A local first - al fresco sex.

I've been keeping my eyes on a flooded pasture about 10 minutes walk from the house for a few weeks now for White Wagtails - there are plenty of Pied Wagtails using it and a good sized flock of Linnets feeding on the Dock seed heads. Thinking it was about time for a Yellow Wagtail I checked it out after work this evening whilst walking Molly.

No Yellow Wagtails but these two little beauty's. After watching them displaying in flight for awhile I took Molly home and exchanged one disgruntled dog for the camera and spent an hour before sunset taking these pics:

Little-ringed Plover's - Backford Cross.

For those voyeurs looking - here's the sex bit!

There must have been 10 -15 Pied Wagtails flitting around the muddy pools and whilst sitting freezing my butt off in the hedgerow two other good local birds put in brief appearances. A male Reed Bunting and a flyover Yellowhammer.


I managed a quick trip to IMF last night following David Kings call to tell me a male Garganey was showing well but distantly on the back of No. 1 lagoon. Sure enough it was still there when I arrived just after 19.00 & I watched it in the rain until it got to dark to see. Beats sitting in front of the TVall night!
Gilroy nature park has scored again with Wirral's first Whimbrel, first Common Sandpiper, another Redstart and two Tree Pipits. Suprisingly non of these species have been seen elsewhere yet & I reckon Gilroy will get the Wirral's first Yellow Wagtail any day!