BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND..................................................SPOTTED REDSHANK RIVER CONDER HOWARD STOCKDALE

Sunday 9 December 2018

After The Break!

After the break of fourteen weeks since the event of 2 September, thanks to my good friend Mike, I achieved a couple of hours birding in exchange for taxiing and escorting me around the Lune Estuary.

Of note on Conder Pool, 6 Goosander and 14 Wigeon. In the creeks, 3 Little Grebe seen, and a Kingfisher flew by c.150 Teal roosting on the marsh, also a Kestrel seen.


Goldeneye Brian Rafferty

On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, a decent early December count of 23 Goldeneyealso 4 Great-crested Grebe. Of note, two Goldeneye were still at Glasson on the canal basin last May.

On Jeremy Lane, 5 Whooper Swan were with Mute Swans, and with birds on the north side of Moss Lane by Clarkson's Farm, and in fields to the south side, up to 450 Whooper Swan present, and in the field south of the junction of Moss Lane/Slack Lane, 6 Bewick's Swan were seen as two adult and a full compliment of four juvenile. Six Bewick's Swan is a rewarding sight in itself, but a party of 4 immature is exceptional, another first for me in my book.


Kestrel Cockersand. Pete Woodruff.

Two sightings of Kestrel were at Bank Houses and Slack Lane, from where c.175 Golden Plover were with Lapwing, and c.250 Black-tailed Godwit seen in the air, then down in the field to the north behind Tomlinson's Farm, with a Buzzard perched atop of the hedgerow behind Crook Cottage, c.60 Twite flew over from the Bank Houses area to go down on to the marsh, a Reed Bunting seen by the Caravan Park.


Buzzard Cliff Raby

Two Buzzard were soaring over our house in Lancaster this morning.

The header image was taken on a beautiful cold and frosty December morning in 2010. Many thanks to Brian and Cliff for their photographs. 

3 comments:

  1. Good to see you back out again. 450 Whoopers. Wowser, I would be happy with one down here in east Kent to see.

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  2. You're back, nice to see again. Lovely photos and details.

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  3. It's good to see you back with your blog, Pete, and great to know that you've been out birding again. Some fabulously impressive counts too! Take very good care - - - Richard

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