Spring is springing!

We had a lovely walk along a very calm sea front, with binoculars in hand, but no telescope, enjoying the warm sun on our backs and giving us hope that spring in around the corner. The sun attracted people from all over the area to walk the beach with their families and their dogs (yes - more dogs! We actually observed someone clear up after their mutt, so well done them). But, where were the birds?

The sand bar to the west of the harbour wall was full of gulls – all three of the more numerous ones (Black Headed, Herring and Common); but on closer inspection we spotted 23 Widgeon foraging among them. Of course we had our friendly Oyster Catchers with their distinct call but even they were small in numbers.

We did see the local Turnstones feeding on the mud flats in the harbour – 19 of them in total. And a couple of Heron struggled in to get some height, possibly full after an ice free lunch at last!

On the way home and up The River Nairn we saw a number of Carrion Crows and a solitary Goosander bathing as a local fed the squabbling Mallards, who were soon swamped by the Herring Gulls swooping to the food ahead of them. One other point of note; 73 Wood Pidgeon fed in a field further down river, just south of the town

In the past week the skies have been full of skeins of geese – mostly Pink Foot, but the Brent seem to have left the beach for another year.

More later. Seamus.

Low Tide

A walk out to the end of the harbour wall when the tide's out can be a treat for anyone - but for bird watchers, it's a guaranteed delight! A lone Greylag goose preening itself right up against the wall, seemed unusually undisturbed by a couple of young lads walking bye. And pottering around the goose was a sole Turnstone noisily clattering pebbles over and over as it hunted its prey. Not too far away was 30 (ish) Redshanks rushing around the shoreline and three Bar Tailed Godwits slightly more onto the beech. A dog owner ushered his dog into the waders to watch them flee. They all flew as one toward the harbour and settled down again to carry on their feeding. Many, many gulls (Common, Herring and Black Headed) were feeding at the edge of the waves and the Eiders flew past looking for a resting place further out to sea.

Just before I headed back to the warmth of the town centre, 12 Widgeon flew in to join the Mallards and gulls on the edge of the tide to see what’s available for them and on the way back to town I loved observing the hoards of Oyster Catchers feeding on the Links. All in all, a great way to spend an hour in Nairn - at the harbour!