Three Up/Three Down.

Well three (hours that is) down on the coast then three up in the Trough but doesn't quite have the same 'ring' with it that way does it.

With JB today and we first headed to Conder Green where things were a little quiet - well it is June - but a Grey Plover in the Conder channel was in pristine summer plumage, and thankfully at least one of the Little - ringed Plover showed itself but you do really have to wonder, 1) are there still two birds on Conder Pool, 2) are they breeding, 3) are there any young yet. A Greenfinch was a must to record with the species seeming to become increasingly more difficult to find. On the canal basin at Glasson Dock the Mute Swan family is still fully intact with 7 cygnet's, also two Great - crested Grebe here don't appear to have any young at this stage.

At Cockersands 36 Eider counted, and two Great - crested Grebe, whilst c.550 Oystercatcher were on Plover Scar. Two Grey Partridge were running around bewildered at lots of agricultural machinery in the fields gathering in the harvest and probably a few nest's/egg's/young like there was no tomorrow. At the caravan park end and towards Bank End c.320 Large/Small White, 9 Painted Lady, 6 Wall Brown, and a single Small Tortoiseshell.

Up into the hills, and at Marshaw where the Common Sandpiper is almost certainly breeding as viewed from the cattle grid, one bird seen. At various points between here and Trough Bridge, a Wren was seen with 5 young, the Coal Tit is still feeding young in a nest hole just below the busy road, a Mistle Thrush, 2 Dunnock. Two Grey Wagtail were living and probably breeding in a danger zone and will be for the rest of the summer months with picnic people dotted here and there in the brilliant sunny weather we are having at the moment. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen just up the road from Trough Bridge.

In Abbeystead at Stoops Bridge the male and female Pied Flycatcher are feeding young in the natural nest hole, and a Garden Warbler just about managed to break into song and was never heard again. At Christ Church another Spotted Flycatcher seen here again but the House Martin mystery took on another twist when not a single bird was seen today despite up to ten having arrived here when we visited last Friday......I'm at a loss as to what is happening here this year.

I hope I can be excused making a statement without words with today's two pics from about another two dozen on the same subject I could have taken in the beautiful Trough of Bowland between Marshaw and Trough Bridge.