In reverse....again!

Made a welcome start to a days birding with JB at Knott End which is the extreme end of our usual 'pattern' where - to be honest - the only birds to enter my book were at least 90 Eider - always an excellent sight - on the sea off the esplanade here. It was a poorly timed visit as the tide was heading towards its 10m+ height making the possibility of waders nil.

At Fluke Hall 30+ Twite were in the field to the west of the slipway, a female Stonechat made my total migrants of the species 20 which is an exceptional figure for the date with more to come. Also to note here, Skylark's in song, a 'few' Meadow Pipit's were passing through, and a Buzzard was perched up on a post and did what many other bird's do when they see JB's camera....it cleared off.

From Gulf Lane 4 Stock Dove are probably another first for me here as I cannot recall ever seeing this species at Cockerham Moss before.

From Moss Lane the 'swan's' were once again as far away from the road as ever but certainly the same number as several previous recent visits being 3 Bewick's Swan's and 44 Whooper Swan's.

At Cockersands a Merlin was skimming over the Abbey Farm fields and 2 Peregrine Falcon's caused mass panic to c.1,000 Golden Plover amongst other things. Also of note here, the Little Owl showed for the third consecutive visit perched yet again in the tree behind Lower Bank House, 6 Red - breasted Merganser were off the lighthouse car park, and at least 15 Brown Hare were seen here today.

From Bodie Hill c.80 Black - tailed Godwit entered my book and another c.320 at Glasson Dock made the same total of c.400 birds as seen on Friday last. Also at Glasson Dock c.34 Goldeneye, and a Peregrine Falcon on Colloway Marsh was 'death on your doorstep' for every bird in sight. The drake Scaup was on the canal basin still.

And finally......a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, and a Grey Plover were to note at Conder Green. The Common Sandpiper - which we could not locate - was apparently seen by some visiting birder's......well thats not allowed is it?

The Gannet's are on the roundabout for Morrisons car park and a little cunning composition put the lamp post beyond the roudabout to make it appear to be a 'Gannet Lamp'......Mmmmmm!