Doing the Circuit's.

The Smew redhead was present again this late afternoon when I had decided to give the last two daylight hours to Aldcliffe doing the circuit from Railway Crossing Lane - Freeman's Pools and return via the embankment. As can be seen from the photograph above the bird still hasn't succumbed to having its pic taken and the black marks across my effort are those of branches I had to focus through from the footpath....any excuse is a good excuse! Also noted on the pools, 11 Gadwall, four Shoveler, and 2 Goldeneye. Also noted a Reed Bunting, Little Egret, 18 Moorhen in the same view was the highest count I ever recall of this species in one group feeding within a few metres of each other, a Green Sandpiper was on the flood.  

At Conder Green - which has gained considerable popularity the past couple of days - a few 'AW tickers' were evident and it was unfortunate a single birder who I spoke to referred to three of them as 'unfriendly'....how sad! My birding here today was a bit of a non event I'm afraid but on the circuit I noted 3 Little Grebe, single Grey Plover and Back-tailed Godwit, 62 Wigeon came down on the channel below the railway bridge none of which had any white/green in appropriate places. Conder Pool had the rare distinction of not being worthy of a mention today as did the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock save last Fridays c.2,300 Bar-tailed Godwits still here and of note.

 

I've never understood the meaning of the lower half of this sign on the approach road to the lighthouse parking area, perhaps just a deterrent for putting people off the visit there....in some instances maybe a good idea after all!

Off Plover Scar I noted 6 Eider and at least 1,000 Wigeon. Along the headland I saw a Merlin, Sparrowhawk, a Mistle Thrush, 2 Grey Partridge, and 3 Brown Hare. At the Caravan Park end I noted 2 Meadow Pipits and the male Stonechat could easily have evaded me if I hadn't have decided to head towards Bank End as it had moved several mtrs SE of the Caravan Park. From the road back c.500 Pink-footed Geese were in one of Cockersands Abbey Farm fields, they had tolerated a couple of cars driving past the gate but as soon as they saw me took to the wing and away. When I arrived back at the lighthouse it was at this point I decided on the visit to Aldcliffe which is where this post began.

Ian Tallon sent me this brilliant image if the Great Skua which he took on a trip to Handa Island in Scotland last May....really appreciate this Ian and many thanks for making Birds2blog a lot more interesting in using it.