In Reverse.

To work around the tide I decided to do my birding in reverse on Wednesday and first went to Cockersands where the tide was an hour short of its height, but by the time I arrived at Plover Scar it was well under water and the sum total of birds there was 38 waders being, 20 Knot, 9 Oystercatcher, 7 Turnstone, and 2 Ringed Plover, a pair of Eider were off here, and a Peregrine Falcon was dinning on its latest catch on the lighthouse. Other birds of note in an extensive but relatively bird-wise quiet visit, a Jack Snipe came up off the marsh off the Caravan Park, a Rock Pipit, 7 Linnet, and 3 Reed Bunting. A Little Egret was by a ditch, it was quietly - and I thought surprisingly - roosting within a couple of metres of a Grey Heron, both obviously tolerant of each other. Driving away from Cockersands I saw a Merlin take off from a fence post and soon disappeared from view.

The 'Moss Lane Swans' had returned to the field I initially found them in on 15 January - and which peaked at almost 300 birds on 18 February - have now decreased in number to c.200 Whooper Swan and 15 Bewick's Swan on Wednesday.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, the number remains steady here since 13 February at around 650 Black-tailed Godwit. Also of note, 10 Bewick's Swan, and - as Monday - c.80 Goldeneye, a solitary Grey Plover, 2 Little Egret were on Colloway Marsh. With only a while to spare at Conder Green I was only able to check Conder Pool where I found 2 Spotted Redshank, 7 Little Grebe, 65 Tufted Duck, 3 Snipe, and birds of the day for their being unusual at the location were 2 Pochard drakes on the pool.

I have no appropriate photographs for the post, but how about this little trio of excellent 'Pegler Pics' which illustrate each bird in its natural environment. Thanks for these Richard, no photographs here of birds looking like they were in glass cases in a museum....I luv 'em!

Redshank. Richard Pegler.   

An excellent and typical image of the Redshank in one of its favourite environments of a flooded field or marsh.

Little Owls. Richard Pegler.

This image has to be the the best example of a picture of birds in their natural habitat. The main subjects of the image are the Little Owls, though not immediately apparent....but that's how its supposed to be isn't it.

Treecreeper. Richard Pegler.

And the Treecreeper brilliantly caught on camera doing what it does best....creeping up a tree. Thanks for these Richard  

And the early bird....

Swallow. David Cookson.

A Swallow was reported in Merseyside flying north yesterday. A very early bird, the average earliest Swallow in Lancashire being 25 March making this individual ahead of time by almost a month. A long time before we can expect to find an adult feeding young as in the image above thanks to David Cookson