It fell below -5°C again early in the night, a light shower just before daylight left a thin film of ice encasing everything. Overcast all day as the temperature crept up to 6°C. Heavy showers began 15:00.
A fresh south wind picked up in the afternoon
Heysham skear - Malcolm 08:45 - 09:45
No chance of seeing Snowdonia today, I could barely see conger rock!
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| Cormorants on and beyond conger rock |
No Brent geese, Mergansers or Grebes seen, and just 2 male Eider
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| Male Eider |
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| Once again, at least one Peregrine was presiding over a largely wader free skear |
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| A ball of c500 Knot were seen heading south as I set off. Other than that the total was these two birds. |
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| Redshank |
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| Common gull |
Imperial Rd - Malcolm
I checked twice today, I was worried that the film of ice covering everything this morning would prevent the Stonechats etc. from finding anything to eat. Sure enough the check this morning failed to find any passerines. The only birds seen were 35 Lapwings in the field to the east of the road.
Absent (or at least not seen) from their regular territories: Robin, Wrens and Stonechats, plus no sign of the generally more elusive Cetti's warbler.
There were clearly a lot more Lapwing on the fields to the east. A Peregrine Falcon lifted them all, at least 130.
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| The larger of the two flocks of Lapwing lifted by a Peregrine. The Peregrine later flew west with empty talons |
Grey Heron 1
Little Egret 1
Raven 2
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| Raven |
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| The resident Carrion Crows weren't happy! |
But this Raven was only intent in display flying
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| Roe Deer with her now well grown male and female youngsters The male at the back, the females have rump tufts. |
By this time the ground was thawing and the rain just beginning.
Redwing 2
Mistle Thrush 1
The Thrushes and Black-Headed gulls were managing to break up the already well disturbed ground.
