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

Saturday 28 February 2015

Black And White Again....

....and some other colours.

The River Conder was in spate on Thursday with not a wader in sight, and the 10m+ tides earlier in the week have Conder Pool like Conder Lake again, and with the Black Swan having arrived on there looking more like an Ornamental Lake. 

With only one Little Grebe seen it's looking like the wintering birds may have nearly all dispersed. Also on the pool, the Spotted Redshank was roosting with 32 RedshankI also only found the drake Goldeneye today, with a pair of Goosander noted, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull, stood erect and looking like it was in full command of what little was left above water of Tern Island. 

On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, I counted 30 Goldeneye, with not a single one seen on the Lune Estuary, but c.400 Black-tailed Godwit present, and c.175 Dunlin feeding close by from the bowling green, the only other bird of note was a Great-crested Grebe at best irregular here.

Whooper Swans. Cockersands. Pete Woodruff.


The Cockersands Swans have spread themselves out far and wide now and stretched from Moss Lane through several fields towards Bank End. I made little attempt at counting but have no reason to suggest other than my count on 17 February of c.260 Whooper Swan still holds with a 'few' Bewick's Swan seen.

The waders at Cockersands were in fields in huge number with at least 550 Golden Plover and a similar high number of Lapwing, with Dunlin, Redshank, and Curlew all present, 6 Stock Dove were also seen, and I saw 8 Tree Sparrow in the Bank Houses area. 


Brown Hare Brian Rafferty

I counted an excellent 12 Brown Hare on my visit to the Cockersands area today, and as I drove away from here down Moss Lane towards the A588 c.250 Golden Plover flew overhead and across the road.

Thanks for the Brown Hare Brian, and the Short-eared Owl header Gary....Brilliant on both counts.

8 comments:

  1. Another good day on your patch..Good to see plenty of brown hares about and plenty of waders.May have a look next week.Take care.

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  2. Pleased the info was useful for you Brian. I thought of you - and Martin J too - when I found the good count of Brown Hare on Thursday, the best in twelve months here. Do try to get there sometime.

    Thanks for looking in.

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  3. Beautiful Whooper Swans, you can't beat them.

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  4. The header is indeed fantastic!
    Not an every day opportunity at a flight pic of the species!
    Your Whooper swans are gorgeous, I wish I could see them one day!
    Keep well Pete!

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  5. I`ts certainly getting that time of the year again Pete,Hares,Dippers,Red Grouse and Great Crested Grebes spring to mind.

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  6. Bob/Noushka/Martin....I read all your notes with interest.

    Yes beautiful creatures the Whooper Swans Bob.

    Gary's SEO is brilliant Noushka, and up to 300 Whooper Swans in our area....WOW!

    I just knew you'd show an interest in the 12 Brown Hares Martin.

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  7. Maaaaaaan! Whooper Swans are awesome! Love your photos especially of the Hare. They look so mean over there:)You found lots of good birds!

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  8. Chris....Thanks for looking in again.

    I'm going to pay you a visit soon but keep running out of time. I've noted your pleasure with the Whooper Swans and Brown Hares.

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