Hardly Spectacular!

Although cloudy and dull on Thursday, it was calm and worth a walk along the embankment from Pilling Lane Ends to Fluke Hall to look through the waders on a high 10.10m tide. But the result wasn't the spectacle I had hoped for, and the birds in the main seem to have roosted elsewhere, though several hundred Dunlin were seen, numbers of Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Curlew, Redshank, and Knot were low, with no Black or Bar-tailed Godwit seen, also in low number, just 112 Pink-footed Geese were drifting on the sea with 35 Whooper Swan.

Along the length I saw at least 90 Skylark, a Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, and a few Linnet. At Fluke Hall a Dunnock and Wren were on the sea defence boulders, and along the road out of here 8 Blackbird, with Blue Tit and Great Tit seen.

Kingfisher Gary Jones 

I can rarely if ever drive past Conder Pool and calling in briefly on the way back to Lancaster I spooked the Kingfisher off the outlet. Caution....if it's a Kingfisher your'e looking for at Conder Green, approach the Conder Pool viewing platform with care, the outlet to the right is it's favourite lookout. Also noted on the pool, 5 Little Grebe and 3 Goosander. 

An excellent opportunity and good reason for me to post the image of the diving Kingfisher heading to the water like a little blue missile, thanks to Gary for this, and thanks to Martin for his Brown Hares....All three brilliant images, and thanks for allowing them on Birds2blog.

The new header image is of four of the nine Goldeneye on the canal basin at Glasson Dock on Wednesday 25 November.

Hare Coursing.

Brown Hare Martin Jump 

The aim of the vile sport of hare coursing - and those sick enough to engage in it - is simple, if there is gambling involved usually two dogs -  greyhounds or lurchers - compete against each other in pursuit of a live hare, bets are placed on which of the two dogs will be the quickest to turn, catch, and kill the hare, not necessarily instantly, and often painfully slowly. 

I was reliably and in good faith, told a brilliant account by someone who had seen police cars from a distance at Cockersands recently, upon getting closer to the action a raid on several people in a field was obviously taking place. This little piece of information made my day whilst boosting my confidence that the police can and do deal with wildlife crime when they can.

And finally....literally.

A Black Redstart has been at Brockholes LWT all weekend, no doubt to the delight of many, it was still present this morning until taken by a Sparrowhawk.