Conder & Cocker.

A bit of action on Conder Pool Friday....As I stepped on to the viewing platform, a Barn Owl was disappearing below the far bank and hedgerow, to reappear and do the same again. I never saw the owl after that as I was distracted by the appearance of the Kingfisher which perched on the prop by the sluice. 

The best of three counts on Conder Pool resulted in 14 Little Grebe seen, with 3 Goosander, 2 Snipe, and my first Goldeneye of the winter, later 2 Goldeneye were on the Canal Basin at Glasson Dock.

Stonechat Female Moss Lane. Howard Stockdale.

At Cockersand, I found 5 Stonechat on the visit, two were working their way along the ditch by the junction of Moss/Slack Lane, two more were also working along the ditch off Slack Lane behind Lighthouse Cottage, and the fifth was seen in the rough field behind Lower Bank House. With recent reports and a little inside info, I would suggest there could be up to 5 pairs/10 Stonechat currently looking to winter around the Lune Estuary. 

Whilst watching the Stonechat at Lower Bank House, I saw a Red Admiral fly across the field....A note in my records reads, 7 Red Admiral seen 19 November 2022, and I found a record of Red Admiral on 19 December in Rossendale on a search of the Butterfly Conservation website.

Up to 120 Whooper Swan were on inland fields again as seen 25 October. I would have had good views of these birds looking to the north off Hillam Lane. I checked a flooded field at the east end of Moss Lane which held a few hundred gulls, to find a Ruff.

Sanderling.

In recent years the Sanderling has been referred to as an uncommon passage migrant at both seasons and a rare winter visitor....The Birds of Lancaster & District 2021

Sanderling. Martin Jump.

On Tuesday 7 November,  I received the report of 15 Sanderling on the shore off Lighthouse Cottage, Cockersand. An excellent record of a wader nothing more than rare north of the Fylde Coast, and certainly rarely if ever recorded on the Lune Estuary in winter. I have never recorded the Sanderling from Cockersand upstream on the River Lune in any season other than during spring/autumn passage.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the Stonechat, and to Martin Jump for his monochrome header image of Plover Scar, and the Sanderling from his archives.

...............................................................................

My Kind Of Birding.

    

If I was asked to give an example of what I like about birding. I wouldn't hesitate to show this video of c.2,000 Knot which were seen coming in to land on the beach off Sandylands Promenade last week.

The footage was made in the fading light of Sunday, and the Knot gave an impressive show not least because of the tightly packed flock, with a view of the Stone Jetty at Morecambe, and the Lakeland mountains as a backdrop.

Other than never knowing what's next to be found on the bird front, a pleasant hour in pleasant conditions on the promenade, presented some nice photo opportunities. This image of a group on the shore at Heysham gave the feeling of a relaxing walk on the beach in moonlight.

As the skies cleared behind the stormy clouds, a fraction of the numerous 'love'em or loath'em' wind turbines out in the Irish Sea, gave a slightly surreal feeling, some of which were dropping below the horizon....So the world is round after all!

More Pleasantries Around The Estuary.

Although I had to sit out a 30 minute downpour as I was about to set off on my traditional circuit of Conder Green following a check of Conder Pool, the pilgrimage around the Lune Estuary was rewarded by at least one decent wader, and a personal all time odonata record.

With 8 Greenshank seen on Conder Pool, it's obvious they are remaining faithful to the site, not unusual as they can be recorded here throughout the winter, whilst they wave goodbye to their brothers and sisters as they migrate west of Africa. Also on the pool, a Common Sandpiper, 13 Little Grebe, and a Collared Dove not being a regular here, 2 Raven were calling overhead.

My initial plan was Cockersand next, but with an ominous looking sky, that idea was quickly kicked into touch. So it was an hour spent at the bowling green, to watch the tide rise and push a nice juvenile Curlew Sandpiper into closer views, surrounded by good numbers of Redshank, Dunlin, Lapwing, and 5 Black-tailed Godwit. Also, in company with a few hundred gulls, I picked out an adult and 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull.

The day bucked up nicely, breezy and sunny, and a wander along the canal towpath Glasson Dock - Conder Green, rewarded me with another eleven hawkers including four pairs in cop. This count sent my record through the roof, to put a grand total of 206 Migrant Hawker seen since my first over the River Conder at Cragg Wood 8 August.

House Sparrow.

During the week, I watched four groups of up to 60 House Sparrow flying to disappear into a wild rose bush on Sandylands Promenade towards Heysham. 

Gone Fishing Part 2.

Enquires about the legality of fishing off Plover Scar are ongoing. Meanwhile, as an explanation as to why these two 'completely ruined my birding' and caused serious disturbance to the waders on the day. My header image and two others sent to me, clearly show the reason why this was the case.

Little Stint Plover Scar. Howard Stockdale.

Sanderling Plover Scar. Howard Stockdale.

The images show a Curlew Sandpiper in the header, a Little Stint, and my favourite wader the Sanderling, all three of which I was hoping I might connect with on the day, but was thwarted by the anglers. 

I'm grateful to Howard Stockdale for this trio of excellent images. 

Pool, Scar, & Garden.

The Oystercatcher family have disappeared from the pontoon which is now on a tilt presumably grounded, judging by the sustained dive bombing attacks I witnessed last Thursday, the chicks probably perished at the hands of the Common Terns, and the adults deserted.

There are three breeding pairs of Common Tern, with a second pair now having taken up in the right hand corner of the pontoon to join the left hand corner pair, and the Black-headed Gull still sitting at the rear. An error in the text sent to me on 30 May to say...'three B. H. Gull chicks still alive'....should have read Oystercatcher. The third Common Tern is sitting at the right hand edge of the island behind the pontoon. 

Also noted on Conder Pool, of 6 Avocet seen four are still sitting. For the first time I saw 2 Little Ringed Plover together, a Greenshank, 6 Redshank, at least 140 Black-headed Gull, and a few Sand Martin hawking insects. From the coastal path, a singing Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Whitethroat, 10 Canada Geese flew south off the Lune Estuary.

From Jeremy Lane, 2 Buzzard flew low over the fields towards Cockersand. On Plover Scar at high tide, c.200 waders seen as 120 Dunlin, 80 Ringed Plover, and a lone Sanderling.

Sanderling/Dunlin Plover Scar 3 June. Pete Woodruff.

I managed a poor shot of two roosting waders which were a long way off and a howler blowing on Plover Scar, the pale one had me guessing for a while and was much bigger than the Dunlin, both species being no more than 21cm in length, but the other bird being bulkier was a Sanderling.  

Garden Birds.

We had a family party of Great Tit with at least three young seen this morning, two sibling Blackbirds are thriving, and the young begging Goldfinch continue to visit the feeders. 

I got another short 'unsteady' video again on Monday, the Little Ringed Plover on Conder Pool is best viewed on Full Screen.

    

Late News....Again.

There was a peak count of 10 Avocet at Conder Green on Thursday, five in the creeks, and five on Conder Pool which brings me to believe only the one bird was still sitting. I saw a Common Tern briefly on Conder Pool, it was on the right hand end of one of the newly constructed islands behind the pontoon, but the next time I looked it had disappeared and I didn't see it again. Until I saw this bird it had been missing for two days with no sightings. Also of note on the pool, a Common Sandpiper and 3 Black-tailed Godwit. On a brief wander Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler.

Ringed Plover/Dunlin Plover Scar. Pete Woodruff.

At the high tide roost on Plover Scar it was good to find 3 Sanderling, seen as a wader with the status of being an uncommon passage migrant at both spring and autumn periods, and rare winter visitor in our recording area. Also on the scar, up to 550 Dunlin and 65 Ringed Plover, 3 Eider where off here.

Little Ringed Plover. Pete Woodruff.

I decided on a detour on the way back to Lancaster and went to Aldcliffe for a short 30 minute circuit. It was a good idea if only because I found 3 Little Ringed Plover along the edges of the Wildfowlers' Pools, with 2 Gadwall drake, and also noted 3 Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff, and 2 Song Thrush.

Thanks to Ian Mitchell for another of his Avocet images he kindly sent me in the new header.

Two Around The Green.

Ruff Conder Green 23 August. Pete Woodruff.

In a couple of hours around the Conder Green area, I found another influx of 9 Common Sandpiper, I've never seen this number before at Conder Green in late August. A Ruff was in the creeks with Redshank and 2 Black-tailed Godwit. Down the channel from the iron bridge, c.250 Redshank, 12 Dunlin, and of 12 Greenshank seen, 9 were here, and 3 on Conder Pool, where from a few attempts, 14 Little Grebe counted were two down on Tuesdays peak of sixteen. Not the best of Ruff photographs, more like one of the worst....but I just keep trying!

The Conder Common Terns.

Despite two visits to Conder Pool during the course of the afternoon, there was no sign of any Common Terns, leading to the supposition they have dispersed. If I'm right about this, I'm really surprised these birds have moved on, particularly so the young bird, which in my opinion fledged early, if only by a couple of days, and from my observations was reluctant to take to the wing and fly around the pool very much, and certainly wasn't fishing for itself as it should have been, but was content to stand around begging to be fed by the parent birds.

Common Tern Conder Pool 22 August. Ian Pinkerton.

This is the last of many hundreds of images taken by IP the champion of the Conder Terns, an adult on Conder Pool on Wednesday prior to their departure. IP sent this picture to me as a lasting reminder of the excellent journey he followed with these brilliant birds at Conder Green.

My thanks to Cliff Raby for his Sanderling header image which is very much appreciated, and which acts as a reminder of the disastrous breeding season the Sanderling and other shorebirds have had in NE Greenland this year....An update on this is Here  

Disaster In Greenland.

Sanderling Brian Rafferty

An excessive spring snowfall this year, has brought about a disastrous non-breeding year for shorebirds in Greenland, involving my most favourite of all, the Sanderling.

Jeroen Reneerkens studies breeding Sanderling working from the Danish Research Station at Zackenberg, NE Greenland. Over a two week period there, he says he heard not one singing Sanderling, and only a few times heard Knot and Dunlin, and having seen just two pairs of Sanderling over the two weeks, he concluded they had broken up and never saw them again in the days following his earlier sighting.

Zackenberg Mid-June 2018. Image Jeroen Rennerkens.

Jeroen also suspects that, given the snow conditions were similar in the whole range of NE Greenland, the majority of Sanderling never arrived in Zackenberg, but stayed in more southerly regions where better feeding was likely. 

The Sanderling egg laying date is around 16 June, with 4 July being the very latest, but on 27 June this year, all of their habitat in the Zackenberg Valley was still covered in up to a metre of snow, resulting in a non-breeding year in Zackenberg, or even the entire north-east Greenland.

Image Jeroen Rennerkens. 

Compared to this Sanderling found dead and weighing 26 grams, it's mass upon capture a few days earlier had been 34 grams, Jeroen had some cheer with the recapture of a Sanderling he had ringed here as a seven day old chick in July 2012, now 6 years old and luckily one of very few birds in good health with a weight of 54 grams.

The breeding area for the Sanderling is larger than NE Greenland alone, hopefully outside this area snowfall may have been less or even not at all, in which case they could have had a good year. So counting and logging the number of juveniles seen in flocks of Sanderling in the UK between August and November will be paramount, but as a species no better than an uncommon passage migrant and rare winter visitor in our recording area, my best chance of helping out on this would be to go south of Fluke Hall to Knott End, and probably better still to Rossall Point.

if you are interested in more of this disastrous year for breeding waders in Greenland, you can read the full story and more detail Here 

The Rewind.

I was back on Plover Scar an hour before the high tide on Tuesday, for a re-run of Mondays birding, and pleased to find the count looking more like 3,000 Dunlin today - though not pleased to find no hangers on with them - with up to 150 Ringed Plover, 5 Oystercatcher and 3 Grey Heron. On my way to the scar I saw 4 Wheatear.

The Sanderling.

Sanderling with Dunlin on Plover Scar 22 August. Pete Woodruff.

Best bird on Plover Scar was the lone Sanderling. You can't find a Sanderling on Plover Scar and take it for granted, it's a uncommon passage migrant anywhere in our area in both spring and autumn, and another declining wader species at that, though a truly amazing 152 on the scar 17 April 2015 might appear to contradict that, but it's at best scarce here. 

You can get more out of the sight of one of these little gems as I do, if you consider this small shorebird is returning from the High Arctic, stopped off briefly on Plover Scar, to continue probably just a few miles down the coast, to winter on the Fylde....This bird made my day. 

A wander to Bank End from Cockerham Marsh was rewarded by 3 Yellow Wagtail juvenile with a slight risk of duplication on one of the sightings. The area is the best place to find them in autumn anywhere in our recording area and beyond as AC will testify.

Butterflies.

Red Admiral Cockersand 22 August. Pete Woodruff.

It was a good day for butterflies on Tuesday, if only that I found 44 Large White, but a more interesting 17 Red Admiral, with 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, a Common Blue, and my eleventh Painted Lady.

Strangers in the night....Crept in, crept up, and crept out again.

Someone's been and taken the cork out of Conder Pool and drained off a few gallon of water to leave some nice muddy edges....what a good idea. But whether or not that's the sole purpose for this exercise is anybody's guess, I'd say probably not. 

Perhaps planning permission has been submitted for student accommodation to be built there!! 

Up The Wall!

On Thursday, I attended the funeral of a good friend at the Catholic Church of Ss Thomas & Elizabeth at Thurnham. After the service on a nice sunny day, there was going to be nothing more uplifting for me than a walk along the coastal path from Fluke Hall to Cockers Dyke, and at 1.30pm I was within a few miles of getting there from Thurnham down the A588.

Wall Brown. Pete Woodruff.

This was definitely a good idea, if only because I found my first Wall Brown butterfly in 6 years which was seen at Pilling Lane Ends on 2 September 2011. The irony being, today's butterfly was on one of the only three Ragwort stems left at the foot of the inland bank from the recent grass cut here on 25 July. Other butterflies taking an interest in the Ragwort and elsewhere along the path were, 9 Large White, 8 Common Blue, 6 Small Copper, 5 Gatekeeper, and 3 Meadow Brown.

Along the path, I saw a young Wheatear still sporting some downy feathering, and on Pilling Sands at Cockers Dyke saw up to 2,500 Dunlin, 350 Grey Plover, 45 Knot retaining some of their red breeding plumage, and 3 Sanderling, 6 Linnet  were on the marsh.

The Brown Hairstreak. 

Brown Hairstreak. Gait Barrows 9 August. Steve Graham.

I was grateful to Steve Graham for passing on to me both the news and image of a pristine male Brown Hairstreak found on Wednesday at Gait Barrows Nature Reserve in Silverdale, along with 14 other species of butterfly.

The jury is still out on whether this is an introduction, or a small relic population that has been previously overlooked as it is a former resident at Gait Barrows. The nearest colonies of Brown Hairstreak are in Lincolnshire and Worcestershire so well north of these, but so is Silver-washed Fritillary.

Thanks again for this Steve, it added nicely to my own Wall Brown find after a 6 year wait. 

Thanks also to Simon for the Hen Harrier header.

Tuesday Notables.

In my last post I made a note about behaviour between the 2 adult Common Tern on Conder Pool, with loud vocals and wing drooping by one of the birds. On Tuesday I saw a Common Tern return to the pontoon with a fish which it promptly gave to the other bird which was begging....Very interesting.

Also on Conder Pool, at least 30 Black-tailed Godwit in view with others behind the island no doubt. A female Tufted Duck had seven ducklings in tow, hope they have better luck on their side than the Avocets did. In the creeks, 3 Greenshank, 7 Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, and a good number of feeding Swallow over.

Sanderling With Dunlin. Plover Scar 25 July. Pete Woodruff.

On Plover Scar, it was good to find 5 Sanderling roosting with up to 250 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plover, and a lone Golden Plover. A Kestrel was hovering over Moss Lane, long time no see Kestrel here.

I had been to Heysham earlier in the day on Tuesday to find 8 Mediterranean Gull on Red Nab, all of which were adult save one 2nd summer/near adult. 

Meal Moth.

Meal Moth. Pete Woodruff.

Another stray in the house, unusual in that the Meal Moth isn't usually found far from it's chosen habitat of stored grain on which the larvae feed. At rest this one is showing it's characteristic tip of the abdomen curved at a right-angle to the body, it has damage/wear to it's wings, particular bad to the right.

The Steady Plod....What Again!

Another steady plod around the Lune Estuary on Tuesday started with a brief look in at Conder Green where I poked my nose through the screen at Conder Pool to see the Avocet pair on the island, and the Common Tern pair looking more interested in the pontoon than they've ever done previously, I reckon they're going to nest there this time, 45 Black-tailed Godwit were in the creeks.

Turnstone. Howard Stockdale

With the exception of 8 Eider and 112 Shelduck counted on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock the place was void of waders and gulls. Of 8 Sedge Warbler seen, three were on Jeremy Lane, with another five at Cockersand where on Plover Scar, c.2,500 Dunlin, 60 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling, and a Turnstone which was a stunning male in summer plumage making it one of the best dressed birds I know. A Peregrine Falcon came bombing through and changed the landscape in an instant with a good portion of the waders leaving post haste, but one of which the falcon made a weak effort at taking out, then went on it's way, a Whimbrel and 5 Eider were off Crook Farm.

In Bank Houses horse paddock, I watched Tree Sparrows flying into the air, hovering at times and fly-catching, I've never seen the Tree Sparrow as a flycatcher before. Three Wheatear, 3 Skylark, and 2 Whitethroat seen, with 2 Whooper Swan and 95 Mute Swan in the Moss Lane T junction field.

With an hour to spare before an appointment in Lancaster, I went to Aldcliffe to do a little part-time birding along the top path and return via the bottom path to note, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, 2 Greenfinch, and on the Wildfowlers Pool 2 Little Ringed Plover.

Thanks to Howard for the stunning male Turnstone image.

Quality Geese And Grebe's.

Red-breasted Goose/White-fronted Geese. 27 January. Pete Woodruff.

Yesterday I decided to shoot off down the A588 again and into Fylde territory. A good idea, as the roaming Red-breasted Goose was soon found in a field off Backsands Lane with 10 Russian White-fronted Geese and c.150 Pink-footed Geese.

Black Redstart. Knott End 28 December. Richard O'meara.

Turning off Fluke Hall Lane and into Wheel Lane, I spotted a Fox running through the field to cross the lane and enter the field opposite, it appeared to have a small prey item between it's teeth. I was on my way to Knott End for my share of the Black Redstart which gave excellent views below the Waterfront Apartments where it has spent the most of it's time since it was first found here by Richard O'meara a month ago on 28 December 2016. A short walk along the length of the esplanade was rewarded with up to 200 Sanderling and uncounted Ringed Plover, Knot, Redshank, and Dunlin. 

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, I noted 18 Goldeneye, 25 Black-tailed Godwit, a lone Bar-tailed Godwit, and a drake Red-breasted Merganser. At Conder Green, the Spotted Redshank was in the creeks, and I watched 7 Snipe drop on to the terrace at the back of Conder Pool.

The Conder Little Grebe.   

I counted 14 Little Grebe at Conder Green yesterday, this is the first double figure here since I saw eleven two months ago on 28 November 2016.

My day had started with quality geese, and ended with quality grebe's.

Many thanks to Gary for the Blackcap header image, and to Richard for the Black Redstart....Both rated excellent in my book, and much appreciated.

Time & Tide.

Snipe Brian Rafferty 

I'm pretty good at getting it wrong with my visits to the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, whilst I always know the tide times, I screw it up and arrive too late to find only a few waders hanging on to what little mud is left exposed. I managed another success in this regard on Wednesday, but I did have time to count 103 Snipe before they were pushed onto the marsh. These are amazing numbers of Snipe on the Lune Estuary at the moment, and I saw a report of 363 here on Sunday 30 October, surely an all time record.

At Conder Green, the faithful Spotted Redshank was in the creeks with the lone Black-tailed Godwit and up to 120 Teal, of the 14 Snipe seen here two were on Conder Pool, which is where six of the 8 Little Grebe were. Ten Long-tailed Tit were working their way through the bushes alongside the pool, with 2 Dunnock seen. 

On a run down the A588 to Pilling Lane Ends, 16 Whooper Swan were drifting on the incoming tide including two juvenile. Also notable from here, at least 1,500 Shelduck and 120 Pintail, although I'm not aquainted with the kind of figures this area can produce these seem high counts. Four Red-breasted Merganser were also noted, with c.150 Pink-footed Geese dropping onto the marsh.

Ruff Noushka Dufort 

As I got onto the embankment at Fluke Hall I found 4 Ruff close in on the tideline, and a walk along the coastal path as the tide dropped, waders were thinly scattered and feeding along Pilling Marsh to Cockers Dyke, predominantly Dunlin and Redshank, with 3 Sanderling, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Golden Plover, a Sparrowhawk zipped through Cockers Dyke.

Thanks to Brian/Noushka for the Snipe/Ruff images in the post, and to Antonio for the Firecrest header image....I appreciate the permission to use these very much.

Ruff To Start With.

As I turned the corner at Conder Green yesterday, I saw everything up in the air over Conder Pool, soon followed by the sight of a Peregrine Falcon as the answer to the question....why. By the time I got myself onto the viewing platform everything had settled back down save the large number of Lapwing which had taken fright to the falcon to take refuge elsewhere.

Ruff with Redshank. Conder Pool 8 August. Pete Woodruff.

A Ruff appeared from the back side of the island before soon disappearing again. The Avocet adult and juvenile were seen, as where Saturdays 7 Little Grebe, 2 Dunlin were amongst up to 200 Redshank seen including c.50 in the creeks where I found 5 Greenshank, 4 Common Sandpiper, and 3 Little Egret with a Grey Heron noted for size comparison, a single Swift was over the creeks as was a female Sparrowhawk later. 

The Lune Estuary at low tide was virtually void of waders, with barely a hundred gulls to be seen, but an adult Common Tern was perched on a buoy, and at least 40 House Sparrow fed in the car park at the Vic Hotel.

I shot off down the A588 to walk Fluke Hall to Cockers Dyke and find a Wheatear along the way. Nothing exotic amongst the mainly c.90 Black-headed Gull at the dyke, but at least 1,500 Dunlin were feeding with 6 Sanderling, 2 Ringed Plover, and a solitary Knot.

With more suitable weather this walk can be good for butterflies, but today didn't go totally unrewarded, with 2 Painted Lady, 3 Common Blue, a Gatekeeper, and Red Admiral seen.

The Conder Pool Avocet.   

On the face of it, a mystery surrounds the juvenile Avocet on Conder Pool. I've not seen, nor seen any reports of this bird in flight, yet although my dates can't be accurate as we don't know when this bird hatched, give or take a couple of days, photographs and dates indicate the bird is now well beyond it's fledge date.

I had a conversation with a visiting birder yesterday, who offered me the only explanation I've had to date about this late fledging bird, he stood firm in his view that the bird has a poor diet on Conder Pool which has resulted in stunted growth, but when I first saw this juvenile alongside the adult bird yesterday, I initially thought - in relation to size - I was looking at two adult birds until I realised the markings were a dull brown - not black - on the young bird.

Whilst I respect this birders theory about the poor diet, I'm not convinced. I had this bird down to fledge at the earliest on 25 July, or 1 August at the latest which is a week ago, the bird is now at least 50 days old. I think what we have here isn't a mystery at all, it's simply a question of nobody having seen this bird on the wing yet.   

Around The Estuary Tide.

It took two visits again on Monday for me to make contact with the adult and young Avocet on Conder Pool, though I saw no evidence that it had, I reckon this bird has fledged. Six Little Grebe and a Greenshank were also noted on the pool, 9 Common Sandpiper were again in the creeks and down the channel to the estuary.

On the Lune Estuary, I noted a 50/50 mix of around 300 Redshank and Dunlin viewable from the bowling green, with an adult Mediterranean Gull, adult Common Tern, single Black-tailed Godwit, and 2 Eider seen.

Golden Plover. Plover Scar 1 August. Pete Woodruff.

Up to 700 waders were on Plover Scar either side of the high tide, my first two figures are conservative estimates of 350 Dunlin and 250 Golden Plover, with 22 Ringed Plover, 14 Turnstone, 9 Grey Plover, 6 Whimbrel, and a single Knot, 3 Sanderling won my 'Best Bird Of The Day' award, being a scarce if not rare bird at Cockersand save some movers in spring and autumn.

On a wander round, a juvenile Wheatear and 8 Linnet were around the abbey, and a Kestrel was hovering over the shore from the headland, long time no see kestrel at Cockersand. At least 24 Tree Sparrow were around Bank Houses, with 12 Goldfinch on thistles here and a few House Martin over.

The Plover Scar Ringed Plover.

The 22 Ringed Plover count included a calling adult and one young bird seen. If this is the case and I didn't fail to find a second young bird, this is the only remaining survivor from a nest and four eggs reported on Plover Scar 19 June, three chicks were seen by me on 18 July, with other sightings up to Sunday when two recently fledged young were reported.