Gone !

Has the hybrid Ross's Goose x Pink - footed

Goose gone ? The RBA pager message at

8.22 pm suggests it may well have and is now NE of Longtown near Easton in Cumbria. Well I did manage eventually to catch up with this bird last Wednesday, and today I caught up with another bird which has been around a while now when I found a Barnacle Goose with Pink - footed Geese in fields opposite Sand Villa but the Brent Goose, White - fronted Geese, and any of the Bean Geese are simply evading me....but back to the real world.

At Conder Green the Common Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank and Greenshank seen again today. On Conder Pool, 2 Little Grebe, 4 Goldeneye, and 14 Wigeon were noted. I have a distinct feeling the Stonechat's have departed this area, the first - a male - having been there since 10 November 2008. Noted at Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary were estimates of 1,500 Bar - tailed Godwit, 1,200 Golden Plover. I counted 78 Black - tailed Godwit and no more than 10 Goldeneye of which the numbers have dramatically dropped in recent visits here.

Some 'swan's' from Moss Lane were distant, with the sun in my face and difficult to determine but I did account for at least 4 Bewick's Swan's and 3 Whooper Swan's. Opposite Sand Villa the aforementioned Barnacle Goose was with c.2,500 Pink - footed Geese and c.1,500 were seen later from Libby Lane at Pilling.

Little Egret's seen today......singles on Glasson Marsh, Jeremy Lane, 3 Pilling Marsh, and 2 at Fluke Hall.

The pic of the adult winter Med Gull was taken at Conder Green last year and is one of the many 'goodies' recorded on the excellent Conder Pool since its creation. John Bateman is recording them all and will be an impressive list.