Green For Go Part 2.

As I said in Wednesdays post, the report from Conder Pool will have to wait a few days. This was because of the chance finding of the spectacular Willow Emerald Damselfly on the Glasson Branch of the Lancaster Canal. So here it is....

Conder Pool/Green.

Five species in the creek, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Lapwing, Teal, and Goosander. 

Curlew Sandpiper Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

There was 3 Curlew Sandpiper on this visit, and frustratingly I find in a still from the video, that one bears a ring on its left leg. 

Not viewing the bird through a telescope whilst making a video, and I failed to spot the ring....Shucks!

I achieved a count of 31 Greenshank on Conder Pool as a personal first and best, but this is four under an earlier count of 35 Greenshank by another observer. Also, 4 Spotted Redshank, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Ruff. Also, 2 Gadwall were almost certainly the breeding pair, and the Kingfisher put in an appearance. 

In the creeks at high tide, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Marsh Harrier was drifting over, and at least 150 Pink-footed Geese >south.

  A Cormorant makes short work of an Eel for lunch on Conder Pool.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Martin Jump.

A Humming bird Hawk-moth has visited our garden 18 times in the past weeks, since I saw the first one in late July.

Salvia. Pete Woodruff.

Over the last 8 sightings, the HBHM has consistently visited the Salvia in our garden, a pattern of behaviour which I mentioned in my last post. Since then I did some research to discover the Hummingbird Hawk-moth is a species known to engage in traplining, this involves traversing a specific route in which the insect checks specified plants that hold nectar, it does so repeatedly and in the same order.....Amazing!

Thanks to Martin for another of his excellent set of images of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth.   

Willow Emerald Damselfly.

Willow Emerald Damselfly. Marc Heath.

I found just 8 records of Willow Emerald Damselfly in West Lancashire 2025/26....

2025

09 Sept Brockholes NR

25 Sept Brockholes NR

31 Aug Hest Bank

2026

15 July Lancaster

24 Aug Brockholes NR

07 Sept Lancaster Canal

14 Sept Lancaster Canal

17 Sept Catforth

Thanks to Marc for his excellent image of the male Willow Emerald Damselfly. 

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!

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.

Barnacle Double Bonus.

It was good to find a Barnacle Goose on Conder Pool, the bird is yet another first here, and I must search my records to get the full picture of firsts for Conder Pool. 

Barnacle Goose Conder Pool Wednesday 12 March

The Barnacle Goose was accompanied by 44 Greylag Geese which maybe puts the provenance of the BG in some doubt, but it is a marked bird with a blue ring which - at the time of publishing this post - has yet to be read. 

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. Barnacle Goose with Greylag Geese get labeled feral, with Pink-footed Geese they get the thumbs up. An interesting note about the recent Lesser White-fronted Goose on Jeremy Lane, was that everyone was happy about this bird being wild....Thanks to Paul Ellis for his help with my query 'maybe puts the provenance of the Barnacle Goose in some doubt'.    

Other notes from the pool, 11 Avocet, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Tufted Duck, a Little Grebe, and a Kingfisher which put in two appearances, the second being a brief pose on the sluice.

By the time I got to the coast and Cockersand Abbey, I had a distinct feeling I was going to get a soaking, but with the exception of a cold wind from the north, my circuit was a pleasure, albeit there was little to rave about, though up to 900 Golden Plover were in the field on the south side of Abbey Farm, and an estimate of 550 Whooper Swan were in multiple fields including Jeremy Lane.

When I arrived back at the Caravan Park, the stormy weather had drifted south over Bowland and I had escaped the downpour. 

A female Marsh Harrier was seen at the outer edge of the marsh, flew out of sight left in the picture towards Bank End, across the Cocker Estuary, and over Cockerham Marsh centre of the picture, disappearing from view over Pilling Marsh in the right edge of the picture.

Aldcliffe - Glasson Dock.

I decided to leg it on Friday, not one of my best decisions ever, and didn't create any excitement for the 5 mile hike, but after all it's only mid-March so what was I to expect. 

But I did collect my best count of the winter when I found 18 Goldeneye on Freeman's Pools, and noted 2 Black-tailed Godwit, soon followed by the wonderful sight of a pair of Long-tailed Tit nest building in brambles. There was up to 5,000 Pink-footed Geese on Aldcliffe Marsh, unsettled and soon departed to the opposite side of the river on Heaton Marsh.

The only other notes I made were of a Chiffchaff at Stodday, a Buzzard over, 16 Blackbird along the length of the walk, and a Jay was in the woodland by Christ Church at Glasson Dock.

Wednesdays Barnacle Goose was in the west corner of Conder Pool out of view from the viewing screen and the blue ring under water, this was a double bonus for me.

Stop Press.

It was excellent news that I learn a Little Ringed Plover arrived on Conder Pool yesterday 15 March. My prediction is, that the Common Tern will have also arrived back here in c.3 weeks time....Watch this space. Many Thanks for the info Howard Stockdale.

News From The Garden.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee on Hellebore. Pete Woodruff.

Found my first bumblebee in the garden on Tuesday 11 March, a huge queen Bombus terrestris. I found two more since then, one of which was at Cockersand.

Sluggish Start To 2025!

Sluggish and little to report, but never any less the pleasure of birding for me.

The tide was well advanced when I arrived at Glasson on Thursday and had driven most of the waders off the estuary. But I noted a pair of Goosander, and it was good I saw two drake and a female Goldeneye, seen as the only three individuals found here this winter, and looking like a scarce bird for our area now. This despite its status being recorded 3 years ago in the LDBWS Annual Report as....'a fairly common visitor to the Lune at Glasson'....I doubt that the Goldeneye will be recorded as 'common' in the next report!

I couldn't resist a video of the ducks on a cold but beautiful January day, on a calm river in an attractive setting....Pump up the volume to hear 17 secs of 22 delightful whistling Wigeon.

There was nothing to report at Glasson Dock, until a Kingfisher flew across the canal basin toward the marina. Neither was there much action at Cockersand, but over a couple of hours here, it did turn out to be something of a mini raptor fest.

Although the high tide was a little under 10m, 4 Rock Pipit were pushed off the marsh and were on the shingle. There was up to 1,500 Golden Plover in fields, with 150 Curlew, and possibly 180 Whooper Swan scattered over three fields.

The raptor foursome started with views of a Barn Owl followed by a Merlin soon followed by a Buzzard.

The Little Owl was again basking in the sun on its favoured girder on the farm building at Bank Houses with a horse appearing to be on guard duty.

The Cockersand Barn Owl.

I had the same experience with the Barn Owl today as I had at the start of the year on 7 February, the account of which is copied here.... 

The Barn Owl took off from Bank Houses at the same time I started my circuit of Cockersand. It was in view for up to an hour as I walked along Moss Lane until I reached the Lighthouse Cottage at 2.25pm. In the hour, the owl crisscrossed every field in the area, and hunted along every ditch and hedgerow, diving to the ground at least six times without success, and perched on fence posts about the same number of times.

Thursdays sighting ended with views of the Barn Owl flying south toward Abbey Farm, I then picked up a female Merlin rocketing south across the same field to cause up to 2,000 Golden Plover/Lapwing/Curlew and Starling to panic. I myself panicked when I saw the Merlin mobbing the Barn Owl, but the pair disappeared behind bushes. I didn't see the Merlin again, but was sure the Barn Owl escaped the attentions of the raptor to take refuge at Abbey Farm.

And Finally.

In my inbox I received two brilliant images recently, both of which represent my appreciation and respect for the ability to freeze a moment in time with excellent photography. 

Goosander. Martin Jump.

This one from Martin shows the Goosander with the catch of an Eel and lookers on, one showing anger, and one with envy.

Blue Tit. Ian Mitchell.

This one of a Blue Tit coming in to land on Ian's garden feeders. Thanks Martin and Ian....Amazing stuff. 

Conder Pool Delivers....And So Does Cockersand.

Of note on Conder Pool Wednesday, a Stonechat flew west past the viewing platform to perch briefly on a fence post below the hedgerow. Given time and patience every visit here, the Kingfisher perched by the sluice, and 7 Little Grebe counted. At the north end of Jeremy Lane, 252 Greylag and 12 Canada Geese.

As I drove towards the shore at Cockersand, a Short-eared Owl was quartering the field on the north side of Bank House Cottage.

Five minutes later as I set off on the circuit, the owl was obligingly perched up on a fence post by the paddock at Bank Houses, as it has been for dozens of photographers according to several websites I've visited over the past few days.

On the circuit, up to 350 Golden Plover were in a field south of Abbey Farm. Numbers of Curlew and Redshank were in coastal fields feeding, and at least 15 Meadow Pipit were in stubble by Lighthouse Cottage. A Snipe lifted out of a field, from where I saw a pair of Greenfinch and a Song Thrush.

The swans have moved on again, with only 7 Whooper Swan including 2 juvenile in the field off Slack Lane. 

On my return from the circuit to the parking area near the caravan park two hours later, 12 cars were parked up and at least 20 birders/photographers were filling their boots with Short-eared/Barn/Little Owl piks, with possible Hen Harrier/Marsh Harrier/Merlin/Sparrowhawk/Kestrel. That's a list of 8 raptors at and around the Cockersand area, all recorded in the past week, and doesn't include Buzzard which can be seen here frequently. 

Picture Gallery. 

I'm in receipt of four excellent images, each one much appreciated and with a little story behind them....All worthy of viewing Full Screen.

Goosander Haslam Park. Martin Jump.

Martin has been getting some great results from a project involving a peak count of 21 Goosander as a first record for Haslam Park....Thank You Martin.

Short-eared Owl Cockersand 20 November. Susan Wilson.

On request Susan sent me this image of the Short-eared Owl currently performing for all comers at Cockersand. But following my request, having processed my own efforts, to discover I achieved some decent stuff worthy of publishing. However, this takes nothing away from my gratitude for sending me this stunning image of the equally stunning owl....Thank You Susan.

Barred Warbler Conder Pool 19 November. Howard Stockdale.

Quite remarkably, Ian Hartley found this smart little 1st year Barred Warbler whilst engaged with a work party erecting a new tern raft on Tuesday. With the same working party, Howard Stockdale took some amazing images of the warbler....Thanks for the find Ian, and thanks for the image Howard.

Merlin Conder Pool 29 October. Howard Stockdale.

It gave me much pleasure when Howard sent this unsolicited image of my most favourite raptor....Thank You Howard.

Conder Pool & Cockersand Deliver Yet Again....NEXT PLEASE! 

Wheatears Depart....Whoopers Arrive.

A most rewarding sight on Conder Pool Thursday, was that of a Wheatear which behaved obligingly, feeding then preening giving opportunity for a pik, but unfortunately too far off for my digital camera. Also, 3 Meadow Pipit with presumably a few others flighting around the east corner of the pool. I managed to count 12 Little Grebe, with at east 8 Long-tailed Tit working their way through the hedgerow, and the Kingfisher put in an appearance on the purposely placed perch by the sluice.

Short on time, I didn't give justice the Lune Estuary deserved on the visit here at low tide, and despite a large gathering of gulls, I found just the one Mediterranean Gull, but it was good to see up to 450 Golden Plover, with 220 Black-tailed Godwit also to note. 

Two more Wheatear were seen at Cockersand, in a poor year for me. I have only 5 Wheatear records to my name in 2024, the first being 2 Wheatear at Cockersand on 29 March, and what will probably be my last on Thursday 10 October. 

Also at Cockersand, the first 13 Whooper Swan have returned to winter, they had settled in the field at the Moss Lane/Slack Lane junction. These swans arrived here 15 days earlier than the first 120 Whooper Swan I found last year on 25 October in the Thursland Hill area.

Mottled Grasshopper. Pete Woodruff.

I found another Mottled Grasshopper at Cockersand, perhaps not as uncommon in the north as I had thought. Butterflies seen, it was good to find another 2 Small Tortoiseshell here again, also a Red Admiral, and 8 Large White.

Twice Around The Estuary.

Thankfully with the summer making a surprise return this week - well it turned up for a few days once before didn't it! - I managed a couple of days around the Lune Estuary, and had an hour to spare to check out the bog at Birk Bank at the end of the second one.

Conder Pool.

Best of the pool was the sight of 2 Whinchat on and around the long grasses at the east end. The male Whinchat obviously a cinch to ID, two days later the female at the distance and not very obliging, not quite so obvious. The Kingfisher delighted the gathering photographers of which I met five over my two visits, staked out and living the dream for a good pik. The Kingfisher obligingly and repeatedly perched either on the goal post or on the water level measuring post. It's a pity the light wasn't at its best for some footage when it caught a large fish for lunch.

There was a decent count of 15 Greenshank and 15 Little Grebe on Friday, with 2 Snipe noted. Also 12 Migrant Hawker recorded past the viewing screen over the two visits.

Migrant Hawker Conder Green 19 September. Howard Stockdale.

Cockersand.

Not for the first time I botched my visit, arriving only 30 minutes before the high tide and barely just a few metres of Plover Scar above water.

No more than 60 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover and one or two Turnstone were there to entertain me on what remained of Plover Scar today, but 48 Eider were of note off here.

Up to 150 Wood Pigeon were in and around three Wheat fields, and I don't get to record 65 Rook very often, seen today in a field east of Abbey Farm, though I did see a corvid mix of at least 500 Rook/Carrion Crow/Jackdaw grounded on the mud on the Lune Estuary at Glasson on 17 October 2019, of which I reckoned at the time 50% were Rooks.

Birk Bank.

A pleasant hour spent at the bog showed 12 Black Darter including two pairs in tandem, also a male Common Darter. But the pleasant hour turned even more pleasant and surprising, when I spied towards the eastern end of the bog, 2 Emperor Dragonfly both male....Certainly wasn't expecting that!

Black Darter Male Grit Fell/Ward's Stone 19 September. Ian Mitchell.

On the subject, Ian Mitchell reported to me c.15 Black Darter including ovipositing, found on a pool on the hike midway between Grit Fell and Ward's Stone.

Emperor Dragonfly.

With abdomen measurements being equal to that of the Emperor at 50-59/61mm, there was only one other species the Birk Bank sighting could have been, that of the Common Hawker. Best diagnostic feature being my Emperor Dragonfly at the distance was the abdomen being distinctly blue, not black with blue spotting, also the patrolling flight was leisurely and certainly not strong, fast, and tirelessly as in Common Hawker.

Having searched the Emperor Dragonfly on iRecord, I found 13 records for September 2024, two of which are later records than mine on 19 September. All the records carry the note....'Date is outside known flight period of Anax imperator'.

Much appreciate the excellent images from Martin Jump who saved me the trouble of looking for a header image, and from Howard Stockdale, Ian Mitchell....Thanks to all.

Dragonflies2blog!

Thursday 1 August.

I set off on my walk to the Aqueduct Ponds. It was my third visit here to look for the Emerald Damselfly, the first made on 4 August 2022, the second on 10 August 2023. On both these visits I was successful in finding the Emerald Damselfly.

Common Darter Millennium Park Footpath. Pete Woodruff.

From the footpath alongside the River Lune, I was a little surprised to find a female Common Darter. But not quite as surprised as I was to find a Banded Demoiselle from the same footpath on my walk here on 4 August 2022.

Banded Demoiselle Millennium Park Footpath 4 Aug 2022. Pete Woodruff.

I was disappointed not to find any Emerald Damselfly this time, hopefully perhaps too early, but to be honest I doubt that is the case, in my view the site has management issues, but that's another matter. 

Good views of 3 Brown Hawker including a female seen ovipositing, up to 8 Common Darter seen, including a pair in cop. Also 4 Common Blue Damselfly and a Blue-tailed Damselfly.

I made the return walk back to Lancaster via the canal which was a bit of a revelation in that I had a dragonfly in my sights along every straight length and round every bend of the canal along the 2 mile, and notched up a grand total of 23 Emperor Dragonfly including two female ovipositing, 12 Brown Hawker, 8 Common Darter, and 5 Common Blue Damselfly.

It was interesting and worrying, that in the 4 hours I noted just two species of butterfly, 9 Speckled Wood and 8 Large White.

Saturday 3 August.

Along a 2 mile stretch of the Lancaster Canal north of Garstang produced a lone male Emperor Dragonfly, 3 Brown Hawker, 3 Gatekeeper, 2 Red Admiral, and a Kingfisher.

The Dorset Mega.

The Scarlet Darter is an African species that extends into Eurasia. It was once common only in the Mediterranean region, but is becoming an increasingly common sight further north.

Scarlet Darter. Marc Heath.

My man in Kent gave me the heads-up about this stunning dragonfly found in Dorset last week. You can find his report and accompanying excellent images at Kent Dragonflies    

Thanks to Martin for the header image, and to Marc for info and image of the Mega Darter. 

Barn Owls In The Spotlight!

I'm a bit cheesed off at getting it wrong again, but in my defence I never hide behind my errors. My claim at Conder Pool on 12 January....'the vegetation has been cut down, so no doubt goodbye to the wintering Stonechats of several weeks here'....proved to be a hasty and unjustified one. 

I had excellent views of the Stonechat pair at the east end of Conder Pool. The result of the rest of the stock taking exercise was, 6 Little Grebe, 10 Canada Geese, 4 Mute Swan, and a Wren in the hedgerow. 

On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, 4 Goosander seen, and in fields off Jeremy Lane, up to 350 Pink-footed Geese, 175 Greylag, and 125 Golden Plover.

 

Best surprise whilst watching the geese, was the appearance of a Barn Owl which spent a few minutes hunting along the hedgerow around Saltcote Brow pumping station....Perhaps this was the bird seen at Conder Pool 10 November.

At Cockersand, the Barn Owl flew over my car whilst I was watching the Stonechat pair on the marsh where I saw 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Meadow Pipit, and 4 Reed Bunting. Up to 380 Whooper Swan were seen a distant north from behind the Caravan Park.

Sunderland Point from Cockersand with snow on the Lakeland Mountains. Pete Woodruff. 

The circuit was a pleasant walk and resulted in a lone Stonechat just short of the Moss and Slack Lane junction, from where I saw 3 Bewick's Swan, seen as two adult and a juvenile. Also a Snipe came up and out of a ditch, a Song Thrush and 420 Curlew were in two fields with 6 Pink-footed Geese.

 

A pity the footage of 21 Eider off Plover Scar, was taken against the light, but it was a great opportunity to see them on a calm sea. The sighting proved to be quite interesting as I was able to observe some unexpected behaviour with display not normally associated with mid-January. In my experience, the Eider is very vocal during courtship, usually silent at other times, and doesn't start to think about breeding until April....Pump up the volume to hear the Eider 'cooing/crooning'. 

Kingfisher at Cockersand.

There was a remarkable report of 2 Kingfisher flying north past Plover Scar on Wednesday 17 January. 

The Kingfisher isn't known to take to open water like an estuary, more likely to avoid it, and I'm intrigued to hear from anyone able to explain what they thought two Kingfisher were doing flying over the sea and past the lighthouse on a estuary in mid-winter? 

Barn Owl at Cockersand.

In my last post, I made the suggestion that I suspected there might be 2 Barn Owls at Cockersand. Today it seems to be common knowledge that there are indeed 2 Barn Owls here. I met five people on Wednesday who all told me of the roost here. 

I get great pleasure in sharing and reporting the Barn Owl anywhere, but don't agree with any kind of freely published information about any species of Schedule 1 birds that gives even a hint of where they might be holding territory to start breeding by early April.

Picture Gallery.

Howard Stockdale sent me an image of the long staying Snow Bunting on Plover Scar.

Ian Mitchell's image of Long-tailed Tit on his garden feeders.

Martin Jump observed some excellent aerobatics by no less than 7 Buzzard and 3 Raven over the ridge at Harrisend recently.

Thanks to Howard, Ian, and Martin for the excellent and much appreciated images which add some interest and colour to B2B. 

A Window Of Opportunity.

Some decent weather gave me a chance to get out on Wednesday, with another special day at Cockersand and around the Lune Estuary.

It was good to find a female Pochard on Conder Pool, seen as a declining winter visitor, and very irregular anywhere in our recording area. Other notes of interest were, the wintering pair of Stonechat, 2 Kingfisher which paid a visit to the perching post a few minutes apart from opposite directions. I saw just 5 Little Grebe and 2 Tufted Duck, and made some comfortably round figure estimates of 50 Mallard and 40 Wigeon. Also up to 150 Teal were seen between Conder Pool and the River Conder, and a Sparrowhawk flew into the hedgerow by the viewing platform, and few back out again 2 minutes later.

At Cockersand, there was just 85 Pink-footed Geese left from the 2,500 on 5 December, there was a notable count of 250 Curlew in a field off Slack Lane, 12 Goldfinch and 9 Greenfinch were around Bank Houses.

Hen Harrier. Simon Hawtin.

As I rounded the Lighthouse Cottage, a ringtail Hen Harrier appeared over the stubble field and eventually disappeared over Cockersand Abbey, almost certainly the same bird of 24 November over the marsh at the Caravan Park. As I left Cockersand, 2 Cattle Egret were off Moss Lane by Tomlinson's Farm.

Interesting and worrying, I saw not a single Whooper Swan today at Cockersand after recording up to 300 there 1 December.

Fifteen Black-tailed Godwit segregated from 3,000 Lune Estuary 13 December. A pity the light was fading for the video. 

Most notable on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, the count of at least 3,000 Black-tailed Godwit in three groups, 2,000 being at the mouth of the River Conder and upstream, and others on the shore below Colloway Marsh. Also of note, c.500 Dunlin and 80 Golden Plover.

I had the opportunity to call in at Teal Bay yesterday, where there was a nice variety of waders roosting on the groyne at high tide. Predominantly Oystercatcher with 9 Bar-tailed Godwit and Redshank. Also single figures of Turnstone, Knot and Dunlin, with Wigeon and 2 female Pintail. I had to mute the video to take out the annoying wind.

The Pintail.

The status of the Pintail in our recording area, is that of a common passage migrant and winter visitor. The Pintail I saw yesterday at Teal Bay, were the first I've seen in 4 years, when I noted them in 'large number' off Pilling Lane Ends on 15 October 2019....I have obviously not been to Cockersand on the right date. I was truly amazed when I found the record of 550 Pintail seen off Plover Scar 1 October 2023....LDBWS 

There is an interesting breeding record, that of a female Pintail with 7 ducklings at Alston Wetland on 27 May 2022, with still two young on 11 July, only the third breeding record for Lancashire since 49 years ago in 1973....Lancashire Bird Report 

Thanks to Ian Mitchell for the excellent header image of a pair of Pintail at Morecambe....In my book one of the smartest of ducks.  

Eleven Days Later.

When I finally got out yesterday, it had been 11 days since I'd had a wander around the estuary, and in my book the day started well with the sight of a Stonechat in the east corner of Conder Pool. This looks like a bird from a possible 4 pairs set to winter in the area around the Lune Estuary....time will tell. A lone Tree Sparrow was in the hedgerow by the viewing screen.

A stunning female Kingfisher soon followed the chat to oblige and pose for a picture. If the volume in the video is full on, the winnowing call of one of 10 Little Grebe is heard towards the end prior to the Kingfisher leaving the scene.

On arriving at the bowling green to view the estuary, to be honest I was overwhelmed by the sight of up to 5,000 waders in view. Making life even more difficult, there was also a raptor - probably an undetected Peregrine Falcon - in hunting mode. Up to 2,000 Lapwing and 1,500 Black-tailed Godwit, with good numbers of Golden Plover, Curlew, Redshank, and Dunlin. A drake Goldeneye, 4 Goosander, and a Great-crested Grebe were of note, also 4 Shoveler are at best irregular here.

On the canal basin, 24 Tufted Duck and a drake Goosander seen, with not a Goldeneye in sight, a favoured location for the winter visitor.

Driving along Moss Lane with a vehicle behind, I noted c.40 Fieldfare in trees. At Cockersand, I struggled to find 3 Stonechat, two were working their way along the bulrushes in the ditch off Slack Lane, and after two visits to the rough field behind Lower Bank House, I eventually found another Stonechat. I also saw a pair of Chaffinch....Can't remember when I last saw Chaffinch at Cockersand!

Along a length of c.1/4 mile, I estimated at least 2,500 Wigeon in rafts stretching from Plover Scar to the Cocker Estuary. In a field by Abbey Farm, 130 Curlew seen. This winters peak count of 245 Whooper Swan was opposite Gardners Farm off Moss lane.

Whooper Swan Thurnham 19 Nov. Howard Stockdale.

Howard sent me the image of Whooper Swan W43C. Ringed a little over 3 months ago at Miklavatn, Skagafjorour, Iceland, 14 August 2023. Having flown 1,600km to be seen for the first time in Thurnham on 19 November....Thanks Howard, much appreciated.