BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND......................................................MEDITTERANEAN GULLS CONDER POOL PETE WOODRUFF

Tuesday 24 March 2009

For the Record.

A record shot of the first ever wintering Common Sandpiper at Conder Green until someone tells me different. A pity this bird hadn't been a little more obliging in mid winter when the pic would have had a bit more meaning as the bird has survived not only the entire winter period but the coldest December for c.30 years......Well done 'sandy' you've pleased me no end every time I visited Conder Green and clapped eyes on you.

Viewing the Lune Estuary from Glasson Dock made it perfectly clear that it was now late March. I doubt if there was any more than 200 birds of any species to be seen as far and as wide as the eye could see, and in terms of reasonable accuracy there were no more than 30 'gulls' in total.

With JB today we went first to Aldcliffe to see if the LRP's were still on the flood....they were not but c.700 Pink - footed Geese were to note on the marsh.

In a mix of mid morning and mid afternoon visits to Conder Green 2 Spotted Redshank, and a Greenshank were seen, and on Conder Pool the Common Sandpiper, a Little Grebe, and 4 Goldeneye were of note. On the Lune Estuary from Glasson Dock 10 Goldeneye, 5 Red - breasted Merganser and a Goosander were the only birds to enter my book.

From Moss Lane there was just 8 Whooper Swan's remaining in the field's they have occupied for a few weeks now. And at Cockersands an excellent count of at least 475 Black - tailed Godwit between Crook Farm and the Lighthouse Cottage. Also noted here, at least 800 Golden Plover went up with everything else in the area but as is often the case no reason/raptor seen, also a solitary Grey Plover, Ringed Plover and 2 Red - breasted Merganser.

The day seemed to come to a grinding halt from here on even though we did do some 'searching' as far as Knott End though c.1,500 Pink - footed Geese were on Pilling Marsh. A detour along Gulf Lane produced the ever faithful Little Owl which today stood posing at the entrance to its nest box.

JB's 'sightings' on the LDBWS website will add many more to this list for today as I continue to be more than a little remiss in my recording habits.

No comments:

Post a Comment