Hard Labour....

....but I wouldn't mind being able to do it on a daily basis.

Birding was a bit hard going yesterday, and to make matters worse the first three hours were spent back and forth to the motor to shelter from some heavy showers and I was beginning to get that - 'shouldn't I be doing something more useful with my life' - feeling. 

Wheatear.

The day eventually turned into something a little more like early August by the time I got to Cockersands where I continued the hard labour but found and noted a Whimbrel, 4 Wheatear, 5 Linnet and 9 Eider. 

Oystercatcher.

The guardians of Plover Scar were the only birds seen on here with c.130 Oystercatcher counted. I also found a Common Blue butterfly at Cockersands today....so there's a great ALLELUIA to that one.

Little Owl. 

On my way to Cockersands the 'Jeremy Lane' Little Owl was half hidden on the beam in the corner of the loft in the old derelict farm building....obviously not the one in the pic.

But I had started at Conder Green - well  where else - noting 2 Spotted Redshank adults, the 3 Greenshank on Conder Pool I only found as a result of a search from the fence at the west end of the pool and were well out of sight from the viewing platform, one of the three was an adult noticeably still retaining full breeding plumage. 

Common Sandpiper.

Three Common Sandpiper and 3 Goosander were in the creeks, and at least 16 House Martin were around River Winds.

At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary....surprise, surprise, 6 Ringed Plover were a remarkable coincidence, finding them just a few days after 'shouting my mouth off' they are never seen here on the Lune Estuary in This Post....so that'll teach me to run a blog making false claims, but that said, my comments in the post remain accurate at the time of writing according to my records and these six were a first here for me. Also noted, an adult Mediterranean Gull, and a Little Egret, wader numbers here were as low and unimpressive as my birding achievements today.

And finally....

Well its entered in my little black book so it might as well be reported on Birds2blog....Seen from the Caravan Park at Cockersands, Mrs Mutt was on the marsh at high tide with 12 - yes twelve - of her charges which were running amok....well there's a surprise!

Thanks to PW for today's four pics....you can tell they're his by the quality!

Heres hoping!

Its always best to live in hope, any other way is pretty hopeless - hows that for a pun - and I'm hoping to get in some birding one day this week....here's hoping!

Meanwhile three pics all with a bit of added interest.

Black-tailed Godwit David Cookson

Not sure if this is a mating ritual....or a 'ding dong' going on. In on the action again David!

What's this Antonio Puigg

I suppose the ID stars amongst you will know in an instant what this is....but does that include you?....Thanks Antonio.

Photograph. Pete Woodruff. 

Well for starters you can tell this is one of mine without the credit by the quality, but what are they. Well, I don't honestly expect any replies on this one, too risky and the chance of ending up with egg on your face is huge.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

Not very nice....

....the photograph below that is. 

Regular visitors to Birds2blog will appreciate that this is another of my so called 'gap fillers' between my birding days....far and few between still I'm afraid. 

This is a 'not very nice' photograph of a Mountain Hare found decomposing in a snare, a snare which doesn't differentiate about what it traps in its deadly spring mechanism which of course includes birds of prey. There is an ongoing trial with regards to this disgusting piece of 'land management' equipment, but to cut to the chase....

The trial of an 'estate employee' - I think we know his 'job' - has been adjourned until mid-August, coincidentally after the opening of the grouse shooting season, it also coincides with the opening of a game fair on an estate with a 'bad' reputation (Red Kite with two broken legs and a blow to the head causing death). A chairman of a 'National Heritage Group' is also attending this game fair, he was the convenor of a National Park for many years and under his leadership it has now become the first National Park in the world to have a brand new town built within it on an estate. With much hesitation I've withheld my intentions to publish who holds ownership of this estate, but this decision may not hold for very long. 


The aforementioned 'chairman' holds the distinct title of being the single most disastrous thing to happen for conservation since the first conservation laws in 1949. The good news for shooters and every developer in the land who are out to destroy what we have left is....that his tenure has been EXTENDED by two years. 

You couldn't make it up could you!  


And finally....

Mountain Hare. Unknown.

Here is a much nicer picture of a Mountain Hare as it should be seen, and....

Pine Marten Cliff Raby

....a much nicer picture of a Pine Marten. Thanks CR I really appreciate this.

See me here....

....see me there!

I've always subscribed to the idea that its just as important to record birds not seen just as much as birds seen. But this is a different take on where you're not likely to see certain species of waders, giving a clear illustration on where birds can be found regularly in some areas, yet not many miles away and sometimes just around the corner, are rarely - if ever - seen at all. 

If you view the River Lune at the start of the estuary at Glasson Dock, there are waders you're not likely to find there. In these three cases I don't recall ever having seen them, in the other, at best irregular.


Please note these claims are made according to my observations and records over many years on a virtually weekly basis at this location, if you have records to the contrary I'd be pleased to hear from you.

Sanderling David Cookson

The Sanderling is seen as a passage migrant and very rare winter visitor in our recording area, but despite being able to see the Sanderling on occasions at Cockersands and certainly  just a few miles away from here on the Fylde coast, you won't find the bird on the Lune Estuary (LE) at Glasson Dock at any time in the year. 

Turnstone. Peter Guy.

Another species on the list is the Turnstone, a fairly common if localised passage migrant and winter visitor which you can find around the corner from here at Cockersands but never on the LE at Glasson Dock. 

Ringed Plover. Pete Woodruff.

The Ringed Plover is not found at Glasson Dock either and is another bird I don't ever recall recording here - though a search may reveal I may have just one record - but is also to be found around the corner from here at Cockersands. This species is uncommon and declining, though at Cockersands was seen in the spring of 2010 in April/May with figures recorded at 120, 373 and 200, and again at 130 in late August on return passage.  

Grey Plover Brian Rafferty

The fourth species can be seen in single figures on the LE at Glasson Dock, but never regularly. The Grey Plover might be found on very few occasions in the winter months on the estuary, but at Conder Green in the creeks it is present annually during the winter but never in double figures, in fact I think my best all time count is three, on the North Fylde coast it can be found in good number. 


If you find any of these species on the LE at Glasson Dock, I'd like to think you'd let me know about them please.

We have lift off!

Its beginning to look like I'll have to be thankful to get out on a once a week basis at this rate as it was last Monday when I had my last taste of birding....life's a bitch at times.

The days of being up and out by 4.00am died a death the day I threw the towel in on the milk round, but I was at Conder Green just after eight yesterday morning - which is an early start for me these days - and birds in the book are, 2 Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 5 Common Sandpiper, c.120 Redshank, 6 Dunlin, House Martin activity at River Winds, and at least 15 Swift going south. The 'Best Bird Award' for me at Conder Green today went to a Whimbrel, ,just a bit unusual for me in the creeks. I noted a female Tufted Duck as the only duck on Conder Pool, this is almost certainly the same individual I saw with eight ducklings - an excellent record here - on Thursday 19 July in which case this unfortunate bird has lost its entire brood.    

Swift Isidro Ortiz

I reckon if I'd kept my eyes to the skies there was a movement of Swifts south through Conder Green this morning. At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary an adult Mediterranean Gull was the only bird of note.

Whimbrel Dave Appleton

Two hours at Cockersands resulted in little more than some healthy legwork with some estimates on a 'mutt free' Plover Scar of 260 Oystercatcher, 220 Golden Plover, 30 Dunlin, and at least 3 Whimbrel with some heard not seen, 13 Eider off here, and 4 Wheatear were a reminder of the time of year, c.250 Lapwing were taking advantage of a recently cut field.

Green Sandpiper Antonio Puigg

Two hours at Aldcliffe turned out to be a bit of a struggle to find anything, but a Green Sandpiper was on what is arguably the best flood in the north in prime condition at the moment. 

Little Grebe Dave Appleton

A circuit turned up a Little Grebe on Freeman's Pools, with 8 Long-tailed Tit, a pair of Reed Buntings in the hedgerow....

Little Egret Brian Rafferty

....and a Little Egret on the marsh.


And finally, a plug for 'The Rambling Artist'....free of charge of course.

Sharon refers to this painting as....'another go at painting the Kingfisher'....pretty good I reckon don't you. If you like the world of art, painting, and a mix of mountain rambling TRY HERE 

Absent without leave!

No post on Birds2blog for three days, this is a record I wasn't looking for and am not prepared to hold. But little birding opportunities coming my way still - though I'm not prepared to launch another sob story on that one - and I don't want to make matters worse with no blogging. 

So....here are four brilliant randomly chosen photographs to fill the gap....the least I can do.

Greenfinch Ana Minguez

We don't see many photographs of the Greenfinch, in fact we don't see that many Greenfinch in the area I live in and beyond, the last I heard they were in trouble and in decline, but I'm a bit behind on this one so need to do some reading up on this bird before I 'put my foot in it' and make some false claims about the status of the Greenfinch....Thanks Ana an excellent image of this bird.

Turnstone Marc Heath

The Turnstone, surely one of our smartest waders in its stunning breeding plumage, and a long distance migrant too....A brilliant photograph of this individual Marc, thanks.

 Razorbill Gary Jones

Looks like a bit of a disagreement going on between these two Razorbills. Nicely caught on film....keep 'em cumin Gary.

Black Kite Antonio Puigg

What a bird....I'm not expecting seeing a Black Kite any time soon, though who knows, but still to see my first. Another of your stunning images Antonio for which I'm very grateful.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!

Fire Away.

The results from a Breeding Birds Survey have shown that the numbers of four wader species have fallen drastically, this according to the BTO. 

Snipe. Brian Rafferty.

In the case of the Snipe this fall between 2010 and 2011 is by far the highest at 40%....now there's a surprise.

Golden Plover. Brian Rafferty.

In a week or so the Snipe can and will be shot within the law, but here's the surprise for probably most of you because the Golden Plover can also be shot within the same law as it is also on the list of legitimate quarry....you couldn't make it up could you. 

So.... shouldn't we be asking the question, how long do we sit back and watch how low these figures have to tumble before we address this deplorable act of shooting birds and we have them removed from this equally deplorable list of quarry species and afford them the protection they deserve.

Curlew. Brian Rafferty.

How tragic that because of a bunch of 'Rambo's' who's enjoyment and desire is to kill these creatures, is also robbing us all of the evocative sounds of spring of the Curlew and Oystercatcher in addition to the Snipe and Lapwing also mentioned in this depressing survey. Also tragic is the fact that whilst the BTO and RSPB are quick to publish figures like these whilst claiming the results are crucial to understanding the causes of why bird species are declining, they should now address another one of the contributors to this decline which they failed to do in this report, that of the freehand to shoot it....'cos its on the list'.

Oystercatcher Marc Heath

Talking of evocative....I think the image below has featured on Birds2blog once before, but - of its kind - this has to be one of BR's all time greats, the light on this brilliant photograph of the Lapwing chick is simply stunning.

Lapwing. Brian Rafferty.

Thanks for the photographs BR ....I appreciate them very much. Thanks for the Oystercatcher too Marc, also very much appreciated.   

More Black Redstart.

More Black Redstart....because the bird has been featured once before on Birds2blog, but this is a bit of history.

Black Redstart Antonio Puigg 

Forward from the first record of Black Redstart (BR) in Britain in Greater London in 1829, for a period of 15 years - 1926-41 - three pairs of BR nested regularly at Wembley in Middlesex. In 1926 the BR was known to nest at only one other place in the British Isles in Sussex where a pair bred in 1923 and 1924, and two pairs in 1925.

It seems that the BR having bred for so long unsuspected within 10 miles of Central London, it is likely that this was the origin of the birds which appeared at South Kensington in 1927, and in various parts of Inner London in increasing numbers from 1936 onwards.

It has long been a scarce breeding bird in England and the first breeding record in our area of Lancashire and North Merseyside was confirmed in 1977 when two or three pairs bred at the docks in Liverpool. Many of the breeding records are of birds nesting in inner cities in places like the crevices of mainly industrial complex buildings, and their preference to forage in open spaces, open areas around power stations are also preferences for breeding BR's, but these are areas prone to much disturbance. A female BR found with a recently fledged young was taken as proof of breeding in my home town of Lancaster in North Lancashire in 1991. I  myself have been rewarded by finding two BR in recent years, one at Fluke Hall on 24 March 2005, and another at Cockersands on 9 November 2009.


And finally, three 'in flight' pics....

Peregrine Falcon David Cookson

Well, if I've seen any photographs recently to qualify for 'Pic of 2012' I just dumped'em 'cos this is as good as they come. A dramatic and brilliant image of the adult Peregrine Falcon about to have prey taken from its talons by the juvenile. As Tina Turner sang 'Simply The Best'....thanks DC.

Kingfisher Brian Rafferty

Another brilliant image, this of the Kingfisher, not an easy bird to come across, and certainly not an easy bird to photograph in flight like this one, it needs patience and skill to capture pictures like this. It is also interesting to note how this birds tail appears dipped in flight, or is this some kind of photographic illusion, certainly something I've never seen before....Great image BR.

Common Tern. Peter Guy.

And the Common Tern, currently in the news at Preston Dock. For personal interest I'm hoping in due course we may hear about these birds here and how - if at all - they may have been affected by the Preston Guild celebrations at/in the dock....Another great image PG.

Thanks to DC/BR/PG for the photographs.

Going to the dogs!

But some positives too.

Look, I'm bloody annoyed here and it's unfortunate I have to begin this post like this, but I've been to Cockersands today - amongst other places - and it really is 'going to the dogs'. Things were looking good for some scrutiny of the waders on Plover Scar, OK it wasn't exactly heaving with birds when I arrived but that's not the point, ten minutes after I got there three 'people' with three mutts arrived and guess what....yes they headed straight for Plover Scar, and not just headed for it but covered the entire area with these three animals....I give up and I'll shut up.

Now the positives....

Conder Green started me off on a high with at least 21 Common Sandpipers counted and I know I'm repeating myself here but....Conder Green is second to none in our recording area in the Common Sandpiper stakes at this time of year. There was actually little else of note but c.20 House Martin were around River Winds. 

Spoonbill. Copy Permitted.

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock produced a Spoonbill - the very bird is pictured above - at the Conder mouth at 12.40pm. Not too surprised at this sighting as the bird has been in the area a day or two, but a nice record for me all the same. Also noted, 2 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank.

At Cockersands where I had an excellent opportunity to find perhaps an American/Pacific with c.65 Golden Plover until the pillocks highlighted above came on the scene, the scar was also occupied by 7 Whimbrel, 95 Oystercatcher, a solitary Knot, and 3 Dunlin with just 4 Eider off here.

Tree Sparrow. Pete Woodruff.  

Whilst here today I did at least have a good count for a change, of c.50 Tree Sparrow and a solitary Greenfinch. One of those healthy walks to Bank End was well rewarded by another one of of those smart Mediterranean Gulls, this one a second summer bird and the result of a sift through a couple of hundred other high tide roosting 'gulls'. 

Plover Scar....

....is going to the dogs!


Crossbills, Stonechats, and a couple of reptiles.

Plover Scar. Pete Woodruff.

I was at Cockersands on Thursday and apart from enjoying myself doing what I like to do most, it was quite a nice day compared to what the summer months have been so far this year. I met and had an interesting conversation here with someone - a local who visits on a daily basis which is even much more regular than me - who told me he had noted an increase in people taking it upon themselves to wander out on to Plover Scar, in particular those accompanied by dogs. At this point I'd like to highlight the 'in it for the business woman' who is nearly always accompanied by up to 18 of these 'other peoples' animals all off the lead when I see her here at Cockersands.

Our conversation went along the lines that neither of us had any objections - business woman aside - to people or their dogs, but perhaps we should pursue some way of drawing attention to the fact that Plover Scar is the haunt of many birds, sometimes in their several hundreds, and that its not a good idea to wander off onto the scar to cause unnecessary disturbance to these birds. In this regard this person told me he had thought of contacting 'a society' with a view that they may agree a sign to this effect could perhaps be erected by them, what a thoughtful and very good idea I agreed, but with the society he named we won't hold our breath, but we have an issue here about people, dogs, and places like Plover Scar which I think needs to be addressed.... we'll see!  

Crossbill.Richard Bailey.

Richard sent me an e-mail the other day to tell me about his visit a couple of miles SW of Kendal to Helsington Barrows a week ago where he found 20 Crossbills, in his message he attached some photographs he took and a smart red male is shown above. 



The Crossbill populations of Fennoscandia and Russia occasionally erupts southward and westward, and the largest and most widespread of these took place from mid-June in 1997 and the best count of these birds within our recording area was in the Marshaw-Tower Lodge area when 130 were seen on 27 June, I've also seen Crossbills in this area a couple of months ago on 16 and 25 May.  

View from Scout Scar. Unknown.

Richard also filled me in with the news he'd seen two pairs of Stonechat on Scout Scar, both pairs had two young, so at least I'm hearing about some isolated breeding success with the Stonechat thanks to birders who kindly pass this on to me....Thanks for this Richard and  for e-mailing it all to me, it is much appreciated.

And the reptiles....

Adder David Cookson    

Another one of those 'Cookies Crackers' this one of the Adder....thanks DC.

Ocellated Lizzard Ana Minguez 

The Ocellated Lizzard isn't a creature you're going to see soon, unless you live or are maybe going to go to Spain on holiday sometime. It's the largest member of it's family, an adult can grow to at least 60cm and can sometimes reach 90cm. It is found in various wild and cultivated habitats from sea level up to 2,100 metres in southern Spain, the female can lay up to 22 eggs in June/July. Thanks for the image AM much appreciated.