Hello again, from The Cliffs.
Should be Swallows and Amazons, I know! I haven’t found any Amazons up here, yet! The prolific swallows in the entrance way of the visitor centre are at it again. The young of the second brood of the year, are about to fledge (due any time now). They produced 6 in the first brood and there are 5 or 6 in this latest one. Also at the centre we have a pigeon which regularly comes and sits on the top of the shed. The staff have various names for him, but one thing for sure is that he is smart, as the shed is where birdfeed is kept!
Juvenile swallow - (RSPB images)
Nameless pigeon - (picture - Bill McCarthy)
We are continuing with the ‘Big Birds and Minibeasts’ program, which runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. You can have a guided tour on one of those days at 11am or 2pm. You could also guide yourself, using the map and answer the trail questions (you can do this on other days as well). There are Arts and Crafts activities for the kids (and adults, if they like).
A lot of people ask about the amphibian fencing all around the centre building. It is there as part of the work Wold Ecology are doing to collect any Great Crested Newts, for re-location on the safe area nearby. The site has to be clear of this type newts for at least 5 days before any construction can take place. The team are pretty sure that there are very few left to re-locate. As well as the newts they are collecting many toads and we normally have some for anyone to look at in the Arts and Crafts marquee of the Big Birds and minibeasts program. They have collected over 700 common toads so far!
Green fencing for amphibians - (picture - Bill McCarthy)
Apologies from me - pictures of newts and Chris form Wold Ecology to follow in next blog!
I think that we can finally say that the puffins are all gone. A few individuals hung around for a lot longer than expected, but they all seem to be off now. The kittiwakes are following suit. I, and many others, have been part of the kittiwake breeding productivity monitoring program for tracking the progress of the chicks. On the site I was looking at (Bartlett Nab) they have nearly all gone now. The gannets, however, continue to thrill and even with my i-phone, I got a great picture at Staple Newk!
Gannets at Staple Newk - (picture - Bill McCarthy)
Other birds spotted over the last week –
Siskins (in field near New Roll—up and on feeders), grey wagtails, little egret, kestrel, peregrines (over fields and sat on cliff at Staple Newk), kestrel, wheatear and cuckoo
Other things spotted –
Harbour porpoise, roe deer and the weasels again.
Bill