Buses, Boots, & Birds.

First Snow On Clougha Pike. Pete Woodruff.

Perfect yesterday for the plod along the coastal path from Lancaster to Glasson Dock from where I took this shot of the first snows on Clougha Pike with the Cafe 'd Lune and the newly painted old railway bridge over the River Conder in the foreground. 

On the River Lune off St Georges Quay, a pair of Goosander and Grey Wagtail seen. On Freemans Pools, a Goldeneye was close by, but any wildfowl on here were all at the far west end, amongst which a few uncounted Teal and Gadwall. In the field by Frog Pond, 15 Greylag and 10 Curlew were of note, and the Wildfowlers Pool which would currently be more appropriately called 'Wildfowlers Lake', held 4 Goldeneye three of which were smart drakes. There was probably up to 200 Canada Geese on Aldcliffe Marsh, but I didn't linger to count.

One or two notable counts from Aldcliffe to Glasson, 32 Blackbird, 11 Robin, 10 Pied Wagtail, 5 Dunnock, and 5 Song Thrush which I saw as an excellent count in any birders book. Of the 10 Little Egret I noted, eight were together in a field at Stodday. A few Fieldfare were mobile at Conder Green, but I'm in top gear now....the bus back to Lancaster is coming.

Egyptian Geese. Warren Baker.

Highlight of the day was 2 Egyptian Geese by the flood at Aldcliffe Hall Lane, though not a bird to be taken seriously, it was introduced to Britain 400 years ago in the seventeenth century. The Egyptian Goose has never become widespread in Lancashire, the largest flock ever recorded was eight seen on the inner Ribble marshes in January 1977.

A small population has become established in Greater Manchester, which may be the source of some records in Lancashire, but I reckon mine were probably off some collectors pond - the garden pond a Grange-over-Sands came to mind - and were at the lower end of my highlight scale.

Thanks to Warren for the excellent trio of geese, and to Richard for the equally excellent Knott End Twite header.