Gibraltar Point - 23.4.11

Taking advantage of the fine weather we decided on an early start to Gibraltar Point (also to avoid what would undoubtedly be a manic day at Skegness!)

We arrived around 8.15am and were met with the Barn Owl still quartering over the area in front of the main car park plus a couple of Wheatears by the bench to the side: they had apparently been around for several days.  

Short-eared Owl

Barn Owl

Wheatear

We continued over the bridge and down the main path where we heard our first Cuckoo of the year although we never got to see it.  We then had our first sighting of what turned out to be quite a number of Whitethroats. 

Wind turbines in haze

We walked down to the sea where it was almost impossible to distinguish where the sea ended and the sky began.  The wind turbines were barely visible.

The path to the estuary and sea had been roped off since we were last there so we couldn't go that way.  We continued the other way and caught a fleeting glimpse of a couple of Linnets on the fence.

Squabbling Black-headed Gulls

It was getting really hot and there was no breeze coming off the sea, so we decided to make for a hide.  We went into the little one at the bottom of the Fenland Lagoon and stayed there to observe and eat our lunch.  We watched the Black Headed Gulls taking off and diving and managed a few motion shots.

VTOL Pigeon

Greylag Goose

Dunnock

We continued over the road to Jackson's Marsh where we saw a grass snake, Avocets trying to decide where to nest, a faraway Black Tailed Godwit and what I think may have been a Ruff.

Sedge Warbler

We continued up the path after about an hour and heard a Sedge Warbler and (what we later identified to be a Grasshopper Warbler).

Broad-bodied Chaser

Pied Wagtail

Stonechat

A bit further on we also photographed some yellow flowers and a dragonfly.

Cowslip

Cranefly on hat

It was then back to the car park to await the owls...