Up and Down.

Being a sucker for punishment I went 'up' to Harrisend on a day which looked like it could turn out like Monday did on Clougha in a fog.
As it happens it stayed quite clear whilst I was there but by the time I got back to the car it was looking decidedly grim. So I decided I'd had enough of this murky upland stuff and went off 'down' to the coast.

At Harrisend I found just 2 Stonechat seen as a pair, also noted were at least 9 Red Grouse and 6 Greylag were over going NE, a Great - spotted Woodpecker was over the farm below Harrisend.

From the A588 at Sand Side the hybrid Ross's Goose x Pink - footed Goose was with c.800 P F Geese and in the field opposite Sand Villa numbers were down today with 60+ Whooper Swan counted and no sign of any Bewick's Swan's. On Gulf Lane the 2 Little Owls were seen again today, just 2 Fieldfare seen and a female Merlin glided silently over a field no more than a foot off the ground. On Moss Lane I counted the highest number I ever saw in one sighting of 14 Bewick's Swan's including 3 juveniles. It's worth noting just one Bewick's Swan was present at Martin Mere on Sunday according to their website news. From Bodie Hill c.450 Pink - footed Geese were noted flying SW.

At Conder Green 2 Stonechats today were a male and female indicating the possibility all three are still present here with two males seen yesterday. These three - and the Cockersands male - are the first Stonechat's I have ever recorded in our area for almost a full winter period. Also noted here, the Common Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, and a Grey Plover. On Conder Pool, 6 Goldeneye and 6 Little Grebe were to note.

Single Little Egret's seen today were at Cockers Dyke, Backsands Lane, Gulf Lane, and Glasson Marsh.

As for the non - bird pic definitely not taken today......more like the French Riviera than Glasson Marina but there you go!