BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND....................................................................SPOTTED REDSHANK CONDER GREEN PAUL ELLIS

Wednesday, 23 April 2025

Stamp Collecting!

Little Ringed Plover at Conder Green, and Wheatear at Cockersand saved a pretty dull birding day yesterday, and being we're closing in on the merry month of May, more birds were missing than seen. Not a single warbler heard let alone seen, save 2 Swallow, not another hirundine. At Conder Green, no Common Tern, no Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, and no Greenshank. 

Ahhhh well, it all brings into play my motto....Not what you will see, but rather what you might, the element of surprise never fails to delight....No surprises today. 

On Conder Pool it was good to make contact with 4 Little Ringed Plover seen as 2 pairs, and good to see at least 20 Avocet, with a good count of nests according to info from the excellent management and monitoring work by the Howard and Ian duo....Sounded to me like Avocet breeding records on Conder Pool were hopefully being made.

At Cockersand, though it was pleasant to hear the Skylark in flight song heralding the summer, the circuit turned out to be the road to nowhere....

Shelduck. Pete Woodruff.

....but 28 Shelduck were settled in the field, and up to 60 Carrion Crow were in a adjacent field, and hey'up, things are looking up, 'cos there are 4 Wheatear on the marsh in front of Lighthouse Cottage. As I left Cockersand, a lone Swallow was around Bank House, and another lone Swallow was on wires at Gardners Farm on Moss Lane.

I'm considering taking up stamp collecting!

Terns and Gulls.

A Common Tern was reported to have been on Conder Pool 14 April and not subsequentially seen again, but Howard Stockdale informs me, a Common Tern was present 6 days later on 20 April and is featured in my header. Howard also tells of a pair of Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool, one of which was marked and was observed mating giving evidence of a male.

The history of this gull is confidential, and I have no permit to publish too many details on B2B, but I do know that it was ringed in the Netherlands as a chick, the bird is 10 years old and has been sighted only 7 times in the 10 years, 4 x in Lancashire, once in Cumbria, and has visited Ireland x 2.

8 comments:

  1. There have already been quite a few migratory birds arriving in Finland. But as the weather warms up, there will be many more.

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    1. Yes, I could say the same for us , quite a few migrants have arrived, many more will arrive as the weather improves.

      Thank you for your visit to B2B, it is much appreciated Sami.

      Regards....Pete.

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  2. Some migrants do indeed seem to be thin on the ground. Hopefully the magic month of May will deliver us both some goodies. Take care.

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    1. Looking forward to the month of May, you never really know what it will bring Marc.

      Regards....Pete.

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  3. What a shame no Common Tern yet at Conder Pool.
    Wonder if the 4 Little Ringed Plover are the same 4 as last year.
    I have heard the odd Skylark in Bowland but not many.
    Thanks for the update glad you have been out.
    Ian Mitchell.

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    1. Will be in touch, meanwhile thanks for your contribution as always Ian.

      Regards....Pete.

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  4. Hi Pete,
    The headshot is great, of course, it looks really great. Howard really delivered, but I wouldn't have guessed that the seagull would keep its life so private. It's just a joke.
    Regards, Frank

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  5. For the record, its me complying to confidentiality regarding the history notes for the bird Frank.

    Regards....Pete.

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