The Great Escape.

Well I did manage to break free in the early afternoon yesterday, and for that reason alone it certainly was great....birding always is.

Swift Simon Hawtin

I saw my first 11 Swift at Cockersand, two flew low and close by me off Crook Cottage - where 3 Whimbrel were on the shore - with another nine Swift two hours later over Lighthouse Cottage. A female Whinchat was around the cover crop, with a singing Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat in the area, and in the time spent at Cockersand I saw 8 Wheatear. 

In what was the flooded field, a pair of Shoveler were still there, as are the 2 Whooper Swan, with 2 Linnet, and a Skylark seen. I found another 4 Lapwing young, two of which were in the road with screaming adults above, I had to break into a gallop to usher them under a hedge to save them from the wheels of a fast approaching van. 

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock was virtually waderless, though 10 Bar-tailed Godwit were distant below Waterloo Cottage, my only other notes were of 85 Shelduck, 10 Eider, and 6 Wigeon.

House Martin. Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery 

At Conder Green, I watched a House Martin entering a nest at River Winds, another was nest building at Cafe d' Lune, a Whitethroat was around the car park at The Stork, and the Avocet pair were seen as one on the nest on Conder Pool - where 30 Black-tailed Godwit were roosting - the other Avocet was in it's favourite feeding area in the creeks, were I found 4 Common Sandpiper and a Whimbrel.

Twelve months ago to the day, the Common Tern pair arrived on Conder Pool....Eyes down look in! 

Thanks go to Simon/Martin for their excellent in flight images.

The Ladybird.

l recieved a photograph from Cheryl Woodruff of a Ladybird asking me if I could identify it.

Ladybird. Cheryl Woodruff. 

It's a Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, the most invasive Ladybird on earth, and one of the most variable species with an exceptionally wide range of colour forms. It was introduced to North America and Europe to control aphids, in the UK it threatens our native Ladybird and other species.