But First!

When I walked up to the bowling green at low tide Glasson on Tuesday, I was probably staring at in excess of 6,000 waders, nothing particularly amazing about such a number here, but they were all over the place, and to be honest I couldn't decide on which direction to point the telescope first. The number was well contributed to by Lapwing, fewer Redshank, with descending numbers of Curlew and Dunlin.

Snipe. Lune Estuary. Pete Woodruff.

In relation to these numbers, I found three best personal counts on the Lune Estuary at Glasson for my little black book on Tuesday when I saw 155 Snipe, but I think I was a little more pleased to count 18 Ruff, also 16 Shoveler which are at best occasional on the estuary according to my records. Also of note, up to 950 Golden Plover, 6 Greenshank, 3 Goosander, a Red-breasted Merganser, and an adult Mediterranean Gull. 

Up to 120 Goldfinch were out over the marsh from the coastal path, and in the churchyard at Christ Church I found a Chiffchaff in a heavily laden apple tree. Two Wheatear were at Cockersand.  

On Conder Pool I had another best count when 14 Little Grebe became the new peak here, with 15 Snipe and a Common Sandpiper which more appropriately should now be called 'the' Common Sandpiper.

I had to be in Lancaster by 5.00pm, and so to be already in the area by that time, I decided to give Aldcliffe a visit, to find an adult Mediterranean Gull with around a hundred Black-headed Gull in the Frog Pond field. A Chiffchaff was along the top path above the flood, with a flighty flock of c.40 Goldfinch, 3 Greenfinch, and a 'few' Swallow around. A Little Grebe was on the Wildfowler's Pool, and on Freeman's Pools, another Little Grebe, a pair of Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck, and 2 Wigeon, the rest were seen as silhouettes at the west end. During my time here, I heard 6 Robin all in song.