Time out!

This post was sidelined by other issues so a bit delayed, but - for what it's worth - its here now....

Last Wednesdays forecast was a good one, so I made absolutely sure I got some time out and got in some birding. To quote my old and much missed mentor John Leedal. ....'there are times in life when you have to be selfish'.

Robin. Pete Woodruff.

At Conder Green, even the Robin greeted me on to the coastal path and obliged whilst I took its pic. Also on the path, all uncounted - but none double figured - before they all flew off, a 'few' Redwing, Blackbird, and Goldfinch. Noted on Conder Pool, 58 Redshank, a single Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Little Grebe, and 11 Wigeon. 

Song Thrush. Author Unknown.

The best bird by far here today was the Red Listed Song Thrush, it's some time since I saw my last. Early settlers took the Song Thrush to Australia to remind them of home, but the introduction didn't work out and the birds didn't thrive there, though today the Song Thrush is one of the most common garden birds in New Zealand....how strange.

At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary, two species in similar number to my last visit here, c.2,500 Golden Plover and 250 Dunlin. Also noted, c.75 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Goosander, 2 Little Egret, and a Little Grebe.

Off Moss Lane a Whooper Swan was with c.26 Mute Swan, I couldn't help but wonder was this the 'August' bird found on the River Lune at Glasson Dock. At Cockersands, at least 80 Turnstone on Plover Scar was a good count, also a quite impressive count of c.240 Black-tailed Godwit three of which were marked birds which I read and appropriately reported to the ringers, the surprise wader here was a Ruff. The waders went into panic on one occasion when a Peregrine Falcon was overhead, an hour later I found one quietly perched up on the lighthouse off the scar and was there for up to an hour, 6 Greenfinch and a Sparrowhawk.  

Cockersands. Pete Woodruff.

I hung around at Cockersands to watch the sun set which wasn't particularly spectacular but impressive just the same, and the last hour of birding here - before and after the sun set - I have to personally refer to as magical.

I have to say the sunset above is quite impressive if you 'clik' on it.