Trickling Migrants.

An obvious northerly Swallow movement yesterday albeit a trickle where I was  - c.60 birds in 6 hours - including interest being shown by single birds lingering around Gardners Farm and Conder Green Farm.

With the exception of 6 Sand Martin over Conder Pool, interest at Conder Green yesterday was with 3 Greenshank in the creeks, and 2 Common Sandpiper, both of which were in the Conder channel downstream from the iron bridge where a Kestrel came to hover.

Along the coastal path to Glasson Dock, I found 2 Chiffchaff, and on the low tide Lune Estuary, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, a pair of Eider, and 12 Wigeon were to note. Gulls here didn't amount to a three figure count and were in the main Lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull. 

Whimbrel Cockersand Pete Woodruff

At Cockersand, 2 Whimbrel were off Crook Farm, and it was interesting to see 2 Tree Sparrow with a pair of Great Tit in the garden at Lighthouse Cottage. Six Skylark all in the air singing their seemingly endless flight song, with 2 Whooper Swan and 11 Mute Swan on the now almost deserted flooded field, a female Reed Bunting was around the cover crop on Slack Lane.

Value For Money.

On an Easter Monday wander with KT around Leighton Moss, the sight of up to 1,500 Black-tailed Godwit from Lilian's Hide, virtually all in their stunning rufous summer plumage, was in itself worth every penny of RSPB membership fee in my book. 

Garganey Noushka

Also from the Lilian's Hide, a smart drake Garganey with it's brilliant white crescent over the eye to the side of it's nape. A Cetti's Warbler gave a few loud outbursts of song along the causeway, and at least 15 Willow Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff, and 8 Blackcap on the round, all added to make it an excellent visit to the Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve

Thanks for the Garganey Noushka....Brilliant image of a brilliant bird.