BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND...................WHITE TAILED BUMBLEBEE PETE WOODRUFF

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

Some You Win, Some You Lose.

Hard to believe, but 10 years ago to the day on 31 May 2007, I found an excellent 130 Sanderling on Plover Scar, a record not yet repeated, and to be honest I'm not holding my breath. 

I never fail to get myself to Plover Scar around this time of the year to see if I can connect with the migrant Sanderling, and that's why I found myself on the there an hour before high tide yesterday. But as if to show just how unpredictable birds can be, I had the place to myself right up to leaving at high tide with not a wader in sight.

But there's time yet for the Sanderling to turn up on Plover Scar early June, so I'll need to try to get there maybe a couple more times before I give up for another spring on the Sanderling stopping off on Plover Scar for a breather as they move north to their High Arctic breeding grounds.


Sanderling/Dunlin. Howard Stockdale.

Howard had 11 Sanderling on Plover Scar Saturday. Thanks for the images Howard, I was three days too late yesterday....but I did see c.175 Ringed Plover and 32 Dunlin hunkered down on a bare patch in the field behind Lighthouse Cottage, 3 Great-crested Grebe and 4 Eider off Crook Farm, and the summering 3 Whooper Swan still in their chosen field, with 5 Skylark, a Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat seen around the junction.

The Conder Pool Avocet.

I could only allow myself a couple of hours birding, and I'd called at Conder Green on my way to Cockersand, but returned later to find 8 Avocet on Conder Pool, with two birds still sitting, another two with chick/s, and a fourth pair looking like they intend to set up camp, in fact I reckon they may well nest on the front edge of the 'boxed' island straight out from the viewing platform. 

An unwelcome visitor dropped by in the form of a Grey Heron, which was instantly mobbed by all eight Avocet, 2 Common Tern, and a few Black-headed Gull. I left before seeing any result from the mob which weren't making any impression on having the Heron get the message it wasn't welcome. 

Two Stock Dove, a Little Grebe, a Great-crested Grebe, and 96 Black-tailed Godwit on the back terrace were also of note on Conder Pool. 

The B5290 Oystercatcher.


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