Spring is springing but not yet sprung.

The day started with a trip to Richmond Bank for a spot of larid fun. A few of the stigs ended up viewing the dump whereas us more refined birders took our chairs and sat in comfort watching the mind numbing number of gulls from 'the bank'. The Seaforth birder scored first with a 1st winter Caspian Gull on the Birchwood Pool of Moore nature reserve followed by a 2nd different one on the tip. A phone call telling us they'd had a 'white winger' in flight increased our enthusiasm but the next phonecall telling us somene had had a Woodlark on the capped tip almost made us want to throw ourselve's in the Mersey. It's debatable if you'd actually drown first or die of acute poisoning at this point.

Things looked up for us when a 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull was found and then a lanky looking gull was agreed by all to be 3rd winter Caspain Gull. Yet another one......................

Eventually the Iceland Gull showed itself and I managed a quick record shot. There was some debate as to whether this was a 1st or 2nd winter bird. it has the plumage of a 1st winter but the bill colouration of a 2nd winter.










With the tide racing in all the gulls dispresed and I headed home to pick up Molly and stomp around Stanney Woods.

Here is where the springing and sprunging comes in - one of the ponds was heaving with fornicating amphibians. Frogs and their spawn everywhere! I managed to locate the resident Marsh Tit(s) first on call and then later as it sang.