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

Monday 17 January 2011

Wot no CG!


I amazed myself by not visiting Conder Green today, the excuse being, having done another of those 'birding in reverse days' by the time I reached Gonder Green I was out of time and daylight almost.

Red-necked Grebe. Brian Rafferty

We'll start the post with another of those excellent photographs of the long staying Red-necked Grebe on Fairhaven Lake at Lytham St Annes....Nice shot with a difference Brian - playing with the feather - many thanks.

So I started my days birding at Fluke Hall from where I walked along the coastal path to Cockers Dyke where I found at least 100 Twite, these birds are outside our LDBWS recording area and as far as I'm aware - with the exception of Heysham Harbour - none have been recorded in the area this winter yet. The foot slog was otherwise unrewarded but I could feel the cholesterol burning off all the time I walked....Mmmmm! 

On Pilling Marsh I counted up to 2,000 Pink-footed Geese sifting through them in the hope I'd get a glimpse of the Red-breasted Goose but didn't, nor has anyone else anywhere today as far as I know. Also on the marsh a Little Egret and another of those silently perched hunting machines the Peregrine Falcon, 25 Whooper Swans were in the channel beyond the marsh which is deep, even large birds fall out of sight and there could have been another hundred for all I know.  

The visit to Cockersands was made all the worth while by seeing the female Stonechat of 7 January again, also down at the Caravan Park end I noted 4 Blackbirds and a Mistle Thrush in Bank Houses horse paddock. At the lighthouse end I saw at least 50 Linnet with 40 at the Abbey and another 9 at the set-aside. Off Plover Scar just 2 Goldeneye drakes and a solitary drake Eider, I took note of 5 Brown Hare on the visit here today.

On Jeremy Lane from a moving car c.60 Fieldfare, and from Bodie Hill c.80 Black-tailed Godwit. But I'd been alerted to a Green-winged Teal on the Lune Estuary from behind the bowling green - I know the place well - but my time was up, and the light was going down. But none of this mattered as the bird was nowhere to be seen so I took note of at least 5,000 Lapwing, 450 Golden Plover, 4 Goosander, c.500 Wigeon, and just 2 Goldeneye which poses the question....where have all the Goldeneye on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock gone since the 'at least 120' count I made on 23 December 2010. 

And finally....

Iceland Gull Brian Rafferty

Another long staying bird is the juvenile Iceland Gull at Preston Dock, and another excellent 'we have lift off' from BR. With my thanks once again Brian. 

3 comments:

  1. 100 Twite. Good count Pete and you are right they have been harder to see this winter. I posted 80+ at KE on my blog 23rd December and I have seen smaller numbers on other occasions but every time I go forget to take some Black Magic for them.

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  2. Well lets hope one of those Goldeneye come my way! :-)

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  3. Actually saw c.70 on the way to Cockers Dyke and decided on finding them at CD the 70 had joined the 30 already there, otherwise there were 170 between Fluke Hall and CD. They luv Black Magic don't they Phil....I prefer Terry's All Gold - the best box of chocs in the world - and am on my 8th as I write.

    Must check on the current status of the Goldeneye Warren. Meanwhile I hope you get some soon!

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