Better Late Than Never.

Masked Shrike. Colin Bushell.

But first a smart pic of a smart bird the Masked Shrike, just one of a truly splendid list of birds seen by Colin Bushell on his trip in April this year to Lesvos which I strongly recommend you take a look at and see the list for yourself HERE ....Thanks for the photograph Colin it is excellent and so is the bird. 

Afraid it was a late start for me again today, so if it's not the weather restricting me it's other tasks to perform which have to take precedence over birding....don't they? So by the time I arrived at Conder Green it was 12.45pm but as I got on to the platform overlooking Conder Pool it was a pretty depressing sight made even more so by the sky which was by now looking quite threatening and the dark grey clouds were reflecting in the water making things look even more gloomy,  for once I was able - and willing - to record every single bird on the pool, being a Grey Heron, two adult and two - now quiet large - young Oystercatchers, and the Great-crested Grebe still here which JB assures me has been present on Conder Pool before but rarely just the same I would add, hard to believe but these were the only birds to be seen on the pool. But things looked up as I did the circuit and a Ruff was in the creeks, also 9 Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, 5 Dunlin, c.40 Redshank, and 2 Goosander, 2 Wigeon were noted on the marsh, and a singing male Reed Bunting.

On the Lune Estuary from Glasson Dock an adult Mediterranean Gull with moulting hood was distant, and a calling Whimbrel went over south, I noted wader numbers on the increase again including probably up to 3,000 Lapwing. Cockersands was hard work today though I note a good report from here yesterday which can been seen on the Fylde Bird Club website HERE but I could only muster a Little Egret and few small birds, with c. 30 Tree Sparrow, 16 Linnet, 5 Goldfinch, and a male Reed Bunting, a Stoat put in an appearance and I saw my very first Red Admiral of the year and about 6 Small Tortoiseshell.

And finally....

A few of these ducks were on a small pool at Holker Hall yesterday where I had volunteered to drive some elderly people from a local Care Home for their day out, I haven't the faintest idea what they are and I don't recall ever seeing the species before....the ducks I mean!!