Cockersand....The Rebirth.

I made a comment to a birder just the other day, that Cockersand seems to have died a death, I've been putting far too much time in recently, and walked many a mile in the process for poor reward. But fear not, Cockersand has renewed its claim once again, of being at the forefront of local birding with 'goodies' seen in recent days. 

On Sunday an adult male Red-backed Shrike was found in the set aside area, the last one in our area was a juvenile at Sunderland Point on 2 September 2015.

Corn Bunting Simon Hawtin

Fifteen Corn Bunting found at Cockersand last Thursday, can't go recorded without a comment on the significance of the sighting. An excellent record, unprecedented in a double figure in our recording area. A species extinct as a breeding bird, at best an irregular summer visitor, and certainly not usually this far in the north of the area. I found just one Corn Bunting in all my Cockersand wanderings on 30 May 2015, and not since....Thanks for the image Simon.

Image. Martin Jump.

In this perfectly timed photograph, the trio of Lapwing in pursuit of the Grey Heron, being a serious threat to any young they might have had with them, appear to be in the path of a direct hit from the rear gunner....'clik the pik' for the full effect.

There are thoughts by some - including me - that this might well be an attack/defence strategy by the Grey Heron as opposed to pure coincidence that the Lapwings were in the wrong place at the wrong time. One birder who has seen this picture has claimed to have observed this behaviour before, to fend of the Lapwing attack on the bird.

A perfectly timed photograph, the thoughts that this looks like intended behaviour by the Grey Heron seems plausible to me....Thanks for the image Martin.