Well at least it is dry for the moment! Down on the bay thepack ice has started to form again and Monday’s ice cold wind was a bite of thearctic. It is surprising when you see the news that the Channel Islands havesnow drifts we are getting an easterly blast of the continent and last year inplaces the temperature was 18 degrees. The birds do not seem to mind but I feelthat our frog spawn which was laid last week will not survive as their poolsare frozen solid.
The Crooks flock of Golden Plover have taken to roosting onthe newly cut rush fields south of the buildings I counted 1300 on Sunday and20 Whoopers a couple of fields back off the Bay in amongst the sheep. The Pinkfooted geese numbers are holding up well with several flocks of a thousandforaging around the bay and a thousand Barnacles.
The Lapwings are starting to display. They do show territorial aggression to anotherbird within 20m and can be seen in a hunched stiff legged walk with the crest down stalking an intruder they will thenrun at the intruder if at close range or fly at and mob if a bit further away.
One behaviour that I have witnessed several times this last week isthe males rocking display only lasts half a minute but they do repeat itseveral times if they are not disturbed.
Another is the Scraping Display which is a ritual nestingand can be there final position if all is agreed. In this display the male canbe seen kicking and pivoting his wings almost vertical and quivering. He thenstands and moves away moving his head from side to side as if throwing in factsometimes loss material is used. The female may bend forward and jerk her headup.
Pictures after Cramp. S. 1983 Birds of the WesternPalearctic. Oxford