Spring has officially arrived and is evident on the Point. A Mallard is incubating her eggs in a nest underneath a Suaeda bush on Far Point. It is in more-or-less the same location that a Mallard's nest turned up last March, also the first nest of the year we stumbled upon. The 2014 nest was shared by two females, but was abandoned before hatching. We will be carefully watching this year to see if this is also a shared nest, and to see if they have a bit more luck this year. Nesting so near a Black-headed Gull colony is a big risk.
Mallard nest on Far Point
Interestingly, the last nest of 2014 can still be found on the Point. The dead eggs of a Wood Pigeon, that nested in the Tamarisk in September, can still be seen behind the Lab. So six months after the last nest of 2014, the 2015 nesting season begins.
Wood Pigeon eggs laid in September 2014
There are still signs of winter around. About half a dozen juvenile Grey Seals are still being seen on Far Point. The latest low tide seal count recorded a total of 109 Grey Seals and two Common Seals.
Juvenile Grey Seal on Far Point
Before the nesting season really gets underway, we are conducting our annual beach clean (details below - please click to enlarge). If you are free on Saturday, please do come and lend a hand, and help keep the beach safe and tidy. Your help is always much appreciated.
- Ajay (Coastal Ranger)
No comments:
Post a Comment