Let's Twitch Again!

I got myself into twitching mode yesterday, it's not habitual for me to go after other peoples birds, but there was some nice ones just over the border into Cumbria, so it was time I got myself off to take a look.

Wood Sandpiper Antonio Puigg

First stop was at a flood on College Green farmland at Heversham SD488837 where I found 2 Wood Sandpiper, one of which was notably lame, also on the flood were at least 9 Snipe, more perhaps if I'd have tried harder and found them in areas of long grass.

Pectoral Sandpiper Jan Larsson 

Next stop was actually just around the corner at SD488832 where eventually a Pectoral Sandpiper put in excellent views to clearly show it to be a juvenile, also seen were 22 Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, and at least 18 Snipe.

A drive out to the Brigsteer area SD470892 where a Pectoral Sandpiper was found on 10 September, proved to be a 'twitchers dip' though the bird was reported back here again at 4.30pm two hours after I left, when I had seen 4 Ringed Plover and a solitary Dunlin, with a Buzzard over.

Another short list, and a bit like a day at the zoo to be honest, but with some birds of substance this time.

Thanks to Antonio and Jan for their excellent and much appreciated images.  

The New Post.

Apologies for the title....the 'thinking up a title' part of my brain has apparently seized up.

Pectoral Sandpiper Marc Heath 

The Pectoral Sandpiper has no connection with this post, but this is an excellent image of the most numerous Nearctic wader on this side of the Atlantic. Thanks Marc, I wish I could have a run similar to the one you are having at the moment....great stuff and hope it continues. 'Clik the pik' its another WOW!

At Conder Green today in addition to the 'regulars' a second adult has arrived on Conder Pool to make the count 3 Little Grebe, 3 Snipe, and 3 Greenshank seen today. The regulars seen on the pool, a Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon, and 2 Teal. A Grey Wagtail was on the Conder below the road bridge.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, I found 3 Mediterranean Gull all adult of which one retains its fading black hood, interesting in that another close by was in full winter plumage showing the variability of two moulting birds of the same species around mid-August. Wader estimates were, 2,000 Lapwing, 500 Redshank, and 75 Curlew, with notably not a single Dunlin in sight. 

Tree Sparrow Simon Hawtin  

At Cockersands, more wader estimates on and around Plover Scar, 550 Dunlin, 250 Ringed Plover, 20 Turnstone, and a 'few' Whimbrel and Golden Plover noted, 22 Eider were off the scar. A sally round brought about an excellent count of in excess of 90 Tree Sparrow at Abbey Farm, a Wheatear was on the Cockersand Abbey ruins, a solitary Black-tailed Godwit went over south, and a long dead large adult Seal was on the shingle below the abbey.

Wall Brown. Pete Woodruff.  

Also in the farmyard at Abbey Farm I found my first two Wall Brown butterflies of the year.

Thanks to Simon Hawtin for the Tree Sparrow image. I can find very few photographs of the Tree Sparrow for some reason or other.

Filling the gap....again!

Not for the first time I'm filling the gap between my birding opportunities to keep Birds2blog head above the water and afloat, and not for the first time it is with some excellent photographs from some of the photographers who grant me the permit to publish their work....all in the name of keeping Birds2blog interesting and colourful. 

Ever since the day I abandoned photography to pursue birding and my passion for the birds, I've never lost sight of an intense interest in the art of freezing a moment in time with an image and those who achieve and produce them. This time all four images are certainly 'pics with a difference' and are stunning in their own right....and there's an American at the end!

Gannet David Cookson

DC captioned this remarkable photograph of the Gannet 'Ghost-rider in the sky'....WOW!

Common Blue Damselfly Marc Heath 

I told MH that I had never seen anything quite like this photograph of the Common Blue Damselfly.... A remarkable photograph.

Swallow Brian Rafferty    

BR appropriately titled the post 'Special Moments' in which this picture of the three young Swallows appears. If he doesn't mind I'd like to caption it 'Goal'....well thats what they're shouting is it!

Nuthatch Warren Baker 

The Nuthatch has the ability to walk along the underside of branches and up and down trees, like the one WB caught in this excellent photograph.

 

Pectoral Sandpiper Tim Kuhn 

The most numerous Nearctic wader on this side of the Atlantic, there could be a Pectoral Sandpiper near you, they're all over the place in the UK as I write. Thanks Tim....its a beauty.

Treat yourself to some brilliant photography and visit all these websites sometime.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING....but not looking good until next week, which makes me not feeling good either.

A Complete Blank!

This is not good, and I get no enjoyment from creating this post which is to report a week completely void of any birding, depressing stuff and I can't go on like this, things must change....and soon or else.

Floods have been the areas to check recently, though a flood anywhere anytime is always worth a check and if you live in the same area as I do one at Aldcliffe is as good as they come. But  three particular floods have been in the news in the past few days, and all have hosted some 'good birds'.

Wood Sandpiper Dave Appleton 

A flood viewed from Lancaster Road near to Lousanna Farm at Out Rawcliffe - which I know well and drove past many hundreds of times during my days delivering car parts - held a nice Wood Sandpiper this week along with a number of Ruff which reached a double figure in one report I saw. Another Wood Sandpiper was present during the week on another flood at Todderstaffe Hall on the Fylde. I can offer no accurate number but I recall going into the Allan Hide at Leighton Moss with John Leedal one day to find c.8 Wood Sandpiper together, a record I never equalled since....Thanks for the photograph Dave.   

Pectoral Sandpiper Colin Bushell

On yet another flood NW of Garstang and east of Lathwaite, a Pectoral Sandpiper was present this week too with another on Banks Marsh. The Pectoral Sandpiper is the most numerous Nearctic wader on this side of the Atlantic, in excess of 1,400 were noted between 1958-85 an average of over 50 birds a year. The one in the image above was in Manu, Peru 2010....Thanks for this Colin.

Lesser Snow Geese Geoff Gradwell  

I think the biggest 'Lancashire' surprise of all this week was the appearance of Lesser Snow Geese on the Fylde coast where the number peaked at thirteen at Cockers Dyke on Pressall Sands. The image above is of seven of these thirteen birds which were also over Rossall Point at Fleetwood...Thanks Geoff.

And finally....

Common Sandpiper Antonio Puigg

I wonder if the Common Sandpiper will winter again at Conder Green, this bird was photographed 'nodding off' recently in Spain....Many thanks Antonio.

And the MEGA news today was of a Yelkouan Shearwater past Whitburn Steel in Co.Durham.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING....NEXT WEEK OR ELSE!!

The Big Dip!

I set off this morning in good 'birding' spirits with the intention of stepping outside my kind of birding, to spend the day looking for 'other peoples birds' with Glasson Dock, and Arnside the priorities, and a look in on the Eric Morecambe Complex at Leighton Moss to see if I could prove the 'regulars' simply weren't doing the job right. It all ended about seven hours later with a massive - in twitching jargon - 'dip', but I wouldn't have it any other way, I would'nt  be remotely interested in birds if they were always there to order....would you?

I was on the job at Glasson Dock and spent a full 2.5 hours watching the tide come in and push the birds ever closer until the mud was eventually covered and I left minus the Lesser Yellowlegs despite grilling c.200 Redshank coming and going - and others - until I was blue in the face just managing in between to log three adult Mediterranean Gulls, take note of c.650 Golden Plover and 45 Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Forty minutes later I'm in the Eric Morecambe hide to take note of 14 species including at least 500 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Ruff, and not very common on the complex, a single Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, not everyone realises these are two of  'one or two' species of wader not all that regular/common on here. A solitary Pink-footed Goose was of note.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Brian Rafferty

Now I'm about to join some seasoned birders already in place when I arrive at Arnside as the tide ebbed, but despite allowing myself about one hour here I/we found no sign of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, nor....

Pectoral Sandpiper. Dave Appleton.

....any Pectoral Sandpipers and had to leave by 3.30pm only to see the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Little Stints, and a Yellowlegs species reported there later....Oh Dear!!

Marsh Tit. Mike Watson

Three Little Egret were on the marsh, and a Marsh Tit was nice in the wooded area behind were I was stood on the embankment at Arnside, a very localised breeder in our area and mainly restricted to the Lune Valley, Silverdale/Arnside, and south-east Cumbria.

The sting in the tail....

The Lesser Yellowlegs was reported on the Lune Estuary, Glasson Dock at 6.10pm....Oh Dear again!! 

I met a nice couple in the Eric Morecambe hide today, but despite seeing them at Leighton Moss on and off for c.150 years I still don't know their name, but they know who they are and I know they look in on Birds2blog on a daily basis which I much appreciate.....good to have seen you again today 'nice couple'.

Thanks to BR/DA/MW for the photographs which are much appreciated. 

The SG Has It!

Dusting it off and donning my twitchers hat I set off for Heysham Harbour to target a 'gull' and arrived at the power station outfalls to find - to my amazement - I was the only one on duty, well its 9.30am not 5.30am I thought to myself, but there I was....alone!

Sabine's Gull. Mike Watson.

It felt and sounded like a gale to me, whether or not it officially was I have no idea, but lets say it was blowing a howler. Making the best of views I had at the outfall through a telescope on the verge of a nervous breakdown I picked up an adult Little Gull, uncounted adult and juvenile Arctic Terns, and at least one Common Tern, but wait a minute, this isn't a bad start but....wheres the 'target bird'. OK, now I move on to the next outfall where there are more birds feeding - or at least looking for something to feed on  - and here it came into the scope and gave me excellent and often close views, a pretty smart bird this adult Sabine's Gull.

From here I walked cautiously - I'm in danger of being blown into the sea here you know - to the harbour wall to spend just a while looking out to sea to no avail, but noting at least 90 Turnstones taking shelter on the old wooden jetty. I retreated even more cautiously back along the sea wall to find a wind blow Wheatear opposite the caravan park. 

Sabine's Gull. Mike Watson.

My own personal opinion of the photograph of the Sabine's Gull above, is that it has the whole atmosphere of what I saw at Heysham Harbour today and not just a picture of a bird in an empty sky, this shot shows the bird passing the old wooden jetty which is slowly crumbling into the sea. A brilliant image with my thanks to Mike Watson for allowing it on Birds2blog. 

The day from here on turned out to be a little on the dull and unproductive side. At Conder Green I saw a Common Sandpiper on Conder Pool which brings me another day closer to suggesting this bird is going to be this years wintering individual at Conder Green. Also on the pool, 5 Little Grebe, and the two site faithful Wigeons, a Grey Plover was in the channel below the railway bridge, and c.70 Swallows were hawking over the marsh. On Glasson Marsh from Bodie Hill 2 Little Egret.

Apart from the fact it was now high tide at Cockersands, the wind made it almost impossible to scan the only land above water at what remained of Plover Scar, but I managed to pick out a Whimbrel, c.25 Turnstone, and a 'few' Ringed Plover, a single Eider was off here, and at least 20 Greenfinch were in what I insist on calling the 'setaside' by Lighthouse Cottage. 

And finally....

Lesser Yellowlegs/Pectoral Sandpipers. Colin Bushell.

Well, if this had been taken at Hesketh Out Marsh you'd have to call CB a little on the greedy side at finding these three together, but these are on the coast east of Rio de Janeiro and you can see more exciting stuff like this HERE....Thanks for this Colin, keep 'em cumin!

Flying your Kite!

White-tailed Kite. Colin Bushell.

Well hows that for struggling for a title and not remotely connected with the post I'm about to write. But connected to an excellent photograph of the bird above - which I'd hazard a guess you won't be seeing in the UK any time soon - seen by CB on his latest trip to Peru....Thanks for this - and the one below - Colin.

With JB today we started at a quiet Conder Green with just 2 Little Grebe seen again on the pool though 5 Wigeon is something of an increase, and the Kingfisher brightened up the visit here. At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary the Bar-tailed Godwit/Knot were more obliging today being opposite the viewpoint and allowing us a more accurate estimate of 1,500/6,500 respectively until they took to flight in a spectacle you'd pay money to see. Also of note, 5 Goosander, a solitary Black-tailed Godwit, and a Little Egret. From Bodie Hill yesterdays 2 Whooper Swans, c.800 Wigeon, 22 Goldeneye, and a Black Swan in company with c.95 Mute Swans. 

In a field opposite Sand Villa, 4 adult and a juvenile Whooper Swan. At Knott End c.15 Twite, but a visit to LDBWS will show JB saw more including a comprehensive list from elsewhere. At Cockers Dyke an adult Mediterranean Gull and a Little Egret were to note. On Fluke Hall Lane, 12 Whooper Swans and 2 Ruff, a brief look in at Pilling Marsh produced 4 Whooper Swans and 2 Little Egrets.

And finally....

Pectoral Sandpiper. Colin Bushell.

As opposed to the bird at the top here's one you have a very good chance of finding/seeing in the UK. The Pectoral Sandpiper is the most numerous Nearctic wader on this side of the Atlantic, during the years 1958/85 an average of 52 a year were found, and in fact as many as 150 were recorded in a single year in 1984.

Conder Pool.

Little Ringed Plover. Peter Guy.

I don't think there is a bird more appropriate than the Little Ringed Plover for this post about Conder Pool at Conder Green simply because the LRP has graced this excellent pool each and every summer since its creation in 2003, though if my memory serves me correct the area which became the pool was being created in 2002 when material was extracted from here to raise the road a few metres from here as a barrier from the ever rising water levels along our coastline and in this case to protect the caravan site behind the road at this point.

My recently updated header photograph is one I took on 29 March this year and is of a small number of the  c.1,000 waders I was confronted with on this memorable morning when I turned the corner on the A588 at the Stork Hotel to see this amazing sight in the air over Conder Pool. When I walked on to the viewing platform I discovered all the birds had settled down on the various islands and areas of the pool and was quite amazed to count what I wrote in my notes as 'up to 350 Black-tailed Godwit and 450 Knot' the figure of c.1,000 waders was then made up of various species including Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Redshank and Dunlin etc, and was quite a spectacular sight for such a small pool.

Over the eight years of its existence Conder Pool has been visited by some quite exciting birds creating some equally exciting records, of course the best of these has to be the White-winged Black Tern which I was fortunate to find over the marsh on 14 August 2003, this bird very soon created Conder Pools claim to fame when it visited there at least on one occasion during its stay of ten days on the Lune Estuary. Other 'goodies' void of any dates have been, two Pectoral Sandpipers, a Wood Sandpiper, and another of my finds a juvenile Back-necked Grebe present there when I visited on the morning of 1 September 2008. All these good records are also joined over the years by Little Egret, Avocet, Scaup, and Ruff to name a few.

So, back to the beginning and the Little Ringed Plover which, although it has been present on the pool every year it has often been difficult to confirm breeding successes of which it has had at least three with fledged young observed, but this place has many hidden areas which in some respects is an advantage to the birds and offers them some undisturbed life from the human form at least. The birds have always arrived by early April but there are many of my visits which go without any sightings of either male or female LRP's to such an extent at times that you begin to think they are no longer present, well this is what makes birding what it is and it would be a little boring if every time you went to Conder Pool there was the LRP waiting for you to confirm it is still there.

The creation of Conder Pool and leaving it to nature - and in particular the birds - is the best thing to have happened in our area in recent times, conversely the 'loss' of the old gavel pits of Dockacres to a fishing lake was the crime of the century in my opinion. However, Lancaster and its surrounding areas are by far the best and most diverse of anywhere I know, how many the times I've said 'waders' on the coast, and 'harriers' on the moors forty minutes later....beat that.

Thanks to Peter Guy for the LRP pic, and to John Bateman who often accompanies me on my birding days and who supplied me with some of the records relating to Conder Pool in this post.