Return of the Terns

3 terns were seen and heard around the dock this morning.

I was hoping to take a look at the nesting site this afternoon, but the strong wind is keeping me indoors at the moment.

Tuesday Tracks

We have just returned from a trip to Galloway, the weather has been glorious and in addition to some excellent birding around Loch Ryan we have had the pleasure of watching dolphins and porpoises off Corsewall Point. There are not many better ways to spend a sunny afternoon. It must also be one of the few places where you open your front door in the morning to find 2 hares sitting on the front lawn, in no hurry to move away.



Back in Dockland, the swans are now nesting. The female is sat on 2 or 3 eggs, I can't be sure how many. No signs of the terns as yet, the tyre nests remain undisturbed.

Saturday Siesta

I haven't been able to take any afternoon walks this week, so have been watching the garden birds. We have 4 feeders in the garden, and the pond is also popular.

The number of species is increasing, long tailed tits are now regular visitors, as are the woodpeckers (both male and female, the male has a red patch on the back of the head). We have also had blackcap, bullfinches (both male and female), blackbirds, blue tits, great tits, sparrow, dunnock, wren, greenfinch, goldfinch and chaffinch.

The garden pond has a clump of frog spawn, and there are several adult frogs around. They can get quite loud at night, I guess it's a mating call of some kind.

We have sparrows nesting under a decorative gable, last year they reared 2 broods. We thought we would put up a 'sparrow mansion' this year, but the sparrows have gone back to their old nest, and bluetits have been inspecting the new box. They have hopped in and out, but I don't think they have started nest building. Time will tell.

First signs of Summer......

I saw the first swallow of the year today on the dock. I haven't looked at the tern's nests for a week or so, they should be arriving fairly soon.