Birding, It's My Passion....

....but the Lune Estuary and surrounds appear to be closed down....waiting for fresh stock.

Conder Green. 

Mr Farmer has decided to replace the two cows been on Conder Pool land many months, by putting at least 60 sheep grazing on here....nice one.

I counted little more than 20 birds yesterday, 7 Oystercatcher, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Mute Swan, 2 Canada Geese, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Goosander, and a Cormorant at best unusual on the pool. The Common Sandpiper was the only bird of note in the creeks, it flew upstream from the old railway bridge.

The Lune Estuary.

Black-tailed Godwit. Pete Woodruff.

It was good to have up to 100 Black-tailed Godwit close in from the bowling green, though the photograph of the seven isn't good quality, the birds certainly are and the pic is worth a 'clik the pik' 4 Goldeneye seen, and a pair of Eider again, with a drake Red-breasted Merganser flying downstream. It was noticeable that at least 80 Lesser Black-backed Gull were squat in a group on the far side, with a similar number of Common Gull present.

Cockersands. 

Cockersands was certainly closed down, and despite my customary 3 hours raking around I noted just a few grounded Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail. There are now probably 150 Whooper Swan still lingering, with 100 seen close by from Moss Lane, and maybe up to 50 in the distance of Bank End.

Land Management.

The upland Land Management Team - how polite of me is that - have been out in force in recent weeks, I've seen them with their matches setting the Bowland uplands ablaze. This 'clik the pik' is of a burn on the slopes of Clougha, the LDBWS past stronghold for the Stonechat, but I've noted from the panoramic view from Cockersands, this management lark has been rampant over recent weeks at Harrisend, Hawthornthwaite, Ward Stone and beyond ....nuff said.