A Change Of Sequence.

With the tide at 11.32am on Tuesday - according to the chart I follow - I changed my sequence  to accommodate the high tide, but made my visit to Conder Green the first as usual.

Little Grebe Brian Rafferty  

Three of the Conder Green resident 'goodies' showed with 2 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank the first birds I found. A singing Dunnock was by the viewing platform at Conder Pool where 3 Little Grebe were seen, with 20 Wigeon also noted. In the creeks a Snipe and solitary Black-tailed Godwit.

I gave Cockersands to Bank End a good three hours, on Plover Scar, 170 Knot, 95 Turnstone, 7 Grey Plover represented a good count of the species here, 2 Ringed Plover, and a Rock Pipit. South of the Caravan Park I managed decent if distant views of the 'Moss Lane Swans' and counted 115 birds the majority of which were Whooper Swan but certainly a 'few' Bewick's Swan with them. On the circuit, 12 Skylark, 6 Tree Sparrow, 2 Dunnock, and at least 550 Golden Plover in one of the Abbey Farm fields as was a solitary Brown Hare.

Stonechat Antonio Puigg

I then went south to Fluke Hall to find a female Stonechat, 6 Blackbirds on a dung heap, and 3 Little Egret on the marsh. At Cockers Dyke the trek there was made all the worth while by finding 2 Mediterranean Gull both black hooded adults amongst the c.250 'gulls' there.

Tufted Duck Simon Hawtin

There was little to inspire on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock but I did note c.150 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, and c.40 Goldeneye. On the canal basin, up to 46 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard drakes, 3 Little Grebe, and a Kingfisher. 

Brown Hare in the Cockersands area in 2013.

I had a conversation with John Kellet at Abbey Farm on Tuesday, he was unable to add anything to the Brown Hares apparent disappearance from Cockersands, but agreed with me that they are hard to come by to date this year.

The Siskin.

Siskin Ana Minguez

The Siskins have paid their third known visit to our garden again today Thursday.

Beauty and the Beast.

 Photograph Pete Woodruff.

I  took this  photograph from  the coastal  path at Fluke Hall, it  shows a  good  line  of Lakeland mountains with a coating of snow and seen  as the beauty  of the  Lakes, and the nuclear power station  on the  right, seen  as the  beast of  Heysham  with the landscape  scarred  by it for life. Perhaps  I  shouldn't  say   this  but.... this  one   looks much  better  than  the usual  poor  quality photographs of mine  if you 'clik the pik' which is what you  should do with the other four thanks to Brian/Antonio/Simon/Ana.