Untitled....

....couldn't think of one!

The drake Pochard on Conder Pool yesterday was something of a surprise, scarce if not rare on here and not seen on the canal basin yet at Glasson Dock as is usually the case in winter. Other good news from Conder Green was the sight of the Common Sandpiper, not seen since 20 January. 

Spotted Redshank. Pete Woodruff.

The Spotted Redshank obliged with a pose for the poor quality pic I got. Conder Pool was lively today with 15 species noted including 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Little Grebe, a drake Goldeneye, and 38 Tufted Duck, a Dunnock was in full song by the side of the viewing platform. The Lune Estuary wasn't particularly 'busy' but I counted 155 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 18 Goldeneye from the bowling green. 

Jeremy Lane had 10 Whooper Swan in a field with 13 Bewick's Swan including a juvenile. I saw a distant Buzzard from here, and a Little Egret flew out of a ditch again today as it had on Monday. The fields off Moss Lane held c.250 Whooper Swan and I saw the Kestrel again opposite Gardners Farm.

In relatively less time spent at Cockersands than usual, Plover Scar at high tide had a nice lone Grey Plover roosting as an irregular visitor here, also noted, c.240 Oystercatcher, 80 Turnstone, and 12 Knot, with 18 Eider, a Red-breasted Merganser, and Great-crested Grebe off here. On a brief wander I noted 5 Robin and 4 Wren.

The Scourge Of The Shore. Pete Woodruff.

...AND THIS COMMERCIAL ' MUTT MINDER' WAS INVADING AT THE CARAVAN PARK END AGAIN YESTERDAY....'THE SCOURGE OF THE SHORE'. IF YOU 'CLIK THE PIK' YOU MAY BE ABLE TO COUNT THE HOUNDS WHICH TOTALLED AT LEAST TWELVE.  

Alleluia....again!

But first....

Spotted Flycatcher. John Bateman.

Thanks to John for the nice image of one of the Tower Lodge Spotted Flycatchers seen recently, undoubtably one of the best areas for this species and not for the first time I may add, this year there are at least five pairs present with two active nests found.

Meadow Pipit. Pete Woodruff.

Yes, another Alleluia day when I found 9 Stonechats on Birk Bank in a five hour dawdle, they were seen as three pairs, two juveniles, and a female with which I could see no male despite my 'hanging around ' a while. So there's a distinct possibility of five pairs of Stonechat on Birk Bank at the moment but notably none to be found on Clougha this year. Also noted was an interesting movement of at least 35 Meadow Pipits and 15 Mistle Thrush, also noted 9 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackbird, 2 Wren, and a lone male Linnet. I also saw a lone Red Grouse in the entire visit here today representing an all time low count here of this moorland bird. I watched 4 Raven at a distance in an enthralling ariel display, these birds are masters of aerobatics and are a treat to observe, they also gave a Kestrel a hard time mobbing it for several minutes, the size comparison was interesting in that they made the raptor appear no bigger than a Swift. Non bird sightings were 5 Small Heath, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and a Golden-ringed Dragonfly.

          

Cotton-Grass. Pete Woodruff.

As can be seen I managed to find a little time to get to work with my improvised photographic equipment today and managed a half decent shot of the Meadow Pipit and the attractive Cotton-Grass, characteristic of boggy ground and fluttering in the breeze on the bog which will soon no longer be a bog if the dry spell continues. I also visited here twice today five hours apart but found no sign of any Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies.

And finally....

 

Well, whats all this then, the trees have been torched and are and gone forever....controlled upland land-management, uncontrolled upland land-management, or pure raw vandalism, either way - small area though it may be - this is a Forest of Bowland tragedy in my view. 

Variation's without a theme.

Well if you follow Birds2blog you'll know by now that I don't/can't get out to do the thing I love the best at weekends which in this case includes a so called bank holiday, but I'll tell you what, I have some excellent images in my library at the moment some of which I have been sent without request by some great guys I have got to know through my love for birding....hows that for friendship. The images here - with the exception of Paul Baker who can be found on Flickr - can all be seen on their respective authors blogs which I would ask you to look at from time to time and are strongly recommended, they can be linked to via my side bar.

If we start with this smart little thing - and you're anything like me - you won't have a clue as to what this bird is and won't ever have heard of it. This is the Bewick's Wren and I'd like to cover Thomas Bewick sometime on the blog but for now this little creature was given its name in honour of Bewick by John James Audubon who is remembered as the father of American ornithology....thanks for the pic goes to Paul Baker over there in BC Canada.

Gary Jones lives in Preston and apart from some excellent images on his blog Gary is both a wildlife photographer and keen mountaineer. I've shown some of Gary's images including the Sand Martin's before, this is a brilliant flight shot in my opinion....Thanks for this Gary.

Mark Fellowes has some excellent images on his website, please take a look sometime. The last time I visited Mark's site this stunning macro image of a 'fly' was unidentified but if that's not the case now I shall edit the post to correct this. A superb diversion from birds and thanks for that Mark.

It's a while since I showcased some work by Richard Shilling as another diversion from the birds so I'd like to put that right with a couple of his latest landart creations this one he calls 'Red Green Laurels'....

....and this one 'May Day Colour Totem'.

When it comes to having a creative mind Richard leaves me out in the cold and the more you look at and study his work the more creativity and hard work you appreciate goes into the making. Keep up the good work Richard for goodness sake!

Birding tomorrow....hopefully.