Thursday's Notes.

Not much of anything new on Thursday, but was another enjoyable wander around the Lune Estuary.

Most notable on Conder Pool was the count of 52 Wigeon, with just one Little Grebe, 4 Snipe, a Goosander, and a Little Egret. Notes from a circuit were sparse, but the Common Sandpiper was again on the Conder downstream from the railway bridge, and 2 Dunnock seen one of which was in full song. 

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, a distant Spotted Redshank, c.475 Black-tailed Godwit, and 2 Bar-tailed Godwit were the only waders to stand out, with just 40 Goldeneye seen today, a drake Goosander, female Red-breasted Merganser, the most notable wildfowl was a drake Shoveler, unusual here, hauled out and resting with the Wigeon.

Off Moss Lane, 7 Bewick's Swan were still in a field by Clarkson's Farm, and the huge estimated 350 Whooper Swan herd was still spread out far and wide all the way towards Bank End. The Barn Owl was out hunting again, initially behind Lower Bank House and then went off in the direction of Abbey Farm hunting the ditches as it went. Up to 900 Black-tailed Godwit were on the shoreline opposite Crook Farm off the point at Sunderland. 

In Abbey Farm fields, up to 700 Golden Plover and 400 Dunlin were with lesser numbers of Redshank and Lapwing, the latter of which are now looking to hold territory in some of the fields, not a good idea at Cockersands....but the Lapwing never seems to learn.

Pink-footed Geese Brian Rafferty  

Off the headland, I saw the spectacle of at least 9,000 probably up to 10,000 Pink-footed Geese in the air over the Cockerham Moss area....I wish I could have heard them, an amazing sight and sound.

The Curlew.  

Curlew Noushka Dufort  

In excess of 2,500 Curlew were in the Cockersand area again on Thursday, with birds seen as at least 900 on Cockerham Sands, 1,300 on the flood and field by Bank End Farm, 200 in fields around Abbey Farm, and 100 seen off Crook Farm.

Bufflehead.

Bufflehead. Copy Permitted.

A drake Bufflehead was reported - RBA - Saturday morning on the River Wyre near Hambleton. The bird was with Goldeneye, it breeds in North America and is rare to Britain, most records of which are regarded as genuine vagrants.

Thanks to Gary, and to Brian and Noushka for their excellent photographs, they are much appreciated.