Twite Alright.

The fields this week at Cockersand were virtually void of the waders I'd been witnessing recently, and who knows where the Golden Plover had gone today, I had no sign of them in 5 hours anywhere on the Lune Estuary. But 42 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding quietly in the field south of Abbey Farm. A similar number of 12 Meadow Pipit were seen as on my last visit here, up to 170 Whooper Swan weren't accessible and distant. Four Greenfinch were around Bank Houses where I watched a male Kestrel make a dive at a Carrion Crow in the horse paddock.

Twite Cockersand. Pete Woodruff. Clik the pik

Saving the best until last....In the dying few minutes of the visit to Cockersand, 10 Twite dropped on to a treetop at the end of the Caravan Park, to spend some time preening before flying off. Something of a reward, and well worth the time I spent raking around. 

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, 3 Goldeneye drake were my first here this winter, also 350 Wigeon were the best count here too, and 12 Goosander was a good count also. Uncounted but nothing unusual about at least 2,000 Lapwing to note, also uncounted, a 'few' Redshank, up to 160 Black-tailed Godwit, 34 Snipe, c.225 Dunlin, 62 Curlew, a drake Red-breasted Merganser and a Great-crested Grebe. 

On the canal basin, a drake Goldeneye, 58 Tufted Duck, and a Great-crested Grebe. At Conder Green, 8 Little Grebe were seen as five in the creeks, and three on Conder Pool where I counted 32 Wigeon.

Recommended Reading.

There's an account of an amazing Redwing roost in East Lanc's on Bryan Yorke's website 'I Love Arnside & Silverdale' Here