Winter Sun

After another frosty night and I wasn't surprised to see over half of Liden Lagoon covered in ice, especially as temperatures dropped to -2.6°C. It's always a good time to see the gulls on the ice, just in case there's a Yellow-legged Gull in amongst the Herring Gull. Alas not today, but there were a good number of Herring Gull, Black-headed Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull briefly and 2 Common Gulls.

Ducks obviously don't like the ice and this afternoon there were only 15 Tufted Duck (25 yesterday), 7 Gadwall (we've lost one!), just the drake Pochard (the 2 females appear to have left!) and the Shoveler have gone.

Around the banks a few Siskins and Goldfinches in the Alders, and I also had my first Coal Tits of the year.

Here are a few images and a short video from today.

Recently there has been a "relationship" between Coots, Black-headed Gulls and Gadwall, where the Coot dives down for weeds, and the gulls and ducks benefit from the food it brings up with the weed. Today it was the turn of the Tufted Ducks and as they dived down, the Gadwall were getting titbits.

A stunning looking Moorhen in the winters sun.

And an equally impressive Coot with that bright red eye.

Here we go again a 1st winter Herring Gull

And a 2nd winter Herring Gull

A Common Gull in an unusual posture with an adult winter Black-headed Gull and to the right a 1st winter Black-headed Gull.

The same Common Gull as above, slips through the ice.....

......and then has to preen all over again. To the right an adult Herring Gull

Here he regains his posture after falling in.

This is the another Common Gull........

........which later moved a bit closer to the 1st one.

The first Common Gull still preening.....

.............and a bit of leg stretching as well. A good comparison with the adult winter Black-headed Gull in front.

One of two Common Gull on the ice today

Another adult Herring Gull. Quite a beast this one!

A 2nd winter Herring Gull

A few of the Black-headed Gulls on the ice.

Another 2nd winter Herring Gull

This 2nd winter Herring Gull has found a Swan Mussel.

By the car park a pair of Collared Doves soak up the sun.

Whilst this Grey Squirrel plays hide and seek with me.

Birds Recorded: Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Mallard x Indian Runner duck, 7 Gadwall (5m, 2f), 15 Tufted Duck (10m, 5f), 1 drake Pochard, 1 Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, 50+ Black-headed Gull, 12 Herring Gull (7 adults, 3 1st winters, 2 2nd winter), 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Doves, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tits, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Siskins and Goldfinch.

Also 2 Grey Squirrels.