Monday's Mooch.

English Dictionary definition...To walk and do things slowly without much purpose....The latter 'wmp' definitely not true when I'm birding!

Conder Pool lost another place in the 'Hotspot' league table on Monday, with the exception of the nice to see again pair of Stonechat and 6 Goosander, there was an unbelievable nine other birds present, 4 Wigeon, 3 Little Grebe, a Redshank and a Carrion Crow. Nothing spectacular on the Lune Estuary at Glasson either, but a lone Greenshank by the Conder mouth was good.

Whooper Swan 25 October 2024. Pete Woodruff.

In fields at Clarkson's Farm, up to 120 Whooper Swan were early signs that they have returned to winter at Cockersand, where some waders had taken to the fields, with at least 350 Curlew equal to last Wednesdays count, and up to 320 Golden Plover, with 62 Back-tailed Godwit over>south. Six Stock Dove and 2 Skylark seen, with a Sparrowhawk from the CP over the marsh in its 'flap-flap-glide' hunting mode, also seen was last weeks male Stonechat which seems to be alone.

Beauty And The Beast. Pete Woodruff.

Struggling for pictures this time, so filled the gap with one over the fields at Cockersand. The power station at Heysham with the hint of a rainbow overhead.

Mottled Umber. Pete Woodruff.

The female of this moth is wingless and variable, and I was surprised to find the Mottled Umber on the white-washed wall at Lighthouse Cottage. 

Little Grebe.

Perusing through a 2024 annual report, I came across a couple of interesting records, one of which lists several sites where breeding Little Grebe occurred, and includes Conder Green which surely can't possibly include Conder Pool, albeit up to 20+can be seen here during the summer months. A short distance on the River Conder upstream from the A588 road bridge, soon turns right, out of sight and inaccessible. I know of nowhere that Conder Green could support breeding Little Grebe....Mmmm! 

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the Greenshank header, striding out at Conder Green.