The Reply....

....and another excuse to post some more brilliant photographs on Birds2blog whilst I continue with the long awaited normality to return in my birding life....this is not funny and never was. 

The following is an e-mail regarding the current Preston Guild celebrations in connection with the risk of disturbance to the breeding Common Terns at Preston Dock. I don't want to make any comment on the contents of the message save....'I don't like the sound of a firework display set off from a barge in the middle of the dock, and reckon neither will the Common Terns like it'....However, my sincere thanks to Tim Joel for getting in touch with me on the matter. 

Hello Peter

Thanks for your email regarding the Common Terns at the Docks, the RSPB have also been in touch. The majority of the Riversway Festival activity taking place a week today is located on the grass land adjacent to the control tower and the swing bridge. The water activity including dragon boat racing and boat trips has minimal impact on the water. There is a small firework display on the Saturday night which is set off from a barge in the middle of the docks. All the activity is planned in conjunction with the marina who manages the water space and the Preston City Council team who operate the bridge and maintain the docks area.

Thanks for bringing this matter to our attention.

Tim Joel Festival and Events Officer. As for the brilliant photographs.... Common Tern. Peter Guy. As the Common Tern is a current topic at Preston Dock, this is a pretty impressive image of these two engaged in some sort of aerial display there. Whinchat Brian Rafferty I'm not ever able to resist a photograph of the Whinchat and this one is no exception. Not an easy species to come by these days - let alone photograph one as good as this - but always to my delight whenever I find one. Puffin David Cookson A brilliant portrait of everbodys favourite the Puffin with a bill full of Sand Eel for its young. Roller Antonio Puigg And the Roller....there's one currently in Aberdeenshire if you want to get your bike out and get on up there. And the local MEGA....what I presume is the same roaming bird for several days now in Lancashire, a male Montagu's Harrier is spending some time in the Champion Moor area ESE of Slaidburn, and still there as I write at 12.20pm. So you can see this bird either on your way, or on your return to/from Aberdeenshire. I have no idea why his post runs of the off the page in places on the right!