Common....Bird and Butterfly.

Common Gull Martin Lofgren 

Unfortunate that a bird as smart as this one is labelled 'common', though yesterday on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock it was certainly the commonest gull with in excess of 500 Common Gull present when I returned there a couple of hours after the tide, though this number is nothing new to the Lune Estuary with 1,500 in the little black book thirteen months ago on 13 February 2013. Also of note, c.92 Black-tailed Godwit and 24 Bar-tailed Godwit counted. On the canal basin, a Little Grebe noted.

Eider Portraits of Nature 

A pair of Eider on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock are at best irregular. Brilliant portraits of the drake Eider, many thanks Gary. 

At Cockersands, Plover Scar at high tide held, 82 Turnstone, c.60 Oystercatcher, and singles of Bar-tailed Godwit and Ringed Plover. A circuit produced nothing in double numbers with Linnet, Skylark, and Meadow Pipit seen. From Moss Lane I estimate up to 320 Whooper Swan in fields here still, and last Thursdays adult and immature Whooper Swan were off Slack Lane again with Mute Swans.

At Conder Green, 2 Spotted Redshank obliged in the creeks whilst I had to do a search for the Common Sandpiper, a Grey Plover was down the channel from the railway bridge, and on Conder Pool a Little Grebe, female Goosander, and 3 Little Egret, with a 'few' Tufted Duck and Wigeon.

Goldeneye are still hanging on with 21 seen in the area yesterday....

Conder Pool  8

Lune Estuary 8

Canal Basin  5

The Butterfly.

Common Gull. Copy Permitted.

Here's another Common Gull....the butterfly native to India, the broods of which differ dry season and wet season, and amongst other areas can be found up to 4,000ft in the N.W. Himalayas.