I'm Alright Jack!

Putting the traditional Christmas wreath on my parents grave yesterday, a few uncounted Fieldfare, Redwing, and a Jay were of note in the Lancaster Cemetery on Wyresdale Road, this is the best cemetery I know for birding with an excellent variety of trees.

It was good to find the Common Sandpiper again at Conder Green, it was alone in the creeks opposite River Winds and seen for the first time in seven visits since 16 November. On Conder Pool, 16 Snipe was a good count here, also 9 Little Grebe included two in the creeks, 6 Long-tailed Tit were working their way along the hedgerow. 

I was too late at Glasson Dock, the tide had taken over the mudflats on the Lune Estuary, but there was an absolute minimum of 2,500 Golden Plover on the mud below Colloway Marsh with at least twice that number of 5,000 Lapwing. 

Turnstone/Oystercatcher. Pete Woodruff.

On Plover Scar at high tide, a healthy count of up to 220 Turnstone with 250 Oystercatcher noted, but wait a minute, what's this crouched down on the shingle....it's a Jack Snipe which gave excellent views for as long as I hung around. Off the Caravan Park, a conservative estimate of 2,500 Wigeon and 900 Teal, with a few Pintail noted. The local Buzzard was on a fence post by Abbey Farm, a Sparrowhawk and 12 Goldfinch were around Bank Houses horse paddock.

Eight Goldeneye seen today were, 5 on the canal basin, one on Conder Pool, one off Crook Farm, and one on the Cocker Estuary.

Jack Snipe. Plover Scar 14 December. Pete Woodruff.

Not the best of photographs of a Jack Snipe, but definitely the best bird on Plover Scar yesterday.

 Harbour Porpoise. Pete Woodruff.

I found another Harbour Porpoise corpse at Cockersands yesterday to follow the one found here earlier in the year on 3 April.

For Sale!

The gamekeepers champion Ian Botham and front man of campaign group 'You Forgot The Birds' which is funded by the shooting industry, has recently made the ludicrous claim that the RSPB are 'looking the other way' when it comes to Hen Harrier persecution, because they are using the species as a fund raising tool.

Now that's a pretty hard one to swallow, but Botham may well have a point to make there about the RSPB and cash before conservation. Read on....

Before her death in 2001 a kindly lady bequeathed 20 acres of green space in rural Cheshire to the RSPB, her dying wish was that the land should never be built on. The RSPB were fully aware of the wish made by this lifelong environmentalist, but hey....they're now looking to sell the land to housing developers in a blatant money making act of betrayal. The RSPB's director for Northern England claims the development could promote and enhance the biodiversity of the area, despite the land being home to Barn Owls, Lapwings, and Badgers. 

But campaign group You Forgot The Birds are saying the RSPB are putting cash before conservation - well they've got to be correct there now haven't they - and that this kind lady would be horrified about what might happen to the land she entrusted to the RSPB as a lifelong enthusiast for the local environment.

The farmland had been valued in 2001 at £60,000. Today, if planning permission was to be granted, the RSPB stand to make £6m, and the charity is urging the council concerned to allow a housing estate of up to 150 houses to be built. The aforementioned RSPB's director for Northern England came up with another remarkably intelligent remark when he said it was unfortunate her land had to be sold but it would benefit more wildlife, which sounds to me like this guy is in the wrong job and should be made head of RSPB Finances with immediate effect.

The Royal Society For Personal Betrayal. Building homes....but not for nature.    

And Finally.

Photographs Pete Woodruff.

I found the corpse of what I think is a marine mammal at Cockersands last Wednesday 3 April. My identification is that of a Harbour Porpoise, although I welcome anyone who wishes to correct me. 

 Harbour Porpoise. Erik Christensen.