Black-tailed Godwits.

It was an absolute pleasure to keep seeing vast numbers of Black-tailed Godwits on the Lune Estuary over recent weeks, even more pleasurable that I found in excess of 4,000 Black-tailed Godwit on Conder Pool on more than one occasion. Another record which Conder Pool produced and wasn't to be sniffed at, was 200 Knot on 18 March, a number not previously recorded in my book, as wasn't up to 1,500 Knot on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock on 29 March.  

Black-tailed Godwit Conder Pool 26 February. Pete Woodruff.

Although it is only the first week of April, I'm convinced this is already going to have been one of my personal highlights of 2024. 

Icing on the cake came on 29 March, when I found a small group of Black-tailed Godwit quietly feeding on the shoreline below the bowling green at Glasson Dock. It was my lucky day, two of the godwits were colour ringed, the histories of which were kindly forwarded to me by Boddi in Iceland.

Of the two birds, the one marked Red over White Left Leg, Green Over Orange Z Right Leg, was the most interesting in that it hadn't been seen in our recording area until my sighting on 29 March on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock.

Ringed 13 June in South Iceland 2023, it was first seen a month later on 15 July on the Wirral, Merseyside, from where it had 17 sightings, until seen again with 4 sightings from 24 February 2024 at Burton Mere on the Dee Estuary. The bird was not seen again until I found it on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock on 29 March....23 records.

The history of Orange over Red Left Leg, Green over Yellow Flag Right Leg.

Throughout 12 years since this bird was ringed, from 62 records 55 were collected in our recording area of North Lancashire. The 7 records OOA are listed here...

Ringed 6 July 2012 N.W.Iceland

25 April 2014 N.W.Iceland

27 April 2015 S.W.Iceland 

22 August 2018 Lytham Jetty Ribble Estuary

3 September 2020 Crossens Marsh Ribble Estuary

27 August 2021 Hale Lighthouse Mersey Estuary

20 August 2022 Frodsham Marsh Mersey Estuary

29 March 2024 Lune Estuary Glasson Dock 

Thanks to Boddi and Richard du Fue, both having played their parts in recording these records and subsequent histories.