A bit of a plod!

But first....

Southern Hawker. Ian Tallon.

Thanks to Ian Tallon for the image of the Southern Hawker at Foulshaw Moss....a good bit of timing once again Ian which helped to add interest and brighten up the blog.

Accompanied by JB/BT it was a bit of a plod somehow today and things started with Conder Green/Pool being much quieter than it had been on Tuesday, birds noted were, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, Ruff, 4 Common Sandpiper, and a Stoat was seen to scuttle across the road.

Its quite amazing how bird numbers can fluctuate wildly and are more noticeable when you visit an area regularly, the Lune Estuary from Glasson Dock was also very quiet today with just c.250 Redshank noted and a Little Egret distant on Colloway Marsh. The 'gull' number was also low and birds present on the estuary were distant and with my scope in a brisk wind shaking like a jelly on a plate life was a little difficult.....I'd never be gifted as a sea watcher in these conditions let alone in gale force winds.

I reckon the best record/sighting of the day had to be the pair of Grey Partridge with six young in a field off Jeremy Lane, not an everyday sight any more and sadly another farmland species slowly 'biting the dust' when we should be tripping up over them in a more wildlife friendly world, the Little Owl also showed itself to me for a change perched on the old derelict farm building. A drive to the caravan park at Cockersands was a little futile as the 10m plus tide was well on its way but the horse paddock and surrounding area at Bank Houses was checked for possible Yellow Wagtail but at least 18 Pied Wagtails were counted. 

Mediterranean Gull. Pete Woodruff.

Another drive, this one to Knott End where by now there was just about enough beach left for an adult Mediterranean Gull - moderate pic above - and 7 Sandwich Terns to be found prior to them being washed off. At Cockers Dyke the juvenile Cuckoo was still drawing three birders and a photographer to it - six birders when we arrived - and still appears to be consuming caterpillars at the rate of at least one per minute, if this bird is merely fattening up it'll be off in no time. A call in at Fluke Hall and Lane Ends produced a Little Egret at both, being ten short of the count made by a Fylde birder here earlier in the day.

Like I said....A bit of a plod today but with a varying degree of reward as always on any birding day.