And the winner is...

The Safari is awarding the accolade of star of the show for today to...the Blackbirds.

We hadn’t paid much attention to them, just noted that Frank had flushed one entering the park and we had heard one, or some, or more walking through the Butterfly Zone. But at the top of the park, after Frank had met his chums and so disturbance must have been very high only minutes earlier, we counted eight which included a well grown fledgling being fed by its two parents. Following that we listened to a further three singing males and saw another by the children’s play area. Loads of em!

A Robin had a worm to take back to its family and Wrens were singing from everywhere. Two bog-standard Chiffchaffs were heard, one singing and one calling. Three Blackcaps were noted in the park and another in the Golden Triangle. Not really a lot going on on this cool and blustery morning.
At Patch 2 it was a struggle to find anything. The tide was at the base of the wall so no beach to look over and out at sea there were big white horses rucked up by the turning tide and strong westerly wind. Two Gannets and a handful of Common Scoters were all we could find...still no Manx Shearwaters...can’t be long now!
At lunchtime the tide had dropped to reveal a beach full of dog walkers and fishermen so no tern roost today. We scanned back and forth across the sea for a good while before picking up our only Gannet (v. distant) and a couple of gulls, one of which was a 1st summer (2CY) Common Gull. A Whimbrel brought momentary excitement until it was lost in the troughs as it sped north...and still no Manxies...

No chance to get on the beach today and probably none tomorrow either.
Where to next? More of the dismal same?
In the meantime let us know what’s not putting on a show in your outback.
Sorry no pics today but CR has posted some reasonable ones of the Common Terns we went to see last weekend.