I've been very excited and looking forward to the natterjack survey at Hodbarrow this year, mainly because I'd never seen one before. I was delighted to find their squat squashed-looking wee bodies under the rocks. They were even using some hideouts that had been placed for the little tern chicks (at least something was using them!):
We also found a couple of newts:
Another reason for going onto the island was to retrieve the guano encrusted cameras that have been used to monitor the tern colony. We have been lucky to have sandwich, little, common and a couple of arctics on the island this year. The sandwich seem to have been the most productive with many young seen:
Unfortunately due to gull predation, the little terns have been less successful, although it's thought that the last couple of fledglings got away. Spot the chick!
Young of many other species have been seen throughout the tern counts, including red breasted merganser:
Mute swan:
and oystercatcher:
There were also a lot of black headed gull nests, but this one was by far the most impressive!
Hopefully next year we will have more success with the little terns.