BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND................................................................................................................LITTLE OWL MARTIN JUMP

Friday 6 December 2013

The Iceman Cometh!

Iceland Gull Mersey Birders 

On Wednesday morning I decided it was time I got myself off to Heysham Harbour to see the juvenile Iceland Gull. Half way along the sea wall I was caught in a hail storm, not lasting long but I got quite wet all the same. But none of this worried me as my efforts were well rewarded and the bird afforded me excellent views, perched on two occasions, and by the power station intake where it was in company with assorted species and ages of c.30 other gulls and was easy to pick out without optics even at a distance....a really smart bird. Thanks to Mersey Birders for the image. 

The Lune Estuary magnet took a hold of me as I left Heysham and by the time I got to Conder Green the not yet high tide was lapping up against the A588. I found 3 Spotted Redshank  - three also seen here 4 October - taking refuge on what little marsh was left above water, with a Greenshank, and Snipe. Noted on Conder Pool - all the fours - with 4 Little Grebe, 4 Goldeneye, 4 Goosander, and a Little Egret.

At Cockersands, 14 Greenfinch, 6 Meadow Pipit, and 2 Skylark, 8 Snipe flushed off the marsh as I walked the path to Bank End, c.30 Wigeon and a Little Egret were in the wide ditch beyond Bank Houses Cottage, I saw the Kestrel again, and I reluctantly record 5 Grey Partridge though I somehow have positive feelings about these Cockersands birds being wild and not reared for 'sport'....but who knows.


Mute Swan Ana Minguez 

Off Moss Lane I saw 2 Bewick's Swan in a field with 3 Mute Swan, and 4 Bewick's Swan in a field off Jeremy Lane were 2 adult and 2 juvenile, an hour later 4 Bewick's Swan in flight past me going downstream on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock were almost certainly the Jeremy Lane family seen earlier. There was little of note on the estuary save c.80 Black-tailed Godwit and a pair of Red-breasted Merganser.  

Thanks to Ana for the beautiful study and excellent image of the Mute Swan.

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