By Way Of A Change.

It was hardly to be called pleasant, overcast and a cold breeze, but by way of a change of scenery, a wander along the promenade at Morecambe seemed a good idea. 

But in fact I started at Heysham in the hope of catching some geese before the tide drove them off somewhere south, probably to Red Nab. For a change I had timed it right, and 52 Brent Geese - 21 in the video - were driven quite close in before taking to flight. It was also quite pleasing to see 4 Grey Plover before they too escaped the incoming tide.

Brent Geese Heysham. Pete Woodruff.

I drove along the promenade at Morecambe and pulled in at Broadway where I found a Grey Seal with its head bobbing above the swell, also a pair of Great Back-backed Gull alongside it at one point.

A raft of 55 Eider were diving, making the count a little challenging, also 4 Red-breasted Merganser, and between Broadway and Teal Bay I counted 8 Great Crested Grebe.

Roosting On The Groyne At Teal Bay. Pete Woodruff.

At Teal Bay a gathering of waders included a Knot retaining traces of its summer plumage on its breast nearing the end of December! Also of note, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit and 22 Wigeon.

.............................................................................................

I wish everyone, visitors or dedicated followers of B2B for which I am very grateful....

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS 🎅

B For Bonus.

A bit of life on Conder Pool was represented by something of a rarity in the form of a drake Pintail having a snooze by one of the islands. My other notes were, a female Stonechat in the long grasses east end, 5 Little Grebe, 3 Snipe, 21 Greylag and 12 Canada Geese. A Buzzard flew low over the pool and out of view east over the canal.

At Cockersand, at least 250 Whooper Swan were spread over four fields on this visit, certainly an underestimate with some out of view and distant. From the Caravan Park, 10 Snipe exploded off the marsh, including eight in sync, a Kestrel took off from a barn at Bank House Farm and was immediately attacked in the air by Carrion Crows.

Bewick's Swan. Tom Parkinson.

Up to 3,500 Pink-footed Geese were in the field at the junction of Moss/Slack Lane, also 2 Bewick's Swan same field close by...Thanks to TP who took this excellent image to illustrate our smallest and most elegant of swans. A bird that gives us the privilege of a winter visit from its Arctic tundra breeding ground, and remains in the same field 7 days after it arrived at Cockersand on 20 November.  

A female Stonechat was at Lighthouse Cottage again, and on Plover Scar, a decent count of 15 Grey Plover, 92 Oystercatcher, with low end double figures of Knot, Dunlin, Golden Plover and Turnstone. As I stood checking the scar, behind me in the field north side of Abbey Farm, 440 Black-tailed Godwit.

B for Bonus.

A bit of a surprise as I came away from Plover Scar walking towards the car park, a Barnacle Goose was on the estuary. This was almost certainly the same individual seen on Jeremy Lane with Greylags last Sunday 23 November. As far as I could see, it was fully feathered, no obvious injuries, no rings, and appeared to be quite healthy. 

Barnacle Goose Conder Pool 12 March 2025. Pete Woodruff.

As in this image, the ringed Barnacle Goose with a Greylag Goose is labeled feral, whilst a Barnacle Goose with Pink-footed Geese get the thumbs up. But you can never tell with Barnacle Geese, there are many feral bird species in the country these days, with Lincolnshire alone having an estimated 2,000 individuals. 

Brief Encounters.

Conder Pool did nothing to spur on my enthusiasm again on Monday, with 3 Little Grebe, 28 Teal, 22 Mallard, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Within easy viewing range on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, barely moderate numbers of 600 Lapwing, 225 Golden Plover, and 90 Curlew, with more moderation of Dunlin and Redshank seen. At least 400 Wigeon, 3 Goosander, and a Great-crested Grebe on the river.

Along Jeremy Lane, swans in a field at the south end, were seen as 7 Whooper Swan and 3 Mute Swan. The Cockersand c.200 Whooper Swan herd were seen again in the fields south of Moss Lane stretching to Bank End.

Cockersand produced some interesting encounters today, not least of which was my finally nailing the Snow Bunting present here since 25 October.

The Snow Bunting is a ridiculously confiding bird, but can be difficult to spot when it is camouflaged whilst feeding amongst the tidewrack, but this one presented no such problem.

This Snow Bunting I saw on Plover Scar 5 January 2024, is a perfect example of just how cryptic the Snow Bunting can be at a distance.

Setting off on the circuit I soon came across the Dunnock, it was in the same hedgerow, and probably the same bird seen on 30 October.

This bird was just as confiding as the bunting, and gave me the opportunity to appreciate it as an attractive bird, with some nice plumage detail and colours, not as dowdy as sometimes portrayed.

As I walked along Slack Lane, 2 Snipe were high west overhead, and up to 12 Long-tailed Tit were working their way through the Willows.

Long-tailed Tit. Pete Woodruff.

One of the tits thought it was an autumn migrant Swallow on the wires!

There was a gathering of waders on Plover Scar, the best of which was a decent count of 14 Grey Plover, with 55 Turnstone and 350 Oystercatcher. A female Shoveler offshore was unusual, and certainly not a regular occurrence here, also 5 Eider. Another unusual and novel sighting was that of 5 Brown Hare driven off Plover Scar by the incoming tide, they were in a follow-my-leader line, up onto the sea wall, and away into the fields.

As I was leaving Plover Scar, in the space of a few minutes, 42 Pink-footed Geese, followed by up to 250 Golden Plover, and a spectacular encounter was of 3,500 Black-tailed Godwit were all purposefully in a fly-by >south. 

....And Another Double Bonus.

I made no accurate count of Avocet on Conder Pool this visit, I reckon more where hidden from view than in view, but 6 were in the creeks, and a count of 10 on the Lune Estuary has my records reading up to 24 Avocet seen. My only other notes from Conder Pool were, 48 Greylag, and at least 225 Black-headed Gull which looks like breeding might reach in excess of 100 pairs.

At Cockersand, 220 Golden Plover were in their favourite field south side of Abbey Farm, and I regarded distant finches to be a grounded spring flock of c.60 Linnet, similarly distant were at least 24 Meadow Pipit. A Snipe erupted out of a ditch on Slack Lane, also a Sparrowhawk seen. A relatively small roost on Plover Scar consisted of c.200 waders, 120 Dunlin, 75 Oystercatcher, 4 Grey Plover, and 2 Ringed Plover.

Driving along Moss Lane leaving Cockersand, a male Hen Harrier flew over fields from the north, across the road to disappear from view south over fields. This was my fifth sighting of a Hen/Marsh Harrier in visits to Cockersand over a five week period since February.

Rookery Fenham Carr 20 March. Pete Woodruff.

A wander through Williamson's Park had me count eight Rook nests at the entrance to Standen Park, down 50% on a count I made of 15 nests at the rookery on the very same date of 20 March 2024.

A Double Bonus.

In Lancaster Cemetery, Goldcrest, Jay, Coal Tit, and 2 Buzzard together in the air. But a very pleasant surprise and double bonus awaited me when....

I heard a Bullfinch probably contact calling in the Pine, it calls six times in the video before it flies to the tree next to me on the left, then 3 Bullfinch fly out of the tree - two male in pursuit of a female - and back to the Pine. 

This is my ninth sighting of Bullfinch in the cemetery, always in the same area, my last was 17 January. With the exception of a pair seen 1 May 2023, all sightings have been during the winter period, this is only the second time I've seen them during the breeding season....Must try to find out where these are nesting!

Bonus No2.

Another tree another bird, a male Nuthatch sings six times as I walk down the path to view another Pine to find 2 Nuthatch, one of which is checking the area around the nest hole, whilst the other is clawing its way up the tree.

Prospecting Pair Of Nuthatch. Pete Woodruff.

This is the same tree the Nuthatch has bred in for the past 3 years.

Garden News.

Peacock. Pete Woodruff.

A Peacock - not the one in the image above - was my first butterfly of 2025. Another first for the garden was a Rook which took just 2 sec's to realise it couldn't land on the feeders and took off!

  

Moorhen. Martin Jump.

I was sent this image of the Moorhen in flight, it is a first for me and has me wondering how many are as surprised as I was to see the Moorhen with such underwing markings/colour....Thanks Martin much appreciated.

There are no such underwing colours in the illustrations in my comprehensive Birds of the Western Palearctic reference book. 

Better Late Than Never.

In a spell of decent dry but windy weather last week, I decided to put in a couple of brief appearances at Conder Pool and Cockersand to take a look at Plover Scar over a high tide.

Conder Pool.

Both sites were a little short of anything to inspire, the first visit to Conder Pool was a non-starter as it turned out to be a management day. A tractor of sorts was in the east end, with a robotic mower cutting the grass bank on the south side, the resulting birdless pool was no surprise, but calling back 2 hours later, 16 Greenshank were present, with 14 Little Grebe to note.

Cockersand.

Not particularly overjoyed with the Plover Scar experience, but good to see 125 Turnstone, 36 Dunlin, 21 Ringed Plover, 12 Oystercatcher, and a lone Grey Plover which took star prize in my book, 25 Eider were off Plover Scar. 

Fourteen of the twenty five male and female Eider in various dress, were on the choppy sea.

Insects.

There was some interest with insects, including the welcome sight of at least 6 Small Tortoiseshell at Cockersand. This sighting was very welcome as the Small Tortoiseshell has two expert opinions that I have been in touch with, both agree the species could have had a population crash.

Not one of the Cockersand butterflies, this one was on Verbena in our garden in August 2022.

A female Common Darter was on the footpath briefly before flying off over the fields, probably my last of the year. But this was my second sighting of a coastal dragonfly, a male Common Darter seen here at Cockersand on the shingle, by an amazing coincidence 11 years ago to the day on 4 November 2013.

Eristalis Tenax. Pete Woodruff.

I found a large number of hoverfly had emerged, presumably on account of some warm weather. I made up to a three figure count of Eristalis sp.

Mottled Grasshopper. Pete Woodruff.

I also found an interesting insect on the shingle in front of Bank Houses Farm. The best suggestion I have is that it is a Mottled Grasshopper....I'm not 100% on this ID and any other suggestions are welcome!

The Godwits And The Owl....Déjà vu.

The Conder Pool Godwits.

A few years back I had the amazing experience of seeing the huge number of 2,500 godwits on Conder Pool. I was not expecting to see a repeat again on Monday, but did have an even more amazing one, when I found a number there which equaled those I have been seeing lately, the last time being 9 February on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, when up to 3,500 Black-tailed Godwit graced Conder Pool once again.

Black-tailed Godwits Airborne Over Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

The godwits were accompanied by at least 50 Dunlin and a few Knot....Another magical first for me, with 10 Tufted Duck and 3 Little Grebe to note. 

On Jeremy and Moss Lane, a combined count of 475 Whooper Swan, also 4 Cattle Egret were in fields at Clarkson's Farm, which have now entered their 5 month stay in the Cockersand area. Five Reed Bunting and a Wren were on the marsh, c.550 Golden Plover were in the field by Abbey Farm, and a decent count of 25 Grey Plover were on Plover Scar as the tide ebbed. I found just one female Stonechat along the bulrush ditch off Slack Lane.

The Cockersand Barn Owl.

 

As I started the circuit, I came across the Barn Owl in the field by Bank House Cottage. By something of a coincidence, the owl took off and behaved pretty much the same as it had done on 7 February, it was in my sights for an hour and a half, crisscrossing the fields, hunting the hedgerows and ditches, before flying past me enroute back to Bank House Farm, having once again flown at least 3 miles in it's pursuit of prey.

If you have 3 minutes to spare this is an interesting and informative video ....

The Bowerham Bullfinch.

Bullfinch. Mike Atkinson.

I am grateful to Mike Atkinson for sending me the image of the male Bullfinch in his garden recently, whilst telling him we wait in anticipation of the first visit to our own garden just around the corner from him.

A female Siskin obliged the Woodruff's with a visit to the garden feeders this morning, but appeared alert and not feeding during the recording.

The Twite Return.

Monday is best described as sunny and chilly with a flat calm sea at Cockersand. It could also be described as the best mid-October conditions I ever experienced here.  As the coaster Silver River passed the lighthouse, 8 Eider were drifting in the foreground, and as I watched this pleasant and atmospheric scene, waders gathered on Plover Scar at high tide.

Dunlin/Ringed Plover Plover Scar. Pete Woodruff.

I counted 105 Turnstone, 55 Dunlin, 25 Ringed Plover, and a lone Grey Plover. Also of note here, up to 40 Meadow Pipit, and my first 30 Twite of the winter which I'm tempted to suppose are possibly the same flock in the same number as seen several times last winter at Cockersand, 110 Pink-footed Geese were over >south.

I made my third circuit of Cockersand this month, which again resulted with little of note, but in one field a lone Black-tailed Godwit was with 34 Curlew and a similar number of Lapwing, 35 Teal, and 10 Wigeon were on a flood. On a post by Slack Lane, a Kestrel and later 2 Red Admiral seen.

On Conder Pool, I regarded 2 Reed Bunting as unusual here, also 4 Greenshank and 10 Redshank, with a decent count of 24 Tufted Duck and 6 Wigeon, the Little Grebe were uncounted today.

Amongst the few hundred gulls on the Lune Estuary, I picked out 7 Mediterranean Gull, seen as four adult and three 2nd winter, also 3 Greenshank on the south shore.

The Cockersand Merlin.

In my opinion, the same bird has been seen on two ocassions since my first sighting on 12 October when I aged/sexed it as an immature/female, my description being based on immature Merlin not being separable from female in the field. It was seen three days later on 15 October at Cockersand as an adult female, and seen again two days later on October 17 when it was described as a female-type, seen to fly from Sunderland Point to Crook Farm in the Cockersand area, and return to Sunderland Point.  

Ian Mitchell had similar good fortune as me and grabbed some footage of the Merlin at Cockersand on Monday. It was on a fence post following a wash and brush up....I'm pleased you saw the bird and many thanks for sharing this video with me Ian.

First....A Plovers Tale.

The Grey Plover is at best scarce on the Lune Estuary, although it can be found in good number during the winter months not far to the north and to the south west of Cockersand. A couple of examples are, 525 at Middleton Sands, and 174 at Fluke Hall during this years January WeBS counts. In all my visits to Cockersand over many birding years, personal counts have only ever once exceeded single figures on Plover Scar, that of 14 Grey Plover 17 November 2017, and rarely on the Lune Estuary upstream from Glasson, I cannot recall ever seeing them there. 

Although the wind is a little annoying in this unsteady zoomed in clip, I decided not to mute so the feeling of real-time remains.

Finding 26 Grey Plover on Plover Scar was another first for me, and went some way to making my day. Also to note at Cockersand, 4 Stonechat seen, the pair at Bank Houses, and singles on Moss Lane east of Abbey Farm, and at Lighthouse Cottage. A mix of at least 50 Fieldfare and Redwing in the field behind Bank Houses, also two raptors seen, a Merlin over fields, and a Sparrowhawk over Slack Lane.

I counted 15 species in as many minutes on a very lively Conder Pool. With thanks to Howard Stockdale who saved me the trouble of counting by supplying the geese figures.

Stonechat Pair Conder Pool 9 February. Howard Stockdale.

The wintering pair of Stonechat, a Ruff and Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Pink-footed Geese, 88 Greylag, 34 Canada Geese, at least one each Reed Bunting and Goldfinch, a 'few' Wigeon and Tufted Duck, 2 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, a Grey Heron and a Kestrel. 

Making another one of my mis-timed visits to the Lune Estuary at Glasson, saw most of the waders and gulls driven off by the tide, though I noted about 40 Black-tailed Godwit hanging on, with c.350 Wigeon....The end of a most enjoyable and rewarding visit around the Lune Estuary.

Thanks to Martin for the header Reed Bunting, the image cropped with Martins permission, and which caused no loss of quality in my opinion, and to Howard for the Conder Pool duo of Stonechat.

Nice to see the Snowdrops, soon followed by the sight of a brilliant pair of Bullfinch in Lancaster Cemetery recently, also a beautiful cluster of half a dozen Daffodil's by the shore at Cockersand this week....'I wandered lonely as a cloud'....   

A Little Soggy In The End!

I went off to do some wandering around the Lune Estuary yesterday, based on the false hope that the weather would clear as the day progressed but didn't, by 2.30pm I was a little soggy. 

Conder Pool was as miserable as the weather with just two species and 35 birds present, seen as 3 Little Grebe and 32 Mallard. It was a different story on Jeremy Lane, in a field at the north end I found in excess of 3,000 birds, the bulk of which was up to 2,500 Lapwing, with 120 Whooper Swan, 12 Pink-footed Geese, 250 Greylag, and 30 Canada Geese, also small numbers of Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, and the best bird a Ruff. On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, 9 Goldeneye were all drake save one.

I almost abandoned the day at Cockersand but pleased I didn't, as I got out of the motor, at least 4,000 Pink-footed Geese were heard then seen distant coming down on to Cockerham Sands west of the Cocker Channel, the tide put up 3 Snipe off the marsh. It was relatively quiet on Plover Scar, with 120 Oystercatcher, 20 Turnstone, 6 Dunlin, and 3 Grey Plover.

By the time I went through the kissing gate at the abbey, the mist was thicker with light drizzle and anything but pleasant, but I was soon rewarded by the Black Redstart on the shore south of the abbey. The bird was busy and never still, it covers a lengthy area between Lighthouse Cottage and the Caravan Park and has done so for over four weeks. 

There are still at least 300 Whooper Swan located in three fields around Cockersand. In the area around the caravan park I found 17 Reed Bunting, this was a first for me, having never seen a flock of this number before, also 2 Song Thrush and 2 Kestrel.

Stonechat Cockersand 24 January. Pete Woodruff

Five Stonechat seen today, the first on Moss Lane fence posts on the east side of Abbey Farm, a pair on Slack Lane, and a pair foraging the marsh in front of Lower Bank House, from where I saw the ringtail Hen Harrier giving excellent views quartering the marsh.  

Sidelined Again!

Off the road again for five days, but although pleasant if cloudy there was good birding around the Lune Estuary in the week. 

Conder Green.

Starting at Conder Green with my first Whooper Swan this winter, it was accompanied by 2 Mute Swan on Conder Pool. Also of note, 3 Greenshank, 4 Wigeon, and 7 Little Grebe on Conder Pool was my best count of the day here.

The customary circuit turned up an adult Ruff preening alongside a Redshank in the creeks, with 2 Black-tailed Godwit and a snorkeling female Goosander.

Lune Estuary.

Viewing from the bowling green, there was much more life on the Lune Estuary than my last visit here on 28 September. I picked up 8 Mediterranean Gull, seen at a distance, all adult save one 2nd winter bird. Godwit numbers were at around 350 birds, estimated to be 260 Black-tailed Godwit and 90 Bar-tailed Godwit, also c.550 Knot, 8 Snipe, and a Great-crested Grebe. Two adult Avocet were by the Conder mouth, two seen in the creeks at Conder Green when I returned there after the high tide were possibly the same two.

On the canal basin, 45 Tufted Duck and a Great-crested Grebe. Noted in a field on Jeremy Lane, 120 geese in a pretty even mix of Canada Geese and Greylag Geese 

Cockersand.

It was an enjoyable hour at Plover Scar, made all the more enjoyable with the appearance of a smart Little Stint still retaining much breeding plumage.

High Tide Waders Plover Scar. Martin Jump.

There was much coming and going of waders for the hour up to high tide. Just as I arrived at Plover Scar, 3 Grey Plover were departing south along with a swathe of other small waders. As more birds flew in and settled, I estimated at least 350 Dunlin, with 55 Turnstone and 45 Knot at the peak.

I walked along the headland back to Bank Houses, from where I could see 15 Whooper Swan some distance in a field to the north. I reckon this group had been joined by the 6 Whooper Swan which flew by me inland over Cockersand C.P.

Right Place, Right Time....A Leighton Moss Treble.

Cetti's Warbler. Martin Jump.

Thanks to Martin Jump for the 'rare to be seen out in the open' Cetti's Warbler checking out the grit trays.

Bearded Tit. Martin Jump.

And the Bearded Tit, doing the splits.

Bittern. Martin Jump.

The Bittern 'we have lift off' from Leighton Moss, up and away into the blue out yonder.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the Little Stint in the header, seen on Plover Scar about a month ago in mid-September.

Mustn't Grumble!

An enjoyable wander around the Lune Estuary in the week is best described as quiet, but as always had it's rewards in varying degree. But it must be said, I find it amazing how bird numbers can fluctuate dramatically at places like the Lune Estuary at Glasson, with the few seen this visit, then maybe in their thousands the next. But....mustn't grumble.

On Conder Pool, 2 Greenshank and 10 Little Grebe counted, and a limping adult Avocet remains there.

I have no idea of latest departure dates of Avocet from Conder Pool and the surrounding estuary, up to seven seen recently, and 11 Avocet were at Lytham on 26 December 2020....Perhaps the limping lone ranger is planning on spending the winter around the Lune Estuary.

On the circuit, 2 Ruff in the creeks, with 3 Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and Snipe. A lone Sand Martin was the latest one ever in my book, it was over the creeks with a 'few' lingering Swallow, a Red Admiral was the only butterfly seen on the day.

On the estuary at Glasson, little of note to be honest, but an adult Mediterranean Gull picked out, 15 Wigeon, a Snipe, and 52 Canada Geese flew in from the south. 

I wanted to check Plover Scar up to the high tide, if I said the scar was also quiet it would be a contradiction when I note up to 550 Dunlin, 45 Turnstone, 24 Ringed Plover, 3 Grey Plover, a single Knot and Redshank. A few Swallow hawking around Lighthouse Cottage, c.25 Skylark erupted out of the stubble field behind the cottage to fly around and return there.

Migrant Hawker.

Despite the sun disappearing behind the clouds and a cool breeze blowing by the time I arrived there. I found 18 Migrant Hawker on a walk along the canal towpath for about a mile from Glasson Dock to Conder Green.

 

Whirligig Beetle.

Couldn't resist a bit of footage of a few hundred beetles swirling around in the canal.

Interesting little critters, they have two pairs of compound eyes, one looking upwards over the surface of the water, the other pair looking down and under the water. Aptly named Whirligig for their unmistakable circling behaviour, they belong to the Gyrinidae family of which there are c.1,000 species worldwide, they are the only beetle to spend their entire life in a watery environment.

Red Admiral. Pete Woodruff.

A Red Admiral was in our cloudy and windy 14°C garden yesterday.

Thanks to Martin Jump for the brilliant Kingfisher header. This bird - often two - are guaranteed daily on Conder Pool given patience and time spent. 

The Cockersand Stonechats.

An e-mail from AC on Wednesday, told me of a male Stonechat in the rough field between Lower Bank House and the CP. I was unable to get there until Friday, but found the bird on my second call there. I had thought a third bird now at Cockersand - maybe a second pair - but I failed to find the 'lighthouse' pair despite a thorough search.

I was off the road during the winter of 2018, but there was some corresponding Stonechat dates in 2017 at Cockersand around the present date. On 11 Dec, I found a male at Crook Cottage, this was the same date as a male found this year by AC at the Caravan Park. The male at Crook Cottage in 2017 was still around the area on 18 Dec, on the same day AC found another male at the Caravan Park, and I found a pair there four days later on 22 Dec....Eyes down, look in!

Plover Scar on Friday at high tide, c.150 Oystercatcher, 55 Dunlin, and 25 Turnstone. At least 270 Curlew in fields here again, with no more than 120 Golden Plover. A lone Grey Plover was with 6 Turnstone on the shingle. I saw 22 Greenfinch and a Dunnock, around Bank Houses, 2 Kestrel were seen hovering 1/4 mile apart. The Fieldfare appear to have finally moved on from the area, with just one seen in flight on Slack Lane, a lone Redwing on Jeremy Lane was also in flight. 

A brief look in on Conder Pool, saw 4 Snipe, 25 Mallard, 7 Black-headed Gull, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Gurney's Pitta....A gripping but tragic story of one of earth's rarest bird species.

Gurney's Pitta is evaluated as Critically Endangered as the current very rapid estimated rate decline in population is projected to increase further over the following 13 years, due to the lack of legal protection of the remaining small areas of flat lowland forest suitable for the species. There is a high risk of rapid conversion of virtually all remaining habitat to plantations, which could plausibly take place over just a few years.

Gurney's Pitta. Copyright HBW.

For over 30 years, the Gurney's Pitta was thought to be extinct, until 1986, when it was spotted in Thailand in five separate locations. But soon after, their numbers fell flat, and with a mere 9 pairs it was deemed to be one of earth's rarest species. 

Hope was renewed yet again in 2003, when thousands of breeding pairs were discovered in Myanmar. But unfortunately, the roller-coaster saga continues still, the habitat of the Gurney's Pitta is now in danger of imminent destruction, and the bird is now Critically Endangered. 

The Full Page....Well Almost!

The page was almost filled in the little black book yesterday. 

Starting with calling at Conder Green about 30 minutes before the high tide, when a smart adult Mediterranean Gull dropped in with the Black-headed Gulls to make a decent start to the session, and at least 150 Teal. On Conder Pool, 3 Little Grebe, 25 Curlew, 18 Wigeon, with 2 Snipe over and a hovering Kestrel.

On the canal basin, a drake Pochard, 2 drake Goldeneye, 38 Tufted Duck, 2 Goosander, and a Great-crested Grebe. Of note on the Lune Estuary, c.350 Dunlin, and low counts of 45 Golden Plover, 34 Black-tailed Godwit, and 32 Curlew, 2 Little Grebe were on the River Lune today at the Conder mouth.

Driving along Moss Lane to Cockersand, several groups totaling an estimate of 200 Fieldfare. Four Rock Pipit were off the marsh at Cockerham Sands, also 6 Snipe, and 18 Turnstone were again on the shingle here, and a lone Grey Plover on the shore. At Bank Houses, 9 Greenfinch, and a Wren. In fields, c.225 Curlew and 28 Black-tailed Godwit.

Stonechat Cockersand 26 Nov Pete Woodruff. Clik the pik 

By a stroke of fortune along Slack Lane, a bird seen flying across the field behind Lighthouse Cottage, and then on the bulrushes along the ditch between fields, was a male Stonechat, soon joined by a female, they were almost certainly last Thursdays pair less than a mile south from here at Cockerham Sands.

The pik is as good as it gets with my little digi camera. Not world class equipment, and the bird was a long way off using the zoom lens. Clik the pik, it really is essential this time to see the bigger picture. 

The session ended even better than it had started with the Mediterranean Gull. Well....after all they were Stonechats!

The Lune Estuary Pochard.

It was good to see a drake Pochard on the canal basin yesterday at Glasson Dock, one seen at Middleton NR on Sunday was referred to as 'presumably the Lune Estuary singleton?'.

The Pochard is at best a scarce bird anywhere on the Lune Estuary, referred to as 'very irregular' in the LDBWS Annual Report. My last record was a drake on Conder Pool 21 June, previously, three drake was an exceptional record also on Conder Pool 31 May 2018.

Pochard. Pete Woodruff.

A female photographed through the fog on Conder Pool 15 March 2018, has an even more scarce status than the drake.