Better Late Than Never.

Time on the computer has taken a bit of a knock of late, but 'better late than never' here's my Fridays birding for what it's worth, ending with a link to Mrs Parkinson!

Starting with a re-run of legging it to Bank End from Crook Farm on a nice sunny day. I continued the legwork from Bank End Farm to the far end of the road running parallel with Cockerham Marsh to note a flock of at least 120 Linnet fly past me with a few other small groups on the marsh, also noted, probably up to 50 Pied Wagtail, 2 Wheatear one of which was a juvenile, and a Greenshank was in the Cocker channel.

Great-crested Grebe. David Cookson.

Plover Scar at high tide was a little quiet to be honest, with no more than 30 Ringed Plover and a similar number of Dunlin present, 4 Whimbrel and 2 Wheatear were also on the scar. Five Wigeon off here were a reminder that winter is around the corner with many a thousand on their way to the UK, 2 Eider and a Great-crested Grebe also noted. A Cormorant was hauled out on Long Tongue with c.120 Oystercatcher and had a green ring left leg impossible to read, with a metal ring on the right.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, a smart adult Mediterranean Gull was reward enough for another quiet looking area of the River Lune. At Conder Green, 5 Little Grebe, 2 Great-crested Grebe, and 2 Snipe were on Conder Pool. A Greenshank was in the creeks, and a Kingfisher was unintentionally flushed from the bank-side of the River Conder upstream from the A588.

Little Egret. David Cookson.

The question these days isn't will I see a Little Egret today, more like....how many will I see. I found 7 Little Egret on Friday, three at Bank End, three at Glasson Dock, and one at Conder Green. It would be interesting to see any estimates to date of Little Egrets to be found following the coast from Knott End to Leighton Moss at Silverdale....my estimate would be in excess of 200 at least.

Thanks to David Cookson for the images of the Grebe and the Egret, they are excellent and much appreciated.

The Lighthouse Keeper.

Here's the link to Mrs Parkinson who was the keeper of Cockersands Lighthouse around 1948. See her walk across Plover Scar to climb the ladder up the lighthouse to clean the reflectors and replenish the fuel. I think this video is brilliant....watch it on full screen and it's even more brilliant.