Better Late Than Never....Part 2.

Another week has gone by before I got only my second days birding for 2023, but having failed to carry out the plan to do a wander around Cockersand - wind and rain put paid to that idea - I did locate a pair of Stonechat on their winter favoured pitch in the rough field behind Bank Houses, so good enough to compensate my early retirement.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, there was a relatively small gathering of waders on the south side including a Ruff with uncounted Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Knot, Lapwing and Curlew. A drake Red-breasted Merganser isn't to be as regarded regular here, with 4 Goosander and up to 250 Wigeon.

I have no idea where the Golden Plover are/have been on the Lune Estuary so far this winter. My personal best count was at Braides 31 October, when I saw 1,500 birds, and other best counts I can find on the Lune Estuary, didn't quite match this number.

Two Greenshank can be seen on the left through the gloom on Conder Pool with 5 Goosander, also a Little Grebe, and 52 Mallard was the best count in some time here. In the creeks, c,150 Teal and 2 Little Grebe.

Greylag Geese/Whooper Swans. Howard Stockdale.

Howard sent me the image of a Greylag he found recently, I also found one last Friday in the same field. Howards bird was marked HVX, whilst mine was HVK. When I received this image I had thought perhaps I had made an error in the reading - X misread as K - but on making enquiries with Howard I understand HVK had also been seen in the area recently. Both the geese had been ringed age 4 years, at Millerground, Windermere, 26 June 2022.

Brilliant Brents.

Across The Bay

I could think of nothing better this afternoon, than a walk along the promenade to Heysham to find 48 Brent Geese off the children's play area.