Little to inspire on the Lune Estuary at Glasson or at Conder Green yesterday, with 25 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, and c.350 Wigeon to note. A Peregrine Falcon was on Colloway Marsh where there was 150 Pink-footed Geese at the south end, and another 325 over flying south, and at Conder Green, despite the usual good coverage, 4 Little Grebe in the creeks was as good as it got.
A Whooper First.
In excess of 1,000 Whooper Swan in the Thurnham/Cockersand/Bank End area, a record peak count first for this area of North Lancashire, counted in a wind chill of -6c from the east, and broken down as, 260 off Jeremy Lane, 435 in fields off Moss Lane, and 310 in fields NW of Bank End Farm, 7 Bewick's Swan were with the Clarkson's Farm herd.
The Cockerham Sands female Stonechat was again down at the east end of the caravan park where I had found it once before on 18 January, I also picked up a Merlin here as it zipped out of sight below the marsh and over the Cocker Estuary.
Field birds seen, 6 Stock Dove, 8 Skylark, 54 Dunlin were around a flood at Abbey Farm, and the Shoveler pair were again on the flood by Slack Lane/Moss Lane junction with c.60 Teal noted here, and 5 Snipe flushed out of the ditches, 2 Kestrel seen were at Bank Houses and Bambers Farm. Walking towards Crook Cottage, 4 Pied Wagtail, 4 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch, and a Wren seen.
Whooper Swan Brian Rafferty
A Whooper First.
In excess of 1,000 Whooper Swan in the Thurnham/Cockersand/Bank End area, a record peak count first for this area of North Lancashire, counted in a wind chill of -6c from the east, and broken down as, 260 off Jeremy Lane, 435 in fields off Moss Lane, and 310 in fields NW of Bank End Farm, 7 Bewick's Swan were with the Clarkson's Farm herd.
The Cockerham Sands female Stonechat was again down at the east end of the caravan park where I had found it once before on 18 January, I also picked up a Merlin here as it zipped out of sight below the marsh and over the Cocker Estuary.
Stock Dove Richard Pegler
Field birds seen, 6 Stock Dove, 8 Skylark, 54 Dunlin were around a flood at Abbey Farm, and the Shoveler pair were again on the flood by Slack Lane/Moss Lane junction with c.60 Teal noted here, and 5 Snipe flushed out of the ditches, 2 Kestrel seen were at Bank Houses and Bambers Farm. Walking towards Crook Cottage, 4 Pied Wagtail, 4 Greenfinch, 2 Chaffinch, and a Wren seen.
Cockersand Lighthouse. Pete Woodruff.
BIRDING TILL DUSK AGAIN....GREAT STUFF!!
A 1000 Whooper Swans. Wow, what a sight that must be. Can only dream of sights like that.
ReplyDeleteIn five herds, but still an amazing and unprecedented number of swans in this area Marc, which I think could well be connected with a recent noticeable reduction in number at Martin Mere WWT.
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