The Hat-trick!

Three in a row with Thursdays visit to Conder Green and a good look over the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock. A passion for the birds and the place, or just mad....take your pick.

Numbers peaked at 17 on Monday 22 July but have fallen since then, but at least 10 Common Sandpiper were at Conder Green again yesterday. Amongst the 'little change at CG' were the Spotted Redshank which was once again in company with c.50 Redshank and 3 Dunlin on Conder Pool, just one juvenile Little Ringed Plover put in an appearance as did the Little Grebe, the two drake Wigeon and drake Goldeneye remain faithful. But the 'big change at CG' was only one Little Egret today, another big change was the eerie silence at River Winds were I saw not a single House Martin though one did enter a nest above the house at Cafe d' Lune and was the only House Martin seen in the Conder Green/Glasson Dock area over four hours. A single Black-tailed Godwit was in the creeks as were 2 Linnet on the mud bank and which appeared to think they were waders, a Buzzard drifted overhead.

An extensive search over the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock was worth the effort if only for the find of 2 Mediterranean Gull, both adults amongst c.350 mainly Black-headed Gull, also Little Egret seen. Wader numbers were a little more like than of late with a number in excess of 1,200 of which I estimated 400 Lapwing, 350 Redshank, 250 Curlew, and 80 Dunlin.

And finally....I reckon we should take a look at a couple of 'mean close ups' in the Dragonfly category. 

  Male Emperor. Marc Heath.

Like the male - Blue Emperor - Emperor Dragonfly....A common and conspicuous dragonfly of African origin, which has only relatively recently colonised large parts of northern Europe. 

Norfolk Hawker. Marc Heath.

And the - Green-eyed Hawker - Norfolk Hawker, which I somehow think you won't be seeing up here in the north. Widespread but very local in much of its range especially in the south-west, and often numerous where it is present . 

Two images up to the usual high standard of Marc Heath....'clik the pik' to see what I mean. Many thanks Marc for allowing them on Birds2blog to brighten the whole thing up, and to add some interest to it.