After a break of three days it was good to get out birding yesterday on a nice day with some nice birds to go with it, though I had no cause to use my mobile to instigate a rave....
Red-eyed Vireo. John Benson.
Little Grebe Warren Baker
Closer to home....Conder Pool claimed another first with 22 Little Grebe counted, also another increase with 4 Goldeneye on the pool now, 3 Goosander were hauled out on the terrace, and a Little Egret was stabbing at the shallow edge again. A Spotted Redshank and Ruff rested on the marsh at high tide.
A few thousand waders were on the Lune Estuary as viewed from the bowling green at Glasson Dock and included estimates of up to 1,000 Golden Plover, 650 Bar-tailed Godwit, 220 Dunlin, and a few Knot, 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank were at the Conder Estuary, 2 Goosander and 7 Little Egret were also noted. As I got back to the motor 18 Long-tailed Tit came into a tree close by.
Cockersands was a delight, with no more than a light breeze as wall to wall sun broke through early afternoon, the birds were a delight too. Waders included 75 Turnstone counted on Plover Scar, 10 Ringed Plover were off Crook Farm, 2 Snipe on the marsh, 2 Red-breasted Merganser and 2 Great-crested Grebe were on the estuary, 2 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank were by the Cocker channel.
Small birds included a Wheatear when I keep thinking I've seen my last, a Rock Pipit, 5 Greenfinch, a lone Tree Sparrow was in company with 8 House Sparrow, 6 Robin, 4 Blackbird, and a Wren was on the abbey ruins.
Kestrel Phillip Thomkinson
A kestrel was within a metre on the same wire as 2 Reed Bunting, a Meadow Pipit and a Blue Tit all of which appeared oblivious of the raptor. A Buzzard was inland on a fence post and later mobbed by corvids in flight.
