We Have Lift Off!

It was 17 days since my last spell of birding, and my first session for 2026....Lift Off!

I suppose lots of visitors to Conder Pool, wouldn't know the drake Shoveler and Pintail present today, were both at best only occasional here, but I note 5 Shoveler were recorded here last Thursday, and I reckon this is an all time best count of the species on Conder Pool. My last Shoveler here, was a pair last year on 23 February 2025, and my last Pintail was a drake 24 November 2025. Also noted today, 9 Redshank, 8 Tufted Duck, and 2 Little Grebe.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, I found my first Goldeneye of the winter and was a drake. I've seen no previous records of Goldeneye this winter around the Lune Estuary, but low end double figures at Aldcliffe.

 

A smart drake Goosander was close in with the Wigeon, and thinking I may not get any more opportunities for piks today, I grabbed a video. A pair of Red-breasted Merganser were diving by the Conder mouth, seen as a species at best irregular here, my last were a pair seen on the estuary 3 years ago on 13 January 2023. Also of note, 550 Black-tailed Godwit, a lone Bar-tailed Godwit, and 52 Knot.

At the south end of Jeremy Lane, a splendid 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit, with single figures of Curlew and Dunlin, and up to 60 Redshank in the field opposite.

Stonechat Cockersand 14 January. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersand, a pair of Stonechat were on the spoil heaps, presumably the same pair seen on my last visit here 29 December. Off Slack Lane, 8 Whooper Swan were the only ones at Cockersand. I think the bulk of swans seem to have pitched up in fields at Cockerham/Braides where the 2 Bewick's Swans also seem to be currently residing.

Breaking News.

Bewick's Swans Cockersand 21 December. Ian Walker.

It was great to see the news that 4 Bewick's Swans were found this morning at Lower Thurnham, begging the question....are there 6 Bewick's Swans in the recording area now?

Thanks to Ian Walker for his excellent image of the stunning Bewick's Swans. 

The Header.

Couldn't resist this one....Long time no see a Stonechat header image on B2B, but Dave Mudd delivered the goods when he got this excellent shot of the pair at Cockersand recently. Not unique, but I reckon Dave or anyone else will achieve an image of two Stonechat so close together in the frame any time soon.    

Looking Back Through The Dragons.

I reviewed my top four dragon species found in 2025.

Banded Demoiselle.

13 May: 16 at Bull Beck in the Lune Valley by the River Lune. I didn't expect to find Banded Demoiselle before the beginning of May. This was my best and earliest ever count of the species anywhere.  

19 May: 4 on the Lancaster Canal east of Conder Green.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly Grisedale Brook. Pete Woodruff.

23 June: One on Grisedale Brook. 

16 July: 2 Birk Bank around the bog.

26 June: 3 Birk Bank around the bog.

15 August: 3 Grisedale Brook.

Emperor Dragonfly.

Emperor Dragonfly Lancaster Canal. Pete Woodruff.

25 June: One Saltcote Pond Glasson.

9 July: One Saltcote Pond Glasson.

12 July: 6 Lancaster Canal Garstang area.

16 July: 2 Birk Bank around the bog.

21 July: One Lancaster Canal Glasson.

26 July 2 Lancaster Canal Garstang.

6 August: One Birk Bank around the bog.

11 August: 2 Fairfield NR including female ovipositing.

5 September: 2 Birk Bank around the bog.

9 September: One Birk Bank around the bog.

25 September; One Birk Bank around the bog.

Note. My September records of Emperor Dragonfly at Birk Bank, carries the comment on the iRecord website....'Date is outside the known flight period of Anax imperator'.

Keeled Skimmer.

Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

16 July: 4 Birk Bank around the bog.

6 August; One Birk Bank around the bog.

25 August: 5 Birk Bank around the bog.

Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

Not my best year for dragonflies, on the down side, the worst experience was finding the dead male Keeled Skimmer on Birk Bank bog. Presumably drowned, but if it was predated the culprit didn't finish the job! 

On the plus side, finding the Emperor Dragonfly again this year at Birk Bank was excellent, even more so, that it was still being seen there on 25 September, a late date in the year for the species. 

I'd sooner be birding......but still haven't done so this year yet, causing my mental condition to deteriorate rapidly 😠

What A Difference A Day Makes!

I'm in receipt of some brilliant images of some equally brilliant birds which have recently been on and around the River Lune.

'Probable' Siberian Chiffchaff Tuesday 6 January. Howard Stockdale.

The header for this post - and the one above - is of a 'probable' Siberian Chiffchaff, found on St Georges Quay in Lancaster, and recorded by two local birders.

'Redhead' Smew Tuesday 6 January. Howard Stockdale.

On the very same day 6 January, a 'redhead' Smew was an excellent find by another Lancaster birder. As opposed to the Chiffchaff, this little diver excited many a birder for a couple of days....What a difference a day makes!

I am grateful to Howard Stockdale for the permit to use his images in this post.

I'd sooner be birding, but unfortunately I'm not at the moment 😢

The Smew.

It was great to see a Smew 'redhead' found yesterday 6 January on the River Lune in Lancaster. This find was the first in the LDBWS area since one found at Aldcliffe 13 years ago in January 2013, and gave me an incentive to do some research through my records for a bit of history about the Smew in our recording area.

Drake Smew. Jan Larsson.

I was able to rewind 37 years where I found a redhead Smew recorded at Leighton Moss in November 1988 by John Wilson. When I traced back to the 1990's, personal records read that I found a drake Smew on 22 November 1992, which returned to the then named Dockacres for many years.

Redhead Smew. Pete Woodruff. 

After this bird, my selective records are....

December 1992. Two redhead Smew present at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve, one saltmarsh, one Public Hide.

December 1992. Drake Smew on the River Lune at Snatchems. Six days later I found a drake Smew at Greyhound Bridge on the River Lune, and presumed it to be the same bird. 

March 1993. I found a drake Smew at Blea Tarn Reservoir, Lancaster. I regard this record as one of the earlier magical moments of my birding.

Through the 1990's, the Smew was recorded in the LDBWS recording area as a 'scarce but almost annual winter visitor'.

February 2009. A redhead Smew Leighton Moss.

January 2010. A redhead Smew Freeman's Pool 24 January to 21 March.

December 2012. A redhead at Leighton Moss, moved between three sites to be last seen at Aldcliffe 28 March.

January 2013. A redhead at Aldcliffe 25 January to 1 March.

Thereby the tale of the missing Smew begins....until 13 years later 6 January 2026 that is!

Thanks to Lancaster birder Barrie Cooper for this excellent record of this excellent and scarce bird.

Reviewing 2025.

I enjoyed flicking through the little black book for some highlights of birds found or seen through 2025. It was never going to be regarded as a spectacular year, but at least it resulted in getting much more of a fix from my birding than anything else.

* Excellent species and or location records....Photos & Video Pete Woodruff.

January

15  Bullfinch pair Lanc's Cemetery *

17  Common Scoter Stone Jetty M'cbe

17  Scaup Broadway M'cbe

25  Blackcap male home garden *

February

13  Hen Harrier male C'sand

18/ 27 Marsh Harrier female C'sand

March

6  Tundra Bean Goose with c.5,000 Pink-footed Geese C'sand *

12  Barnacle Goose Conder Pool *

12  March Harrier C'sand

12  Whooper Swan c.500 C'sand *

19  Hen Harrier in flight N>S over Moss Lane C'sand

20  Bullfinch 2xmale/female Lanc's cemetery *

24  Mediterranean Gull adult/Little Ringed Plover Conder Pool

26  Spotted Redshank Conder Pool

April

9  Garden Warbler Crag Wood early record *

11  Ring Ouzel female Hawthornthwaite *

29  Willow Warbler at least 50 Birk Bank circuit

29  Bullfinch 2/Cuckoo 2 Birk Bank *

May

7  Crossbill 15 Tower Lodge Bowland *

18 Cetti's Warbler Glasson

28 May Little Gull 2 x 2nd summer Conder Pool *

June

25 June 7 of 17 Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool *

July

9 Swift at least 20 Fairfield Lanc's

August

6 Green Woodpecker Birk Bank *

20 Yellow Wagtail 2 Conder Pool * 

22 Ruff 20/Wood Sandpiper Heversham Moss

28 Ruff 19/Green Sandpiper Conder Pool *

September

5 Greenshank 32 Conder Pool *

9 Curlew Sandpiper Lune Estuary

25 Crossbill pair Ottergear Bridge *

October

8 Oct 9 of 18  Whooper Swan Conder Pool *

30 Merlin male C'sand

November

12 Snow Bunting 2 C'sand

20 November Bewick's Swan 2 Slack Lane C'sand *

24 Pintail drake Conder Pool

24 Pink-footed Geese c.3,500 Slack Lane C'sand

25 November Barnacle Goose Lune Estuary *

December

23 Brent Geese 52 Heysham

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Hoping you have good birding in 2026....

A Very Happy New Year 

The Wild Goose Chase!

Not a wild goose chase in the strictest sense, but I think the title fitted reasonably well.

The Greenland White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons flavirostris is a scarce winter visitor to Lancashire, in fact to reflect recent declines, there were no confirmed records of the species in 2024. The European White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons albifrons is an uncommon winter visitor, with a peak count of 3 at a site in 2024. However, although regarded as 'usually uncommon' in our recording area, there's been a huge influx of European White-fronted Geese into the UK, at least 30 have been recorded in the LDBWS recording area in recent days, including a few seen in the Cockersand area.

So based on this exciting news, off I went to see if I could get a share of the action, but here's the rub....having spent 3 hours in the area around Cockersand, not a goose in sight!

But never mind that, on a more rewarding note, parking up at Lighthouse Cottage, I put up the telescope to get some positive ID on waders over at Sunderland Point. Scanning through the birds, I found them to be up to 2,100 Black-tailed Godwit, but better still, half way through the scan, I picked out an Avocet. 

Avocet Conder Pool 2019. Ian Pinkerton.

I know of no winter records of Avocet in our recording area, but note a highest-ever peak winter count in Lancashire, was of 16 Avocet on the December 2020 WeBS, with another 11 Avocet on 26 December on the Fylde Coast. 

Other notes of interest, out in the channel south-west of Plover Scar, at least 3,500 Wigeon, also 130 Curlew in the field south side of Abbey Farm, and up to 120 Whooper Swan were scattered over three fields.

Stonechat C'sand. Pete Woodruff.

Best enjoyment of the day for me, was to watch and follow 2 Stonechat working their way along the fence posts to the spoil heaps, before eventually flying off inland over the field.

Stonechat C'sand. Pete Woodruff.

With many thanks to AC for the heads up, the 2 Bewick's Swan are again back at Braides. 

Struggling for an up to date image of Avocet, I decided to use one of Ian's for old times sake....Thank You Ian!

Thanks to Paul Ellis of the header image of Russian White-fronted Geese at Braides March 2025. 

By Way Of A Change.

It was hardly to be called pleasant, overcast and a cold breeze, but by way of a change of scenery, a wander along the promenade at Morecambe seemed a good idea. 

But in fact I started at Heysham in the hope of catching some geese before the tide drove them off somewhere south, probably to Red Nab. For a change I had timed it right, and 52 Brent Geese - 21 in the video - were driven quite close in before taking to flight. It was also quite pleasing to see 4 Grey Plover before they too escaped the incoming tide.

Brent Geese Heysham. Pete Woodruff.

I drove along the promenade at Morecambe and pulled in at Broadway where I found a Grey Seal with its head bobbing above the swell, also a pair of Great Back-backed Gull alongside it at one point.

A raft of 55 Eider were diving, making the count a little challenging, also 4 Red-breasted Merganser, and between Broadway and Teal Bay I counted 8 Great Crested Grebe.

Roosting On The Groyne At Teal Bay. Pete Woodruff.

At Teal Bay a gathering of waders included a Knot retaining traces of its summer plumage on its breast nearing the end of December! Also of note, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit and 22 Wigeon.

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I wish everyone, visitors or dedicated followers of B2B for which I am very grateful....

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS 🎅

Back Big Time!

The Cockersand Whooper Swan are back, better still they were accompanied by the 2 Bewick's Swan. 

Clarkson's Farm: 44 Whooper Swan

Tomlinson's Farm: 67 Whooper Swan, 2 Bewick's Swan

Abbey Farm: 75 Whooper Swan

Braides: 126 Whooper Swan

Cockersand 186, Cockerham 126....The grand total being 314.

Whooper Swans Cockersand. Pete Woodruff.

The swans took up most of my time on Tuesday, but it was good to find up to 2,25o Black-tailed Godwit off Crook Farm. Also to note, 8 Stock Dove and 2 Buzzard, and I finally found my first winter thrushes when about a dozen Fieldfare were seen from a moving motor on Moss Lane....Better late than never!

There was a large selection of wildfowl on Conder Pool today, including a near 50/50 mix of 200 Greylag and Canada Geese, 62 Mallard, 3 Wigeon, 2 Goosander, 23 Mute Swan, and a Little Grebe. Bird of the day here for me was a female Stonechat.

Hen Harrier.

I had a chance and very fortunate encounter with someone at the viewing platform at Conder Pool. Through an interesting conversation which developed, I gleaned some info regarding the Bowland Hen Harriers. I make no mention of who this person was, nor any mention of details about the site location. I learned only what I was entitled to, and if I'm honest the meeting ended with my wishing I could have heard more, but details were guarded and sparse.

Hen Harrier Forest of Bowland. Simon Hawtin.

Bowland held good numbers of Hen Harrier in 2024, although there was a below average breeding success. But the site I heard about held three pairs of Hen Harrier, all of which had broods successfully raising 12 young to fledging.

Simon Hawtin held a license which offered him to get close enough for many brilliant images of this stunning bird. I'm grateful to Simon for the use of these images of the Hen Harrier in Bowland. 

The Disappearing Act.

By necessity this is a little repetitive as a update on the disappearing swans, and it begins with the 'repetitive bit'.

Since I last saw up to 200 Whooper Swan and 2 Bewick's Swan at Cockersand on 24 November which were destined to winter here, they mysteriously disappeared. Well not mysteriously really, as I'm convinced it was because a similar number of sheep - up to 200 - were driven into the same field, and the swans have never been seen since.

By coincidence, at the same time of the disappearing swans, at least 3,500 Pink-footed Geese also vacated a field a short distance away, and are also gone for good it seems. To be honest, this is not such a mystery as with the swans, the geese tend to roam around during the winter, so are now probably settled somewhere on the Fylde.

But good news came to me in the form of a message from AC to tell me of c.160 Whooper Swan he had seen in a field at Cockersand on 8 December, also on the same date, 30 Whooper Swan were at Braides, which sounded to me like the Cockersand herd made a short flight south to Cockerham.

Two days later on 10 December, more good news - excellent news actually - from AC, when he reports 2 Bewick's Swan at Braides with 123 Whooper Swan. But better still, was that 73 Whooper Swan were in a field on the north side of Abbey Farm. So the Cockersand Whooper Swans are back, albeit fragmented and now located at two sites....Wonderful stuff.

Friday 12 December.

I only had a couple of hours of freedom on Friday, but no matter, that was all I needed to get an update on the swan issue at Cockersand.

Whooper Swan Cockersand 12 December. Pete Woodruff.

Not quite as good as hoped for, just 44 Whooper Swan were in the field north side of Abbey Farm....So the Whooper saga goes on!

It was a pleasant sight to see and hear the trumpeting 'yak-ak-ak' of four skeins of up to 3,000 Pink-footed Geese in flight out of the Lune Estuary south and over towards Pilling Marsh. This was a good number probably leaving the Colloway/Aldcliffe Marshes. 

Four Of Six Moorhen. Pete Woodruff.

It was good if unusual for me to see 6 Moorhen in procession through stubble. I'm not acquainted with seeing numbers of these rails, though I did find 22 Moorhen together around the frozen wildfowlers pool at Aldcliffe 11 years ago in December 2014.

One of our resident Blackbird was enjoying a feast of Cotoneaster berries yesterday, whilst our Robin looked on before quickly flying off.

Hit And Miss!

Actually very few hits, the rest all misses on my latest visit around the estuary, and some concerns to be going on with.

I suppose I would have to admit, the birds seen on Conder Pool were representative of what is to be expected on a moderate day in the first week of December, and it was necessary that I recorded every thing seen here today in order to create a bit of something to read on the report. 

If I'm honest, the most exciting thing to be seen was 14 Long-tailed Tit in a procession working through the hedgerow by the viewing screen. On Conder Pool, 3 Snipe, 3 Little Grebe, 8 Wigeon, 20 Mallard, 9 Black-headed Gull, and a lone drake Tufted Duck.

A couple of decent counts on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, up to 2,520 Black-tailed Godwit and at least 1,500 Golden Plover. At the south end of Jeremy Lane, 5 Whooper Swan were seen as a family of two adult and three 1st winter. These were the only swans I saw in a 4 hour trawl around the Lune Estuary....More on that subject later.

Now the concerns began to develop at Cockersand....At first it wasn't particularly worrying, but an example of the days misses were, no sign of the short stay Snow Bunting, no sign of the even shorter one day Black Redstart, and despite the distinct possibility of three pairs wintering at Cockersand this year, no Stonechat today.

But now things get really serious....Since 27 October, at least 200 Whooper Swan have been resident at Cockersand, lately they have been spread over fields south from Moss Lane down to Bank End, but today zilch. Not a single large white bird in the fields around the Cockersand area....Misery!

The one thing I did find was the reason why the herd of swans have 'disappeared', but to see why in the bigger picture you have to clik the pik.... 

The c.200 Whooper Swan have been replaced along the same length of fields by a similar number of c.200 sheep. 

Bearing in mind, at least 3,500 Pink-footed Geese were at Slack Lane 24 November, they have now also 'disappeared'. But the good news out of all this is, the Bewick's Swans had relocated to fields by Gardner's Farm yesterday 6 December....Alleluia!

In short, not a swan or goose to be seen on this weeks visit to Cockersand, in my book this is a disaster.