That was one squelchy circuit

The Safari was woken early by Frank asking to go out and we could hear the beautiful sound of a Blackbird singing in the distance, the first time this year. By the time we were all kitted up for the wet weather outside and opened the door it had stopped.

An hour and a half later we were out again, this time on our Winter Thrushes survey and recording for our Foot It challenge too.

It took a while to get the first Blackbird in the notebook a little way before our survey route starts but three singing Song Thrushes within a 100 yards of each other was a real joy.

It was spring-like this morning and the hat came off early on followed by the unzipping of the coat a little later. Dunnocks and Robins sang, mostly from unseen hiding places.

Most of the usual Blackbirds were mostly in their usual places as we continued our usual trail much of which was very wet underfoot, particularly the football fields, wouldn't like to play on those it was very heavy going under foot. However from thee top of a tall Poplar tree in the corner of the fields by the school a Mistle Thrush was singing its lovely fluty melody.

A check of the gulls on the fields didn't give us any ringed birds but did give us our first Foot It Lesser Black Backed Gull and a fly over Pied Wagtail, making us just six short of our target with a week to go but our next chance of a daytime venture out might be too late.

It was a lovely morning to be out but we were time constrained and could only give it about an hour, still we recorded over 378 birds (excluding gulls) of which about a quarter were Feral Pigeons all duly recorded onto the excellent people-powered Birdtrack.
Snowdrop flowers were opening and Cow Parsley was well sprouted but obviously a long way off flowering.

Once breakfasted we had a look at stealth-cam but there wasn't anything of mote for you. One of the Wood Mice won't be starring in any more three minute films as it was found dead, probably catted, by the front gate at lunchtime.

As dusk fell we topped up the feeders and scattered plenty of seed on the ground in preparation for tomorrow's citizen science project, the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch.

Where to next? After our own garden birdwatch we're doing a guided walk around the large lake on the North Blackpool Pond Trail but looking at the weather forecast it could turn into a guided swim!

In the meantime let us know who hit the top spot in your outback.