I've recently received some very welcome e-mails telling me of Stonechats seen in Bowland, they are from birders who visit Birds2blog and I'd like to show my appreciation for the information publicly with a thank you. However, despite these records in the positive from Bowland I'm personally still visiting areas that have 'lost' the Stonechat, some of these areas are previous strongholds for the species since 1999. Today Harrisend didn't manage to spring any surprises on me and the 2.5 hours spent there produced the expected Stonechat zero. But my interests in birds and birding don't begin and end with the Stonechat they're only a part of it, todays efforts didn't produce anything spectacular but enjoyable and with interest just the same.
At Harrisend I noted at least 18 Meadow Pipit, 7 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackbird, 3 Linnet, 3 Reed Bunting being two male and a juvenile interestingly all three birds together, also a juvenile Dunnock, 4 distant Redstart appeared to be a family party but not including a male, and 2 Buzzard. Butterfly interest was in 5 Small Heath, and a Green-veined White.
At Conder Green 11 Common Sandpiper, 3 Black-tailed Godwit were all in full breeding plumage. On Conder Pool, 66 Redshank and 3 Wigeon drakes were of note. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, c.250 Bar-tailed Godwit again, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, and a Greenshank were the best of an otherwise deserted area of the River Lune.
Two birds I had hoped to see today had apparently moved on....
Scaup. Copyright Granted.
The first was a drake Scaup - the very bird in the picture - which had been at Glasson Dock for a couple of days on the canal basin.
Marsh Harrier. Simon Hawtin
And the Marsh Harrier, a first summer male - not the one in the picture this time - which was at Cockersands yesterday but wasn't seen today.
You must be as intrigued as I am about Clement the Cuckoo, well hes surprised the 'Tag Team' and everyone else by moving 400 miles out of France and into Spain, see for yourself.... HERE
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