This Isn't Birding!

On the last two visits I made to Cockersand I've made life easier and travelled light on foot, leaving my telescope behind in the boot with just a pair of binoculars round my neck. Every time I do this I vow never to again, fearing I might find - and sometimes do - some distant small thing unable to get to grips with what it really is I'm looking at. 

Yesterday was a repeat of the trip to Cockersand last Wednesday, when I decided then, that the fields here really are in serious need of a good thrashing, with waders all over the place. Two fields in particular are now excellent stubble holding a fair amount of water, one of these yesterday produced a Ruff a Grey Plover, and a good number of the c.300 Curlew I found at Cockersand today, also 450 Golden Plover and 54 Black-tailed Godwit, with Redshank, Lapwing, and at least 12 Skylark.

Other notes from the Cockersand circuit, c.50 House Sparrow and a few Tree Sparrow in the Bank Houses area, 7 Greenfinch, and 4 Goldfinch. The last birds I saw here today was 3 Chaffinch male and a Reed Bunting in the Slack Lane Willows.   

Low tide and low counts on the Lune Estuary at Glasson held up to 120 Curlew and similar Dunlin, with 38 Black-tailed Godwit, 28 Golden Plover, and 5 Bar-tailed Godwit. Two drake Pintail were the pick of the wildfowl, 60 Wigeon being a bit of an increase, with 2 Great-crested Grebe and a Goosander the runners up.

Long-tailed Tit. Noushka @ 1000-Pattes 

Along the coastal path, 16 Long-tailed Tit were in procession through the bushes, and 2 Robin. At Christ Church, Great Tit, Blue Tit, a few Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chaffinch male, and a Goldfinch was as good as it got there. 

Conder Pool was down to 4 Little Grebe, with 8 Wigeon having taken up here, the Common Sandpiper was down the creeks by the bridge which is having a face lift, being grit blasted, painted, and a new footpath across it I understand....should look good when it's finished I reckon.

The fields at Cockersand are still in need of a good thrash, and I reckon I've probably missed another Lapland Bunting or something better....This kind of behaviour by me isn't birding for real, it's only pretending to and I've downgraded myself!