BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND..............................................................................SCAUP CONDER POOL 5 MARCH PAUL ELLIS

Thursday 16 April 2015

The Anticlimax.

Back to Dunnocks and Dunlins!

Having had an unsuccessful early morning rake around the Cockerham Sands Country Park on Tuesday in the hope that Mondays Wryneck was still lurking around, I made the walk to Bank End to find Mondays c.700 Pink-footed Geese in the air over Cockerham Marsh exercising their wings again ready for the flight north sometime soon, but with nothing else seen of note.

At Cockersands there was a howler blowing on the headland and to be perfectly honest legging it along there was a complete waste of time, though at least 50 Eider were bobbing up and down on the swell off Plover Scar, a Wheatear was in the horse paddock at Bank Houses, a 'few' Swallow over, and 3 Skylark and their endless flight song sounding like a beautiful spring day that wasn't.

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock was also quiet save c.375 Black-tailed Godwit and up to 12 Bar-tailed Godwit. Also of note, 5 Eider, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, c.120 Redshank fed close by from the bowling green, with just 2 Dunlin, a pair of Pintail hauled out was unusual here.


White Wagtail. Noushka Dufort @ 1000 Pattes

On Conder Pool, a White Wagtail was the star bird, with 4 Common Sandpiper seen again, as was the lone Little Grebe, the now nearly all black Spotted Redshank obliged, with a Stock Dove and a pair of Canada Geese taking an interest in the place, a Dunnock sang sweetly by the viewing platform.

Thanks to Noushka for the excellent White Wagtail.

I note with interest, a Swift reported flying north over the M6 motorway seen from Blea Tarn Road yesterday. An early bird equalling one seen on the same date 15 April 2013, the earliest ever in Lancashire being a bird seen 1 April 2004.

Erratum.

The Dotterel at Cockersands mentioned in the previous post was found in April 2013....not a year ago as claimed.

1 comment:

  1. Back to the regulars eh Pete? I know the feeling Heh heh heh

    ReplyDelete