BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND..................................................................................WIGEON LUNE ESTUARY PETE WOODRUFF

Sunday, 5 January 2025

Sluggish Start To 2025!

Sluggish and little to report, but never any less the pleasure of birding for me.

The tide was well advanced when I arrived at Glasson on Thursday and had driven most of the waders off the estuary. But I noted a pair of Goosander, and it was good I saw two drake and a female Goldeneye, seen as the only three individuals found here this winter, and looking like a scarce bird for our area now. This despite its status being recorded 3 years ago in the LDBWS Annual Report as....'a fairly common visitor to the Lune at Glasson'....I doubt that the Goldeneye will be recorded as 'common' in the next report!

I couldn't resist a video of the ducks on a cold but beautiful January day, on a calm river in an attractive setting....Pump up the volume to hear 17 secs of 22 delightful whistling Wigeon.


There was nothing to report at Glasson Dock, until a Kingfisher flew across the canal basin toward the marina. Neither was there much action at Cockersand, but over a couple of hours here, it did turn out to be something of a mini raptor fest.

Although the high tide was a little under 10m, 4 Rock Pipit were pushed off the marsh and were on the shingle. There was up to 1,500 Golden Plover in fields, with 150 Curlew, and possibly 180 Whooper Swan scattered over three fields.

The raptor foursome started with views of a Barn Owl followed by a Merlin soon followed by a Buzzard.


The Little Owl was again basking in the sun on its favoured girder on the farm building at Bank Houses with a horse appearing to be on guard duty.

The Cockersand Barn Owl.

I had the same experience with the Barn Owl today as I had at the start of the year on 7 February, the account of which is copied here.... 

The Barn Owl took off from Bank Houses at the same time I started my circuit of Cockersand. It was in view for up to an hour as I walked along Moss Lane until I reached the Lighthouse Cottage at 2.25pm. In the hour, the owl crisscrossed every field in the area, and hunted along every ditch and hedgerow, diving to the ground at least six times without success, and perched on fence posts about the same number of times.

Thursdays sighting ended with views of the Barn Owl flying south toward Abbey Farm, I then picked up a female Merlin rocketing south across the same field to cause up to 2,000 Golden Plover/Lapwing/Curlew and Starling to panic. I myself panicked when I saw the Merlin mobbing the Barn Owl, but the pair disappeared behind bushes. I didn't see the Merlin again, but was sure the Barn Owl escaped the attentions of the raptor to take refuge at Abbey Farm.

And Finally.

In my inbox I received two brilliant images recently, both of which represent my appreciation and respect for the ability to freeze a moment in time with excellent photography. 

Goosander. Martin Jump.

This one from Martin shows the Goosander with the catch of an Eel and lookers on, one showing anger, and one with envy.

Blue Tit. Ian Mitchell.

This one of a Blue Tit coming in to land on Ian's garden feeders. Thanks Martin and Ian....Amazing stuff. 

Wednesday, 1 January 2025

Wandering Through 2024.

With the recent crap weather combined with the inevitable seasonal disruption, I had an opportunity to put together some of my random highlights for each month throughout the year.

January

Spotted Redshank Lune Estuary
Cattle Egret (4) Snow Bunting Cockersand
White-fronted Goose 1st winter Jeremy Lane
Hen Harrier male Cockersand

February

Hen Harrier/Merlin/Barn Owl Cockersand

March

Scaup drake/5 Mediterranean Gull/c.4,000 Black-tailed Godwit Conder Pool, the highest number ever recorded here.

April

Cattle Egret (2) Conder Pool
Emperor Moth female Hawthornthwaite

May

Pied Flycatcher possible 5 breeding pairs Stoops Bridge
Cuckoo 5 birds including a female calling/7 Garden Warbler Birk Bank area
Woodcock Tower Lodge

June 

Southern Marsh Orchid up to 200 spikes east of Lancaster
Cuckoo 5 including interaction between 3 birds Bowland
Bilberry Bumblebee 5 Birk Bank area
Golden Ringed Dragonfly 17 all Bowland

July

Arctic Tern 1st summer Conder Pool
Mediterranean Gull 6 in field off Rigg Lane
Yellow Wagtail juvenile Conder Pool

August

Emperor Dragonfly 23/Brown Hawker 12 Lancaster Canal
Great White Egret Conder Pool
Green Sandpiper Conder Pool
Purple Hairstreak 4 Birk Bank
Banded Demoiselle 16 Lancaster Canal 

September

Mediterranean Gull 11 Lune Estuary Glasson

October

Little Owl Cockersand first here for 9 years

November

Short-eared Owl Cockersand

December

Common Scoter pair/Scaup female Morecambe
Brent Geese 112 Heysham highest count here
Blackcap male in the garden

Garden Blackcap 30 December 2024

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL