Babies galore.

At last the weather took a turn for the better and an afternoon trip to Hilbre for the tide showed that at least some of the birds have overcome the torrential conditions and are feeding young with both Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits seen carrying food.

With a beak full of moth you can see the Meadow Pipit eyeing up the fly coming in from the left!

Plenty of other action on the foreshore with a flock of Black-tailed Godwits (a Hilbre scarcity) showing well, if not distantly off the east side, with a small flock of summer plumaged Knot before flying north.

As the tide ebbed the terns returned to roost on the sandbanks but we noted only two juvenile Sandwich Terns amongst the flock of 40 ish.

The Lady Of Hilbre was on an exercise and made a pass down the east side with Mr Chairman at the Helm! A great sight and a wonderful growl from the big marine diesels.

Juvenile birds dominate in the garden with the usual fare at the feeding station now supplemented with a juvenile Greater -spotted Woodpecker. Unfortunately the Blackbirds have again predated by Magpies and I found a predated yolky egg on the lawn as proof of their anti-social behaviour.