Eleven Days Later.

After eleven days out of business 'twas was good to get out birding again yesterday to notice Conder Pool as Conder Lake again following the recent high tides. With 12 Little Grebe on the pool I found the peak count of seventeen on 2 October down by five, but I note seventeen reported again on Saturday 11 October. In the creeks, a Ruff, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Snipe, 2 Little Egret, and up to 80 Teal. 

Robin Bob Bushell 

Along the coastal path, three birds in the bushes got me jumping to attention with wishful thinking but they turned out to be 2 Robin - one trying to see the other off - and a Blue Tit. I noted 42 Tufted Duck on the canal basin at Glasson Dock, and on the Lune Estuary, an estimated 250 Bar-tailed Godwit and 180 Golden Plover, with at least 250 Wigeon of note.

At Cockersands I eventually ended up being not happy, it was cloudy with a brisk and cold NE wind, it came on to rain a good 30 minutes away from the motor, and no 'prize birds' seen....whatever 'prize birds' are. 

Off Crook Farm, 12 Dunlin, 10 Knot, and up to 900 Golden Plover which I was able to grill two hours later when I found them in a field with Lapwing behind Crook Cottage. On Plover Scar, c.80 Turnstone and 800 Oystercatcher, 4 Red-breasted Merganser were off here, and 4 Little Egret in the area.

Little Egret. Pete Woodruff.

Opposite the Caravan Park, this Little Egret posed whilst I practiced the art of photography....Mmmmm! In the Cocker channel, 4 Great-crested Grebe, 6 Red-breasted Merganser, and 6 Little Egret seen on Cockerham Marsh.

Common Crane Cockersands 12 October. Stuart Piner.

On Sunday 3 Common Crane flew south over Cockersands at 1.03pm, an hour and thirty seven minutes later at 2.40pm, 3 Common Crane flew SSW over Seaforth LWT in Liverpool. Thanks to SP and the RBA pager service for the news.

Thanks to BB/SP/PW for photographs....excellent and all worthy of 'clik the pik'.