Monday Meander

Sunshine and showers - well, it is a Bank Holiday!

The new Guild Wheel footpath makes the riverside walk look very different. It seems wider. The removal of some trees also means the train is now more visible from the path, and no doubt opens up a more scenic view for passengers.


Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic




Docklands flora .....





..... and fauna

Wednesday Wanderings

Waiting for lunch perhaps?



I love watching the terns fishing and flying, they are so quick, and look so graceful.


I'm not sure who ends up with the fish though!

Tuesday Travels

It's a wild wind out there today, my eyes were watering so much it made using the binoculars difficult at times.

The birds were struggling to take off at times, this tern took about 4 attempts which gave me a great close view.



There are at least 12 terns in and around the dock and they can be heard calling as you walk along the dockside. We have our very own Riversway tern colony and some wonderful birdwatching.



More pics to follow soon,

At least two pairs are nesting, their heads popping up every so often.



I think this one is definitely an imposter though!



More pics to follow soon.

Sunday Stroll

Crossing the bridge today was doubly rewarding, not only were the terns in evidence overhead but I got a close-up view of the John Howe on the outward journey from the railway museum.



Not as many gulls as usual up in the Albert Edward dock, the usual mix of blackheaded, blackbacked, common and herring, along with half a dozen mallard ducks, 3 cormorants, the terns and 3 coots. Amazingly, the coot nest seems to have survived the recent high winds, one coot was sitting and the other patrolling nearby.



On my way home I got an added bonus, also seeing the train on the return journey.

Swan Sunday

In the Albert Edward Dock

A day of sunshine and occasional showers, with the sun far outweighing the rain.

The swans have 3 eggs in their nest, the pen stood up long enough for me to count them today.


There are 2 coot nests on the groynes, the usual assemblage of twigs and litter. They have also been known to build nests on unattended boats, and it is amazing that they manage to rear the young with so many black-backed gulls around.

I counted 12 terns today, at least 1 pair of which are nesting.

Common Tern x 12
Mute Swan x 2
Coot x 6
Blackheaded Gull x 50
Cormorant x 3
Herring Gull x 30
Common Gull x 40
Blackbacked Gull x 10
Mallard x 5