BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND...............................................................RED GROUSE HAWTHORNTHWAITE PETE WOODRUFF

Sunday, 17 May 2015

Back On The Beat.

It was good to get out birding again on Friday, though the first port of call at Conder Green things were a little quiet with just 2 Goosander, 3 Tufted Duck, a rare visit by the Great-crested Grebe, and a Little Egret all on Conder Pool.

Reed Warbler Jan Larrson  

But I was treated to good views of my first Reed Warbler out on the reed edge just upstream from the A588 road bridge, also 2 Reed Bunting seen here too.

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock produced little more than 145 waders which were seen as, 75 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 50 Ringed Plover which represented my best ever count of a species at best uncommon in this section of the Lune Estuary, also 20 Dunlin, 14 Eider, and a single House Martin flew by.

On Jeremy Lane, I failed to find the Whinchat reported to me as having been seen earlier, but heard a Sedge Warbler and Skylark, and saw a Brown Hare.

Inland birds noted at Cockersands were, a decent count of 10 Stock Dove, at least 9 Tree Sparrow were around Bank Houses, 7 Skylark, 6 Goldfinch, and 5 Whitethroat, a Little Egret was on Plover Scar. I saw my second Cockersands adult Lapwing in a field with a lone chick surviving the intensive agricultural practices.

No major surprises, but good to be back on the road again following a short break from the normality of my birding life.

The Cockersands Dotterel. 




Dotterel. Cockersands 8-11 May 2015. Stuart Piner.

I was grateful to SP for sending me a selection of excellent images of the Cockersands Dotterel, and have posted three in flight shots of these brilliant little waders which graced the ploughed field behind the Lighthouse Cottage car park and pleased many a birder over their three day stay.

An excellent follow on record by these five birds....


Dotterel. Cockersands 16 April 2013. Chris Batty. 

....which was a single Dotterel found amongst 275 Golden Plover at Cockersands on the early date of 16 April 2013, this was the first record of the species for the Fylde Bird Club for 13 years.

Thanks also to Jan and Chris for the other excellent images. Please 'clik the piks' to see how good they really are.

3 comments:

  1. That is one I cannot seen the Dotterel, precious birds.

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  2. Bravo for your blog header, Pete. Fingers crossed for a result. Even if not caught, it might worry the culprits enough that it puts a stop to their actions.

    Keep up the good work - - - - Richard

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  3. Bob....Yes, smart little things the Dotterel, and these five ruled out the need to undertake the long uphill haul up Pendle to see them. Thanks Bob, hope you see them one day.

    Richard....Yes, good header, but only credited to me for putting it up there and not for creating it. Thanks for your comments Richard.

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