Christmas Birding....Noel, Noel!

Bewick's Swan Marc Heath   

I snatched four hours on Christmas Eve out of the busy holiday build-up and was rewarded by finding 4 Bewick's Swan and at least 80 Whooper Swan off Moss Lane, another 2 Bewick's Swan were with Mute Swan, with c.70 Pink-footed Geese and c.40 Greylag on Jeremy Lane.  

At Cockersands I covered Crook Farm to Bank End in the cold westerly howler which wasn't anything to call enjoyable along the headland, but I noted 2 Rock Pipit off the car park at the lighthouse. Good but insignificant numbers of waders had escaped into fields from the 10.10m tide and howling wind including Golden Plover, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, and Oystercatcher.

Twite Jan Larsson

Between the Caravan Park and Bank End I encountered at least 20 Twite, 3 Reed Bunting, and 3 Snipe came up off the marsh displaced by the tide, and a local Kestrel seen.

On the choppy Conder Pool, following several attempts at accuracy my best count was of 8 Little Grebe, 4 Goldeneye, 10 Tufted Duck, a Red-breasted Merganser, and a Little Egret, a Spotted Redshank was in the creeks.

And finally....The 'Christmas Bird Award' goes to....

Glaucous Gull. Chris Batty.

A juvenile Glaucous Gull found on Preesall Sands at Knott End yesterday.

Thanks to Marc/Jan/Chris for more excellent photography on Birds2blog. Also my thanks for the brilliant new header of the Little Owl. Richard watched this bird take to the roof when it came on to rain, it promptly spread it's wings to take a shower. Another excellent observation of bird behaviour which fascinates me.

Hope everyone is having a good Christmas break.