BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND..................................................SPOTTED REDSHANK RIVER CONDER HOWARD STOCKDALE

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Post Meridian.

I only managed another shortened birding day again today with four hours this afternoon, but first....

Goldeneye. Ray's Images.

I met a couple of friendly birder/photographer today at Conder Green, one was BD and it was good to see you again BD please keep in touch, the other was Ray who gives me permission to post his image of the drake Goldeneye which serves as a reminder that these birds will soon be with us again for the winter and if it's anything like last winter then the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock will play host to the best site by far for numbers of Goldeneye in our recording area, as I recall the maximum count was at least 230 on 12 February last year. Thanks for this Ray....nice one!

 
Wigeon. Pete Woodruff.

I also managed another one of my half decent pics today on Conder Pool were I could only find 3 Wigeon, one down in their number throughout most of the summer months here. It was interesting that as yesterday a cursory glance from the viewing platform across Conder Pool would have had you thinking 'what a waste of time' but....in a lovely line across at the back were 9 Greenshank and 3 Spotted Redshank, being seven juveniles and two adults, and three juveniles respectively. It was good to find the juvenile Little-Ringed Plover here again, 8 Little Grebes and 2 Common Sandpipers. On the circuit I found 2 Ruff, an adult Spotted Redshank, and a  Little Egret, 2 Raven went over. In the Conder channel downstream from the railway bridge I'd counted 4 Curlew Sandpiper juveniles before a 'bloke' - who I'd been watching out of the corner of my eye - proceeded along the marsh directly towards the area the waders were in and promptly put to flight every bird in the channel....away and on to the Lune Estuary and....bye, bye. Now I'm being really polite here towards this 'bloke' who in all honesty probably had not a clue as to the result of his wanderings but gained himself the 100% 'plonker' tag.

At Cockersands the wader numbers were low this afternoon with only c.120 Dunlin but a good count of up to 60 Ringed Plover was noted, c.55 Wigeon flew past Plover Scar heading towards Cockerham Marsh, I counted 46 Eider today, saw 6 Wheatear, c.30 Goldfinch 'bounced' by me, and a Peregrine Falcon took me by surprise coming up off the shingle ahead of me. On the day I probably saw 30 Small Tortoiseshell.

And finally....

    
Yellow-browed Tyrant. Colin Bushell.

CB is in Brazil at the moment and collecting an impressive list of birds I'll personally never see in my life. Thanks for the pic Colin....much appreciated.



2 comments:

  1. Thank goodness we dont see many plonkers at CG Pete but you are as well to mention them You never know who might just have a word in their ear. Dont be afraid to be a bit controversial, it makes the world go round and everyone is entitled to have a viewpoint. And do use my pics.

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  2. Thanks for comments here Phil not least the reassurance it's OK to use your pic's.

    As for the controversial 'thing' it's a historical one with me and something I enjoy to be honest, just that I always had the desire to keep Birds2blog 'squeaky clean' and keep the too highly opinionated at bay.

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