Life on the ocean waves

The Safari was back at the pools just after 06.00 this morning to have a longer mooch about. There was nothing in the horse paddock. In the woods behind the little Tin Church the usual summer suspects were in song.

We walked through the field below the Lookout and flushed two more Grey Partridges before we spotted them. There is a good view of the ruined castle from there.

Through the village we saw a House Sparrow going in and out of one of the several nest boxes so we waited camera in hand.

At the scrape there is a wacky bench made from recycled beachcombed finds.

The scrape itself had a new wader on it this morning, an Oystercatcher, but otherwise it was much the same as yesterday. A Mute Swan was giving a Canada Goose some serious aggro and there were actually three broods of Grey Lag Geese.

In the hedge behind the cattle was a Roebuck and several yards to his left laid down in the long grass and hidden apart from eyes and ears was a doe.

The pool was quieter than yesterday too with far fewer hirundines swooping about. The light was much better today so we hoped the singing Swallow would be back on his reed, no such luck but a female Yellowhammer poked around where the Goldfinches were yesterday, it was joined briefly by a male. 

They left moments later and she was replaced by a female Reed Bunting.

A Swallow came nearer than the reed - into the hide it came to add more mud to its nest.

Linnets were all over the Gorse which was strongle scented in the warm sun. It was cold out of the sun, you could see your breath in sheltered places that shouldn't be so in mid May.

There was no sign of the Marsh Harrier and a Lapwing was seen displaying over the scrape from the hide but had left by the time we got back there. Beyond the hide there were loads of Cowslips, it seems to have been a really good year for these lovely plants. Just coming into bloom were the first flowers of Bulbous Buttercups.

Back at the carpark we spotted a gate to nowhere.

Don't think they'll be taking  a tractor through there again

This afternoon we took the boat ride out to the islands - here's a few pics from the boat as we travelled across the increaingly rainy stretch of water and were taken around the furthest islands before coming back to the neareat and landing for an hour.

Bamborough Castle in the gloom

Guillemots in the rain

A bridled Guillemot

Kittiwake

It's coming our way!

Passing showers

Puffin (161)

Just a few of the Grey Seals in the colony

Harbour Seal - cuter face and V shaped nostrils (as opposed to nearly parallel)

Where to next? Should be another day out somewher tomorrow and and early dart perhaps back to the pools to see if this evening's thunderstorm has dropped anything new. There'll be some pics from the island too.

In the meantime let us know who's not going through the gates in your outback.

PS We hope the pics are OK for you as we are working off Wifey's laptop and old softwareit's hard to tell if they're processed properly.