Going South.

Pink-footed Geese Brian Rafferty  

A run south down the A588 yesterday had me see my first c.350 Pink-footed Geese off Pilling Lane Ends, distant in the haze on the marsh but big enough to estimate the number, as were the large number of c.250 Shelduck drifting way out on the incoming tide, with Wigeon also noted present, 4 Great-crested Grebe together were my best count of the species for a considerable time. 

At Cockers Dyke where the tide was at it's height, an adult Mediterranean Gull was with c.900 gulls, with a few Redshank and Dunlin dropping in to feed as the tide receded. From the coastal path on the way down here, 2 Wheatear, 10 Goldfinch, and 4 Linnet seen, during the four hours in the area between Pilling Marsh and Cockers Dyke, I saw at least 25 Little Egret.

On Conder Pool, 17 Little Grebe counted again, 4 Snipe, and 9 Greylag dropped in. The adult Spotted Redshank was in the creeks with around 12 Redshank, and a Red Admiral flew by.

Garden Goldfinch.  

Goldfinch Warren Baker

The Goldfinch appears to have had a good breeding season in our area at least, with 24 counted on the feeders this morning, although I've done no ratio count, good numbers of juveniles are appearing with adults on the sunflower seeds and hearts on a daily basis, we can rarely look out the widow all day long and not see Goldfinch on the feeders. I can't begin to imagine how many bird's there are in total, they cost a fortune to keep up with. 

Thanks to Brian/Warren for their images.