Slow off the block again on Friday, and wanting to be at Cockersand for the high tide, I first called at Conder Green to find the Great White Egret back on Conder Pool again and posing on Tern Island. Interesting to note 75 Lapwing, 32 Curlew, and a few Redshank in the east corner, with 3 Goosander seen off and on since 9 January.
As on 30 January, there was huge numbers of waders in the fields again on Friday at Cockersand including an estimated absolute minimum of 4,000 Golden Plover with Lapwing and Dunlin next in the line of uncounted. Later in the afternoon, a Peregrine Falcon bombed through the area to reveal a clearer picture of just how many thousand waders were really in the fields at Cockersand today.
As I watched large raft of up to 3,500 Wigeon drifting on the ebbing tide out of the Cocker channel, I saw c.3,000 Pink-footed Geese come up out of a field to the south of Crook Farm do do some lingering before flying off south, unfortunate for me as I could have got close to these birds, and enjoyed a good sift through them if they had stayed put.
The flock of c.80 Twite were around Bank House Cottage again with a few Linnet in the mix, 6 Blackbird, a Song Thrush, and a Wren were in and around Bank Houses horse paddock, and 34 Teal were noted in the large ditch to the north of here.
At Clarkson's Farm I counted 10 Bewick's Swan, with the herd of c.400 Whooper Swan still in tact to the south of here and towards Bank End. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock I took note of c.450 Black-tailed Godwit and a count of 15 Goldeneye including one which had found it's way up the Cocker channel. Paying a second visit to Conder Green on my way back to Lancaster I achieved another double figure count of 10 Little Grebe - 14 on 27 January - all in the creeks save one on Conder Pool.
Many thanks to Mike for the header image of the Nuthatch, and to Brian for his Pink-footed Geese. Snowdrops Pete Woodruff.
Thought for the day.
The Hen Harrier Recovery Farce....I wonder if the RSPB have any plans to go to court to challenge moves to do Hen Harrier brood meddling in England this year??
Pink-footed Geese Brian Rafferty
As I watched large raft of up to 3,500 Wigeon drifting on the ebbing tide out of the Cocker channel, I saw c.3,000 Pink-footed Geese come up out of a field to the south of Crook Farm do do some lingering before flying off south, unfortunate for me as I could have got close to these birds, and enjoyed a good sift through them if they had stayed put.
The flock of c.80 Twite were around Bank House Cottage again with a few Linnet in the mix, 6 Blackbird, a Song Thrush, and a Wren were in and around Bank Houses horse paddock, and 34 Teal were noted in the large ditch to the north of here.
At Clarkson's Farm I counted 10 Bewick's Swan, with the herd of c.400 Whooper Swan still in tact to the south of here and towards Bank End. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock I took note of c.450 Black-tailed Godwit and a count of 15 Goldeneye including one which had found it's way up the Cocker channel. Paying a second visit to Conder Green on my way back to Lancaster I achieved another double figure count of 10 Little Grebe - 14 on 27 January - all in the creeks save one on Conder Pool.
Many thanks to Mike for the header image of the Nuthatch, and to Brian for his Pink-footed Geese. Snowdrops Pete Woodruff.
Thought for the day.
The Hen Harrier Recovery Farce....I wonder if the RSPB have any plans to go to court to challenge moves to do Hen Harrier brood meddling in England this year??
Another quality list of birds Pete. Love the header shot, that is top quality.
ReplyDeleteThe waders in the fields at Cockersand have been huge in two recent visits, in particular the numbers of Golden Plover as you have seen in my posts....Thanks for comments and interest Marc.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant header Pete, and the list of rarest birds, fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob....Always good to see you've been looking in, and the header is brilliant as you say.
ReplyDelete