I don't willingly make negative comments about birds/birding, but as is to be expected in early March the whole thing has 'gone off the boil'. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock for example, you'd be hard pushed to find any Lapwing or Golden Plover now, most have left for breeding grounds, and summer visitors have yet to arrive. But there's a good time coming, and for the first time in 3 months this island is about to be sitting under high pressure with more settled weather, and the first Wheatear and Sand Martin will be here - or just south of here - any time soon and a multitude will follow.
Meanwhile on Friday with only a couple of hours spare, I had a another brief and quiet tour, actually deciding to drive through Conder Green - committing a mortal sin in doing so - but I did see 2 Spotted Redshank in the creeks with their shiny white underparts glaring at me. On the Lune Estuary, estimates of 450 Redshank, 320 Black-tailed Godwit, 120 Curlew, and 22 Goldeneye counted. On the canal basin I could find just 7 Goldeneye.
I had little time to spare for Cockersands but went to Moss Lane to see at least 265 Whooper Swan still present in the fields, they are still accompanied by the 'Aussie' Black Swan. Whilst in the area I saw a Buzzard mobbed by 2 Carrion Crow, a Little Egret, and noted 6 Brown Hare which I must make my business to get some accuracy on the numbers in the Cockersands area next visit.
The Black Swan Puzzle.
The Black Swan at Cockersands has been in the company of Whooper Swans for several weeks now, moving from field to field with them. You can't help wonder what this bird does when these Whooper Swans eventually decide the time is right for a move north and this time the move shouldn't include one to be made by the Black Swan. How does this individual know that this time it stays put and does'nt end up on a flight with 265 Whooper Swans heading north to Iceland.
Courtesy of the RBA pager service, a Wheatear yesterday north of Billinge on the Lancashire/Greater Manchester border.
Coming soon to a location near you.
Coming soon to a location near you.
A bit of a lull pete, then its all going to happen :-)
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