Well I Just Keep Trying!

The Lune Estuary At Glasson Dock. Pete Woodruff.

Not the best of conditions for birding yesterday by the time I reached the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock at 1.00pm. What could be seen of the estuary held little of interest but I could make out 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 Eider before it all disappeared into the gloom....'Clik the pik' it looks even gloomier. 

But I had been at Conder Green first to find at least 10 Common Sandpiper here still, pretty hard to get an accurate picture if you do the circuit and birds move around during the process, but these figures take duplication into account and the 'at least' record stands. The Spotted Redshank obliged again with a Greenshank, and 6 Black-tailed Godwit included three in their stunning summer finery as did a Little Grebe having made its return to Conder Pool. Also the drake Goldeneye and 2 drake Wigeon, only a matter of a couple of months or so now before the relations arrive to join them for the winter. A Sedge Warbler was singing away yet, and a Little Egret on the marsh seen from the old railway bridge.

Meadow Brown. Pete Woodruff.

When I arrived at Fluke Hall, whilst waiting in mist and light rain to see which way the weather would turn I would never have expected to see butterflies. But it started to clear up and I decided to give Cockers Dyke a look over but drew a blank save c.300 'gulls' of which 90% were Black-headed Gull and a disappointment not to have found at least one Mediterranean Gull with them. Legging it to Cockers Dyke from Fluke Hall and with the sun in a clear blue sky now, I was rewarded by c.80 butterflies along the way of which were mainly Meadow Brown, with c.20 Gatekeeper, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, and a Small Skipper to note. At Fluke Hall 3 Whitethroat and 12 Linnet seen.

Song Thrush. Howard Stockdale.   

I'm always pleased if I find a Song Thrush on my birding days, not all that often unfortunately. A familiar and popular songbird whose numbers are declining seriously, especially on farmland making it a species in the Red. Thanks for this Howard, hopefully the bird in your image is adding to the population of the Song Thrush with its bill full of food for young somewhere.