Monday 29 February Continued....

The Shoveler.

Shoveler Martin Lofgren @  Wild Bird Gallery

To add to the drake Shoveler seen at Cockersands on Monday, I had seen another drake Shoveler on Conder Pool earlier in the day, a scarce bird on the pool as it is at Cockersands, it's a scarce breeder at Leighton Moss and an irregular visitor elsewhere in our recording area.

And the also ran.... 

I noted 32 Wigeon on the pool, just one of 2 Little Grebe the other in the creeks, and the Conder Green star birds - the Spotted Redshank and Common Sandpiper - both put in an appearance in the creeks.

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock was somewhat deserted with Lapwing in the main departing to their summer/breeding grounds, and no Golden Plover seen. But c.200 Curlew, 150 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, and a Great-crested Grebe were noted, with 52 Goldeneye counted. A Peregrine Falcon was again squat on Colloway Marsh as it often is.

At Cockersands, the c.300 Whooper Swan here in number since mid-January, appear to have no intention of making any moves just yet and have remained throughout and scattered across the fields towards Bank End. In Bank Houses horse paddock, I again counted at least 15 Blackbird, with a Kestrel on lookout from atop a tree. Plover Scar held c.350 Oystercatcher, and estimates of 450 Knot, 300 Curlew, 250 Golden Plover, and 2 Ringed Plover were off Crook Farm with Monday's Four Figure Godwits 

Thanks to Martin Lofgren for the drake Shoveler.