Monday's Mooch.

English Dictionary definition...To walk and do things slowly without much purpose....The latter 'wmp' definitely not true when I'm birding!

Conder Pool lost another place in the 'Hotspot' league table on Monday, with the exception of the nice to see again pair of Stonechat and 6 Goosander, there was an unbelievable nine other birds present, 4 Wigeon, 3 Little Grebe, a Redshank and a Carrion Crow. Nothing spectacular on the Lune Estuary at Glasson either, but a lone Greenshank by the Conder mouth was good.

Whooper Swan 25 October 2024. Pete Woodruff.

In fields at Clarkson's Farm, up to 120 Whooper Swan were early signs that they have returned to winter at Cockersand, where some waders had taken to the fields, with at least 350 Curlew equal to last Wednesdays count, and up to 320 Golden Plover, with 62 Back-tailed Godwit over>south. Six Stock Dove and 2 Skylark seen, with a Sparrowhawk from the CP over the marsh in its 'flap-flap-glide' hunting mode, also seen was last weeks male Stonechat which seems to be alone.

Beauty And The Beast. Pete Woodruff.

Struggling for pictures this time, so filled the gap with one over the fields at Cockersand. The power station at Heysham with the hint of a rainbow overhead.

Mottled Umber. Pete Woodruff.

The female of this moth is wingless and variable, and I was surprised to find the Mottled Umber on the white-washed wall at Lighthouse Cottage. 

Little Grebe.

Perusing through a 2024 annual report, I came across a couple of interesting records, one of which lists several sites where breeding Little Grebe occurred, and includes Conder Green which surely can't possibly include Conder Pool, albeit up to 20+can be seen here during the summer months. A short distance on the River Conder upstream from the A588 road bridge, soon turns right, out of sight and inaccessible. I know of nowhere that Conder Green could support breeding Little Grebe....Mmmm! 

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the Greenshank header, striding out at Conder Green. 

New In Around The Estuary.

It was good to find three winter records on my visit to the estuary and surroundings this week. 

Starting at Conder Pool, where I found a little more activity than I did on my last visit here Friday 17 October. Finding little more than 60 birds of 9 species, it didn't look very much like the birding hotspot of the North of England, with 15 Black-headed Gull, 13 Redshank, 12 Greylag, 10 Teal, 5 Little Grebe, 3 Pink-footed Geese, a Kestrel hovering overhead, the Robin singing in the hedgerow again, and the Kingfisher putting in an appearance on its perch by the sluice.

Female Stonechat. Ana Minguez.

Bird/s of the day, a pair of Stonechat seen in the rough to the left of the viewing screen. The first of my wintering records, and a good excuse for posting the second of Ana's 'Spanish' Stonechat to add a bit of class and colour to the blog.

In the field at Clarksons Farm, 5 Whooper Swan were the first to arrive back at Cockersand and my second winter record of the day. As I set off on the circuit, I caught a 2sec glimpse of a raptor out of the gate at Bank House Farm and out of sight the other side of the road. I have tentatively recorded this as a Merlin as opposed to Sparrowhawk, though I prefer to see a Merlin recorded at Cockersand again soon for any certainty.

Linnet.

The 100+Linnet flock were seen again for the third time. Worth noting, the 2024 Lancashire Bird Report reads, thirteen 10km squares recorded flocks in excess of 100 at some point in the winter period. It is pleasing to know that a location in our recording area plays a part in that record. 

Curlew.

Another decent record was that of at least 350 Curlew in fields around Abbey Farm. This is another species regarded as being in big trouble nationally, and a declining breeding bird in Lancashire.

Canada Geese. Pete Woodruff.

To be honest, there was little else of any note at Cockersand today, in fact in desperation and to break the monotony, I counted and photographed 14 Canada Geese south of the abbey, and in not very attractive surroundings.

Snow Bunting.

There was no Snow Bunting to be seen at Cockersand in my last two visits, but one reported yesterday by the footpath behind Bank House Farm. This sighting confirmed my prediction to a punter on Facebook on Friday, that a Snow Bunting at Cockersand would be the next record to follow the one currently at Fluke Hall.

Many thanks to Martin Jump for the header image of the Fylde Coast Snow Bunting. 

And Finally.

There's a real need to get some publicity out about the regular disturbance to roosting waders on Plover Scar.

On three consecutive visits here, two of which were to check the high tide wader roost, I've found the area deserted. On the first of the three visits, multiple mutts were out on the scar, exercising, unleashed, and running riot.

On the second visit, there was activity out at the lighthouse....

....and on Wednesday, a lone figure was out on Plover Scar where there was probably several hundred waders flushed by this person whilst roosting there.

In my post on 12 October I mentioned....'I had met someone in authority at Cockersand, and in conversation we discussed at length the problem of trespassing and causing disturbance on Plover Scar, during which I asked if, bearing in mind the area is a SSSI, it was possible to make an application for the erection of signs to try to halt the disturbance of birds at an important roosting site'....A month later, despite having given this person in authority my name and e-mail address, and with a promise to get back to me, I've heard nothing....Perhaps best get in touch with the authority at the top!

Friday 17 October.

I suspected some kind of recent disturbance had caused me to think, the best one word description for Conder Pool was dire. With the exception of c.120 Black-headed Gull, the best on offer was 7 birds, being a lone Redshank, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Mute Swan, a Robin was singing -  as they do all year round - in the hedgerow, with 3 Little Grebe bringing up the rear. 

The grebes seem to be moving away from Conder Pool earlier this year, according to my records they move to the creeks and on to the Lune Estuary early January, this autumn it seems they are deserting at least 8 weeks earlier. But as I made the move to leave the pool, things certainly took a turn for the better. Looking toward the creeks, I picked up a couple of small waders to see they were Curlew Sandpiper.

At the first cursory glance I prefer to rule out Dunlin, the sandpiper being more elegant and gangly. But on this occasion one bird started to preen, briefly showing its striking white rump and doing the elimination for me.

At Cockersand, I was pleased to find my first pair of wintering Stonechat here, they were in and around the dyke opposite the junction of Moss/Slack Lane. AC had already found two Stonechat last Monday 13 October, his birds were around the Bulrush dyke behind Lighthouse Cottage, I reckon mine were the same pair relocated slightly to the south.

Thanks to Ana for the stunning male 'Spanish' Stonechat

I managed the circuit to find 100+Linnet flighty around the fields off Slack Lane, the same flock here as those seen 22 September. Also a count of 6 Long-tailed Tit, with Song Thrush, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Great Tit, 2 Kestrel, and 38 Curlew were in a field north side of Abbey Farm. Two small skeins totaling 100 Pink-footed Geese were over Plover Scar>south.

Short and sweet again!   

The Pool Strikes Again!

It was another whizz around on Wednesday for me....Don't like whizz arounds, not proper birding in my book.

But none of this matters, when I arrived at Conder Pool I was greeted by the wonderful sight of 18 Whooper Swan, an even better surprise was that the ratio was 50/50, 9 adult and 9 juvenile/2nd winter.

Although the status of the Whooper Swan is of a common winter visitor in Lancashire, it also appears to be declining in the county, though not as dramatic as the Bewick's Swan, which is that of an uncommon and declining winter visitor.

The Whooper Swan aside, Conder Pool was no better than mundane, with no more than 44 birds noted in a stock taking exercise, 21 Canada Geese, 11 Redshank, 5 Little Grebe, 3 Wigeon, 2 Mute Swan, a Little Egret, and a Kestrel hovering over the pool border.

Short and Sweet....Whooper Sweet!

Rock Pipit Cockersand 10 February 2016. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersand, in 20 minutes stood by the motor, I counted 10 Rock Pipit driven off the marsh by the incoming tide, with at least 22 Snipe suffering the same disturbance over the same period.

Plover Scar.

Plover Scar on the Lune Estuary, with the lighthouse and Black Combe in the western Lakes in the background is a pleasant scene.

But two consecutive visits to check the high tide for roosting waders have had to be aborted, the first one on account of someone exercising ten dogs. I eventually spoke to this person - politely of course - and explained the significance of the area for roosting birds, and asked if it was possible they could avoid the area in future. I was pleased to hear an understanding, and an agreement to what I had asked.

The second incident was of two fishermen out on the scar, this time I was unable to make contact, but by coincidence at the same time, met someone in authority who had been inspecting the collapsed storm damaged areas along the headland at Cockersand. In conversation we discussed at length the problem of trespassing and disturbance on Plover Scar, during which I asked if, bearing in mind the area is a SSSI, it was possible to make an application for the erection of signs to try to halt the disturbance of birds at an important roosting site.

The disappointing end to this tale is, having given this person in authority my name and e-mail address, two weeks later I've heard nothing since!

A Couple Of Hours Escapism.

My couple of hours of escapism on Thursday started at Conder Pool - well where else! - which was pretty much deserted, save up to three visits by the Kingfisher, quite fidgety and moving from it's perch, to the sluice, then to the pontoon where it spent a while before moving on again. 

I didn't even get around to counting the Little Grebe on Conder Pool today, and moved on to Glasson to view the estuary, where the returning vanguard of waders to note were, 220 Curlew, 65 Black-tailed Godwit, and 34 Golden Plover, also a contingent of up to 450 Greylag. Amongst c.400 Black-headed Gull, I found 9 Mediterranean Gull, all were adult save one 2nd winter. 

On Jeremy Lane, the farmer was in a field with his tractor spreading slurry, he was attended by at least 3,000 Black-headed Gull, amongst which I found another 7 Mediterranean Gull. At Cockersand I had only the time to walk from the Lighthouse Cottage to Plover Scar, but was rewarded by finding 2 Wheatear.  

Crossbills.

Crossbill Male. Simon Hawtin.

Following my fortune to find Crossbill at Birk Bank 25 September, I dug out my list of sightings to find I have had just eight over the years. With the exception of one all have been in Bowland, this was 28 years ago in Cumbria and was the most interesting encounter with Crossbills of them all. Below is an account of what created the interest....  

In the late-spring to mid-summer period of 1997 there was an exceptional influx of Crossbills into the North West Regions of Wales/Cheshire/Lancashire/Cumbria and including the Isle of Man, and a total of 1,340 birds were seen at 43 different sites. During this period some long staying Crossbills were at Helsington Barrows near Kendal in Cumbria where John Leedal and I visited on a few occasions, one of which held up to a spectacular 50 Crossbills. John took several photographs over the visits and some of the results developed into something of much interest to us.

Crossbill Female. Ana Minguez.

Eventually I was in touch with an expert in the field and made some comments in an initial letter which read something like...'Through his photographs John Leedal and I have realised the presence of a male individual which displays it's odd distinctly yellowish feathers. In one picture this bird is perched next to a female Crossbill which gives the opportunity to compare and appreciate the greyish-green upperparts of this male, but the main features noted were the distinct yellow crown and mantle, the vent was also distinctly yellow and notably lacking in notches'....

Although 1st winter males are variable in plumage detail, this Crossbill was in due course featured in an annual report in which it was referred to as a possible xanthachroistic male seen on five visits to Helsington Barrows showing yellow feathering around the body, with some hint of red, with the exception of the mantle, back and upperwings which are coloured as female.  

Over the years I've come to appreciate some adult males can resemble females as opposed to being mainly reddish, whilst others appear distinctly orange in tone. Even 14 years on in 2011, this Crossbill at Helsington Barrows in 1997 remains intriguing to me.

Thanks to Simon and Ana for their much appreciated images.