Footless and Fancy Free

Kirkholme Point (KP) this morning in a stiff breeze (20 mph southerly) and a few scattered, drizzly showers.

2 Dunlin flew in to the south side but didn't hang around long as the wind was gusting into the shore and spray was flying all around.

A Turnstone was a nice find on the north side of KP, as there are few records of these shore birds at The Mere. It was feeding OK and flew with no problems but it had a mis-formed or damaged foot. It hobbled along feeding on the water line and it didn't seem in any distress.

Turnstone with damaged foot on KP

The regular (this week anyway) Little Ringed Plover was also spotted on the substantial shore line.

Hundreds of Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins were feeding over the water, with about 20 Swifts higher up. Our family group of about 12 Pied Wagtails were also flitting along the shore line.

Over the last few days Mute Swans seem to have congregated on the spit of land at the back of Swan Island. Along with a few Cormorants drying their wings they seem to have  taken over the available territory.

Mute Swans

A pair of Jays were making a racket over by Wassand wood. Hopefully we'll see a bit more of these birds as the acorn crop develops and they start feeding up and laying in food for the winter.

Jay over Wassand

At Freeport there were several Long-tailed Tits and Coal Tits in the conifers, and a nice display of what I guess is some kind of bracket or tree fungus, whatever it is it made a colourful splash.

Bracket fungus at Freeport