Returning Sandpipers....

....and some other birds I noted in my four hour Monday stint....and hows that for a nice little pun!

Common Sandpiper. John Bateman.

On cue around this date in June was 4 Common Sandpiper at Conder Green this morning, also noted, 3 Whitethroat, a singing male Reed Bunting, 2 Linnet, and at least 6 Swift were around Conder Green Farm and kept approaching the gutter for a reason not clear to me, 30 Redshank were in the Conder Channel below the rail bridge as was a female Eider hauled out on to the bank, 3 Wigeon drake  - long time no see - were on Conder Pool where the big disappointment was once again no sign of any Little Ringed Plover/s, though I note two reported on Sunday HERE though no mention of any chicks, five Small Skipper were also seen. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, up to 300 Bar-tailed Godwit here today, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Eider, and 8 Goosander noted.  

Wheatear. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersands a Wheatear - not the one in the pic - took me by surprise and prompted the question....whats this doing here....not breeding thats for sure, a species which can be seen in our area for at least seven months in the year. Off Plover Scar were at least 25 Eider, and on the circuit, c.20 Tree Sparrow, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, and 2 Skylark. 

As I got back to the lighthouse cottage I noted the notice on the fence post explaining the need for 'Wild Bird Cover Crops' as a winter seed area for birds like the Grey Partridge and....

 Yellowhammer. Phil Slade  

....the Yellowhammer. The notice goes on to explain, 'they are particularly important areas where traditional food sources such as weedy stubble's are no longer available' and adds 'This farm is doing its bit for farmland birds'.

OK, so I'm not prepared to go too far down this road on Birds2blog but....why is it this scheme isn't applied anywhere else within miles of this one at Cockersands that I'm aware of....in fact where is the next one?