It was slippery and stiff this morning!

With the temperature guage showing -5 in the shade, and the sun warming through nicely I was spoilt for choice, being as the waters all round were stiff and slippery, a quick check of the Priorslee and then the Flash so here goes.

Take of

A lot of singing going on this morning despite the rather cool temperatures, A small group of Meadow pipit dropped in on a small pond searching along the peripheries for any insects or seeds caught in the ice, as it melted in the sunshine.

Yesterday, being equally as nice, I spent sometime at the Priorslee resevoir watching the Glaucous gull (not Iceland as previously stated !!) as it was begging food from any gull that seemed to have anything to eat. This was not appreciated and was often chased away, but remained at the water for some 2 hours, preening and loafing.

A few shots of it flaping about to display the white primaries of a spectaular Gull.

The only bug was that it was not going to be approached as soon as it saw me it moved to the other side of the flock.

The only access is for those that have received an induction into the rules of the site and Health and Safety directives from the site foreman, these numbers have had to be restricted. please do not turn up on spec, you will not be allowed on the site.

On the Flash at Derwent drive two Water rail could be heard calling in the small reed bed by the pull in, it was not long until one popped out for a run on the ice, the calling continued for some while as they moved around the peripheries of the reed.

Sorry it's a bit short but half term precludes any birding outings,,,,, Bugger.

Paul