Another Afternoon Job!

I decided to spread my wings a little when I eventually got out yesterday afternoon and did an invasion into Fylde territory....though the report won't take you long to read, this is one example of what birding is and means to me.

Mediterranean Gull/Black-headed Gull Colin Bushell 

Following a healthy trek from Fluke Hall to Cockers Dyke - and after sifting through a few hundred gulls for an hour - I was eventually rewarded by finding two brilliant adult Mediterranean Gull one of which was advancing to breeding plumage with a very obvious black hood developing. Also of note here, c.255 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Little Egret, a solitary Bar-tailed Godwit, and a Snipe. I watched 7 Twite at close range but saw c.35 almost certainly this species in flight, lost to view and unable to locate them despite chasing after them.

From Fluke Hall I counted 10 Whooper Swan in a mid-distance field, and down the road from here another 24 Whooper Swan were seen from Fluke Hall Lane, and a little more down the road 2 Little Egret where in the middle of a field.

Snipe Antonio Puigg   

Never able to ignore Conder Green if I'm in the area, I called in on the way back to Lancaster to give it enough time to find 9 Little Grebe, a Spotted Redshank, a Snipe, and a Little Egret. 

Song Thrush Warren Baker    

I didn't find any Song Thrush yesterday but have had a couple of excellent records of this Red Listed bird recently, one of which was of ten individuals on a walk between Aldcliffe and Glasson Dock on 11 December last year. This full frame photograph is enhanced by the light given off the snow, and from my knowledge of photography I rate this one as technically excellent....and take a close look at those brilliant arrowheads.  

Thanks for the photographs Colin/Antonio/Warren. These are three excellent images, even  more so if you 'clik the pik'....Brilliant stuff.