Not too much business on Monday actually, and the visit to Cockersand was close to a disaster, with the cold howler rendering birding pretty unpleasant and hopeless, especially along the headland and looking out to the estuary. I actually made no notes in the book in two hours here, though the waders in the fields ruled my birding and continue to amaze. Golden Plover remained well into four figures and probably represents almost the entire bay population, also descending in number, Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Turnstone, including up to 50 feeding on the headland close to the abbey, from where 4 Grey Plover were noted on the shore near high tide.
Calling in to see Mrs G at Crook Cottage, from the kitchen window I saw and made attempts to photograph Tree Sparrows visiting the feeders. I saw little else on the small bird front on the circuit, though a flock of finches distant and dropping into the rough field by Bank House Cottage were 'probably' c.50 Twite. From the three there recently I found no Stonechat, though AC reported to me later, the Cockerham Caravan Park female seen.
On to Conder Pool which held just 42 Redshank and 2 Goosander drake, whilst 120 Redshank and the long time no see Common Sandpiper was down the Conder channel, my first sighting of the bird since 5 December, despite eleven visits to Conder Green.
On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, 2 Pochard drake again, with a Great-crested Grebe noted. A new peak of 26 Goldeneye - a notch up of 5 on last Thursday's 21 - were seen as 18 here and 8 on the River Lune, where 450 Wigeon, 225 Redshank and similar Dunlin, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, and a Great-crested Grebe were all close in from the bowling green.
Windy, cold, and 'you must be mad' as deemed by another birder who saw me on the headland from his car, and who obviously knows what he's talking about....But a good time was had by all!
Tree Sparrow Crook Cottage Garden Cockersand 22 Jan. Pete Woodruff.
Calling in to see Mrs G at Crook Cottage, from the kitchen window I saw and made attempts to photograph Tree Sparrows visiting the feeders. I saw little else on the small bird front on the circuit, though a flock of finches distant and dropping into the rough field by Bank House Cottage were 'probably' c.50 Twite. From the three there recently I found no Stonechat, though AC reported to me later, the Cockerham Caravan Park female seen.
On to Conder Pool which held just 42 Redshank and 2 Goosander drake, whilst 120 Redshank and the long time no see Common Sandpiper was down the Conder channel, my first sighting of the bird since 5 December, despite eleven visits to Conder Green.
Estuary waders and three mates. Pete Woodruff.
On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, 2 Pochard drake again, with a Great-crested Grebe noted. A new peak of 26 Goldeneye - a notch up of 5 on last Thursday's 21 - were seen as 18 here and 8 on the River Lune, where 450 Wigeon, 225 Redshank and similar Dunlin, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, and a Great-crested Grebe were all close in from the bowling green.
Windy, cold, and 'you must be mad' as deemed by another birder who saw me on the headland from his car, and who obviously knows what he's talking about....But a good time was had by all!
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