Harrier Wins The Day....

....and some other goodies!

On Conder Pool, a Greenshank was my first since I found four here on 19 October last. Also noted, 85 Wigeon and a similar number of Teal, 55 Mallard, 5 Tufted Duck, 22 Redshank, and 2 Goosander. When I looked towards the marsh I saw a male Stonechat, probably one of the pools wintering birds.

Pulling in at Saltcote Brow Pumping Station, there was a good number of geese in the field, I eventually counted up to 180 Greylag, and saw they were accompanied by the 1st winter Russian White-fronted Goose and 2 Pink-footed Geese.

As I passed the field at Clarkson's Farm I could see 3 Cattle Egret, which appear to have lost one of their number, first seen 25 October when four were opposite Lighthouse Cottage. At Cockersand, up to 30 Twite were flighting around Bank House, probably the same flock first seen on Plover Scar 19 October. The Barn Owl seen briefly, initially it was grounded in the field. I saw just one male Stonechat by Lighthouse Cottage, but AC reported a pair on Moss Lane. 

  

A lone Twite was looking lost on the shore below the abbey. Difficult to stay firm in a mini howler and the camera set to zoomed in. I've silenced the wind in the short clip. 

There was three high number records on the day, at least 380 Whooper Swan were spread over four distant fields including a herd off Jeremy Lane. Up to 3,000 Pink-footed Geese were in the air, but the most impressive count was of up to 500 Curlew as an absolute minimum estimate, they were at rest on the mud south side of the Cocker Estuary. I've seen this kind of number here before, but as yet have failed to trace my record....I note the entire January WeBS count for the Lune Estuary in 2021 was 307 Curlew, which was well down on the 5 year average, suggesting a continuing decline of the species...The Birds of Lancaster and District 2021

And Finally.

When I was leaving Cockersand, in fields opposite Abbey Farm on the east side of Moss Lane which is narrow with no passing places and ditches on both sides. A pale grey harrier with white underparts, and contrasting black primaries, it was a stunning male Hen Harrier, but by the time I found somewhere to pull up it was lost to view....N'er mind, my day was already made.

Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his header image of the male Hen Harrier.

Stonechats.

If last year is anything to go by, it gives me much pleasure to think in just four weeks time Stonechat passage will have taken off. By the end of February 2023, I had collated 53 records of 102 individual Stonechats on passage. These records were followed by even more unprecedented records of the Stonechat on spring passage in March. 

During the past four weeks of January, I have collected 37 records of 76 wintering Stonechats. Three of these were of lowland records in the LDBWS recording area not known to be breeding territories, and not known as wintering territories either.

Stonechat spring passage is coming soon....Bring it on!

Redpoll In The Garden.

Mike Atkinson has struck gold - well red actually - when he had Lesser Redpoll visit his garden feeders, including this brilliant full frame portrait of the male....

....and the equally brilliant female.

Thanks for these Mike, much appreciated, and very envious. Lucky you!