Patience is a Virtue....

....but I was assisted by 'something' putting everything on Conder Pool into panic mode, then later putting up to 2,500 Lapwings to flight from a field on Jeremy Lane as viewed from the pool platform. However, I did prove yet again that giving an area time is one of the secrets of really getting to grips with whats around and I did spend the best part of an hour viewing Conder Pool this morning to discover what at first appeared to be a virtually deserted pool but in fact held 15 species of birds....

Common Sandpiper. Pete Woodruff.

Including 6 Common Sandpiper one of which came quite close but managed to be partially hidden behind a stone in the pic above....but at least I tried. Also on the pool 'eventually revealed by something', a Spotted Redshank, a female and juvenile Ruff, a Little Egret, and the Kingfisher put in an appearance which, if you'd like to see this bird on here I'd strongly suggest you don't forget to check the terrace which runs the length of the back of the pool. The other ten species were, 26 Redshank a few of which were juveniles which will fool you into thinking they are something else if you let them, the 3 Wigeon will be joined by their wintering relations sooner than we think, c.125 Black-headed Gulls, 25 Common Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 6 Pied Wagtails, 2 Linnet, and c.50 Swallows, a Snipe went over, and the aforementioned c.2,500 Lapwings over.

There was a very frustrating moment at one point when a small wader flew rapidly across the pool to land on a far tiny piece of exposed area on the pool for two seconds before flying off unidentified, but I seriously thought Pectoral Sandpiper but that's as far as it goes I'm afraid....'thought'....and another one that got away!

A visit to Cockersands resulted in the above pic about which I have nothing more to say other than, from the right hand side of the windscreen to the wall on the left was a line of 'gulls' on the far bank of the estuary which went the length towards Bank End, plus at least another 250 in a field at the far end of the caravan park all crying out for a Med Gull - or better - with them, but I had to hot foot it back to the motor even before I'd checked a fraction of them. I sat in the car for more than an hour waiting for an improvement in the weather whilst gradually getting that depressed feeling I get in these situations.

I was on my way back to Lancaster with other tasks to perform but I did note from the car in the Bank Houses area a mixed flock of c.50 Tree Sparrow and House Sparrow of which I'd suggest were a 50/50 mix. At least 10 Swift were over Bowerham in Lancaster yesterday evening.

And finally....

  

Stoat. Phil Slade.

All the photographs I post on Birds2blog are 'excellent' photographs - excluding any which carry my name - and this one is no exception. Phil also keeps an excellent blog - nearly as good as this one - please take a look now and again HERE....Thanks for the pic Phil, much appreciated.