After overnight snow continuing into the morning Queensbury got a good covering but by late afternoon most had cleared in the rising temperatures.
A lunchtime check of yesterdays garden breeding Canada to see if it had abandoned the nest with the overnight conditions brought a nice surprise with 5 goslings following the parents round. Not a good time to be hatched on probably the worst night of the year but they seemed happy enough. All they have to do now is keep their heads down when the Heron and Carrions appear.
Last year just 2 survived thanks to Carrion Crows.
With a text today from DJS of a Dunlin in with the Golden Plovers at Nolstar kennels, and working on the assumption that birds attract birds, and still having an obsession of a local Dotterel I took a trip up there at 1900 hrs.
Nine Goldies were in the field with a single Wheatear and sure enough dashing about in the reeds was the Dunlin. Dave did well to pick this bird out as they were all distant at the far side of the field and by the time I got there the light was poor. Unfortunately no Dotterel but a pleasant hour out.
A walk up towards the Withins provided another 3 Wheatear and 4 Pied Wagtails whilst a steady flow of Swallows were overhead >N.
BS