MERRY CHRISTMAS.

It was good to see the birds had reclaimed their habitat from the ice during the week following the thaw. Even better news was, at least 400 Whooper Swan have finally set up camp at Cockersand. I had seen the swans as I drove along Moss Lane on my way to Cockersand, but seeing them again 2 hours later as I left, they were seen in fields at Clarkson's and Tomlinson's Farms and Jeremy Lane from where I noted up to 350 Lapwing.  Last Sunday 4 Bewick's Swan were reported (FBC) on Jeremy Lane.

Almost certainly 28 Twite seen on Plover Scar were the same as seen here 25 October and again on 1 December. I found 4 Stonechat, seen as one in the rough field behind Bank Houses, one along Moss Lane, and two around Light House Cottage. Worth noting is the report of 8 Stonechat at Cockersand 15 December (FBC) seen as 3 male and 5 female, the best ever winter count of Stonechat at Cockersand.

Conder Pool 15 December. Pete Woodruff.

It was good to see everywhere around the Lune Estuary had been reclaimed by the birds again, although 2 Goosander were the only birds to note on Conder Pool, with 8 Little Grebe seen in the creeks.

Black-headed Gull.

On 13 December I found a ringed Black-headed Gull at Teal Bay. The bird was ringed AE44 9 years ago at Ellerbeck Shipyard, Kiel, Germany in 2013, and has had seven sightings, five in the UK and two in southwestern Poland. The history of the bird promptly followed my submitting it, for which I am grateful to the ringer Sönke Martens 

The Port of Kiel is one of the most versatile ports in the Baltic region, although this isn't relevant to the question....Why would a Black-headed Gull ringed in Germany in 2013, want or need to fly huge distances to be seen in the UK on five ocassions, and in Poland twice in 2018 and 2020. What's the purpose, it's not strictly related to migration, and AE44 has been observed in six different winter and summer months of the year in the UK and in Europe.

Black-headed Gull 6CY. Pete Woodruff.

Black-headed Gull 6CY was ringed in Denmark the same year of 2013 as AE44. I found this gull 3 times all at Glasson Dock, in Sept 2014, Nov 2017, Jan 2020. This gull also returned to it's natal site in Gentofte, Denmark twice, in March/April 2015, and March 2016. 

Garden Birds.

A male Blackcap in the garden made our day on Thursday, it was with a Wren for bonus.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE

Iceland!

It wasn't the plan when I set out to do my estuary thing on Thursday, but the day soon became one that took account of how some of the birds I found where struggling with the freezing conditions of the past couple of weeks....Thankfully conditions have eased a little now.

The day started with my finally finding one of the Stonechat currently residing at Conder Green, with a bird seen at Conder Pool. 

These 8 Little Grebe - and a passing lorry on the B5290 - were taking advantage of an ice free area in the creeks, though I have to say, these grebes from Conder Pool have usually taken to the ice-free waters of the Lune Estuary by December.

The waders and wildfowl were really struggling with the frozen Conder channel and mud banks, and a small group of Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit together with a Snipe out in the open, appeared to be making futile attempts to find food on the now frozen marsh.

Along Jeremy Lane, up to 40 Whooper Swan of which notably, probably 25% were juvenile, they were with c.50 Mute Swan also desperately prodding at the grass in an attempt to feed....I saw not a single other Whooper Swan at Cockersand today.

At Cockersand, 3 Song Thrush seen, this one was with a Redwing searching the shingle. Also to note on a wander, 4 Stonechat, 9 Meadow Pipit, and 4 Wren.

Of 82 Pink-footed Geese in a field north of Bank Houses, 45 took to the wing to circle before settling again in the field.

This Robin was one of 10 Robin and at least 40 Blackbird I saw on the day at Glasson/Cockersand. I have no idea what it was up to walking around my feet. In the header image, the bird looks in good nick on the old iron railway bridge, but maybe it was on the lookout for a snack. 

For the wrong reasons it was a good days birding for me, though it wasn't good to see the struggling icebound birdlife. I hung around for one of those amazing Cockersand sunsets, to end the day with a mindful moment....Sound On!

The Colour Purple.

The Purple Sandpiper is a mega rarity in our area these days, in fact the last LDBWS Annual Report 2020 reads, 'no records this year for the first time in many years', but the Lancashire Bird Report 2021 reads, 'one at Heysham in August and November, with two on Seaborn Road, Morecambe on 23 November'.

Having seen reports of them recently, I made good use of a couple of hours to spare in Morecambe to make contact with two Purple Sandpiper on the groyne opposite Park Road.

The footage I managed is OK for the record, but isn't all that good in quality for a couple of reasons, the first bird wasn't at all obliging in that it remained at rest in the shadows, despite two Turnstones almost flying into it. In the second section of the video, I miss-judged the target with the camera, but one can be seen in the water at the foot of the groyne, the second bird is in view to the right and above the first.

Purple Sandpiper Morecambe 13 December

The Purple Sandpiper is a scarce winter visitor from Arctic Canada and Norway. I read that in excess of 17,000 of the species that winter in Britain are found overwhelmingly in the Northern Isles, the Outer Hebrides and on the coasts of eastern Scotland and north-east England. In Lancashire it has always been rare....Rehfisch et al 2003

In his book The Birds Of Lancashire first published in 1953, Clifford Oakes wrote  'A regular winter visitor in small or moderate numbers to the shores of Walney Island, scarce and infrequent on the Lune Estuary, rare elsewhere.

There have been only two recoveries of Lancashire-ringed Purple Sandpipers, both informative. At Seaforth a bird ringed in March 1978, was on Hilbre Island at the mouth of the Dee 25km away in September the same year, and a bird ringed at Heysham in April 1977, returned there every winter for 12 years until 1989, the bird actually summered at Heysham in 1987....The Birds of Lancashire and North Merseyside 2008

The Purple Sandpiper yesterday made my total of just four records in the little black book in 150 years of birding!!   

Finching It Again!....Episode 5.

It was to say the least exciting to have my fifth sighting of Bullfinch again in Lancaster Cemetery this week.

This sighting was particularly interesting in that, not only are these excellent records for the location, but the Bullfinch is known to be a shy bird, and doesn't usually show itself on the ground, hardly ever feeding more than a few metres from cover. I'm more acquainted to seeing the Bullfinch extracting seeds from fruit on trees or bushes, small seed-heads and fruits are removed when fallen to the ground which is what was going on here. 

The ground feeding Bullfinch was certainly a first for me, with both male and female collecting seeds found on the grave and surroundings having fallen from the tree which is as yet unidentified beyond it being of the genus Sorbus....Probably Sorbus aucuparia

Fieldfare. Ian Mitchell.

Also in the cemetery a lone Redwing, briefly atop of a tree before flying off. It joins its lone cousin the Fieldfare which I saw at Cockersand 1 December, being the only two winter thrushes I've seen this winter to date.

Williamson's Park.

Birds of note as I wandered through the park, 2 Song Thrush took top spot for me, Mistle Thrush, a Jay, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Wren, a few Wood Pigeon, at least 20 Blackbird, and a similar number of Magpie. To note at the feeding station, up to 5 Dunnock and 5 Coal Tit.

Ashton Memorial. Pete Woodruff.

There there was some attractive colours on the fallen ice covered leaves of the Canadian Maple in Williamson's Park.

Community Spirit.

The Robin putting in an appearance, the Blackbird having a go at the apple, and the Starling and House Sparrows, all showing a little harmony in the garden.

Many thanks to Steve Graham for the header image of four of the eight Caton Moor wind turbines with heads above the mist to create an atmospheric scene, along with the excellent record of 3 Stonechat reported to me whilst up there.

And Finally.

Yes, another Stonechat image....Well what do you expect, this is B2B, and this is a 1st winter male Stonechat at Conder Pool. Classic the bird, excellent the image, thanks to Howard Stockdale.

An Estuary Dash!

Compared to more like the average six hours in winter, four around Conder Green and Cockersand is a dash in my book. 

Conder Pool continues to be almost void of birds recently, with no muddy edges and looking more like Conder Lake following the recent high tides, but I did note a pair of Goosander, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Greylag, and a 'few' Wigeon with probably more in hiding behind the islands. During an hour spent at Conder Green, I counted 16 Blackbird, 12 of which were counted in a few minutes from the viewing platform feeding on berries along the canal side.

Stonechat Fairhaven Dunes. Paul Ellis.

At Cockersand, the negatives first, there was no sign of the winter Wheatear or any Snow Buntings. The positives were, 2 Stonechat seen, one along Slack Lane, and another in the rough field behind Lower Bank House which is a favoured haunt annually of the wintering Cockersand chats. Can never resist the image of a Stonechat....Many Thanks to PE.

In the area around the Caravan Park, 16 Greenfinch were a count exceeding any I've made anywhere for some time, also a bouncing flyby of c.30 Twite destination Bank End it seemed. A lone Tree Sparrow was the first seen in 12 months when I saw 3 at Bank Houses on 14 December 2021, also here today, a lone Fieldfare was my first of the winter.

The only notable reward for a circuit trundle was up to 500 Black-tailed Godwit off Crook Farm, and I saw an egret seeing off another which looked a bigger bird, probably the Great White Egret I saw on the estuary 14 November. I took my eyes off them for a moment, but noticed one made a U turn and went down to a pool off Plover Scar. I thought this was the larger bird, but the video proves me wrong....again!!

Garden Birds.

We had 10 Goldfinch in a flock visiting the feeders yesterday. We also have a healthy resident flock of House Sparrow this year. There are up to 30 in the video....Watch 'em disappear in sync at the end...Sparrowhawk around perhaps.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the record image of 9 White-fronted Geese in the header, present at Aldcliffe on Wednesday 30 September.

And Finally.

I wanted to end the post to feature this photograph of a Grey Wagtail. 

Grey Wagtail. Martin Jump.

Firmly in the stunning category, with thanks to Martin Jump.