Around The Estuary High.

Common Sandpiper/Oystercatcher. Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

It was near high tide yesterday and two of Conder Green's star birds both put in an appearance, with the Common Sandpiper on the near island on Conder Pool in company with an Oystercatcher, and the Spotted Redshank giving itself away as it flew in off the estuary calling its distinctive whistling 'chu-it....chu-it' as it dropped on to the pool and out of sight on the backside of an island. Also here, 6 Snipe, 4 Little Grebe, and a drake Goosander.

Plover Scar was overwhelmed by the high tide and I saw 24 Turnstone and a solitary Dunlin on what little was left above water, 3 Great-crested Grebe were off here. Six Blackbird and 2 Greenfinch were noted in the horse paddock at Bank Houses.

Redshank/Curlew. High Tide Roost. Pete Woodruff. 

A wander along the path towards Bank End produced 9 Snipe to come off the marsh and into the air, and I was rewarded by up to 600 Curlew in a flooded field south of Cockerham Sands Country Park, a decent count for a species in serious decline which has secured it's place on the red list of birds of highest conservation concern in the UK. Also on the flood, c.120 Redshank, and singles of Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, and a Golden Plover, with 3 Little Egret seen.

Off Slack Lane, a family party of 5 Whooper Swan two adult and three juvenile which flew low past me 2.5 hours later heading SW towards Pilling Marsh, a Buzzard was in a tree close by, and as I drove down Moss Lane the kestrel seen again.

Three hours after the high tide I called in on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock to note at least 2,500 Golden Plover, c.350 Dunlin were by far my best count of the species on the estuary this winter, with a Red-breasted Merganser seen. I also got my best count this winter of 23 Goldeneye with 9 on the estuary and 14 on the canal basin where there was a Great-crested Grebe. 

Cockersands Abbey & Rainbow. Pete Woodruff.

Something rare for Cockersands yesterday, the sea was like a millpond, barely a breath of wind and some spells of sunshine....'twas a delight to be there along the headland, and with a half decent rainbow as I headed back to the motor.