Stock Taking.

After a week out of birding, the plan was to do a decent stock take of the estuary birds today, but it soon went pear shaped when my enthusiasm waned, all down to getting a bit damp trailing around in the rain against my better judgement, cold with it too. I saw nothing unexpected, and didn't see many of the expected.

But I did note a modest 40 species in five soggy hours, and probably saw in excess of 10,000 birds on the trip, mainly waders, Redshank, Lapwing, Curlew, and Golden Plover, with Black-headed Gull well into four figures in the flooded fields around Cockersand, including a mix of 3,000 Lapwing and Golden Plover in the air when a Peregrine Falcon arrived on the scene, the bird eventually bombed overhead....magic. At least 50 Whooper Swan remain distant and inaccessible around Thursland Hill, a single Black-tailed Godwit was on Cockerham Sands. 

Sixteen Blackbird were seen as an interesting twelve together at Glasson Dock, and four at Cockersand. On the Lune Estuary, 25 Snipe, a 'few' Golden Plover, and a drake Goosander were to note, otherwise wader numbers were low. On Conder Pool, c.120 Mallard, 18 Wigeon, 12 Redshank roosting, 7 Little Grebe, and 2 Goosander. The River Conder was in spate with little in the creeks, but the Spotted Redshank seen with c.60 Teal. A small group of House Sparrows were accompanied by 2 Tree Sparrows, I don't recall ever seeing Tree Sparrows at Conder Green before, 4 Little Egret seen on the day. 

The also ran's as seen, and making up the forty....

Curlew
Carrion Crow
L.B.B.Gull
Starling
Cormorant
Common Gull
Canada Geese
Coot
Tufted Duck
Dunlin
Blue Tit 
Robin
Wren
Wood Pigeon
Mute Swan 
Magpie
Oystercatcher
Starling
Great Tit
Greenfinch
Linnet 
Grey Heron

WOT NO PIK'S.