A morning visit to the Sculcoates patch. It's only a week since I visited, but I'm amazed by the change in vegetation, everything looks lush after the rain in the last few days. I climb to the ridge where the railway bridge was and contemplate the patch, looking NNE (top shot). Many birds are feeding chicks now. A flock of Starlings feed on the playing fields. Then I find this Robin.
Robin with large caterpillar and spider
The usual assortment of birds, only to add a Reed Warbler, which sings from a tiny patch of reeds by an outfall, 2 Lesser Black-back gulls on nests, Starling cleaning slug,
A Moorhen returning to a nest with 4 eggs in the drain.
I'm please to find two Lesser black-backed Gull nests. When alarmed by a passing raptor or the local sparrowhawk, about 12 LBBGs rise to mob it, indicating the number of pairs, but many of the nests are not visible as on the flat roofs of industrial buildings.
Another!
Wilmington bridge. It is high tide.
This nest has a large component of wires, even barbed wire. I coudln't see who was using it, probably crow.
In the Air Street S cemetery, a Song thrush imitates a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk calling.
I spend some time taking record shots of slugs to identify.
Ambigolimax valentianus.
Deroceras reticulatum.
Arion vulgaris.
A reed warbler calls from the outfall on the right hand side of the photo. There is a vigorous growth of reeds on the left side which will provide better habitat soon.
I finish with a reflection on playing fields. Not as good as meadows, I would agree, but I'd hate to lose playing fields to plastic lawns. They feed so many birds thriving on worms and leatherjackets, but also on seeds of daisy and dandelion: Woodpigeons, Starlings, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Linnet Greylag, to mention just a few I've seen using the playing field at Sculcoates recently. In the winter, 4 species of gull loaf on the fields or look for worms
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