Gone With The Wind!

The headland at Cockersands is not the ideal place to be with a howling westerly blowing behind an almost 10mtr tide, but that's where I was on Thursday afternoon and so was the hardy little Snow Bunting fighting against this howler of a wind on Plover Scar for its 18th day. Ten Snipe went into the air to find somewhere to escape the oncoming high tide, along with c.70 Turnstone also on the same mission. Good numbers of waders had also taken to the fields and of note were at least 2,500 Golden Plover and 550 Dunlin with uncounted Lapwing and Curlew, 7 Brown Hare were also to note.

 Little Gull. Peter Guy.

Theres been some movement of Little Gull seen along the coast in recent days, the 1st winter bird in the photograph above was one of many passing Rossall Point yesterday and thanks to PG for sending me this excellent image of the Little Gull looking very 'little' whilst fighting its way over the huge breakers. An adult Little Gull was also seen at Cockersands on Thursday and I'm grateful to SP for the mobile alert to this bird - and the Smew at Glasson Dock on Friday - unfortunately the Little Gull decided to fly off upstream on the River Lune before I got onto it, and having no time for a 'chase' I'm afraid this is the one that got away.

Although I'm not know for my dedication to the religion of counting birds, I did my utmost to accurately assess the birds still in the field off Moss Lane but I'm unable to change Tuesdays count of c.220 Whooper Swan of which I noted only around twenty were immature.

Common Sandpiper Richard Pegler  

At Conder Green the Common Sandpiper had found its way down the Conder channel almost out of sight and on to the Lune Estuary, 2 Spotted Redshank were also here with 2 Bar-tailed Godwit. Of note on Conder Pool, 4 Goldeneye, 4 Little Grebe, a Little Egret, a Goosander, and c.420 Black-headed Gull with a 'few' Common Gull in the mix. 

And finally....

Barn Owl Martin Jump  

MJ thought he was wasting his time setting off in the fog on the day he achieved this and a few other brilliant ghostly images of the Barn Owl looming out of the gloom. Another 'pic with a difference', where does it all end. Thanks Martin....it'll never end, and your efforts on the day were certainly not a waste of time.