Swans on Sunday

The swans have hatched all 6 eggs, and now have 6 cygnets in flotilla on the dock.  I haven't been able to count the tern chicks as yet, but the adults are doing plenty of fishing.  Swallows are also in abundance.

Quite a few visiting boats in the marina, Catherine & John is from Douglas I.O.M.

"John Howe" has been running today, from the railway museum 

Sunday Stroll

A lovely afternoon for tern watching, I counted 16 terns today and at least 5 pairs are nesting.  The actual numbers will be higher, these numbers are just the ones I could see.

The swans are staying close to the nest.

Sunny Days

I have counted 12 terns in the dock so far, and there are several swallows roosting under the bridge.  Both can be seen and heard flying around the bridge and dock.

The swans are still nesting, let's hope it goes better than last year.  They have 6 eggs at the moment.

There were 2 shellduck in the dock basin this afternoon.

Today's walk was the riverside path down to the Bullnose

Sunday Stroll

Sunday's stroll took me across the bridge and along the Guild Wheel to Wallend Road.

John Howe was in steam yesterday, taking visitors to the railway museum up to Strand Road and back.

Terns were flying around the bridge and dock basin, I have counted 10 birds so far around the nest sites in the Albert Edward Dock.

There are some lovely flowers growing alongside the path, including these cowslips.

Bladder Campion by the roadside

Bluebells growing by the boatyard fence

Fungus under the hedge, Wallend Road

Don't think these are natives

 I'm not sure where this pine cone came from, but it certainly wasn't the nearby trees

John Howe crossing Lochside Road

Summer Visitors

The terns are back, I've heard them for the last few days, and they were seen yesterday.  Riversway Control have replenished the pebbles near the nesting sites,  as well as making nesting material available for the swans.  The swans have eggs, I haven't been able to count them so far.  We have also seen swallows several times this week.

The sparrows nesting on the roof are feeding chicks, at least one family of blue tits in the nest boxes also has a brood.  The sparrows have nested here for the past few years, this is the first time blue tits have nested in the boxes.  The contrary wee birdies are actually nesting in the sparrow box which the sparrows have ignored completely.  They seem to prefer the roof.

Around and About

The sunshine has brought out the insects (and unfortunately quite a few wasps) enjoying the warmth. I spotted these two alongside the Guild Wheel

I'm sure the train engineers prefer the drier days, as FR20 has no cab for shelter. A bit different to today's rail industry working conditions.

The swans seem to have eggs, but I can't be sure as yet.

We have had sparrows nesting on our house for the past few years. This year we put up a sparrow mansion near their nesting site, thinking it would be better for them. We now have sparrows nesting in their usual place and blue tits nesting in the sparrow box. The sparrows definitely have chicks, we hear them begging for food. Since I bought one of the RSPB's window feeders I can birdwatch from the comfort of an armchair, it is visited regularly by blue tits, robins and sparrows. Better than 'reality' TV! 

This sparrow is enjoying  pecking a fat ball.

If you look very closely you'll see a blue tit's backside heading in the direction of 'outta here', as they so often do when photographed!

Wednesday Wanderings

It really has been a week of sunshine and showers so far. The dock can look quite forbidding at times.



The swans' nest looks a bit more substantial this year, I suspect someone - local birders maybe - has lent a helping hand.



The ducks have mostly been keeping to the other side, near the takeaways, venturing across every so often.



A solitary coot, a couple of herring gulls (pink legs) and lesser blackbacked gulls - still haven't seen or heard any terns yet.



My camera's getting wet!



The cob is really not happy with the ducks at the moment, he has been chasing them from one end of the dock to the other. His wings make a tremendous noise as he takes off.

Easter Monday

Rainy Bank Holiday, a quiet day on the dock. The Guild Wheel provides a mud-free walk in any weather, and there is always something to look at.


Bluebells are in flower along the river side.


Furness 20 has been working today, taking visitors to the museum on a riverside ride.


Still no sign of terns yet, the swans are nesting.

Sunday Steam and Sunshine

Furness Railway No. 20 has been running today at Preston Docks. It's been a lovely day to be out and about.

Sunday Steam

Britain's oldest working standard gauge steam locomotive, Furness Railway No. 20, will be in steam again tomorrow at Ribble Steam Railway



I am hoping to get some photos tomorrow, as I missed it last time.

The locomotive is visiting Preston to mark the 2012 Preston Guild celebrations, there are a number of events planned for the city this year.



Around the dock, the swans have started building their nest in the same place as last year. The coots have already finished theirs, and it looks a more substantial construction this time. I haven't heard or seen any terns or swallows as yet, if the mild weather continues they may arrive early.

Sunday Sunshine

We have had some visitors to the dock this week, and quite a few people have turned out to watch them and enjoy the Spring sunshine.



Two Royal Naval vessels, HMS Charger and HMS BiteR are both based in Liverpool. They are attached to University Royal Naval Training Units. Charger has visited before, this is the first time I have seen Biter.



A rather more mundane visitor, the trawler B927 Drie Gebroeders.

On The Waterfront

The Waterfront has a new roof to replace the one damaged in last year's fire. Let's hope it will be re-opening soon.

Last week is the first opportunity I've had to walk around the dock for a few months. The 2 swans are around, I haven't seen any signs of nesting yet. The usual mallard, coot, cormorants, blackbacks, herring, common and black headed gulls are all present and correct. There have been a few people out there with telescopes at the weekend, perhaps we have a rarity amongst our gulls.

Big Garden Birdwatch

Every year the RSPB holds its Big Garden Birdwatch. People are asked to watch and record the birds for an hour - at home, in a local park or at an RSPB event and then submit their results.

I watch and log the birds in my garden every day, so I will be submitting my results later.

It's not too late to take part, find further details on the RSPB website