Wood(ruff)Sandpiper.

I've always been an advocate of returning to a location visited earlier in the day, to see if anything is to be found which may have been missed on the first visit. 

Lesser Yellowlegs Martin Lofgren

The best example of success in this regard has to be the day in September 1997 when - having been there in the morning - I returned later in the day to the Eric Morecambe Hide at Leighton Moss with John Leedal to find a Lesser Yellowlegs....a memorable 'birding booster' day indeed.

Wood Sandpiper Marc Heath

But Thursday was no exception to this practice, when I returned to Conder Pool five hours after my first visit to find a Wood Sandpiper which came into view from behind 'Tern Island'....magic birding moments.

But back down to earth and my first visit to Conder Green, I saw 2 Common Tern on the island, which by now I reckon should have young in the nest, though the vegetation is too high to see them yet. Also on the pool, 3 Little Grebe which appear to be a pair and a juvenile, and 17 Greylag. In the creeks I could only find 2 Common Sandpiper, with 4 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, with up to 200 Redshank in the Conder channel.

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock probably held c.800 waders as viewed from the bowling green, with Curlew and Lapwing present, c.400 Redshank, 250 Dunlin, and 2 Little Egret noted.

Herring Gull. Scott Wieman. 

At Cockersands, a plan to include checking out Plover Scar was thwarted by people out there seeking adventure in the sun, but before they got too close to the birds I was able to note, c.350 Herring Gull, up to 8 Whimbrel, and 2 Little Egret, all departing at the arrival of the aforementioned human invaders, 11 Eider were off the scar. Five Linnet were flighting along the headland, and I again saw a flock of up to 80 Tree Sparrow. Feeding over the wheat field SW of Lighthouse Cottage were at least 400 Sand Martin with a few Swallow and House Martin seen. 

Thanks to Marc for his excellent Wood Sandpiper which includes the new header, to Martin for his image of the glorious Lesser Yellowlegs, and to Scott for the Herring Gulls.

And finally...

Stonechat. Findlay Wilde.

Couldn't resist this excellent shot of the young Stonechat, seen and photographed by the equally young 'keen as mustard' Findlay Wilde on his recent holiday to stay at Portreath in Cornwall.

And the weather....Many parts of the country will be on storm alert today as the remains of Hurricane Bertha track across the Atlantic....out with your sea-watching gear!