Never A Dull Moment....

....but it came quite close today.

Little Grebe. David Cookson.

I put David Cookson's excellent photograph of the Little Grebe in my sidebar recently but as they came in to the reckoning today I thought I'd like it in the post too.

The weather was dull and the birding barely raised itself above that level either, though I'd find it difficult to regard any birding to ever be really dull, but Conder Green was a big disappointment today, the creeks were deserted and the circuit actually drew a blank. Conder Pool produced a couple of interesting records in that the Common Sandpiper seen is surely the one going to winter here, and 11 Little Grebes come within one bird of equaling last years peak of twelve, also noted on here a Snipe and the 4 Wigeon....aren't they ever going to meet up with the relations on the River Lune! 

At Glasson Dock, the Lune Estuary here goes under water on the incoming tide pretty quick and about to be 'pushed off' were a Spotted Redshank, and Greenshank, c.580 Golden Plover were similar to last Thursdays number and I'd estimate 4,500 Lapwing here, a Little Egret was again in it's favoured area below Waterloo Cottage.

At Cockersands what was left above water of Plover Scar held a count of 32 Turnstone - never an easy species to catch up with - and circa's of 120 Redshank, 90 Oystercatcher, 50 Dunlin, and 2 Little Egret, 10 Eider were on the sea. At least 30 Greenfinch are still attracted to the set-aside and a similar number of 30 Goldfinch in the area. From Bank End 6 Little Egret were on the marsh and a Great-crested Grebe and Red-breasted Merganser were of note on the Cocker Estuary.

Ahhhh well....birding isn't all about finding an Empidonax Flycatcher! 

And finally....

Little Bustard. Paul Foster. 

This photograph of the Little Bustard's in Portugal has the quality of an excellent painting in my opinion. I'm impressed and thanks for letting me put them up here Paul.