Today is the first decent day of Spring that we've had on the Solway - everything looks fine!
Saw two or three small flocks of Barnacles http://www.flickr.com/photos/46441928@N07/4376298271/ flying along the tideline this morning. What a glorious sight! These beautiful black and white geese won't be leaving us for Svalbard just yet. - they'll be hanging around for a little time more. The majority of the Pinkfeet http://www.flickr.com/photos/46441928@N07/4319794193/seem to have departed - this has been taking place over the last few weeks and we now have a decent southwesterly wind to help them on their way. However, we are reliably informed by our grocer, Bruce, that there are still good numbers around the Newton Marsh, Moricambe Bay area. http://www.flickr.com/photos/46441928@N07/4390378923/
Walked down the lonning to the hide this afternoon. Other birders informed us that there are a few Wigeon and Pintail hanging on. Shoveller and Shelduck were also in evidence, showing up in the sunshine. Big numbers of Teal were now showing up all over the Reserve. Highlight of the afternoon was a magnificent confrontation between 2 male Roe Deer, resulting in a wild chase around the rushy meadow with the dominent male seeing the lesser one off the premises.
Joe, our neighbour, reported later a careful count of Blacktailed Godwits on the flooded wetland in front of the hide. He had observed a fine aerial display by 8 of these brilliant flyers coming into their summer plumage.
Good count of 14 Bumble bees on Gorse and Willow shows, at least, that some have survived the Winter.
Bird of The Day: Slightly unusual for us, a fall of small birds on the hawthorn bushes on front of the marsh. Assumed to be pipits but on closer inspection turned out to be 5 Twite. Watch out for them!