Grey

The Safari set off up the hill on a drizzly but very mild morning. At the tower we could just about make out the dark shape of a Peregrine on the ledge. All around bird song hung in the damp air, everything seems 'happier' now that the recent freezing conditions are fading in to a bad memory. two Song Thrushes led the dawn chorus but we still can't get Frank enthused enough to get him in to the park proper to find out if there are any more. He'd better be more inclined to activity when migration season starts!!!

The Magpies of Magpie Wood was hard to count in the gloom and we could only see about 35 or so as they began to get get disturbed by us looking up at them.

Rain prevented play on the Patch 2 safari we only stayed out a couple of minutes to find that low cloud blanketed almost everything. A few Common Scoters were close enough to be seen through the gloom but no sign of the eight Scaup, are they still around or not? Later at lunchtime the weather was no better but by now the tide was out and the beach uncovered. Too many people, metal detecting, cycling, dogs, walking with the kids along the top of the outfall pipe...we seriously need a cull of hominids never mind Canada Geese, they're everywhere! Doing their best to avoid the two legged nightmare were a dozen Knot and about 50 Sanderlings which couldn't settle anywhere without being disturbed. Nothing of note was amongst the couple of hundred gulls; secretly we were hoping for a white winger.

Frank made it into the park this evening and we did find another very loud Song Thrush at the top end near the main road in the furthest corner from the one we hear in the morning which was good. Lots of Magpies working their way through the tree tops to roost and a fair few Woodpigeons too. A Wren sang, Robins chittered and Blackbirds clucked as the darkness drew in.

Where to next? Maybe somewhere a bit different, for a Saturday at least, tomorrow.

In the meantime let us know what dark shapes you've seen in your outback.

To gloomy for pics today and tbh we've been inside battering out the minutes of last night's meeting for most of the daylight hours.