Good Afternoon.

Any birding is 'good birding' to me, yesterday I managed an afternoon only slot....and an excellent 'Triple Rafferty' included in the post today too.



Kingfisher.

I caught a tantalising glimpse of the Kingfisher yesterday afternoon as it flashed out of sight as I approached the top step of the viewing platform at Conder Pool. This is my first sighting of Kingfisher at Conder Green in over six months on Tuesday 15 February. I gave the two drake Wigeon on the pool a little more time today as once again they were in close association with the Mute Swan, it was clear that - as suspected yesterday - it is a feeding strategy and they were surface feeding in the wake of the swan stirring something up every time its head went under water....but what? A Wheatear came on to one of the islands, at least 30 Swallow and 2 House Martin at any one time were hawking over the pool, a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank were in the creeks....no circuit today.

Great White Egret

Well, not a Great White Egret, but a Little Egret was of note on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock as were 2 adult Mediterranean Gull and c.750 Golden Plover had changed the landscape since yesterdays visit.

Wheatear.

Nine Wheatear were at Cockersands including six together, an obvious sign of the time of year, you don't need a calender to have some idea of the date when you find the Wheatear in this number on the coast. Off Plover Scar I noted only 2 Eider, c.55 Mallard, 4 Wigeon, and 23 Mute Swan here were unusual. A Whimbrel and 4 Linnet brought up the rear.

Thanks to Brian Rafferty for the 'triple' of excellent photographs. 

Putting a smile into birding.    

As I grilled a few gulls on the River Lune in Lancaster yesterday morning to see if perhaps there was a Mediterranean amongst them, a young boy about 8 years old came up to me and asked me what I was looking for, to keep the answer simple I told him I was looking for a particular gull to which he replied he'd never heard of a Particular Gull....A new species....Mmmmm!!