Another Circuit Trio.

Started the day at Aldcliffe where as you can see the speed limit on Aldcliffe Hall Lane has been lifted. The 'little' boy racers have been out and about again with their marker pens....life must be full of excitement for them. Still, marker pens and racing cars don't generally hurt the birds so thankful for small mercies.

A Raven over the marsh was my first encounter of the day followed by a Little Egret, I had four sightings during the two hours here but not regarded as all individuals as they were highly mobile today, around 400 Pink - footed Geese were in the fields. On or around Freemans Pools, a silent Chiffchaff was feeding quietly on the saplings around the pool, 8 Sand Martin were over the trees on the far side but briefly before soon disappearing. I only counted 5 Gadwall today, 13 Snipe were all on the island, a Goldeneye, a Little Grebe, Song Thrush, Dunnock, and 4 Skylark were all noted.

At Conder Green the first bird seen here was a drake Pintail in the Conder channel, unusual and probably a first for me here until I check my records. On Conder Pool, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, a single Black - tailed Godwit, a Little Grebe, 2 Goldeneye included a smart drake, and 2 drake Shoveler another 'unusual' for the pool.

From Bodie Hill on Glasson Marsh a Little Egret, and 2 Grey Partridge in the field. On the estuary 28 Eider was a decent count here, and c.150 Bar - tailed Godwit included a well hidden 'white' bird amongst them appeared to be the same size and which I regarded - after a lengthy study as best I could - was an albino in which case I'd very much liked to have had a close look at that one.

At Cockersands as the tide dropped I estimated 400 Black - tailed Godwit, 550 Knot, and 800 Golden Plover were flighting around. Other notes on the circuit with no apologies for more estimates (which are accurate within reason) 45 Meadow Pipit, 50 Tree Sparrow, 130 Linnet (that was 130) and a male Reed Bunting. I counted at least 24 Brown Hare in this circuit today. I once counted 32 Brown Hare on a walk from Conder Green plus this circuit and reckon that record would have been easily broken had I done the same walk today....an excellent area for this animal. No sign of the Moss Lane Whooper Swan's today.