Survey Limitations

Hi- Dan here.
A quick evening cycle and prowl was pleasant but uneventful.

Freeman's Pools were very quiet perhaps due to human disturbance.

The moderate easterly breeze increased to a big stiff one making a decent warbler census difficult (those singing were doing so only in the most sheltered spots).
I haven't heard any sedge warblers this year which are often a feature of Aldcliffe in spring.

There were plenty of large black flies around (I call them St John's danglers - please let me know the scientific term and I shall amend this posting) but the only hirundines around weren't interested in feeding, only in stealthily migrating NE.

A pair of shoveler was on the marsh. Three redshanks displayed overhead here, for once unmolested by dogs and their walkers.

A pair of eider was off Gull Bank, which was devoid of any tern species.

A male grey partridge was in Low Wood paddock and my first speckled wood butterflies of the year fluttered nearby.