Out of the Ordinary.

Bullfinch. David Cookson.

A brilliant photograph of a brilliant bird the male Bullfinch with many thanks to DC.

The out of the ordinary was that I was birding on Saturday, a day I'm usually otherwise preoccupied but not having been out since Tuesday, with today's weather looking good, and a severe feeling of withdrawal symptoms setting in I made the choice between Harrisend and Conder Green and - with time a bit limited - went for the latter where it didn't take long to realise the place had died a death, and true to the unpredictability of birds was void of them almost, in particular the waders and wildfowl of the creeks and channels. On Conder Pool I counted 11 Little Grebe and was tempted to record twelve but despite counting them a time or two - some up some down - I could make nothing more accurate than eleven, also noted c.90 Teal, and 3 Wigeon. The only birds of note on the circuit were c.200 Goldfinch again, in itself an impressive sight to see, a Coal Tit, 2 Swallows over, and a Sparrowhawk. On the Lune Estuary from Glasson Dock I made note of 3 Greenshank, c.380 Bar-tailed Godwit, c.650 Golden Plover, and 4 Red-breasted Merganser.

On Pilling Marsh I found 2 Barnacle Geese with up to 10,000 Pink-footed Geese and noted a Little Egret. I decide the 'calorie crunching' walk to Cockers Dyke from Fluke Hall would do me good and was rewarded by 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls at the dyke, and 4 Wheatear, 3 Little Egret and a Kestrel to note on the way.

And finally....

Red Deer. Gary Jones. 

A nice picture of the stag Red Deer from the Grisedale Hide at Leighton Moss where I'd recommend you go if you'd like to see the Red Deer with at least a good chance of doing so....Thanks for the pic Gary.