The Long List.

Water Pipit. Copyright Granted.

JB and I collected a good number of records on a most enjoyable day along our excellent coastline, and from a personal point of view in the company of a birder who sees birding in an all round very much the same light as me. One place we didn't visit was The Heads were the Water Pipit/s are pretty reliable - two today - on tides similar to today's 10m plus.

At Conder green where the tide was rapidly swallowing everywhere up we saw Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, and on the pool, a Goldeneye, 3 Canada Geese, and a Moorhen noted on a nest. On the Lune Estuary I thought I'd better don my recorders hat for a while or leave with nothing of note. Circa counts were of 240 Redshank, 50 Dunlin, and 10 Wigeon. Accurate counts were of 2 Grey Plover, 28 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Cormorant, and 28 Mute Swans. I found another interesting wildfowl on the River Lune today in a drake Shoveler - as with the pair of Gadwall yesterday - the Shoveler is another species which avoids the marine environment and seen out of context here.

On Jeremy Lane an extra bird here today with 4 Whooper Swans being two adults and two immatures. At Cockersands, a male Merlin gave excellent views, and c.24 Linnet on the winter seed. Shore and offshore, 26 Black-tailed Godwit, a high count of 10 Grey Plover, 21 Eider, and 4 Red-breasted Merganser.

Brown Hare. John Bateman. 

An excellent sight was that of 12 Brown Hare chasing one another around a field, the best area I know to encounter this brilliant and entertaining creature. The one in the photograph above obliged JB by running towards him in the parking area at Cockersands lighthouse. Thanks for the pic John....nice one.

From the A588 opposite Sand Villa, 18 Whooper Swans remain from a count exceeding 90 birds on one report I read just a couple of weeks ago. On Pilling Marsh - under water now - another male Merlin, this one tucking into lunch on the embankment, a Raven and a solitary Whooper Swan was below the embankment, the bird appeared OK but strange it was alone I thought. Cockers Dyke was also awash but a Little Egret, a pair of Pintail, and 3 Red-breasted Merganser were to note.

And finally....

Goldeneye. Brian Rafferty

Another of those BR 'specials' of the drake Goldeneye taking off. Thanks for this Brian, much appreciated.