Another adult was resting some distance away on the ice. All six cygnets were back, but the adult male would not allow one of them to leave the peninsula.

This is the estranged adult 

Four of the cygnets, including the one constrained to the peninsula 
by the adult male

A bit of bonding. The male is on the right, his bill quite a pale orange 
suggesting that he is still a young bird

Gadwall 8, Mallard 30+, no Tufted Duck or Teal seen

Herring gull

Imperial Rd  - Malcolm  09:45

Buzzard 2 flying together around the southern end of the road.

Grey Heron 2

Little Egret 1 - it was in the horse paddock to the west, and thought it spotted a feeding opportunity when this pony was having a roll in the grass. No luck this time though.

Whenever I attempt to get close to wildlife I remember scenes like this. The Egret's only fear of the pony is being squashed! If that had been a person it would have flown away, unfortunately most wildlife has had enough experience with humans to regard us a threat. But if you can make yourself as innocuous as possible (no talking, no sudden movements, avoid eye contact and pause regularly) they can be surprisingly tolerant. So I regularly picture myself as a horse or a cow walking amongst the wildlife around me.

Common Snipe 2

Stonechat only the female seen, but the visit was cut short by a shower

A windswept female Stonechat 

Knowlys Rd - Malcolm 10:10

Just a quick check saw no Brent geese out from the play area and no flocks of Knot on or around the skear.