But There We Have It!

To be honest I was hoping for my first Wheatear at Cockersand on Monday - last year at Cockersand 1 April - and my first Little Ringed Plover on Conder Pool - two last year 26 March with the male displaying - but it was just wishful thinking in the end.

It wouldn't sound to make much sense if I was to call my last visit to the Lune Estuary and surroundings, a little dull and cold like the weather, then go on to record almost 4,000 birds seen, albeit with just 9 species....but there we have it!

Spotted Redshank Conder Creeks. Pete Woodruff. Clik The Pik

Numbers were falling on Conder Pool, today up to 600 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Shoveler, the summer plumage Little Grebe. In the creeks a Spotted Redshank, and 3 Buzzard were soaring together over woodland behind the Stork Hotel. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, I found 23 Avocet, no surprise that non on Conder Pool then. Also noted was a pair of Red-breasted Merganser. 

Wigeon. Martin Jump.

Otherwise the estuary was almost deserted by the winter birds, save the usual gathering of gulls and uncounted Wigeon still. Martin Jump sent me some images yesterday, by coincidence one was the portrait of a smart drake Wigeon with reflection. Thanks Martin....Clik The Pik for a quality result.

At Cockersand, I spent the best part of 3 hours walking, having legged it to Bank End for the Black Redstart, it was the road to nowhere, though AC reported a female along the coastal path at the farm at 11.58am....Mmmm! This was followed by my quest to find a Wheatear, but by the time I got to Plover Scar I'd dipped again 😡 

But a reward for my efforts was up to 2,000 Golden Plover in the field north side of Abbey Farm, some acquiring breeding plumage. Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the excellent header image. 

Unlike my usual experience of seeing them on the ground in tight flocks, the Golden Plover were very thinly spread out through the whole field. 

The Whooper Swan were in two fields today, c.250 north side of Bank End, and as I drove away from Cockersand along Moss Lane, another c.100 were at the east end at Thurnham, making a total of up to 350 Whooper  Swan.

Wood Warbler.

As I searched my records for first dates of past spring migrants, I came across some interesting data regarding the Wood Warbler, it contained the remarkable number of 38 records for the species over the 31 years 1992-2023.

Wood Warbler. Mike Watson.

My first Wood Warbler was found 13 May 1992. I was on a walk around Ingleton Falls in North Yorkshire, by which time I was able to separate a Raven from a Wren! 

The other 37 records followed....

1996

Littledale May/June 6 sightings  

Gibson Wood 8 June 2 birds

Gibson Wood 14/15 June feeding young at the nest

1997 

10 May Gibson Wood 

19/20 May Botton 

23 May Claife Heights Cumbria 

26/31 May Botton 

17 June Botton possible breeding

1998

3 May Gibson Wood 

12 May Botton 

13 May Gibson Wood 

15/23 May Botton 

23 May Barbondale 

1999 

16 May Gibson Wood 

12 June Rusland Cumbria 

18 June Barbondale

26 June Ellterwater Cumbria 2 birds

2000

21 May Gibson Wood

22 May Barbondale

27 May Botton

29 May Bolton Abbey 4 birds

7 June Barbondale

2003

19 May Dunsop Bridge

2006

13 June Barbondale

2007

22/31 May Tower Lodge

2008/09

30 May/11 May Barbondale

2023

3 May Gibson Wood

Worth noting, I found Wood Warbler in Gibson Wood for 5 years consecutive 1996-2000 including breeding. On a negative note, I've not seen a Wood Warbler anywhere since May 2023, and the truth is....not many other Lancashire birders have either. I found no more than 20 records in Lancashire over the 3 years.