More Decent Numbers!

There was at least a couple of decent counts again on my latest visit around the Lune Estuary, at least 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit were present and correct on Conder Pool, some acquiring their stunning breeding plumage.

Avocet Conder Pool Summer 2019. Ian Pinkerton....In Memory Of

There was a decent count of 17 Avocet and 14 Shoveler in view on the pool, also a Greenshank and Snipe noted, and a lone Little Grebe was advancing into breeding plumage. I don't see Little Grebe during the summer months, and they certainly do not breed on Conder Pool.

At Cockersand, between the time leaving the motor at Lighthouse Cottage and walking to Plover Scar, I had seen at least 1,250 Golden Plover, they were in wheeling flocks of 650/400/200, all eventually disappearing from view....Quite a spectacle. 

Despite a couple of hours around Cockersand, I failed to find my own first Wheatear, and with the exception of just 3 Meadow Pipit, saw no other early migrants, but probably passed other unseen MP's in fields on the circuit. The c.250 Whooper Swan here today, were distant and spread over three fields south of Moss lane towards Bank End Farm.

Bombus terrestris 11 March. Pete Woodruff.

Eight Linnet few off the shore, and the Skylark could be heard in its endless flight song. I saw 3 Small Tortoiseshell and a huge queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, up to 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit were probably the same birds seen 4 hours earlier on Conder Pool, and to be honest, the same could be said about the 15 Avocet seen here, otherwise the record would have been 32 Avocet. On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, 2 Goosander and a Great-crested Grebe seen.

Another short list today, much enjoyed by me on a beautiful sunny and warm mid-March day.

Coal Tit.

There was a record of 84 Coal Tit heading south over the Fylde on Thursday morning, and 4 Coal Tit were in our garden later in the day. All this and more, is the result of an irruption of the species currently in place. 

The Coal Tit is regarded as sedentary in the south and west of its range, but eruptive over much of the remainder. During eruptions, birds from the continent regularly reach Britain during March, and on this occasion I'm seeing expressions like, 'amazing' and 'unprecedented spring numbers'.

Oak Beauty.

Ian's trap produced the goods again, with another stunning moth worth featuring....Clik the pix they're even better.

Oak Beauty. Ian Mitchell.

A large bodied and attractive moth, fairly common in England and Wales. Being referred to as common, belies its name as a beauty....Thanks Ian.

Hooded Crow/Stonechat.

Hooded Crow Walney. Howard Stockdale.

Howard Stockdale sent me some results of a trip to Walney, they included a splendid looking Hooded Crow....

Stonechat Walney. Howard Stockdale.

....and an even more splendid record of 22 Stonechat, seen as 11 pairs....Many thanks Howard.

Michael & Fiona.

Good to see you at Conder Pool in the week and hope you find my latest post a good and interesting read. Thank you for the kind words and your support for B2B, and see I did remember your names!

Kind Regards....Pete.

Brilliant Birds Staggering Numbers.

Christmas saw the start of what has become a mass influx of Russian White-fronted Geese (WFG) into the country. For much of this year so far, the wind has come from the east, particularly so in the first days of February. The combination of this easterly flow and lowering temperatures on the Continent has resulted in huge numbers of these geese building up across Britain, culminating in what is best described as staggering.

A couple of examples of these numbers are, a flock of WFG in West Midlands increased over three days, from 5 birds to 305, but this count was soon buried by a flock nearer to home, by that of an estimated 507 WFG at Pilling Moss in Lancashire on Sunday 8 February.

Cockersand Goose Fest.

Tundra Bean Goose. Tom Parkinson.

I'll start my share of experience of this unprecedented event, with the record of a Tundra Bean Goose at Cockersand 7 February. Found and photographed by Tom Parkinson, and was accompanied by 138 Russian White-fronted Geese. Thanks for this Tom, much appreciated.

Cockersand Monday 9 February.

White-fronted Geese/Pink-footed Geese

Nothing pleasant about the weather, dull with a cold wind, when I went to Cockersand today. Otherwise I would refer to the experience as, brilliant birds in staggering numbers. 

Barnacle Geese/Pink-footed Geese

There has been a range of varying numbers recorded over recent days, but personal counts today were, totals of 35 White-fronted Geese, 61 Barnacle Geese, and an estimate of up to 1,000 Pink-footed Geese.

Stonechat/Pink-footed Geese. Pete Woodruff.

Whilst viewing the geese in the field north side of Abbey Farm, I noted a Stonechat on the spoil heap being the sentinel for the Geese. 

1st winter male Stonechat Cockersand 9 February. Pete Woodruff.

A pair of Stonechat have been around here since I found them here 29 December. Up to 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding on the shore between Lighthouse Cottage to Crook Farm, 6 Skylark flew over >south.

There was an estimate of 220 Whooper Swan in a field south side of Moss Lane, and the 2 Bewick's Swan were in the field by Slack Lane. 

Lune Estuary.

Wigeon/Black-tailed Godwit

I called in at the bowling green to view the south shoreline to find at least 3,000 Black-tailed Godwit, 1,500 Lapwing, 250 Wigeon, and 220 Curlew.

Bewick's Swans.

The 2 Bewick's Swan seen off Slack Lane on Monday are the birds I found there 20 November 2025. But something of a mystery has developed since November, there have been several records of Bewick's Swans between Cockersand and Braides. The latest three sightings are....

9 Feb. Slack Lane Cockersand 2 Bewick's Swan

10 Feb. Braides Cockerham 4 Bewick's Swan

11 Feb. Slack Lane Cockersand 3(!) Bewick's Swan....*Note the 3(!)  

So the mystery of 'how many' Bewick's Swans rages on.

The Bogey Bird!

The Snow Bunting seems to be a declining species, and isn't known to be recorded in any more than single figure numbers in Lancashire these days, though it's status is that of a fairly common winter visitor to summits and coasts. A single female spent the entire month of January in 2024 at Cockersand, and I caught up with it on the fifth of the month. But it's a different story for me this year.....

Snow Bunting Fylde Coast. Martin Jump.

Thursday was my sixth consecutive estuary wander in a row since 8 October, three of them being made since the Snow Bunting was found at Cockersand on 25 October. Despite it having been seen a few times by other birders - the latest one being yesterday Saturday 8 November - I still haven't had any success in finding this little critter....My bogey bird, well this years bogey anyway!

Conder Pool.

Some birds - but not that many to be honest - seen on my latest safari this week, another disappointing 17 birds to note on Conder Pool, 8 Little Grebe, 8 Canada Geese, and a lone Snipe hunkered down in the long grass. Up to 275 Teal and 2 Pink-footed Geese were in the creeks.

I did call back here early evening on my way to Lancaster, and just managed to see up to 32 Tufted Duck before making a hasty retreat as 24 birders complete with tour guide, were descending towards the viewing platform.

Cockersand.

The currently resident c.200 Whooper Swan herd had relocated to fields to the south of Moss lane and were strung out as far as Bank End Farm. 

With the exception of 120 Curlew by Abbey farm, the current high tides haven't driven the waders to take to the fields at Cockersand yet, and as I checked out the fraction of Plover Scar left above water, 9 Turnstone dropped in on a small patch as the tide ebbed.

A Rock Pipit and Skylark were the only other birds of note for the little black book, and I was leaving Cockersand disappointed not to have found a single Stonechat anywhere today, despite having seen 3 pairs here recently.

I decided to video the Grey Heron which had taken the place of the Merlin seen in the same field on 30 October. Until I reviewed the video full screen on the computer, I found I had also recorded a Stonechat which can be seen towards the end of the video as the Magpie takes off.

Dicranopalpus ramosus. Pete Woodruff.

The white-washed wall at Lighthouse Cottage has turned up a little interest recently with this Harvestman and it's amazing long legs, and the Wolf Spider seen this week.

Wolf Spider. Pete Woodruff.

The Header.

Note....Looking horizontally, the Grey Heron, the Magpie, and the Stonechat can be seen at the top right corner of the header image.

Monday's Mooch.

English Dictionary definition...To walk and do things slowly without much purpose....The latter 'wmp' definitely not true when I'm birding!

Conder Pool lost another place in the 'Hotspot' league table on Monday, with the exception of the nice to see again pair of Stonechat and 6 Goosander, there was an unbelievable nine other birds present, 4 Wigeon, 3 Little Grebe, a Redshank and a Carrion Crow. Nothing spectacular on the Lune Estuary at Glasson either, but a lone Greenshank by the Conder mouth was good.

Whooper Swan 25 October 2024. Pete Woodruff.

In fields at Clarkson's Farm, up to 120 Whooper Swan were early signs that they have returned to winter at Cockersand, where some waders had taken to the fields, with at least 350 Curlew equal to last Wednesdays count, and up to 320 Golden Plover, with 62 Back-tailed Godwit over>south. Six Stock Dove and 2 Skylark seen, with a Sparrowhawk from the CP over the marsh in its 'flap-flap-glide' hunting mode, also seen was last weeks male Stonechat which seems to be alone.

Beauty And The Beast. Pete Woodruff.

Struggling for pictures this time, so filled the gap with one over the fields at Cockersand. The power station at Heysham with the hint of a rainbow overhead.

Mottled Umber. Pete Woodruff.

The female of this moth is wingless and variable, and I was surprised to find the Mottled Umber on the white-washed wall at Lighthouse Cottage. 

Little Grebe.

Perusing through a 2024 annual report, I came across a couple of interesting records, one of which lists several sites where breeding Little Grebe occurred, and includes Conder Green which surely can't possibly include Conder Pool, albeit up to 20+can be seen here during the summer months. A short distance on the River Conder upstream from the A588 road bridge, soon turns right, out of sight and inaccessible. I know of nowhere that Conder Green could support breeding Little Grebe....Mmmm! 

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the Greenshank header, striding out at Conder Green. 

Stamp Collecting!

Little Ringed Plover at Conder Green, and Wheatear at Cockersand saved a pretty dull birding day yesterday, and being we're closing in on the merry month of May, more birds were missing than seen. Not a single warbler heard let alone seen, save 2 Swallow, not another hirundine. At Conder Green, no Common Tern, no Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, and no Greenshank. 

Ahhhh well, it all brings into play my motto....Not what you will see, but rather what you might, the element of surprise never fails to delight....No surprises today. 

On Conder Pool it was good to make contact with 4 Little Ringed Plover seen as 2 pairs, and good to see at least 20 Avocet, with a good count of nests according to info from the excellent management and monitoring work by the Howard and Ian duo....Sounded to me like Avocet breeding records on Conder Pool were hopefully being made.

At Cockersand, though it was pleasant to hear the Skylark in flight song heralding the summer, the circuit turned out to be the road to nowhere....

Shelduck. Pete Woodruff.

....but 28 Shelduck were settled in the field, and up to 60 Carrion Crow were in a adjacent field, and hey'up, things are looking up, 'cos there are 4 Wheatear on the marsh in front of Lighthouse Cottage. As I left Cockersand, a lone Swallow was around Bank House, and another lone Swallow was on wires at Gardners Farm on Moss Lane.

I'm considering taking up stamp collecting!

Terns and Gulls.

A Common Tern was reported to have been on Conder Pool 14 April and not subsequentially seen again, but Howard Stockdale informs me, a Common Tern was present 6 days later on 20 April and is featured in my header. Howard also tells of a pair of Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool, one of which was marked and was observed mating giving evidence of a male.

The history of this gull is confidential, and I have no permit to publish too many details on B2B, but I do know that it was ringed in the Netherlands as a chick, the bird is 10 years old and has been sighted only 7 times in the 10 years, 4 x in Lancashire, once in Cumbria, and has visited Ireland x 2.

Poor In Number Good In Quality.

Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

It gave me much pleasure to find 2 Mediterranean Gull on Conder Pool Monday morning. 

Adult Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool 24 March

Also on Conder Pool, I finally caught up with the Little Ringed Plover having been found here a week ago, 14 Avocet were in view today too.

Not much reward for my efforts of a 2 hour circuit, but the infamous Cockersand Barn Owl was waiting for me just 3 minutes out of the motor, it was on a fence post at Bank Houses horse paddock, before taking off to soon disappear from view. Notes around the area, probably 6 Skylark heard in full never ending flight song, up to 600 Golden Plover still in the field south side of Abbey Farm. A Raven fooled me briefly into thinking I was watching a Buzzard flying away over fields, and a White Wagtail looked forlorn on a flood.

I also saw 2 Small Tortoiseshell as my 2nd/3rd butterflies of the year, and 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

Right Place Right Time.

On a visit to the nest site was a million to one chance, when I observed the Nuthatch spring cleaning and disposing of the debris out of the hole in the tree. I was truly fascinated to have witnessed this behaviour by the Nuthatch, and with no apologies for the second consecutive Nuthatch header image.

Geese At Last!

It's been the poorest winter I can recall for Pink-footed Geese in our recording area, of no more than 3 sightings, it took me until 18 February to see 1,250 Pink-footed Geese in the air over Hillam Lane.

On Thursday up to 5,000 Pink-footed Geese where in a field at Cockersand with a Tundra Bean Goose. Also up to 1,800 Golden Plover in two fields south and north side of Abbey Farm, with 8 Meadow Pipit and 4 Skylark noted. Six Eider were off Crook Farm, with Sparrowhawk and Kestrel seen.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson low tide, 22 Avocet were feeding at the mouth of Conder Estuary, 320 Golden Plover, 124 Black-tailed Godwit, and 425 Wigeon which were mostly hauled out on the mud.

Viewing Conder Pool was hopeless in the afternoon sun, but I managed to find a Greenshank which was my first on Conder Pool since 29 October, also 8 Snipe were hunkered down, and 9 Black-tailed Godwit dropped in on the creeks.

Disturbance Of Pink-footed Geese.

This is my post Geese and Chats 2 years ago on 2 March 2023 and is relevant to the event below.... 

Pink-footed Geese 2 March 2023

Off Moss Lane on Thursday, along with two other birders, I was observing up to 5,000 Pink-footed Geese from the gate into a field. Two 'farmers' came on the scene and claimed sheep would soon be coming down the road, a third person then arrived on a quad bike, went through the gate and promptly drove towards the geese putting them to flight en-masse....When I left Cockersand 3 hours later, driving past the field again which was void of sheep and geese!

Wheatear.

The first Wheatear for our recording area was at Fluke Hall yesterday 8 March, a male found by A.C. The earliest spring Wheatear in Lancashire was recorded on 26 February 2003, and an interesting record of a late Wheatear at the other end of the season, was one seen at Cockersand on 25 November 2022.

Wheatear Cockersand 25 November 2022. Pete Woodruff.

The Cuckoos Are Coming!

This is Wilfred the Cuckoo, he was satellite tagged as an adult in June 2024 at Worlingham Marshes, Suffolk. Here is the BTO update on his progress back to the UK and hopefully Suffolk.

Of the 14 tagged Cuckoos that successfully departed the UK in 2024, the biggest mover on the return journey has been Suffolk Cuckoo Wilfred. Having spent the last few months deep in the forests of north-west Angola - furthest south of all the tagged Cuckoos - and largely in radio silence, we feared the worst for him. But, over the past week he has made a massive leap, covering multiple African countries, passing through Gabon and western Cameroon before arriving in Nigeria a few days ago. From here, he has continued his journey, sweeping past a further four countries until arriving at his current location in south-eastern Guinea. He has already covered approximately 3,700 km (2,300 miles) since leaving his wintering quarters in Angola.

Well At Least My Species Count Looked Slightly Healthier This Time!

It was good to find a female Stonechat at the east corner of Conder Pool. In truth the chat added a bit of brightness to an otherwise dull visit, with just two other species present, being 5 Wigeon and 3 Little Grebe.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, at least 2,500 Lapwing were to note, with 350 Wigeon, a Snipe and just 2 Golden Plover looking forlorn, and by way of a change close in on the south shore below the bowling green, it would have been more expected to have seen up to 1,000 Golden Plover across on the north side below Colloway Marsh.

Off Moss Lane, 26 Whooper Swan were the first at Cockersand since I found 13 on 10 October, these were a one day wonder, didn't settle here and moved on. Todays Whooper Swan were accompanied in the field at Clarkson's Farm by up to 200 Greylag.

The Greylag were a bit of a mixed bunch as can be seen in my header image, including an odd one with three juvenile birds.

As I set off for my Cockersand circuit, the Hawthorns are stacked with berries, a larder waiting for the winter thrushes to arrive. 

A few hundred Lapwing, Curlew, and Starling were put to flight by a 'brown' Merlin whizzing over the field, then hedge hopped to disappear from view. Also 25 Black-tailed Godwit flew south, soon followed by 16 Pink-footed Geese over the sea from the west, and inland to soon turn south towards Pilling.

On the way round, I saw 3 Skylark drop into stubble, up to 200 Canada Geese and 125 Wigeon were in and around a flood by Slack Lane, from where 8 Long-tailed Tit were seen. Off Plover Scar, 5 Eider, and when I returned to Bank Houses, 22 House Sparrow were accompanied by 3 Greenfinch.

There are 2 Kestrel to be seen daily at Cockersand this winter, one in the area around Lighthouse Cottage, and one in the Caravan Park area showing its mastery of hovering. 

Tree Sparrow.

It's over 12 months since I last saw Tree Sparrow at Cockersand where they could been seen regularly, 16 were at Bank Houses on 10 October 2023. Before this, it was 12 months since my previous record of one Tree Sparrow on 1 December 2022, and before this it was another 12 months since my last record of 3 Tree Sparrow on 14 December 2021....The Tree Sparrow is absent from Cockersand!

Whooper Swan.

The species is slow to be seen at Cockersand this winter, 26 Whooper Swan is my best of two counts to date. Last year I recorded 245 Whooper Swan here on 24 November 2023.    

Mainly Godwits & Gulls.

Well mainly godwits and gulls on Conder Pool on Monday, because I'm still waiting to find my first migrant despite a couple of hours spent at one of the best locations for the first Wheatear in our area at Cockersand, though I note just a few miles south down the coast, AC found his first two Wheatear at Fluke Hall....wrong place wrong time for me it seems!

I was pleased to see the godwits still hanging on at Conder Pool, though reduced in number, with at least 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit, they were accompanied by a lone Bar-tailed Godwit and up to 200 Knot, a sight not to be ignored, and one not surpassed by me, as a wader not regularly featured and rarely in a three figure number on the Lune Estuary let alone on Conder Pool. Another bird seen hanging on at Conder Pool and the estuary, was a Greenshank. 

As for the gulls in the title....Up to 150 Black-headed Gull on Conder Pool as a noisy screeching colony, probably 75 pairs looking to nest here. 

At Glasson, I never tire of finding 5 Shoveler here, seen as three drake and two duck. Eight Avocet seen again and still not seen by myself on Conder Pool. At the south end of Colloway Marsh and spreading north in the distance were c.3,500 Pink-footed Geese.

On Jeremy Lane a chance meeting with J.C.W was a stroke of luck, when a female Merlin was seen mid-distance....Nice.

At Cockersand there was little to surprise despite spending two hours and doing the circuit there, and from this experience no wintering or passage Stonechat here today. But the milder sunny weather, coupled with the Lapwing showing off its spectacular alternating flight of rising and diving, twisting and turning with territorial song, and the accompanying flight song of the Skylark, gave the feeling of spring turning to early summer. Otherwise, numbers were at around 350 Whooper Swan spread over three fields, 35 Linnet were flighty over fields.

Sunday 17 March.

A pleasant walk along the promenade, was rewarded with 33 Brent Geese seen off the children's play area at Heysham. And a female Siskin pays regular visits to our garden feeders. Our resident female Blackbird is nest building, and spent several minutes yesterday collecting material, then spent another several minutes frozen.... 

I was a little puzzled by this behaviour.

Sparrowhawk.

The images are credited to Mike Atkinson who sent me these two seen in his garden recently.

An interesting note, I'm not sure there is any connection with the sex of the bird, but as perfectly illustrated here, the Sparrowhawk's eyes change colour with age from yellow in younger birds to red with maturity....Thanks Mike, much appreciated.

Missing In Action!

Mostly missing for me around the Lune Estuary yesterday, disappointingly so....Should have gone to Specsavers! 

Little Grebe Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.

A quick scan resulted with a count of 18 Little Grebe on Conder Pool, catching small fry like there's no tomorrow....nothing 'missing' there then. Also on the pool, a female Shoveler, interesting in itself as the species is no more than irregular here. Four Wigeon were the only other birds of note, and a Goosander in the creeks, decided to make a move and flew to the canal.

On the Lune Estuary, my best count to date of up to 600 Golden Plover, lined up on the shore below Colloway Marsh. Otherwise of note, 166 Curlew and 68 Black-tailed Godwit. I managed to pick out 3 Mediterranean Gull amongst the hordes of other mainly distant gulls.

Although as always, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Cockersand, the only notes I came away with from here were, 6 Skylark over in a move from one field to the next, and 16 Tree Sparrow at Bank Houses. 

Tree Sparrow.

Yesterdays record represented my first record at Cockersand in nearly 12 months, when I found a lone Tree Sparrow at Bank Houses on 1 December 2022, the previous record being 3 Tree Sparrow - again at Bank Houses - 12 months earlier on 14 December 2021. In my records that represents a decline of the Tree Sparrow at Cockersand.

Golden Plover.

Albeit early in the winter season, yesterdays 600 Golden Plover at Glasson is my best to date and a good record. We will have to see what happens next this winter, but in 2022 Golden Plover records in Lancashire were disappointing, my peak count was of 1,500 at Braides on 11 October 2022, and as far as I'm aware, this number wasn't exceeded anywhere else that year on the Lune Estuary. 

Important to note, the Golden Plover is scarce on the UU Bowland Estate, and no breeding was confirmed in 2022....Lancashire Bird Report 2022    

The Cockersand Shortlist.

If I'm honest, theres a shortage of enthusiasm for this post.

But hey....a days birding never fails to turn up at least a little something of interest, and my interest on Tuesday was that I found an impressive c.250 Linnet, flighty in and around the stubble field behind Lighthouse Cottage, where 65 Golden Plover were still lingering. From Slack Lane, I heard Raven with its repeated deep 'korrp-korrp' call. My first Whimbrel flew by off Plover Scar from where I saw a lonely pair of Eider, soon followed by my first Cockersand Wheatear, an area which usually produces my first of the year.

Pied Wagtail. Pete Woodruff.

Pied Wagtail were notably seen in small number, but no continental birds with grey backs yet. Skylarks were seen throughout my walk on the circuit, and a skein of c.300 Pink-footed Geese flew south....obviously not yet read the script to go north!

Conder Pool. 

With management work being carried out, Conder Pool was a no go zone when I called there in the morning. Looking in on there a few hours later on my way back to Lancaster, there was little of note save c.80 Black-headed Gull obviously determined to stand their ground. We will not, we will not be moved....but everything else seemed to have been.

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 16 April. Howard Stockdale.

On 14 April I found two stunning Mediterranean Gull, two days later a different adult pair were seen and photographed behaving in a manner in the image above, indicating the possibility of breeding on Conder Pool. Later the same day, this was followed by a conclusive report of a bird with nesting material. 

Fourteen Days Later.

Two weeks since my last birding day, one word springs to mind about that....chronic. But I was back in business on Thursday when the day should and could have been a decent one to start and end with a geese bonanza, but wasn't.

To start with, a Fylde birder joined me on the viewing platform, with news that he had been alerted to sightings of a Bean Goose on Conder Pool earlier in the day. As the saying goes - to cut a long story short - I left Conder Pool one hour later unconvinced a Bean Goose had ever been anywhere near Conder Pool.....To end with follows later.

Snipe Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

At least 8 Snipe were hunkered down amongst the stones and vegetation on one of the islands on Conder Pool, difficult to see let alone count, and even more perfectly camouflaged than the four Snipe in the image above, taken on Conder Pool 8 years ago in 2015. Three Pink-footed Geese were with a small group of Greylag and around 10 Black-tailed Godwit. Also noted, the Kingfisher obliged with a couple of visits to the sluice, up to 70 Wigeon, and 120 Black-headed Gull. The Stonechat pair were busy at the east end in the long grasses, and a male Ruff was seen in the creeks.

As I drove to Cockersand, I estimated at least 250 Whooper Swan in four fields, mostly distant and inaccessible, including 50% being in fields off Hillam Lane at Cockerham. The visit to Cockersand had to be a success in that I found 7 Stonechat, though the circuit proved quiet, with a Reed Bunting and a Skylark which was in song seeming to pronounce the early arrival of spring. Four Snipe came off the marsh as the tide pushed in.

On Plover Scar c.60 Turnstone and 6 Ringed Plover, and when I got back to Bank Houses, 5 Black-tailed Godwit dropped in and spent a few minutes on the shore before flying off.

To end with, the geese bonanza that wasn't....

As I got back to the motor, I was alerted with a text at 14.08....'3 Bean Geese, a White-fronted Goose, 7 Barnacle Geese, and 2,950 Pink-footed Geese' were on pasture not far from Cockersand. I was set to go but, 6 minutes later at 14.14, another text told me....'geese all flushed by someone on a quad'.....I luv these 'somebodies', lets face it, what would we do without them, well for starters there would be a few more million birds around in the countryside!

Little Egret.

It must be very rewarding to be able to watch a Little Egret in the field behind your house at Cockersand.

Grey Plover.

I must note, since my claim regarding the paucity of Grey Plover on the Lune Estuary and my finding 26 on Plover Scar 9 February, 39 Grey Plover were seen there 24 February per FBC. This record now stands as the best count to date of the Grey Plover on Plover Scar and the Lune Estuary. 

Avocet.

An Avocet made landfall on Conder Pool Wednesday at 11.00am, but didn't hang around very long flying off towards the Lune Estuary and hasn't been seen since. This bird arrived a day earlier than last year on 23 February 2022. 

Finch It!

My Bowland records made another forward surge this week when I found 3 Bullfinch, seen as two male in the trees at the car park on Rigg Lane, and two hours later, one in flight towards Cragg Wood. These birds represent 7 sightings of 23 Bullfinch in Bowland, with 16 at Birk Bank - eight of which were Northern Bullfinch - on three dates in Nov/Dec 2004, a pair at Tower Lodge Nov 2022, a pair at Rushy Lee Feb 2022, and 3 at Birk Bank/Cragg Wood Oct 2022.

The Bullfinch is regarded as a partial migratory bird, those that migrate make short to medium distance movements. So are these Bowland birds wintering, or do they actually breed in Bowland. I reckon they don't breed, but if they do, having never seen a Bullfinch in Bowland during the summer months, I've yet to discover where. 

Other sightings included Siskin seen in mini groups flighty around Rigg Lane, woefully small numbers of no more than 6 Fieldfare all on the wing, and 8 Red Grouse.

No apologies, but the following section of this post starts with my third video footage of 2 Ruff at Conder Green, the species being well up the list of my favourite waders, also in the creeks, a Greenshank.

The purpose of this outing was to get to Plover Scar for the high tide, to find it relatively quiet, but with peak counts of 120 Oystercatcher, 95 Turnstone, and 42 Dunlin. 

Twite Cockersand. Martin Jump.

A count of 28 Twite were flighty and spent a little time on the scar. There was an obvious presence of Skylark in and over the stubble field by Lighthouse Cottage, with 16 >south. A male Reed Bunting seen, and a Kestrel hovering over the marsh off the Caravan Park before diving to take out a small rodent.

In the field south of Clarkson's Farm, I counted 32 Whooper Swan, though they were in a dip in the field and certainly a few more with heads down as they fed.

Thanks to Martin Jump for his Oystercatcher header and Twite at Plover Scar.

THE DRAGONFLY.

Vagrant Emperor Heysham Harbour 25 October. Kevin Eaves.

When Kevin visited Heysham Harbour last week on 25 October, he must surely have had what he might find in the back of his mind. What Kevin did find could only have made him amazed and elated in equal measure when he came across his second Vagrant Emperor at Heysham 15 days earlier than his first seen on 9 November 2020.

Thanks to Kevin Eaves for the image of the Vagrant Emperor, and his permission for the must post news of this Lancashire rarity on Birds2blog.

Mustn't Grumble!

An enjoyable wander around the Lune Estuary in the week is best described as quiet, but as always had it's rewards in varying degree. But it must be said, I find it amazing how bird numbers can fluctuate dramatically at places like the Lune Estuary at Glasson, with the few seen this visit, then maybe in their thousands the next. But....mustn't grumble.

On Conder Pool, 2 Greenshank and 10 Little Grebe counted, and a limping adult Avocet remains there.

I have no idea of latest departure dates of Avocet from Conder Pool and the surrounding estuary, up to seven seen recently, and 11 Avocet were at Lytham on 26 December 2020....Perhaps the limping lone ranger is planning on spending the winter around the Lune Estuary.

On the circuit, 2 Ruff in the creeks, with 3 Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and Snipe. A lone Sand Martin was the latest one ever in my book, it was over the creeks with a 'few' lingering Swallow, a Red Admiral was the only butterfly seen on the day.

On the estuary at Glasson, little of note to be honest, but an adult Mediterranean Gull picked out, 15 Wigeon, a Snipe, and 52 Canada Geese flew in from the south. 

I wanted to check Plover Scar up to the high tide, if I said the scar was also quiet it would be a contradiction when I note up to 550 Dunlin, 45 Turnstone, 24 Ringed Plover, 3 Grey Plover, a single Knot and Redshank. A few Swallow hawking around Lighthouse Cottage, c.25 Skylark erupted out of the stubble field behind the cottage to fly around and return there.

Migrant Hawker.

Despite the sun disappearing behind the clouds and a cool breeze blowing by the time I arrived there. I found 18 Migrant Hawker on a walk along the canal towpath for about a mile from Glasson Dock to Conder Green.

 

Whirligig Beetle.

Couldn't resist a bit of footage of a few hundred beetles swirling around in the canal.

Interesting little critters, they have two pairs of compound eyes, one looking upwards over the surface of the water, the other pair looking down and under the water. Aptly named Whirligig for their unmistakable circling behaviour, they belong to the Gyrinidae family of which there are c.1,000 species worldwide, they are the only beetle to spend their entire life in a watery environment.

Red Admiral. Pete Woodruff.

A Red Admiral was in our cloudy and windy 14°C garden yesterday.

Thanks to Martin Jump for the brilliant Kingfisher header. This bird - often two - are guaranteed daily on Conder Pool given patience and time spent.