T for two!

The titles get worse.

I had just two hours to give to my birding today - isn't life exciting at times - and managed to give CG and GD as good a going over as possible in the time allotted. But to add a little colour and interest to the blog I first have to post a pic....

Pintail. Brian Rafferty

And I'm fortunate to have access to many excellent ones like this female Pintail showing some brilliant plumage detail.

Well the visit to Conder Green got off to a sluggish start when I had to sit out a heavy shower on my arrival with thoughts of 'Oh no not again' going through my head, but it cleared and the first bird found was last Thursdays male Stonechat, soon followed by the Common Sandpiper which - if you'd really like to see this bird - you'll need to look around for it as it gets about some, my last three visits have found it in the channel as you approach the right hand bend by the Caravan Park. The Conder channels were again void of any waders and in fact the circuit was void of anything of note. Conder Pool held 3 Goldeneye and 12 Wigeon to note. From here I saw c.250 Pink-footed Geese in the air over Jeremy Lane.  

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock I first checked the small group of 'swans' which turned out to hold 2 Bewick's Swans, a Spotted Redshank was soon found and the other 'estimated' wader counts went.... 5,000 Lapwings which I saw on Tuesday 8 February, 650 Redshank, 350 Golden Plover, 265 Dunlin, 245 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe, and 3 Goosander.

And another pic....

Shoveler. Brian Rafferty

The drake Shoveler also shows some excellent plumage detail and I'm grateful once again to BR for allowing the photographs on Birds2blog.

MEGA NEWS.

A Rufous Turtle Dove (form orientalis) has been found today at Chipping Norton - it's been here before - in Oxfordshire. The bird is apparently in the garden at an address I don't think I'm entitled to publish here, but the instructions are not to park at the address but in the town centre and walk to it, you're allowed 5 minutes for viewing at this location at the cost of £5 per person and a queuing system is in operation, and if you go to see the bird on Wednesday and Thursday you'll be out of luck as there will be no access....Mmmmm!