Fifteen Days Later.

Fifteen days after my last birding day and I was off on Thursday, not exactly like a shot - it was 10.30 before I escaped - but I was soon on the viewing platform at Conder Green. I had no choice to go further than the platform, the tide was well up and 20 minutes after I arrived I had to leave as the tidal water was in the lay-by lapping up against my wheels. It was a big disappointment I had to cut and run as the place was alive both on Conder Pool and the flooded marsh with 14 species of at least 900 birds....circa (*)

Teal 400 *

Redshank 200 *

Mallard 150 *

Wigeon 100 *

Black-tailed Godwit 10

Curlew 8

Goldeneye 6

Tufted Duck 6

Little Grebe 5

Oystercatcher 3

Spotted Redshank 2

Common Sandpiper

Goosander

Little Egret

Turnstone David Cookson

On Plover Scar at Cockersands with the tide 30 minutes past its height of 10.30m, 145 Turnstone was a decent count, with up to 200 Oystercatcher, 6 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover, and a single Redshank. Thanks to DC for the excellent portrait of the Turnstone, and the new header Red-throated Diver.

Hopelessly looking into the sun, on the Cocker Estuary in excess of 800 wildfowl in silhouette were mainly Wigeon, with Mallard, Teal, and Pintail of note. Off Crook Farm, c.350 Wigeon, a Goldeneye and drake Red-breasted Merganser noted. A single Tree Sparrow seen around Bank Houses can't possibly be alone in the Cockersands area, also 15 Greenfinch seen here again. 

Three hours at Cockersands ran away with my time and daylight and I covered only a fraction of the areas I set out to today, and when I got to Glasson Dock my time and the light was gone. Ten Goldeneye were a good count on the canal basin with a male and female Pochard seen. On the Lune Estuary 16 Goldeneye were the only birds counted, but also present with no significant numbers save the Lapwing.... 

Black-tailed Godwit 

Bar-tailed Godwit 

Knot

Golden Plover
Dunlin

Lapwing, 

Red-breasted Merganser.

Barn Owl. Martin Jump.

MJ took this photograph almost 12 months ago at the end of January, he appropriately titled his post A Ghostly Encounter which contains nine brilliant images of the Barn Owl in a mist.

I'm told of a Barn Owl hunting fields behind Abbey Farm on Thursday 15 minutes after I left the car park at Lighthouse Cottage. Taking into account the plight of the Barn Owl at the end of 2013, this is excellent news....Thanks for the info on this AC.