Early Peaking Numbers!

There were some impressive numbers to be seen on Thursday. I started my day at Conder Pool where - after an earlier visit to find c.700 - I returned there at high tide to find up to 800 Redshank. To say this is my best count ever of Redshank here is a bit of an understatement, and has you wondering if this early returning wader is the result of a poor breeding season. I have no records for 2023 yet, but for comparison the Morecambe Bay WeBS count for July 2022 was 553 Redshank.

Another peak count at Conder Green on Thursday, was at least 20 Common Sandpiper which I counted from upstream from the railway bridge, to downstream in the Conder Channel. Conder Green is traditionally the place for good counts of this wader, rated only below Skippool where 31 Common Sandpiper were recorded 29 June 2022.

Other notes from Conder Pool excluding the Common Tern colony and Avocet, third time lucky for me to pick up the adult Little Ringed Plover, I understand only one chick survived to fledging this year. Also seen, 15 Greenshank of which the nearest corresponding date for comparison was 12 Greenshank here on 17 July 2023. The long staying 'black' Ruff and 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and there was a small group of 18 Lapwing to note on an island.

 

In the midst of the Redshank horde was an adult Mediterranean Gull hidden by a Black-headed Gull, but one of the three Black-tailed Godwit stood out amongst the Redshank.  

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 12 Avocet, up to 130 Curlew and 250 Lapwing, a lone adult Common Tern and a female Eider, 16 Little Egret and 62 Canada Geese.

I watched a House Martin enter a nest at the crossing cottage, and a Chiffchaff was at Saltcote Pond were I saw not a single dragonfly.

Garden News.

Recent goings on in the garden have been, a recently fledged Blackbird, the video made from the patio window in the dull early morning light at 5.27am on Friday, with adult Goldfinch on the feeders. The Robin also returned yesterday, last years return date to the garden was a day later on 13 July.

iRecords.

I was pleased to see my 8 Bilberry Bumblebee on Birk Bank, and up to 100 Southern Marsh Orchid in Lancaster records accepted.