Five Around The Estuary.

I parked the motor at Conder Green at 11.30am and returned at 4.30pm, so gave the Conder Green/Glasson Dock area of the Lune Estuary a full five hours yesterday.

Grey Plover Brian Rafferty 

The first bird I found at Conder Green was a lone Grey Plover in the creeks, annual here in the winter months but rarely more than a single bird. Also noted here today, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 5 Little Grebe, 12 Wigeon, and a Little Egret. Notable were 16 Lapwing on Conder Pool, more notable was not a singe Lapwing or Golden Plover on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock as viewed from the bowling green. But up to 320 Black-tailed Godwit were present along with at least 16 Bar-tailed Godwit, and with little over double figures each of Redshank, Curlew, and Dunlin the estuary was beginning to look like it was summer. 

Black-headed Gull. Pete Woodruff.

I don't recall the last time I saw as many 'gulls' on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock with in excess of 5,000 mainly Black-headed Gull and a good number of Common Gull. It took me the best part of an hour to find a smart adult Mediterranean Gull complete with full black hood amongst the hordes which made huge areas of mud look like large white blankets, and I don't believe for one minute my MG was the only one in this mass. On the south end of Colloway Marsh, c.60 Pink-footed Geese.

Numbers are still reasonable in the area, with 57 Goldeneye seen....

50 Lune Estuary
  4 Conder Pool
  3 Canal Basin

Stonechats.

Stonechat Marc Heath 

I've documented Stonechat records in our area and the Fylde for the year so far and migration appears to have got off to an early and good start with my personal first at Cockersands on 18 February. Today I received a record of five birds at Fleetwood Marsh Nature Reserve, a record I regard as brilliant....thanks for these BD they are much appreciated.

Many Thanks to BR for the Grey Plovers, and to MH for the first winter male Stonechat, they are much appreciated....Did you 'clik the pik'.