At the beginning of our walk in May we stood on Froggatt Bridge and watched
a grey wagtail with nesting material in its beak. It was reluctant to show
us its nest site and now I know why. A month later I was standing in the
same place watching the same grey wagtail with food in its beak when a
neighbour of mine came along and asked me what I was looking at. I showed
him the wagtail and I said I thought the nest was somewhere on the bridge
probably on the parapet that runs along the bridge about three feet under
the wall that we were leaning on. As I said this I looked over and saw
immediately beneath us three fledglings sat cosily in a nest behind a stand
of ragwort growing out of the parapet. Both parents are still feeding the
youngsters as I write this on June 26th. They haven’t moved despite a stream
of people crossing the bridge and no doubt stopping right above them to
admire the view completely oblivious of the family drama a few feet below
them.

Brian Shaw