Five Hours....Five Miles.

Footwork following the River Lune from Skerton Bridge to Glasson Dock on Friday resulted in the Song Thrush being my best bird of the day. Referred to in Lancashire Annual Reports as common and widespread though it's a species on the Red List, but I was pleased to have seen two en-route to Glasson Dock and one in song at Conder Green.

Mediterranean Gull. Copy Permitted.

The day started off well, and included in the 23 species noted in the black book, the first bird was a smart adult Mediterranean Gull with a small group of 55 Black-headed Gull on the river opposite Lune Road, also noted here 3 Goosander. As I approached Freeman's Pools I counted 11 Magpie together in the same area I'd seen twice that number of 22 a couple of weeks ago. Around fifty birds were on the pool including 3 Goldeneye, Mallard were predominant on the island, with Gadwall, Wigeon, Teal present, and a Kestrel hovering overhead, also of interest was 2 Roe Deer on the perimeter. I saw only one Little Egret on the marsh with a 'few' distant Pink-footed Geese.

Noted between Aldcliffe and Conder Green....

10 Robin
8 Blackbird
6 Goldfinch
5 Great Tit
4 Pied Wagtail
4 Chaffinch
3 Greenfinch
3 Song Thrush

Raven Antonio Puigg

A Raven was over the golf course, and c.250 Golden Plover were on the river bank opposite Stodday. In the short time to spare at Conder Green, 6 Goldeneye, 6 Little Grebe, and a Little Egret on Conder Pool. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock 25 Goldeneye, with 12 Goldeneye counted on the canal basin....the bus to Lancaster is coming!! 

Past records of note on this same route in 2012....On 29 November I counted 52 Blackbird, with 22 Robin and 10 Song Thrush on 11 December.

And a garden first....

Lesser Redpoll Martin Lofgren

A Lesser Redpoll had been reliably reported to me on two ocassions on our garden feeders recently by KT and I saw the bird for myself on Friday morning.