BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND.................................................................................BRENT GEESE HEYSHAM PETE WOODRUFF

Friday, 8 April 2011

LRP on CP at last!


Little Ringed Plover. Phil Slade

Two Little Ringed Plovers finally submitted themselves to me today having been in hiding on Conder Pool since 28 March when I was kindly informed of their arrival here, they showed today along with the 'Conder Green Trio' the Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, and Common Sandpiper.

I had the good company of JB today and we decided to start with a visit to Aldcliffe where we found a pair of Little Ringed Plover on the island on Freeman's Pools with 3 Gadwall of note on here. I also heard my first Chiffchaff whilst in this area, and as we returned to Aldcliffe a male Wheatear was seen.

At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary I noted distantly c.450 Redshank, 355 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 70 Black-Tailed Godwit virtually all of which were now in their stunning breeding plumage, 2 Goosander also of note here. At Cockersands, 16 Eider and 8 Wigeon were off Plover Scar, and a pair of Grey Partridge in one of Abbey Farm fields, seen sadly as one of the many farmland birds hard to come by these days, a singing Skylark was a nice reminder of the  time of year. Coming away from Cockersands it was something of a surprise to find 2 Whooper Swan immatures with Mute Swans in a field off Moss Lane, perhaps these are the two seen regularly with an adult bird on Jeremy Lane for many a week but no adult to be seen today. 

From here on the birds became rather scarce but off the A588 at Sand Villa, another 7 Whooper Swans seen with 55 Mute Swans, and on Pilling Marsh - though you get the feeling they've all departed - c.550 Pink-footed Geese were still on here this afternoon. Returning to Lancaster via Gulf Lane the 2 Little Owls seen. I couldn't help but think whilst these two birds glared at us staring at them, they were probably having thoughts of....Oh no not those two idiots again!! 

Brown Hare. Phillip Tomkinson  

JB counted the 14 Brown Hares and Swallows seen on the day and his usual comprehensive records of them and all the other birds I omit on a regular basis are HERE

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