Brilliant Birds Staggering Numbers.

Christmas saw the start of what has become a mass influx of Russian White-fronted Geese (WFG) into the country. For much of this year so far, the wind has come from the east, particularly so in the first days of February. The combination of this easterly flow and lowering temperatures on the Continent has resulted in huge numbers of these geese building up across Britain, culminating in what is best described as staggering.

A couple of examples of these numbers are, a flock of WFG in West Midlands increased over three days, from 5 birds to 305, but this count was soon buried by a flock nearer to home, by that of an estimated 507 WFG at Pilling Moss in Lancashire on Sunday 8 February.

Cockersand Goose Fest.

Tundra Bean Goose. Tom Parkinson.

I'll start my share of experience of this unprecedented event, with the record of a Tundra Bean Goose at Cockersand 7 February. Found and photographed by Tom Parkinson, and was accompanied by 138 Russian White-fronted Geese. Thanks for this Tom, much appreciated.

Cockersand Monday 9 February.

White-fronted Geese/Pink-footed Geese

Nothing pleasant about the weather, dull with a cold wind, when I went to Cockersand today. Otherwise I would refer to the experience as, brilliant birds in staggering numbers. 

Barnacle Geese/Pink-footed Geese

There has been a range of varying numbers recorded over recent days, but personal counts today were, totals of 35 White-fronted Geese, 61 Barnacle Geese, and an estimate of up to 1,000 Pink-footed Geese.

Stonechat/Pink-footed Geese. Pete Woodruff.

Whilst viewing the geese in the field north side of Abbey Farm, I noted a Stonechat on the spoil heap being the sentinel for the Geese. 

1st winter male Stonechat Cockersand 9 February. Pete Woodruff.

A pair of Stonechat have been around here since I found them here 29 December. Up to 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding on the shore between Lighthouse Cottage to Crook Farm, 6 Skylark flew over >south.

There was an estimate of 220 Whooper Swan in a field south side of Moss Lane, and the 2 Bewick's Swan were in the field by Slack Lane. 

Lune Estuary.

Wigeon/Black-tailed Godwit

I called in at the bowling green to view the south shoreline to find at least 3,000 Black-tailed Godwit, 1,500 Lapwing, 250 Wigeon, and 220 Curlew.

Bewick's Swans.

The 2 Bewick's Swan seen off Slack Lane on Monday are the birds I found there 20 November 2025. But something of a mystery has developed since November, there have been several records of Bewick's Swans between Cockersand and Braides. The latest three sightings are....

9 Feb. Slack Lane Cockersand 2 Bewick's Swan

10 Feb. Braides Cockerham 4 Bewick's Swan

11 Feb. Slack Lane Cockersand 3(!) Bewick's Swan....*Note the 3(!)  

So the mystery of 'how many' Bewick's Swans rages on.

We Have Lift Off!

It was 17 days since my last spell of birding, and my first session for 2026....Lift Off!

I suppose lots of visitors to Conder Pool, wouldn't know the drake Shoveler and Pintail present today, were both at best only occasional here, but I note 5 Shoveler were recorded here last Thursday, and I reckon this is an all time best count of the species on Conder Pool. My last Shoveler here, was a pair last year on 23 February 2025, and my last Pintail was a drake 24 November 2025. Also noted today, 9 Redshank, 8 Tufted Duck, and 2 Little Grebe.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, I found my first Goldeneye of the winter and was a drake. I've seen no previous records of Goldeneye this winter around the Lune Estuary, but low end double figures at Aldcliffe.

 

A smart drake Goosander was close in with the Wigeon, and thinking I may not get any more opportunities for piks today, I grabbed a video. A pair of Red-breasted Merganser were diving by the Conder mouth, seen as a species at best irregular here, my last were a pair seen on the estuary 3 years ago on 13 January 2023. Also of note, 550 Black-tailed Godwit, a lone Bar-tailed Godwit, and 52 Knot.

At the south end of Jeremy Lane, a splendid 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit, with single figures of Curlew and Dunlin, and up to 60 Redshank in the field opposite.

Stonechat Cockersand 14 January. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersand, a pair of Stonechat were on the spoil heaps, presumably the same pair seen on my last visit here 29 December. Off Slack Lane, 8 Whooper Swan were the only ones at Cockersand. I think the bulk of swans seem to have pitched up in fields at Cockerham/Braides where the 2 Bewick's Swans also seem to be currently residing.

Breaking News.

Bewick's Swans Cockersand 21 December. Ian Walker.

It was great to see the news that 4 Bewick's Swans were found this morning at Lower Thurnham, begging the question....are there 6 Bewick's Swans in the recording area now?

Thanks to Ian Walker for his excellent image of the stunning Bewick's Swans. 

The Header.

Couldn't resist this one....Long time no see a Stonechat header image on B2B, but Dave Mudd delivered the goods when he got this excellent shot of the pair at Cockersand recently. Not unique, but I reckon Dave or anyone else will achieve an image of two Stonechat so close together in the frame any time soon.    

Looking Back Through The Dragons.

I reviewed my top four dragon species found in 2025.

Banded Demoiselle.

13 May: 16 at Bull Beck in the Lune Valley by the River Lune. I didn't expect to find Banded Demoiselle before the beginning of May. This was my best and earliest ever count of the species anywhere.  

19 May: 4 on the Lancaster Canal east of Conder Green.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly Grisedale Brook. Pete Woodruff.

23 June: One on Grisedale Brook. 

16 July: 2 Birk Bank around the bog.

26 June: 3 Birk Bank around the bog.

15 August: 3 Grisedale Brook.

Emperor Dragonfly.

Emperor Dragonfly Lancaster Canal. Pete Woodruff.

25 June: One Saltcote Pond Glasson.

9 July: One Saltcote Pond Glasson.

12 July: 6 Lancaster Canal Garstang area.

16 July: 2 Birk Bank around the bog.

21 July: One Lancaster Canal Glasson.

26 July 2 Lancaster Canal Garstang.

6 August: One Birk Bank around the bog.

11 August: 2 Fairfield NR including female ovipositing.

5 September: 2 Birk Bank around the bog.

9 September: One Birk Bank around the bog.

25 September; One Birk Bank around the bog.

Note. My September records of Emperor Dragonfly at Birk Bank, carries the comment on the iRecord website....'Date is outside the known flight period of Anax imperator'.

Keeled Skimmer.

Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

16 July: 4 Birk Bank around the bog.

6 August; One Birk Bank around the bog.

25 August: 5 Birk Bank around the bog.

Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

Not my best year for dragonflies, on the down side, the worst experience was finding the dead male Keeled Skimmer on Birk Bank bog. Presumably drowned, but if it was predated the culprit didn't finish the job! 

On the plus side, finding the Emperor Dragonfly again this year at Birk Bank was excellent, even more so, that it was still being seen there on 25 September, a late date in the year for the species. 

I'd sooner be birding......but still haven't done so this year yet, causing my mental condition to deteriorate rapidly 😠

What A Difference A Day Makes!

I'm in receipt of some brilliant images of some equally brilliant birds which have recently been on and around the River Lune.

'Probable' Siberian Chiffchaff Tuesday 6 January. Howard Stockdale.

The header for this post - and the one above - is of a 'probable' Siberian Chiffchaff, found on St Georges Quay in Lancaster, and recorded by two local birders.

'Redhead' Smew Tuesday 6 January. Howard Stockdale.

On the very same day 6 January, a 'redhead' Smew was an excellent find by another Lancaster birder. As opposed to the Chiffchaff, this little diver excited many a birder for a couple of days....What a difference a day makes!

I am grateful to Howard Stockdale for the permit to use his images in this post.

I'd sooner be birding, but unfortunately I'm not at the moment 😢

The Smew.

It was great to see a Smew 'redhead' found yesterday 6 January on the River Lune in Lancaster. This find was the first in the LDBWS area since one found at Aldcliffe 13 years ago in January 2013, and gave me an incentive to do some research through my records for a bit of history about the Smew in our recording area.

Drake Smew. Jan Larsson.

I was able to rewind 37 years where I found a redhead Smew recorded at Leighton Moss in November 1988 by John Wilson. When I traced back to the 1990's, personal records read that I found a drake Smew on 22 November 1992, which returned to the then named Dockacres for many years.

Redhead Smew. Pete Woodruff. 

After this bird, my selective records are....

December 1992. Two redhead Smew present at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve, one saltmarsh, one Public Hide.

December 1992. Drake Smew on the River Lune at Snatchems. Six days later I found a drake Smew at Greyhound Bridge on the River Lune, and presumed it to be the same bird. 

March 1993. I found a drake Smew at Blea Tarn Reservoir, Lancaster. I regard this record as one of the earlier magical moments of my birding.

Through the 1990's, the Smew was recorded in the LDBWS recording area as a 'scarce but almost annual winter visitor'.

February 2009. A redhead Smew Leighton Moss.

January 2010. A redhead Smew Freeman's Pool 24 January to 21 March.

December 2012. A redhead at Leighton Moss, moved between three sites to be last seen at Aldcliffe 28 March.

January 2013. A redhead at Aldcliffe 25 January to 1 March.

Thereby the tale of the missing Smew begins....until 13 years later 6 January 2026 that is!

Thanks to Lancaster birder Barrie Cooper for this excellent record of this excellent and scarce bird.

Reviewing 2025.

I enjoyed flicking through the little black book for some highlights of birds found or seen through 2025. It was never going to be regarded as a spectacular year, but at least it resulted in getting much more of a fix from my birding than anything else.

* Excellent species and or location records....Photos & Video Pete Woodruff.

January

15  Bullfinch pair Lanc's Cemetery *

17  Common Scoter Stone Jetty M'cbe

17  Scaup Broadway M'cbe

25  Blackcap male home garden *

February

13  Hen Harrier male C'sand

18/ 27 Marsh Harrier female C'sand

March

6  Tundra Bean Goose with c.5,000 Pink-footed Geese C'sand *

12  Barnacle Goose Conder Pool *

12  March Harrier C'sand

12  Whooper Swan c.500 C'sand *

19  Hen Harrier in flight N>S over Moss Lane C'sand

20  Bullfinch 2xmale/female Lanc's cemetery *

24  Mediterranean Gull adult/Little Ringed Plover Conder Pool

26  Spotted Redshank Conder Pool

April

9  Garden Warbler Crag Wood early record *

11  Ring Ouzel female Hawthornthwaite *

29  Willow Warbler at least 50 Birk Bank circuit

29  Bullfinch 2/Cuckoo 2 Birk Bank *

May

7  Crossbill 15 Tower Lodge Bowland *

18 Cetti's Warbler Glasson

28 May Little Gull 2 x 2nd summer Conder Pool *

June

25 June 7 of 17 Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool *

July

9 Swift at least 20 Fairfield Lanc's

August

6 Green Woodpecker Birk Bank *

20 Yellow Wagtail 2 Conder Pool * 

22 Ruff 20/Wood Sandpiper Heversham Moss

28 Ruff 19/Green Sandpiper Conder Pool *

September

5 Greenshank 32 Conder Pool *

9 Curlew Sandpiper Lune Estuary

25 Crossbill pair Ottergear Bridge *

October

8 Oct 9 of 18  Whooper Swan Conder Pool *

30 Merlin male C'sand

November

12 Snow Bunting 2 C'sand

20 November Bewick's Swan 2 Slack Lane C'sand *

24 Pintail drake Conder Pool

24 Pink-footed Geese c.3,500 Slack Lane C'sand

25 November Barnacle Goose Lune Estuary *

December

23 Brent Geese 52 Heysham

.....................................................................................

Hoping you have good birding in 2026....

A Very Happy New Year