Millennium Park.

Apparently the path from Aldcliffe to Glasson Dock has the nameplate Millennium Park at the bottom of Aldcliffe Hall Lane, something I've not noticed before....learning something new every day! 

As I went under Carlisle Bridge, I was taken by surprise when a Raven - on an away day I presume - came on the scene, into the air from behind the only building left standing after the rest were demolished, put the Feral Pigeons on the rooftop to flight, and was mobbed by a Carrion Crow.

Freeman's and the Wildfowlers Pools were virtually deserted save 4 Gadwall and 2 Little Grebe on the former. A walk along the embankment was well rewarded by 3 Wheatear, and I finally caught up with 2 Little Ringed Plover on the flood. 

To Conder Green from Aldcliffe, thinly scattered warblers were, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, and a lone heard only Willow Warbler....image that, one Willow Warbler in five miles and as many hours in prime habitat, and not a single Swallow over either. The best of the rest was a Greenfinch feeding a young begging bird, also 12 Linnet, 12 Blackbird, a Song Thrush, Dunnock, and some small pockets of Goldfinch.

I had to get all the way from Lancaster to see my first 18 Swallow in four hours at Conder Green, 4 Common Sandpiper were seen as three downstream in the Conder channel, and one in the creeks, 2 Avocet were on Conder Pool. On the Lune Estuary, 9 Eider were hauled out....but the bus back to Lancaster is coming!

The Greenfinch.

Greenfinch Ana Minguez @ Naturanafotos 

The Greenfinch seen feeding the begging young at Stodday was a complete surprise, the species breeding season beginning late April, and with incubation, hatching, and leaving the nest taken into account I saw this young bird being fed by regurgitation at least four weeks earlier than expected.

Bank Pool From Dawsons Bank. Pete Woodruff.

I stared at this view from Dawsons Bank on Thursday whilst dreaming the Woodchat Shrike I found atop of this very bush on 9 May 2014 might be there again....Dream On!

Woodchat Shrike. Aldcliffe 9 May 2014. Jo Bradley. 

Thanks to Ana and to Jo for their excellent and much appreciated photographs.