Wow....Woralorawaders!

Lapwing Noushka Dufort 

When I arrived at the bowling green yesterday to view the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, I have no hesitation in estimating at least 12,000 waders having taken to the wing in a synchronised panic presumably by a raptor which I failed to detect. When they settled back down a good number had disappeared distant and from view, but I made one or two notes of those still in view including at least 5,000 Lapwing, 4,000 Golden Plover, and 350 Black-tailed Godwit, there was also good numbers of Dunlin, Redshank, and Curlew. On Colloway Marsh the Snow Goose was visible though distant, and beware, a 'farmyard white' was with 65 Greylag.

At Conder Green, a little searching in the creeks produced the resident Common Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank. A dwindling number of 7 Little Grebe, and a Red-breasted Merganser were of note on Conder Pool.

Mondays count of 120 Whooper Swan and 10 Bewick's Swan were still in the field NE of Bank End Farm. Otherwise Cockersands was pretty hard work either side of the high tide, a mini howler was still blowing, and not many waders around, though at least 200 Curlew were in the field adjacent to Bank House Cottage, 2 Snipe coming up of the marsh were the only other waders I noted. 

Reed Bunting Phillip Tomkinson 

In Bank Houses horse paddock, 12 Blackbird were of note accompanied by a Song Thrush, 6 Greenfinch and 5 Reed Bunting were in the area, and I noted 3 Little Egret and 3 Brown Hare.

Goldeneye. 

Goldeneye. Pete Cairns @ Arkive 

This winters peak count so far on the Lune Estuary was of 60 Goldeneye yesterday, seen as....

32 River Lune.

25 Canal Basin.

  3 Conder Pool.

These days the Goldeneye can be found in nothing like this number anywhere else in our recording area.

Thanks to Noushka/Phillip/Pete for the excellent photographs.

Some news via the RBA pager service was of 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese on the Lune Estuary between Plover Scar and Crook Farm this late morning.