The Early Bird.

I was the early bird on Friday and at Conder Green by 7.30am - and that's early for me these days - to find the 10 Little Grebe still intact on Conder Pool with c.30 Black-headed Gull for company and little else of note. In the creeks, an adult Spotted Redshank and Greenshank, with a juvenile Ruff in the Conder channel downstream from the iron bridge.

Migrant Hawker Marc Heath 

Three dragonflies were on the Conder upstream from the A588 road bridge, but too far off for any chance of ID, but a male Migrant Hawker was on the coastal path, it settled but my chances of a pic were thwarted by a man who passed me and put the dragonfly to flight just as I was about to press the shutter....Shuks! 

By the time I got to the Lune Estuary the tide had pushed most of the waders to the south side giving me an opportunity to note at least 350 Redshank with just a few Dunlin in view from the bowling green, 2 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank were on the tideline, but best at mid-distance were 2 Little Stint both juveniles. Eight Little Egret were together, and up to 200 Goldfinch were flighty over the marsh, nothing unusual for the time of year and location for this regular occurrence, but a spectacle all the same. I also had two sightings of Sparrowhawk here.

Little Egret with Oystercatchers. Pete Woodruff.

This was one of 2 Little Egret on Plover Scar at Cockersands at near high tide which was otherwise quiet again for species if not for the count of c.175 Oystercatcher, 70 Redshank, and 8 Turnstone. A 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull showing good strong black wing-tip markings was off the lighthouse cottage, and at least 40 Skylark seen, with a Wheatear by the abbey ruins. A lone Swallow flying south was the only one seen in 8 hours birding today. Off Moss Lane I estimated 180 Curlew in a field by Gardners Farm.    

Sparrowhawk. Pete Woodruff.

I got closer to this Sparrowhawk at Cockersands than any other I've ever seen, I was able to stalk the bird to within a few metres and managed a few shots, the best of which just about shows a half decent result.

White-winged Black Tern. 

White-winged Black Tern Colin Davies  

At 8.52am yesterday morning, I was grateful for a text message telling me of a moulting adult White-winged Black Tern at Heysham, the last I heard was that the bird was still present at 5.30pm. 

Thanks to Marc Heath for the Migrant Hawker, much appreciated. I'm also grateful to Colin Davies for giving me permission to copy his images of the Heysham White-winged Black Tern.