Another Arctic Adventure.

Well not quite Arctic, but yesterday the biting cold easterly wind still blew and Cockersands is a good place to get the sharp end of it if your mad enough to go for it.

 

Wheatear Astland Photography  

The walk and icy wind along the headland was actually well rewarded when I found my first Wheatear in the very field I usually find them in each spring, there are a couple of horses regularly in this field and these birds know where the insects are. I had the bonus of a second Wheatear moments later on the shingle near the Caravan Park. Thanks for the Wheatear Peter & Susan, complete with a bee in its bill.

The Wheatear almost took 'Bird of the Day' prize but....

Stonechat. Copy Permitted.

I'm not prepared to let the Wheatear stand in the way and take any prizes from the Stonechat and today I found a male south of the Caravan Park where I saw a Snipe dive down into the marsh. The Stonechat image above is the very same little beauty seen today which had been seen here yesterday.

On what was left of Plover Scar with its head above water at high tide, an excellent count of at least 150 Turnstone, 10 Knot, and 4 Ringed Plover. The Little Egret was in the same area as Tuesday, and c.150 Black-tailed Godwit were off Crook Cottage. Another c.300 Black-tailed Godwit at Glasson Dock made the total of 450 on the Lune Estuary again as Tuesday. Also noted at Glasson Dock, 42 Goldeneye. From Bodie Hill, a Little Egret on the marsh from where I saw a single Redwing.

At Conder Green, a Spotted Redshank shows a distinct start to its unique change of plumage from brilliant white on its underparts in winter, to it's jet black breeding plumage, an amazing bird. I managed to find the Common Sandpiper again today along with a Greenshank and 15 Black-tailed Godwit in the creeks. A drake Goosander and 2 Little Grebe were on Conder Pool, and a Grey Wagtail was on the stones below the road bridge, the first I've seen at Conder Green in something like 3 years.

Common Sandpiper.

Common Sandpiper Antonio Puigg

I'm not sure I can refer to the bird at Conder Green as 'the' Common Sandpiper - being the wintering bird - anymore, although the mean date for their arrival is 5 April there are earlier records in Lancashire. 

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL BIRDS2BLOGGERS AND NON-BIRDS2BLOGGERS....I DON'T DISCRIMINATE AT EASTER!!