BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND.....................................................................................BARN OWL COCKERSAND IAN MITCHELL

Friday, 6 February 2015

Untitled....

....couldn't think of one!

The drake Pochard on Conder Pool yesterday was something of a surprise, scarce if not rare on here and not seen on the canal basin yet at Glasson Dock as is usually the case in winter. Other good news from Conder Green was the sight of the Common Sandpiper, not seen since 20 January. 

Spotted Redshank. Pete Woodruff.

The Spotted Redshank obliged with a pose for the poor quality pic I got. Conder Pool was lively today with 15 species noted including 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Little Grebe, a drake Goldeneye, and 38 Tufted Duck, a Dunnock was in full song by the side of the viewing platform. The Lune Estuary wasn't particularly 'busy' but I counted 155 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 18 Goldeneye from the bowling green. 

Jeremy Lane had 10 Whooper Swan in a field with 13 Bewick's Swan including a juvenile. I saw a distant Buzzard from here, and a Little Egret flew out of a ditch again today as it had on Monday. The fields off Moss Lane held c.250 Whooper Swan and I saw the Kestrel again opposite Gardners Farm.

In relatively less time spent at Cockersands than usual, Plover Scar at high tide had a nice lone Grey Plover roosting as an irregular visitor here, also noted, c.240 Oystercatcher, 80 Turnstone, and 12 Knot, with 18 Eider, a Red-breasted Merganser, and Great-crested Grebe off here. On a brief wander I noted 5 Robin and 4 Wren.

The Scourge Of The Shore. Pete Woodruff.

...AND THIS COMMERCIAL ' MUTT MINDER' WAS INVADING AT THE CARAVAN PARK END AGAIN YESTERDAY....'THE SCOURGE OF THE SHORE'. IF YOU 'CLIK THE PIK' YOU MAY BE ABLE TO COUNT THE HOUNDS WHICH TOTALLED AT LEAST TWELVE.  

2 comments:

  1. I know exactly what you mean about dog walkers - I have a black labrador but keep her under control and was amazed to watch a dog walker with a black lab at Hoylake at high tide the other week - he walked straight past the row of bird watchers on to what was now a narrow stretch of beach - the dog could see the flock of waders and was pulling at the lead to get to them - so this pratt let it go and of course it ploughed straight into the birds scattering them all. The local warden went to have a word but he didn't give a damn !

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  2. Sad story Sharon. Not typical of the doggie people, but there are a lot of them that are typical of this pratt.

    Thanks for looking in Sharon. I'll give you a plug on Birds2blog soon, your sketches are brilliant.

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