Seven Months Later.

Apart from a few Occupational Therapy style outings pretending to be birding, I was out yesterday to be a little more serious for the first time since my Birk Bank visit on 31 August 2018.

Avocet. Conder Pool 24 March. Ian Pinkerton.

It was good to find 2 Avocet on Conder Pool, also 3 Shoveler drake at best a scarce sighting on here, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and 13 Greylag. Although I've never accurately noted April numbers in previous years, 36 Oystercatcher seemed a good count yesterday, and certainly will be if the intention is breeding on Conder Pool this year.

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock looked very early summer in bird numbers, though up to 2,000 gulls seen, waders were all but non-existent save 32 Black-tailed Godwit and a 'few' Redshank and Wigeon hanging on. Cockersand had the same early summer feel, livened up by a Peregrine Falcon having put to flight c.400 Golden Plover, seen later more settled on the shore off the headland. Six Tree Sparrow were around Bank Houses, and I could hear a Skylark singing most of the time I spent at Cockersand.

A count of 82 Whooper Swan at Clarkson's Farm accompanied by 2 Black Swan, was all that was left of a record peak count of 620 at Cockersand on 3 February (Ian Hartley).

Of note, the Spotted Redshank failed to return to winter on the Lune Estuary/Conder Green, nor did the Common Sandpiper, last seen at Conder Green 10 October 2018. Other negatives, I failed to see my first hirundine, Wheatear, or any other summer migrants today.

Thanks to Ian Pinkerton for his image of the Avocet on Conder Pool.

I'd advise not to hold breath for the next blog post....My birding may never be the same intensity as before.