The heat is on....

....but not for long.

Around mid-day at Cockersands it seemed to get really humid, add to this there was no wind at all creating a rare occurrence here as there is always at least a light breeze but rarely flat calm like today. But it didn't last, and not long after it became noticeably cooler.

Common Sandpiper. John Bateman.

I had started the day at Conder Green where I soon had a pleasant surprise and first record on Conder Pool when a female Tufted Duck emerged from one of the hidden corners of the pool to reveal eight healthy ducklings, with a Grey Heron in the creeks behind me I quietly wished the birds good luck for a week or two. It was no surprise at all that I found 13 Common Sandpiper here in mid July, no doubt a count which will rise over the coming weeks. Three adult Spotted Redshank were also in the creeks, and 6 Goosander females were in the channel below the old railway bridge.

Lapwing/Redshank. Pete Woodruff.

There was little on the Lune Estuary to get me jumping up and down but wader numbers are increasing with Lapwings just about at the four figure mark now, with Redshank about half that number whilst I was there this morning on the rising tide. A pair of Great-crested Grebe were noted on the canal basin, one of which had a brief tussle with a small Eel before downing it.

Knot Brian Rafferty

I think the biggest surprise at Cockersands today was a juvenile Wheatear, another nice surprise was the 24 Knot I counted on Plover Scar, all of which were red, some full summer plumage red. Also noted on the scar, 3 Whimbrel, and estimates of 120 Golden Plover, 85 Oystercatcher, and 45 Dunlin, also noted, 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 19 Eider. To be honest the circuit proved nothing save a Skylark and a Sparrowhawk.

Whitethroat Marc Heath

From Cockersands I went to Fluke Hall and did the 'healthy' trundle to Cockers Dyke to be rewarded with one of those stunning adult Mediterranean Gulls. On the walk here I saw 2 Whitethroat, 4 Linnet, and counted 14 Meadow Brown, 8 Small Tortoiseshell, and 6 Gatekeeper....my best butterfly day to date this year.