Back Big Time!

The Cockersand Whooper Swan are back, better still they were accompanied by the 2 Bewick's Swan. 

Clarkson's Farm: 44 Whooper Swan

Tomlinson's Farm: 67 Whooper Swan, 2 Bewick's Swan

Abbey Farm: 75 Whooper Swan

Braides: 126 Whooper Swan

Cockersand 186, Cockerham 126....The grand total being 314.

Whooper Swans Cockersand. Pete Woodruff.

The swans took up most of my time on Tuesday, but it was good to find up to 2,25o Black-tailed Godwit off Crook Farm. Also to note, 8 Stock Dove and 2 Buzzard, and I finally found my first winter thrushes when about a dozen Fieldfare were seen from a moving motor on Moss Lane....Better late than never!

There was a large selection of wildfowl on Conder Pool today, including a near 50/50 mix of 200 Greylag and Canada Geese, 62 Mallard, 3 Wigeon, 2 Goosander, 23 Mute Swan, and a Little Grebe. Bird of the day here for me was a female Stonechat.

Hen Harrier.

I had a chance and very fortunate encounter with someone at the viewing platform at Conder Pool. Through an interesting conversation which developed, I gleaned some info regarding the Bowland Hen Harriers. I make no mention of who this person was, nor any mention of details about the site location. I learned only what I was entitled to, and if I'm honest the meeting ended with my wishing I could have heard more, but details were guarded and sparse.

Hen Harrier Forest of Bowland. Simon Hawtin.

Bowland held good numbers of Hen Harrier in 2024, although there was a below average breeding success. But the site I heard about held three pairs of Hen Harrier, all of which had broods successfully raising 12 young to fledging.

Simon Hawtin held a license which offered him to get close enough for many brilliant images of this stunning bird. I'm grateful to Simon for the use of these images of the Hen Harrier in Bowland. 

Hit And Miss!

Actually very few hits, the rest all misses on my latest visit around the estuary, and some concerns to be going on with.

I suppose I would have to admit, the birds seen on Conder Pool were representative of what is to be expected on a moderate day in the first week of December, and it was necessary that I recorded every thing seen here today in order to create a bit of something to read on the report. 

If I'm honest, the most exciting thing to be seen was 14 Long-tailed Tit in a procession working through the hedgerow by the viewing screen. On Conder Pool, 3 Snipe, 3 Little Grebe, 8 Wigeon, 20 Mallard, 9 Black-headed Gull, and a lone drake Tufted Duck.

A couple of decent counts on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, up to 2,520 Black-tailed Godwit and at least 1,500 Golden Plover. At the south end of Jeremy Lane, 5 Whooper Swan were seen as a family of two adult and three 1st winter. These were the only swans I saw in a 4 hour trawl around the Lune Estuary....More on that subject later.

Now the concerns began to develop at Cockersand....At first it wasn't particularly worrying, but an example of the days misses were, no sign of the short stay Snow Bunting, no sign of the even shorter one day Black Redstart, and despite the distinct possibility of three pairs wintering at Cockersand this year, no Stonechat today.

But now things get really serious....Since 27 October, at least 200 Whooper Swan have been resident at Cockersand, lately they have been spread over fields south from Moss Lane down to Bank End, but today zilch. Not a single large white bird in the fields around the Cockersand area....Misery!

The one thing I did find was the reason why the herd of swans have 'disappeared', but to see why in the bigger picture you have to clik the pik.... 

The c.200 Whooper Swan have been replaced along the same length of fields by a similar number of c.200 sheep. 

Bearing in mind, at least 3,500 Pink-footed Geese were at Slack Lane 24 November, they have now also 'disappeared'. But the good news out of all this is, the Bewick's Swans had relocated to fields by Gardner's Farm yesterday 6 December....Alleluia!

In short, not a swan or goose to be seen on this weeks visit to Cockersand, in my book this is a disaster.

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. 

Godwits And Plovers Hit The Fields.

Best sight of the day for me, was the Stonechat perched briefly on the post close to the viewing platform at Conder Pool....It says in my book, if you see a Stonechat get some footage if it!

Also on Conder Pool, 46 Mallard, 32 Wigeon, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Goosander, and a Snipe.

To note on the Lune Estuary, 348 geese were seen as last weeks 252 Greylag on Jeremy Lane, and 96 Canada Geese. Also, at least 300 Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 450 Wigeon, and 2 Goosander.

Another great sight was c.500 Black-tailed Godwit in a field south end of Jeremy Lane, with a 'few' Curlew/Redshank/Lapwing/ and a lone Golden Plover.

Little Owl Cockersand. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersand, nice to find another Stonechat behind Lighthouse Cottage, and nice to see the Little Owl sunning itself behind the barn at Bank Houses. 

In excess of 1,000 Golden Plover were scattered over three fields north and south of Abbey Farm, and by Cockersand Abbey. A wonderful sight, which would have looked even more wonderful in the sun, but waiting for it to come from behind the clouds didn't happen, so the ones with backs to the light, look more like Lapwing in the video!

A healthier number of c.113 Whooper Swan again at Cockersand and surrounding area, with 7 off Slack Lane, an uncounted estimate of a distant 50 from a moving car Thursland Hill area, and 56 Jeremy Lane.

Bird Of The Year.

Barred Warbler Conder Pool. Howard Stockdale.

I received some interesting data about the Barred Warbler on Conder Pool 19 November, including that it is thought to be the first ever to be photographed in the county of Lancashire. From a selection of images taken by Howard, one is to be used on the front cover of Lancashire Bird Report 2024....Many thanks for information from Howard Stockdale.

Little Owl.

My header of the Little Owl at Cockersand is the best I can manage at the distance with my standard Sony camera at 30x zoom. As a bird in serious decline, I know of no other Little Owl currently to be found in our recording area.  

And Finally....An Owl At Cockersand.

It was good to find 2 Grey Wagtail on Conder Pool yesterday, they were collecting insects on the tern raft for several minutes, and according to another birder had been doing so earlier in the day when he called in. A rare sight, I don't recall the last time I saw Grey Wagtail on Conder Pool. Other notes from a stock taking exercise, 112 Mallard, 45 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Goosander, 10 Little Grebe, and a Grey Heron.

On the Lune Estuary, up to 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit, half the number disturbed and flying downstream, with a 'white' individual amongst them but not discernible in the video. An adult Mediterranean Gull was ringed on the left leg, unreadable at the distance, but looked white or possibly very pale green with a metal ring on the right leg, otherwise gull and wader numbers were low.

At Cockersand, despite the effort made for a circuit, there was little to report, and the 13 Whooper Swans of 10 October obviously decided to move on. However, I did manage to log 3 raptor species, with a Buzzard atop of a telegraph pole, a Kestrel which thought it was a Merlin zipping at a metre height over a stubble field before hovering, and a Sparrowhawk. As I left Cockersand, a Barn Owl flew across the road in front of the car and over the Bank Houses paddock.  

Little Owl.

In company with Andrew Cornall on Monday, Ian Mitchell had good views of the Little Owl in residence at Cockersand, and in the circumstances with poor light, achieved a decent image of the bird....Thanks for this Ian, it is much appreciated.

Little Owl. Ian Mitchell.

According to my records, this is the first record of Little Owl at Cockersand for 10 years, with one last seen at Bank Houses 10 November 2014. I also found a Little Owl at Abbey Farm on 31 October 2014, at the time I thought this was the Bank Houses bird having a day out as I had never found one at the farm ever before or since.

Little Owl 10 July 2020. Pete Woodruff.

This Little Owl was a surprise find at the junction of Green Lane and the Kirkby Lonsdale Road 4 years ago. I managed this grab shot from my car with traffic behind me....I've not seen a Little Owl anywhere else since.

Better Late Than Never!

On a nice bright if cold sunny day, Conder Pool was as dull as it gets, with just 2 Little Grebe, a Goosander, and a few Mallard making the total of no more than 20 birds present. Conder Pool rules....but not this time.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, at least 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit, a couple of hundred Redshank and Dunlin were hanging on to the shoreline as the tide rushed in, with 3 Goosander noted, and then the Peregrine Falcon flew onto the scene.

The Peregrine Falcon caused a mass dread for a few thousand waders, including the Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, and Dunlin, and created a spectacle that lasted several minutes.

At Cockersand, 5 Stonechat seen, a pair in the rough field behind Bank House, a pair at Lighthouse Cottage, and a female along Moss Lane. Seeing 32 Stock Dove come down into a field was a first for me in our recording area, where birds seen in single figures is the norm in my experience. Whilst watching the doves, a Merlin rocketed over towards the estuary, and in the area around Bank House, 45 Linnet was a decent count, with 5 Greenfinch and 5 Reed Bunting seen, 13 Eider were off Plover Scar.

Sandylands Geese.

On Sunday, I'm quietly confident the geese flying silent and in silhouette north>south towards the harbour, were 20 Brent Geese. Earlier a Peregrine Falcon was seen unsuccessfully chasing a small wader, before doing a U turn to fly off inland.

Stonechat At Cockersand.

My header image is of one of the Lighthouse Cottage birds sent to me by Ian Mitchell....Thanks Ian, much appreciated.

This cropped image from Ian Mitchell, is of the same female Stonechat in the header, showing something best described as thin white plastic wire wrapped around both left and right lower leg.

I was in touch with and forwarded this image to a front line ringer in Cumbria, who notes they are both identical in dimension and position, otherwise is as baffled as me....Are we missing something here I ask myself!

Barn Owl.

Ian Mitchell finds a fair share of interesting stuff....Bilberry Bumblebee at Birk Bank in June 2023, including an amazing video of it burrowing on Clougha. The Merlin at Cockersand in October 2023 with some excellent photo and video footage of the bird taking a bath on a flooded stubble field. Two Otter in the Lune Valley in January, and the Stonechats at Cockersand this week, one of which has what appears to be thin white plastic rings on both legs.

Then up to date, a Barn Owl at Cockersand on Thursday 1 February bearing a metal ring on its right leg....What next Ian!

Movements of Barn Owl.

The West Palearctic population is basically resident, though young birds are known to make occasional dispersals, with no clear overall directional trend within Europe.

As a result of Ian Mitchell's discovery of the Cockersand Barn Owl bearing a metal ring. I made enquiries to another front line ringer, this one in Lancashire, about any known movements of Barn Owl, to be told they are usually only over fairly short distances. However, in the conversation I learn of one bird recovered in Lancashire having been marked in Nottingham.

And Finally.

At this point I'm not sure of the significance of the record, but I'd suggest it is a first for Lancashire and beyond. What I do know, is that this bird should have been more likely to be seen in West Africa.

Curlew Sandpiper Record Shots. Ian Walker.

An amazing record of a Curlew Sandpiper on Warton Marsh yesterday 3 February....Ian Walker FBC.

Harrier Wins The Day....

....and some other goodies!

On Conder Pool, a Greenshank was my first since I found four here on 19 October last. Also noted, 85 Wigeon and a similar number of Teal, 55 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 22 Redshank, and 2 Goosander. When I looked towards the marsh I saw a male Stonechat, probably one of the pools wintering birds.

Pulling in at Saltcote Brow Pumping Station, there was a good number of geese in the field, I eventually counted up to 180 Greylag, and saw they were accompanied by the 1st winter Russian White-fronted Goose and 2 Pink-footed Geese.

As I passed the field at Clarkson's Farm I could see 3 Cattle Egret, which appear to have lost one of their number, first seen 25 October when four were opposite Lighthouse Cottage. At Cockersand, up to 30 Twite were flighting around Bank House, probably the same flock first seen on Plover Scar 19 October. The Barn Owl seen briefly, initially it was grounded in the field. I saw just one male Stonechat by Lighthouse Cottage, but AC reported a pair on Moss Lane. 

  

A lone Twite was looking lost on the shore below the abbey. Difficult to stay firm in a mini howler and the camera set to zoomed in. I've silenced the wind in the short clip. 

There was three high number records on the day, at least 380 Whooper Swan were spread over four distant fields including a herd off Jeremy Lane. Up to 3,000 Pink-footed Geese were in the air, but the most impressive count was of up to 500 Curlew as an absolute minimum estimate, they were at rest on the mud south side of the Cocker Estuary. I've seen this kind of number here before, but as yet have failed to trace my record....I note the entire January WeBS count for the Lune Estuary in 2021 was 307 Curlew, which was well down on the 5 year average, suggesting a continuing decline of the species...The Birds of Lancaster and District 2021

And Finally.

When I was leaving Cockersand, in fields opposite Abbey Farm on the east side of Moss Lane which is narrow with no passing places and ditches on both sides. A pale grey harrier with white underparts, and contrasting black primaries, it was a stunning male Hen Harrier, but by the time I found somewhere to pull up it was lost to view....N'er mind, my day was already made.

Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his header image of the male Hen Harrier.

Stonechats.

If last year is anything to go by, it gives me much pleasure to think in just four weeks time Stonechat passage will have taken off. By the end of February 2023, I had collated 53 records of 102 individual Stonechats on passage. These records were followed by even more unprecedented records of the Stonechat on spring passage in March. 

During the past four weeks of January, I have collected 37 records of 76 wintering Stonechats. Three of these were of lowland records in the LDBWS recording area not known to be breeding territories, and not known as wintering territories either.

Stonechat spring passage is coming soon....Bring it on!

Redpoll In The Garden.

Mike Atkinson has struck gold - well red actually - when he had Lesser Redpoll visit his garden feeders, including this brilliant full frame portrait of the male....

....and the equally brilliant female.

Thanks for these Mike, much appreciated, and very envious. Lucky you!

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.  

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.  

Mid-Winter Bowland.

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On a beautiful sunny if cold day on Thursday, the purpose of a trawl around Marshaw - Tower Lodge - Trough Bridge, was to give me some mental and physical well-being, this clip certainly contributed to that....but not a bag full of birds. In fact in the 4 hours I was there, a count totaled a pretty depressing 9 species....yes NINE! 

OK, so this is upland birding in January, but c'mon, 9 species being a classic example of recording what you don't see, being as important as those you do.

My list was, 4 Mallard, with not a Dipper in sight on the Marshaw Wyre, 2 Red Grouse, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Dunnock, 6 Blackbird, a Robin, Kestrel, and a Pheasant. Well if that's not depressing....I give in!

But with a couple of hours decent daylight left, I gave Hawthornthwaite a look in, brief by usual standards. The brilliant sunlight on the fell did me a favour, when I spotted a pair of Stonechat on the top of a ridge, I found a pair here on my last visit on 11 November. Also seen, 6 Red Grouse, a Buzzard, and a Snipe, on take-off with it's 'muffled sneeze' soon dropped to ground again.

Stonechat 20 January. Pete Woodruff.

When I came back down, a male Stonechat was silhouetted against the light on the wall opposite and soon disappeared. But the day that had offered me few birds, soon turned positive when a Barn Owl came on the scene to give me several minutes of pleasure when it hunted the lower moor of Hawthornthwaite, before making a dive opposite me on the other side of the road.

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Barn Owl. 

The Barn Owl is recorded as a scarce resident breeder in our area, with no breeding reports in The Birds of Lancaster & District 2019 

Ten pairs of Barn Owls nested successfully in monitored boxes in Bowland in 2020. The East Lanc's Ornithological Club received 136 records, with confirmed breeding at 17 sites. Sightings from 8 locations in the LDBWS recording area were published...Lancashire Bird Report 2020 

I don't recall ever seeing a Barn Owl in Bowland, so an excellent first for me. I've obviously been going to all the wrong places in Bowland all these years, but Thursdays bird put an end to that, and gave me another Grand Finale.

The header image of the PFG at Cockersand, in the same field I saw them in on 14 January, is to show my appreciation to Ian Mitchell for sending it to me.       

Keeping Up Appearances!

In my attempt against mental instability and my world of diminishing birding. I was off armed with bino's round my neck and camera in pocket, and went for a wander through the Lancaster Cemetery and Williamson Park, from where there was excellent if slightly misty views from the Ashton Memorial over the north side of Lancaster to the distant Lakeland mountains over Morecambe Bay.

This turned out to be another excellent idea, if only because I found a stunning male Bullfinch in the cemetery. This is my second record of Bullfinch at this location, I found five here on 30 October 2014. These represent the only two records of Bullfinch seen in Lancaster Cemetery east of Lancaster at SD 491619  

I will be keeping an eye on this, although 7 years between my sightings, I now reckon the Bullfinch is resident in this area in which to my knowledge no-one does any birding and I only visit occasionally, but that's going to change, and I need to find them here in the summer months. 

Some thoughtful bird lover has put four feeders up in the cemetery which had attracted a mix of up to 20 Blue Tit and Great Tit, a Nuthatch and Robin soon joined them as I watched. Also seen in the cemetery, at least 8 Long-tailed Tit and a Treecreeper. Other notes on the wander, 2 Jay one of which was seen of in aerial combat by 2 Magpie. 

Eight Rooks were in the rookery by the entrance to Williamson Park, they were quite noisy and you would have thought it was at the start of the breeding season in March by their behaviour.

Good numbers of birds at the feeders in Williamson Park, including Blue Tit, Great Tit, and Coal Tit, 3 Dunnock, and 2 Robin. Fourteen Black-headed Gull were accompanied by Mallard on the pond. I liked the reflections of the surrounding landscape in the video.

All in all, an enjoyable couple of therapeutic hours on Friday.

A Bowland Double.

There's a bit of hesitation with my words in this video, and a little humour in there too. I think to have a script might be a good bet until I get used to the idea of commentary. 

Meanwhile, a little introduction to Fridays visit to Bowland. View the videos Full Screen.

A Bowland double today, when I found a couple of goodies up the track from Tower Lodge. I saw a bird flitting around in the trees, and although my views were brief before it disappeared from view it was clearly a Marsh Tit. Not 10 minutes later up the track, I spotted a cracking male Bullfinch soon followed by a female.

Marsh Tit Jan Larsson 

I've never seen either of these species in our recording area in the Forest of Bowland, and I'm not aware of any records here in recent years if ever. The Marsh Tit is an uncommon localised breeder in our area, restricted to the limestone woodlands of Arnside, Silverdale, and the Wray area. The Bullfinch is more of a common breeder in similar areas to the Marsh Tit....But these two records are in autumn in the Forest of Bowland.

I was a bit too busy having fun with the camera today, and noted just 14 species of birds in the hours spent in the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge area. But this Grey Wagtail gave me a little therapeutic moment....

The other eleven....a Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Great Tit, 6 Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, and Robin. About 8 Mallard were on the Marshaw Wyre, and 4 Red Grouse from the track to Winfold Fell, with Buzzard and Kestrel seen.

I noted an excellent record of 10 Stonechat on Lytham Moss yesterday per F. Bird at Fylde Bird Club.

A Little Pre Christmas Routine.

Definitely not routine in a boring way, but a wander on Monday around the Lune Estuary before Christmas, started by finding Conder Pool having just five birds present, 2 Magpie, a Goosander, a Grey Heron, and the semi-resident Lesser Black-backed Gull. Oh yes, and a lone Redwing on the berries. In the creeks, 7 Little Grebe included five down the channel almost out of sight towards the Conder mouth, 82 Mallard and up to 120 Teal were also noted in the creeks.

At Glasson Dock, estimates on the Lune Estuary, 2,500 Golden Plover, 850 Black-tailed Godwit, 550 Common Gull, 350 Dunlin, 120 Redshank, 75 Curlew, and the lone Bar-tailed Godwit seen last Thursday.

The sole purpose of a brief visit to Cockersand on Monday, was to find the Stonechats either at the Caravan Park/Lighthouse Cottage or both, which unfortunately ended in failure, but it was interesting to see the report of a pair of Stonechat on Monday in the field by the church at Cockerham, per Fylde Bird Club.

At least 350 Curlew seen at the Cocker Estuary, and c.150 Whooper Swan in the field to the north behind the Caravan Park were seen as a number which looked reduced by something like 100 here for several weeks. At Clarkson's Farm, 3 Bewick's Swan were with 28 Whooper Swan.

Still at it at Cockersand, seven at a time. Clik the pik and see. 

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. 

A Window Of Opportunity.

On a wall to wall sunny Monday, it was good to get back to the estuary for a look around. But, Conder Pool is dead....Long Live Conder Pool. 

Seven Little Grebe were in the creeks, they had deserted Conder Pool like everything else it seemed, the only two species and 26 birds, was 12 Black-headed Gull and 14 Mallard which were hauled out on the near island, also in the creeks, up to 160 Teal noted. On the circuit, a Kingfisher seen, also two small flock of very mobile 30 Fieldfare and 18 Redwing.

There was little action on the River Lune at Glasson Dock, 120 Golden Plover was a low count here, as was 12 Black-tailed Godwit and 42 Curlew, but 550 Wigeon was my best count to date here, and 5 Goosander seen. On the canal basin, 32 Tufted Duck and 5 Goosander.

There are good numbers of Fieldfare still around in the Cockersand area, you get the feeling they're everywhere, also up to 290 Curlew in fields and shore, and 12 Black-tailed Godwit, with c.30 Meadow Pipit either hidden in the grass or flighty, also 10 Greenfinch, and a Mistle Thrush was bird of the day on status for me, I don't recall the last one seen here.

Stonechat Cockersand 9 December. Pete Woodruff.

My last five visits to Cockersand have all ended with a grand finale near dusk, four with chats and one with Twite. This time, I arrived back at Lighthouse Cottage and found the pair of Stonechat, they were busy foraging between the bulrushes, in the grasses below the fence posts on Slack Lane, and in the set aside opposite. This was as near as I got to the male Stonechat for a pik, it bears all the hallmarks of a typical attempt by me to master the art of photography with the equipment available.

My day ended at Cockersand at dusk looking to Clougha Pike in Bowland. Clik the pik....it's bigger if not better. 

Thanks to BR for the Fieldfare header image, much appreciated Brian.