All the world loves a trier!

Full of big ideas about getting seven hours in on Tuesday I arrived at Conder Green at 9.30 not knowing that the weather had even bigger ideas than I did....So just watch how rapid this report fizzles out by the time I get to Cockersands about two and a half hours later at around noon.

A Little Egret was on Conder Pool again but I found only 3 Little Grebe on here today. On the circuit I found a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, and Kingfisher. On the Lune Estuary the 'early' Whooper Swan seen again, been here since 21 August. Also of note, 2 Greenshank, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Snipe, and a Little Egret. Wader numbers here today were very unimpressive.

Image Martin McKenna 

So now I'm at Cockersands, and having seen c.40 Snipe in the air together as I arrived I also saw a squall heading directly for me over the bay, the dictionary definition of which is....'a sudden violent gust of wind bringing rain, snow, or sleet'....well you can say that again. I find it hard to believe I sat six of these 'squalls' out, as one passed over another one appeared on the horizon, there was to be no way I was leaving the car to end up drowning in one of these, not even for birding, but I sat it out in the hope the latest one was the last. 

Well I did try, but in the end I submitted and went home. I'm thinking of giving up birding to support Manchester United as a full time occupation, which brings me to think....I'm becoming mentally unstable!!

And now, four brilliant non-bird photographs to brighten up and add some colour to Birds2blog....

Hoverfly Martin Jump  

This looks suspiciously like the Helophilus pendulus in our garden a few weeks ago, and attractive looking creature whatever....Thanks Martin.

Badger Paul Foster  

PF gained permissive access to an undisclosed Badger set and took the advantage to the full with some excellent images of these brilliant creatures....Thanks Paul.

Red Squirrel David Cookson  

DC gave the perfect title to this perfect image of the Red Squirrel 'Leap of Faith'....Thanks David.

Brown Hare Brian Rafferty 

Cockersands holds good numbers of the Brown Hare and has done since I first started visiting the area many years ago, but that's not the area BR took this excellent 'mug shot'....Thanks Brian.