Better late than never....

....but it didn't hamper a good days birding for me yesterday, though someone else's definition of 'a good days birding' for six hours may not be the same as mine. Please 'clik the piks' they really are excellent. 

The tide was well up when I got to Conder Green and there was just a little of the marsh with its head above water, so I left the circuit for another time. On Conder Pool, 3 Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, 6 Little Grebe, a Little Egret, Goldeneye, and c.50 Common Gull, c.25 Black-tailed Godwit went over in the direction of Jeremy Lane. 

At Glasson Dock, 7 Goldeneye were to note on the canal basin. I paid two visits to view the Lune Estuary, on this first one I saw the recently reported Spoonbill distantly towards the southern end of Colloway Marsh, and made my best count this winter of 54 Goldeneye, so with the basin birds and one on Conder Pool, a total of 62. On Jeremy Lane, a Little Egret flew out of a ditch as I approached. On Moss Lane I counted 245 Whooper Swan and 10 Bewick's Swan. These winter swans have been in the field almost a month now, according to my records since 15 January, but this is the peak count to date.

Turnstone Martin Jump

At Cockersands, the Snow Bunting was again on Plover Scar for its 30th day, also noted here, 5 Grey Plover were something of a good count, 55 Knot, 20 Oystercatcher,16 Turnstone, and a Rock Pipit, a Little Egret was a little further to the south, and a Little Egret was also in inland fields again. From the Caravan Park end I estimated at least 3,000 Wigeon and 16 Pintail in/around the Cocker channel. Thanks for the Turnstone Martin. 

Knot Brian Rafferty  

On my second visit to Glasson Dock and the Lune Estuary I noted at least 1,200 Golden Plover, 800 Dunlin, 620 Black-tailed Godwit, and c.1,500 Common Gull were to note, this appears to me to be a high count though perhaps I'm not observant of gulls in general enough to have noted good figures of this species in the past, a Little Egret also seen. Thanks for the Knot Brian. 

And....two photographs that screamed out excellent to me....

Female Mallard Ana Minguez  

An excellent image of the resting female Mallard. Thank you Ana.

Long-tailed Tit Warren Baker 

And another excellent image, this one of the diminutive Long-tailed Tit, head on and filling the frame....well nearly. Thank you Warren.

And finally....

Paloma Faith. 

I've never used Birds2blog to advertise my music tastes before - which are very wide and varied - but there's a first time for everything, and tonight KT and I are looking forward to a concert in Blackpool Paloma Faith....Picking Up The Pieces....and much more.