More Commons

Another quick visit to Liden Lagoon to see if any of the 14 Common Gulls were still around from Wednesday's visit and I'm pleased to say there were 4 when I arrived and 6 when I left. I'm not sure where the last 2 came from, but it does prove that wherever they went they are happy to return to the lagoon.

An adult Common Gull

An adult Common Gull at the back, drake Tufted Duck on the left and a 1st winter Black-headed Gull on the bottom right.

Top to bottom: A female Tufted Duck, an adult Common Gull and a 1st winter Black-headed Gull.

Common Gull 

A bit of a bully this one. Seconds before a Black-headed Gull was on this post but this Common Gull was having none of it.

Mostly 1st winter Black-headed Gulls with their straw coloured legs. An adult winter calls out on the rocks to the far right.

For once an adult winter Black-headed Gull is bobbing about on the water and not squabbling with the other 50+ birds. Looks quite pretty when its quiet.

A drake Pochard was new in and there are still good numbers of Tufted Duck. The solitary cob Mute Swan has decided to leave, but the paired cob is still rounding up the resident pen and her 3 juveniles. It's a shame, but they will leave eventually and the pen will hopefully find a new mate. Unfortunately the cob was savagely killed by two local Pit Bull like Terriers last summer and she has looked after them ever since. The Great Crested Grebe wasn't seen, but could well have been behind the south island.

Other highlights were a pair of Lesser Redpolls overhead, 4 Goldfinches, a pair of Blue Tits chasing each other (signs of Spring around the corner) and 5 Herring Gulls which included 3 adults, 1 first winter and 1 2nd winter.

And I nearly forgot, as I was about to leave a Red Admiral flew across the lake. I don't think I've ever seen one so early in the year.

Birds Recorded: 6 Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Tufted Duck, 1 drake Pochard, Moorhen, Coot, 60+ Black-headed Gull, 5 Herring Gull, 6 Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Lesser Redpoll and Goldfinch. Also seen a Grey Squirrel and a Red Admiral butterfly.