tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30031925022895473362024-03-19T08:48:46.063+00:00Birds2blogPete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.comBlogger2477125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-70746344672882453252024-03-09T16:57:00.038+00:002024-03-10T12:47:02.377+00:00Quiet Around The Lune Estuary....Again!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The lull before <strike>the storm </strike>migration takes off. But for what it's worth, high spring tides this week, 10.64m where I'm planning on going Tuesday. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Conder Pool, by the time I had noted the number had declined considerably from 4,000 recently to 1,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span> today, a drake <span style="color: #ffa400;">Scaup</span> with 6 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Duck</span> had come into my view. This smart little drake was seen as another 'goodie' to add to the long list on Conder Pool, and was my first here since I found one 7 years ago in August 2017.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">eerily quiet </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lune Estuary at low tide, probably the same 9 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Avocet</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> as seen on 9 February/4 March, this time they were fragmented into 3 groups, 4 opposite Fishnet Point, 3 upstream opposite Waterloo Cottage, and 2 at the Conder mouth. The only other note was of 2 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Goldeneye </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">drake.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, the circuit was again quiet, but I had a brief view of a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> leaving its roost in a farm building, to perch on a post and return to roost </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 minutes later</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. A </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Sparrowhawk</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and later a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Buzzard </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">seen over fields, a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Raven</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> overhead on Slack Lane, from where c.35 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Linnet</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> poorly seen in the stubble field, and 4 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Snipe</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> exploded out of the ditch.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW1smqCS0OPSWKUlL5-8vTMT6qiO2_YkuaBRzNJtoJtYekyRDdKQ4ywFGa1WuHzwYFnUGlStWhygTaPGmO-gf7Ja8pvboLuuetFw1sM6eTus2dDf4ZMVZj4t8UiOS-cVwEeHBTMxM3ZNLWYO1yjptoF6pUhsMsXFd07b29qvtxoU1oc5ru1Fdn2cmCHA/s4495/DSC00916%20copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4495" data-original-width="2652" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW1smqCS0OPSWKUlL5-8vTMT6qiO2_YkuaBRzNJtoJtYekyRDdKQ4ywFGa1WuHzwYFnUGlStWhygTaPGmO-gf7Ja8pvboLuuetFw1sM6eTus2dDf4ZMVZj4t8UiOS-cVwEeHBTMxM3ZNLWYO1yjptoF6pUhsMsXFd07b29qvtxoU1oc5ru1Fdn2cmCHA/w236-h400/DSC00916%20copy.JPG" width="236" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Through the doorway to the shell of a barn, I heard alarm calling which initially fooled me, until 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Great Tit</span> erupted out of the thicket.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Park and Garden</b><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Yes, this is the pond in Williamson's Park, and yes, this is a drake <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pintail</span>. </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzKoMsfiMsLzPONqW0XA3lNcapfZGiR-jJmwZA2fbDaCzM8RLd_YJywMAB8J4V7D4z8W-rln2WaFSFXVi364w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think Amazon have had a hand in the delivery of this duck here...I've seen the invoice!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvg9afQtkziiR1pUdDEdQhzt3aBxzxxMWXJqBDAtCh07ELybn7zj-T8F63fDE1k67ULIPBK6JS9Q8CkZhZgjjzRMhC5CFGpUnAfmi39g8OgVCuNuDq_RImYnW0dw7KYIStISK-7IntHPTE-wlLlVHNM0dnvxnplUA2Px_avrNaKWZY-4tHCiKEH7Km2M/s2752/DSC00935.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1645" data-original-width="2752" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvg9afQtkziiR1pUdDEdQhzt3aBxzxxMWXJqBDAtCh07ELybn7zj-T8F63fDE1k67ULIPBK6JS9Q8CkZhZgjjzRMhC5CFGpUnAfmi39g8OgVCuNuDq_RImYnW0dw7KYIStISK-7IntHPTE-wlLlVHNM0dnvxnplUA2Px_avrNaKWZY-4tHCiKEH7Km2M/w400-h239/DSC00935.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And in the garden at </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">dawn </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">around at 6.15am, I watched a pair of </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Robin</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> exploring the possibilities of using this open nest box for breeding....Definitely a case of watch this space.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8LaTA2YLrV7gporYf5vrfv31vc3AY4mE-oibHFtFWKzobzpDaRE9sVTdy5Yfla_SQLtKOaNRrXyqGZAcYut_79nbNcTmKJS17uCgtQwwQAaRO23ummYWduVnuQa1ZNYxej0uG3DZkq9OwvnrMhc2v14u9MV_sv2HjQ5fYHzIqPeoyuS7ChxWj25ThA8/s601/Comma%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="601" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8LaTA2YLrV7gporYf5vrfv31vc3AY4mE-oibHFtFWKzobzpDaRE9sVTdy5Yfla_SQLtKOaNRrXyqGZAcYut_79nbNcTmKJS17uCgtQwwQAaRO23ummYWduVnuQa1ZNYxej0uG3DZkq9OwvnrMhc2v14u9MV_sv2HjQ5fYHzIqPeoyuS7ChxWj25ThA8/w400-h390/Comma%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On Wednesday, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Comma</span> in the garden was my first, and the first one this year to be reported on the Butterfly Conservation website.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to Paul Ellis for the header image of the Scaup on Conder Pool Tuesday 5 March.</div></span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-90221906399842993302024-03-06T09:53:00.001+00:002024-03-07T15:20:13.921+00:00A Little Subdued On The Estuary.<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To say the 4,000+</span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Black-tailed Godwit</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> were still on Conder Pool on Monday, is the obvious contradiction to the title of this post. But although on a nice sunny early March day albeit too windy for my liking, around the Lune Estuary was generally quiet on the sightings scene, with little possibility of finding any early migrants.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></b>Three Sand Martin reported yesterday Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve....<i>LDBWS</i> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyug4EVF_4xt8aFTry65Gl-80bvGF04_Fh2gfH3lYd45tDdrSJ3m9TmQM9NhlZfhqKRcQwEx3GmqA3dy0UAtw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">As I started to make a video, the godwits were spooked by something eyes right, necks stretched and flew off. </span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdbvywk77QoHBPk5sFco51HyI8Dt0iHG-TFbT8Yb_FjCqh-PmWk788Uuh4pv1jW4C-eO1KNCudO6AmpI2WtXH4bm4LySZJrRK22Tyc5U_fdlEcKIMcisA4xd4ZwlIvuJriQVZEfavTANOG1wzw65f2lGGNpovCxSfQ1VAX7lIhWOqkUuUsE_7P1HlIE0/s3840/C0001%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="3840" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdbvywk77QoHBPk5sFco51HyI8Dt0iHG-TFbT8Yb_FjCqh-PmWk788Uuh4pv1jW4C-eO1KNCudO6AmpI2WtXH4bm4LySZJrRK22Tyc5U_fdlEcKIMcisA4xd4ZwlIvuJriQVZEfavTANOG1wzw65f2lGGNpovCxSfQ1VAX7lIhWOqkUuUsE_7P1HlIE0/w640-h266/C0001%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The only other notable thing about the visit to Conder Pool, was a lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Bar-tailed</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Godwit</span> in the midst of the godwit mass. That said, 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Buzzard</span> were together over the woods to the NE of Conder Green, seen as a group probably from nearby territories, a common social pattern and behavior by the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Buzzard</span> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">soaring </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in spring. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Off Moss Lane, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle Egret </span>was with 75 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span>, and at Cockersand, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Merlin</span> took off </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the footbridge over a ditch on the north side of Bank House</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, and flew over the field behind the caravan park. I saw just the one female <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span>, a lingering wintering bird along the bulrush ditch off Slack Lane.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Garden Birds</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Excellent news for the Woodruff's when 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Robin</span> were seen in the garden, one </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">collecting moss </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">with thoughts of breeding, the other taking a bath. Also, a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Siskin </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">continues to make occasional visits to the feeders.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dywWDISJhAPbsVWVliA6Uh2wjxnpZHvgn4wvksSFm8sYkdBF8V5PLcsY4Hu-TH6TKf-KkA-WIPLBWYI95H_Dg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And our resident <span style="color: #ffa400;">Blackbird</span> was serenading in the moonlight at dusk yesterday, not quite in full voice, but pleasant all the same.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Stonechat Passage</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With some excellent Stonechat data, AC was in touch to report 20 Stonechat he has seen since mid-February, and points out the difference of 40 seen this time last year....Thanks Andrew, much appreciate your enthusiasm.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Header</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw2jwRBxymamZdIV-kAAoiW5ojYZ-OBqH9cGnWtkVEmTxXSF-eciCuiKJd0ZrtlexuB4GkJMNLBC7WY5zc-9g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Flying the kite on the beach at Sandylands on Sunday with his kids. A friendly man who agreed with me, Lancaster City Council has pulled the plug on this years Catch The Wind Festival. The festival is the highlight of the summer season in Morecambe attracting up to 20,000 visitors....Dumped by a bunch of muppets.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to the friendly man for his brilliant Owl Kite in my header image. </span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-48722633309086277112024-03-03T11:33:00.003+00:002024-03-03T11:53:26.808+00:00The Conder Godwits....Again!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The plan on Thursday, was to visit the Lune Estuary at Glasson to see if anything was going to be pushed close in by the incoming tide, then go to Conder Green to see if anything had been displaced by the tide and on to Conder Pool.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Lune Estuary</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Numbers on the estuary were comparatively disappointing, but I was eventually rewarded by mid-distance views of the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Spotted Redshank</span>, it was on the tideline with up to 250 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span> and 175 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span> downstream from the Conder mouth.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAWcHUibttSS-KV5u2L0ExVmvThVuJOgGoI2Avx9W6plSauzcjdZBanCCTlzK08P2R8PQ_BjZRMpTZ0DziIAmubWft27cRCy15MyJq-Q6vuM8EQ5vAqihAk5IN1DzlRvSz3ZMk-RO-IghBhTiWyk1C-mjebE94iryAH6N3TxEcrE4GwxDGoMwiixyFs4/s1656/Goldeneye%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1656" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAWcHUibttSS-KV5u2L0ExVmvThVuJOgGoI2Avx9W6plSauzcjdZBanCCTlzK08P2R8PQ_BjZRMpTZ0DziIAmubWft27cRCy15MyJq-Q6vuM8EQ5vAqihAk5IN1DzlRvSz3ZMk-RO-IghBhTiWyk1C-mjebE94iryAH6N3TxEcrE4GwxDGoMwiixyFs4/w640-h304/Goldeneye%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Drake Goldeneye. Pete Woodruff.</span> </div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also to note, 6 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goldeneye</span>, c.450 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span>, and a lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenfinch</span> singing atop of a tree by the bowling green.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Conder Pool Godwits</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There have been two recent </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">reports </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">involving all-time high counts of Black-tailed Godwits on the Lune Estuary, those of 4,500 and 4,600, both seen 18 February....</span><i style="font-family: verdana;">LDBWS</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was immediately apparent why the numbers of waders was low on the Lune Estuary today, and also apparent that the number of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Black-tailed Godwit </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">on Conder Pool today was higher than I have previously seen </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">which was 3,500</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> here on Monday 26 February.</span><i style="font-family: verdana;"> </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPAT0B9du1V_Hx7AIG1Mlcw9JDPA3zF85oEWbGT_UfUbEio1xEQDnQxDqL68wG1hFSnh8qYUM2Km14ex7ZuPp7p41ReIYw4iXdlp_0JOSDUDGF9YdqFJxWHn9l6zjD7v-XaBK2fhvzwDx72kUE4HzTj3QS2tGrlbBvpwLLD0-blXx7wb6DEQoPPyak3Y/s4896/BTG%20C%20Pool%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1749" data-original-width="4896" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPAT0B9du1V_Hx7AIG1Mlcw9JDPA3zF85oEWbGT_UfUbEio1xEQDnQxDqL68wG1hFSnh8qYUM2Km14ex7ZuPp7p41ReIYw4iXdlp_0JOSDUDGF9YdqFJxWHn9l6zjD7v-XaBK2fhvzwDx72kUE4HzTj3QS2tGrlbBvpwLLD0-blXx7wb6DEQoPPyak3Y/w640-h228/BTG%20C%20Pool%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Black-tailed Godwit Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My records for Thursday 29 February read, at least 4,000 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">on Conder Pool</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">....Definitely the most spectacular show ever witnessed on Conder Pool, and all for free!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Williamson's Park</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I decided to give the park and cemetery in Lancaster </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a couple of hours, primarily in the hope of Bullfinch, but that part of the plan failed, b</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ut it was good that I found a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Song Thrush</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> which was accompanied by 5 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Blackbird</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> close by....Note the Blackbird mugging the Song Thrush and stealing its lunch!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy6t3gW51yGS9bxnTCjdDCPlZ3RW4D-AtQdueAD8Uesh_CH-4zznNFQpwA95FSAQpL6hbspy3AY5pSBkYowtQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A male and female <span style="color: #ffa400;">Siskin </span>showed on the feeders at Fenham Carr, a<span style="color: #ffa400;"> Treecreeper</span> was in the cemetery, and up to 6 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Robin</span> and as many <span style="color: #ffa400;">Nuthatch</span> were heard in song.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgk8K68JtcH69jBPiHmxqmzIqm9MH4MpjcCQ8Ln6TzZhoSe2rVIJZEJy7MjvPWDQUkfPEbws78i4XZaB3vTIrg0VuB9zdIcFeFgeGgwjnpQNGVawN4p2Q0OTgZyiAz-mO8n9EDzItofQuJTLuldXB7nxui9bgtXx0En2Ukmc1x0WkNFSZs4k25aVrttA/s2354/Crocus%201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2354" data-original-width="2145" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgk8K68JtcH69jBPiHmxqmzIqm9MH4MpjcCQ8Ln6TzZhoSe2rVIJZEJy7MjvPWDQUkfPEbws78i4XZaB3vTIrg0VuB9zdIcFeFgeGgwjnpQNGVawN4p2Q0OTgZyiAz-mO8n9EDzItofQuJTLuldXB7nxui9bgtXx0En2Ukmc1x0WkNFSZs4k25aVrttA/w584-h640/Crocus%201.JPG" width="584" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Crocus Lancaster Cemetery. Pete Woodruff.</span></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Stonechats</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have collected 26 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> records throughout February, but so far spring passage has been nothing like that of 2023, and only 12 Stonechat in these records can safely be regarded as passage birds.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>And Finally</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Off Knowleys Road a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">t Heysham </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">last Sunday, a count of 75 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wood Pigeon</span> in the field by the children's play area. And h</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ow about this one, a <b>Yellow</b> <b>Wagtail </b>seen at Grange in Cumbria Friday 29 February....A Cumbrian birder agrees with me, the first ever Yellow Wagtail in Britain in February, or more probably a Grey Wagtail!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Leucism</b>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Organising my images, I came across these two leucistic waders from the archives, the Knot and the Oystercatcher. Probably taken 30 years ago and buried beneath several hundred other images. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgQ1ealB7hmhwGllydNqDmp3-9c2wBl1tfI2UyfJhsFDaLKxlWwfajb_XyY9X3lQ7_NnjKkfb5qASwjJ40HLqDuDBYEdowuZTqiNEjEU8apWhCPdipg0vSn0DhIGsiibSd7_3NwD37iVU1nWdTKe1VLRe3X45io89vBmk6vQ9RRBnoT19JVvnxbDETG0/s763/Leucistic%20Knot.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="744" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgQ1ealB7hmhwGllydNqDmp3-9c2wBl1tfI2UyfJhsFDaLKxlWwfajb_XyY9X3lQ7_NnjKkfb5qASwjJ40HLqDuDBYEdowuZTqiNEjEU8apWhCPdipg0vSn0DhIGsiibSd7_3NwD37iVU1nWdTKe1VLRe3X45io89vBmk6vQ9RRBnoT19JVvnxbDETG0/w390-h400/Leucistic%20Knot.JPG" width="390" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIu4G6hYiQzLHvhuRMJjNgn2nfRs_oWVJR9dYy-Qic6_Lib6rlwOCirLWNnBvQV7xoV_anLxOP2b8quMVc1yU8aBB3VIml5gU7fcsIp_8-InohenZndZiwU9qE6QWNC4-WdXlcAnZ0lNZNqizS4giy0W7D-1GdIDkvtt-GXSogvsvEImrfm78JDP37yg/s320/Leucistic%20Oystercatcher.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="320" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIu4G6hYiQzLHvhuRMJjNgn2nfRs_oWVJR9dYy-Qic6_Lib6rlwOCirLWNnBvQV7xoV_anLxOP2b8quMVc1yU8aBB3VIml5gU7fcsIp_8-InohenZndZiwU9qE6QWNC4-WdXlcAnZ0lNZNqizS4giy0W7D-1GdIDkvtt-GXSogvsvEImrfm78JDP37yg/w400-h370/Leucistic%20Oystercatcher.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-24804488277859628182024-02-28T12:25:00.001+00:002024-02-28T12:29:56.225+00:00The Godwits And The Owl....Déjà vu.<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Conder Pool Godwits</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A few years back I had the amazing experience of seeing the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">huge number of 2,500 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">godwits on Conder Pool. I was not expecting to see a repeat again on Monday, but did have an even more amazing one, when I found a number there which equaled those I have been seeing lately, the last time being 9 February on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, when up to 3,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span> graced Conder Pool once again.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfIe5FyxKuPBfcLKgYj70Ke9PlOkAaDt96wHmrhPu93mcjwdbv7a6JcICRt0Fk4BmLfOAkCdEUm_84ZHSqVSgqI2MzDepsdPJ4w9ofd46tHNqCDK-Toq-oMJe-rhHFmnowzPTpQp5QtmdGnq9BxDEAOy9bGDeefO-f4Ma-EOcf45AOEseQnG8scDralg/s4666/BTG%20C%20Pool%205.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2647" data-original-width="4666" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfIe5FyxKuPBfcLKgYj70Ke9PlOkAaDt96wHmrhPu93mcjwdbv7a6JcICRt0Fk4BmLfOAkCdEUm_84ZHSqVSgqI2MzDepsdPJ4w9ofd46tHNqCDK-Toq-oMJe-rhHFmnowzPTpQp5QtmdGnq9BxDEAOy9bGDeefO-f4Ma-EOcf45AOEseQnG8scDralg/w640-h364/BTG%20C%20Pool%205.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Black-tailed Godwits Airborne Over Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.</div></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The godwits were accompanied by at least 50 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span> and a few <span style="color: #ffa400;">Knot</span>....</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another magical first for me,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> with</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> 10 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span> and 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe </span>to note.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwx7Nnk5h8ZP7vC58mAcQa_meS6UnQjjLbLRHWt4y0xMv9irO6vg9DEArsFlreyimaeTuUwqwE7fJscf29--g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;">On Jeremy and Moss Lane, a combined count of 475 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span>, also 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Egret </span>were in fields at Clarkson's Farm, which have now entered their 5 month stay in the Cockersand area. Five <span style="color: #ffa400;">Reed Bunting</span> and a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wren</span> were on the marsh, c.550 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover</span> were in the field by Abbey Farm, and a decent count of 25 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Grey Plover</span> were on Plover Scar as the tide ebbed. I found just one female <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> along the bulrush ditch off Slack Lane.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Cockersand Barn Owl</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzxYnp611jBHLM7buF1nEBNu00NcHTt-gdEhVbYJGgF1JYAFyCtDN3jyP80G_0XMJElrMx0_P757sLMxYa6Sg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I started the circuit, I came across the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> in the field by Bank House Cottage. By something of a coincidence, the owl took off and behaved pretty much the same as it had done on 7 February, it was in my sights for an hour and a half, crisscrossing the fields, hunting the hedgerows and ditches, before flying past me enroute back to Bank House Farm, having once again flown at least 3 miles in it's pursuit of prey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you have 3 minutes to spare this is an interesting and informative video ....</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxUkEJLHUeTWcWq-ZDz_repPwlYUsFyNqxPzOlc2wt88P_l_fBT6BTyPSLg3p0xvfoezEq_qqKr1fHE1nER_g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Bowerham Bullfinch</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz209-9tYIJA6kWUJwWU3eOJQWW4FsZJ4mP7feIMR8P-ADJZnYL70WwM4i31VoWeh8nhEqgQHFaF8o6IqRXsod-zQKlgXxSXkxWYK3AMdHukW5tKNGP5eA2ZmGJEcmIP5CWwM4h7DEWSNUvmScelBmtgZRS5wSSo0Lcm3z8dI0vs8s-5cYm80v3Zw1M8/s1920/Male%20Bullfinch%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="1920" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz209-9tYIJA6kWUJwWU3eOJQWW4FsZJ4mP7feIMR8P-ADJZnYL70WwM4i31VoWeh8nhEqgQHFaF8o6IqRXsod-zQKlgXxSXkxWYK3AMdHukW5tKNGP5eA2ZmGJEcmIP5CWwM4h7DEWSNUvmScelBmtgZRS5wSSo0Lcm3z8dI0vs8s-5cYm80v3Zw1M8/w640-h434/Male%20Bullfinch%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span><div style="font-size: small; text-align: center;">Bullfinch. Mike Atkinson.</div><div style="font-size: small; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am grateful to Mike Atkinson for sending me the image of the male Bullfinch in his garden recently, whilst telling him we wait in anticipation of the first visit to our own garden just around the corner from him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzgYJwil_FtZnDvXyVl-maIeIJt_COf0w0J-acc9YWtnC99M81ONXEJayHrB5mMSOCiW5u6bIHvmD6OVes0Vw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A female Siskin obliged the Woodruff's with a visit to the garden feeders this morning, but appeared alert and not feeding during the recording.</div></span></span>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-6581230766081608992024-02-21T12:46:00.005+00:002024-02-21T12:51:26.013+00:00New Arrivals....Long Stayers.<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Monday wasn't quite the day I was hoping for weather-wise, with grey skies and a </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">chilly wind, because of which I abandoned my planned traditional circuit of Cockersand, to backtrack to Glasson for my second look at the Lune E</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">stuary and Conder Pool.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, three sightings in particular grabbed my attention, 1) 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Avocet</span> were feeding in a tight group with bills sweeping side to side, before flying off upstream to disappear from view, 2) t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he huge number of up to 3,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span> seen on the Lune Estuary today, seems to continue increasing apace, with an all time record of 4,600 reported here on Sunday 18 February <i>LDBWS</i>, 3) a leucistic <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span> was seen briefly with a few other waders before soon flying off, unfortunately no camera at the ready to record the little beauty. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also to note, at least 350 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span> and 75 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover</span>. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With a hair cut and other management work since my last visit 7 days ago, o</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">n Conder Pool a good</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> record was of a pair of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Shoveler </span>at best irregular here, c.120 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-headed Gull</span> have certainly taking a liking to the new look landscape, no doubt in due course many of them will take over and dominate the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">islands to breed.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Also noted, 45 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Teal</span>, 36 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span>, 24 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snipe</span>, 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span>, 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span>, 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span>, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenshank</span> and <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Garden Birds</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yGmTGGpuAv8dxYVXlFE-RZl_-fA4QEzB6jBUjOfjPIDLGIjqk3YpWcgnXXIxypJvwMpETJ5fx-6qkpYWmy7TlIfnIW7edtmY0YyYsHLlYPw86C6pFpftsYOgmceBSA9XxWSAtib3E3OCXkoQBArDYxhHTuMYzbiZzzCBcnbC8myUjyl5pBga0VYLsUU/s2463/Robin%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2462" data-original-width="2463" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8yGmTGGpuAv8dxYVXlFE-RZl_-fA4QEzB6jBUjOfjPIDLGIjqk3YpWcgnXXIxypJvwMpETJ5fx-6qkpYWmy7TlIfnIW7edtmY0YyYsHLlYPw86C6pFpftsYOgmceBSA9XxWSAtib3E3OCXkoQBArDYxhHTuMYzbiZzzCBcnbC8myUjyl5pBga0VYLsUU/w400-h400/Robin%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Robin. Pete Woodruff.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Best news from the garden, we had 2 Robin yesterday 20 February, with much interaction between them, 2 male/2 female/a pair....who knows! A Siskin has made three appearances since the first female seen 9 February, and we also have 2 Dunnock and a Wren visiting regularly.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqMu91r26jXHsjLyA97WjZborTXKfgoXOga0SDd-velIEwiRTfnYwqh8hlpvcz2lHeMdsFa-5NF3jr95TQrkIKe50v1p55Beq1W7g12nPdxIf6y1MhtPPQw6RVzqlPb_IFgL9AaGjZl-Z4R6bd0usBpZJdzFh7TU6f4Wh6w4HRHPO4kCn4hNuFiuooYE/s2997/Juvenile%20Dunnock%2030%20May%202021.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2343" data-original-width="2997" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqMu91r26jXHsjLyA97WjZborTXKfgoXOga0SDd-velIEwiRTfnYwqh8hlpvcz2lHeMdsFa-5NF3jr95TQrkIKe50v1p55Beq1W7g12nPdxIf6y1MhtPPQw6RVzqlPb_IFgL9AaGjZl-Z4R6bd0usBpZJdzFh7TU6f4Wh6w4HRHPO4kCn4hNuFiuooYE/w400-h313/Juvenile%20Dunnock%2030%20May%202021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Young Garden Dunnock. Pete Woodruff.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hoping the Dunnock breeds again in the garden this year as they have in the past.</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Stonechat</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To add to the </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">6 Stonechat</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> seen at Fairhaven Dunes on 13 February <i>FBC</i>, i</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">t's beginning to look like the spring passage has taken off,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and I</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> agree that 4 seen at Fluke Hall by AC on Monday were definitely a start to the spring passage of the Stonechat.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Header</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The 4 Cattle Egret found in the field opposite Lighthouse Cottage on 25 October 2023, are still being seen in the area and are now 4 days short of their 4 month stay. Many Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the excellent header image of one of them.</span></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-15345086936000210522024-02-14T15:24:00.003+00:002024-02-14T17:12:13.434+00:00Conder Pool Shank Day!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">O</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ver the hour I spent at Conder Pool, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">up to <b>650</b> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span> assembled there to escape and seek refuge from the high tide surge. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was chuffed to have found another personal all time record on Monday, and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I became even more chuffed to find the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Spotted Redshank</span> and a<span style="color: #ffa400;"> Greenshank</span> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in the pack, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a lone </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Black-tailed Godwit</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> was also present. Also to note, 75 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Wigeon</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, 4 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Goosander</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, 5 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Little Grebe</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, 3 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Snipe</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, and 3 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Tufted Duck</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. An Oystercatcher appears to have taken a liking to the old square pontoon, early days but perhaps planning on breeding there as it has in the past.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I approached the junction of Jeremy Lane/Moss Lane, 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle Egret</span> and 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Egret </span>were in the field accompanied by several hundred gulls.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwDSLQk6TJ-PpblikvrCxINfDyDnuyiNBFiqQJrpee8WPwqjdpF32Y_SD9hkv5WY-0rj4ZwxhPse4-KZye3dQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, only a small patch of Plover Scar was visible above the high tide, and little joy on the circuit especially in a bit of a howler on the headland. I was surprised to find the fields deserted of waders at the height of a 10.30 metre tide, and I found not a single Stonechat, but it was good to find 8 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Rock Pipit</span> on the shingle as the tide dropped.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Sand Hopper</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpIK_M57dGI6h-a1pSYIMmfCIX1yWTd8Mia17BElQFGYw-LAi3FcSTCWt_jWK62m2PVzffzyMcqm8FNbg50V0u6kGzzztdf-Eu1QdkCDDlD3kNRPpFkBkSR1T5Nuk5ckup6wGPbzHhFxeE2oQiLmnK2zFntpRSCqBMtUPB719eEmhE-IeRdnzVgEXpoM/s523/DSC00874.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="523" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpIK_M57dGI6h-a1pSYIMmfCIX1yWTd8Mia17BElQFGYw-LAi3FcSTCWt_jWK62m2PVzffzyMcqm8FNbg50V0u6kGzzztdf-Eu1QdkCDDlD3kNRPpFkBkSR1T5Nuk5ckup6wGPbzHhFxeE2oQiLmnK2zFntpRSCqBMtUPB719eEmhE-IeRdnzVgEXpoM/w400-h279/DSC00874.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sand Hopper. Pete Woodruff.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Following on from finding Rock Pipits on the shingle </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">at Cockersand</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, I made an interesting discovery when I found an abundance of <i>Talitrus saltator </i>on and around the same area of shingle. W</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ith some afterthought I'm convinced the 8 Rock Pipits, which were in close proximity of each other, were feeding on them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Summer Visitors</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The first migrants have arrived on UK soil with a <b>Wheatear</b> seen 6 February in Shropshire, and a <b>Sand Martin</b> seen 10 February in Kent. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">And I have a suspicion that the Stonechat spring passage has taken off with <b>6 Stonechat</b> seen at Fairhaven Dunes on 13 February....</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to AC for passing </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">on to me </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">this excellent news.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>And Finally</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Didn't get any piks today, so struggling for a header I thought the ferry 15 minutes out of Heysham and into the Irish Sea, made a cool shot.</span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-63483271050112218912024-02-11T12:07:00.001+00:002024-02-11T21:45:54.848+00:00....And More Spectacular Numbers!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Following my disappointing last visit to Conder Green on</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> 30 January. Conder Pool </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">reclaimed its first place in the title race for best local birding site of its kind on Wednesday when I found the 1st winter <span style="color: #ffa400;">Russian White-fronted Goose</span> there with 82 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greylag</span>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx6ABsmuhb-zdQVgttEhm0QQFeIXbsUS_OmbNCUQm9iBvEAWUI6J0xG4Eqd6QE3sJp7gmZAqLj69M0UnrJMuQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Conder Pool grebes are dispersing, with just 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span> seen today. They usually start to move off the pool and into the creeks in January, then on to the River Lune before disappearing for the summer. Also to note, 17 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span>, and 12 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span>. As a note of interest, the hedge along the canal towpath between The Mill and Glasson, which in part runs along the back of Conder Pool, is being laid. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Notes from the Lune Estuary at Glasson, at least 3,250 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span>, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenshank</span>, a relatively low count of 120 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover</span>, 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goldeneye</span>, and a drake <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From a moving car along Moss Lane, c.25 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Fieldfare</span>. At Cockersand, everything I found today was seen at the caravan park end, and included just one female <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> seen on the marsh, but Ian Mitchell reported a pair by Lighthouse Cottage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Together with excellent views of a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span>, I had the pleasure of a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Merlin</span> rocketing over the marsh, and later a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Hen Harrier</span> ring-tail. A flighty flock of c.50 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Linnet</span>, 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Reed Bunting</span>, and a lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenfinch</span>. My best ever count of at least <b>700</b> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span> were seen, with 250 in the field behind Lower Bank House, and at least 450 on the mud south side of the Cocker Estuary. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have repeatedly said, this is by far the best area to find large numbers of Curlew, and doesn't reflect the Red Listed status of the species around the Cockersand/Cocker Estuary area. My other best ever count of the day, was of the <b>3,250</b> Black-tailed Godwit on the Lune Estuary....Seen as another magical moment for me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Garden Siskin</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchpxHzGiQRJsYH2ZCGX4qdO4wbX6zQ0TMheTTelVPFAM5es0d9lLAXMwLNz7LKkI5YZFrqBtbjuVlkkRicJAPfKjBp241GNWHFBoQGiTNwNq0JcwctKB40WGXB-ghbuzBLo674PLWQdQz1rCU_NiYRmio5VpGhBYXNKasa2_kPoGZUVM5UJAak6VeAp4/s1814/Siskin%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1814" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchpxHzGiQRJsYH2ZCGX4qdO4wbX6zQ0TMheTTelVPFAM5es0d9lLAXMwLNz7LKkI5YZFrqBtbjuVlkkRicJAPfKjBp241GNWHFBoQGiTNwNq0JcwctKB40WGXB-ghbuzBLo674PLWQdQz1rCU_NiYRmio5VpGhBYXNKasa2_kPoGZUVM5UJAak6VeAp4/w640-h508/Siskin%20Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Siskin. Mike Atkinson.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a pleasure for the Woodruff's to see a female Siskin on a feeder in the garden on Thursday. Only the fourth such sighting in 14 years living here....Yes it's a bit scarce in Lancaster!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for Mike Atkinson for the image, which added some interest and colour to B2B.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Disturbance</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A site of SSSI is a formal conservation designation. Usually it describes an area that is of particular interest to science due to the rare species of fauna and flora it contains.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEvdd2CR1rMIxJo2IVKfMqFSysF3H6X9U2gbClO0fRLeo1VZRC_yAVKuX3t7k9OUCa67vzhIXreCmBmJ3lSZPPh_-Ryh_G9jV69bc8PJ04LsHy7U_ZMvHczQApXVUFIdXrc2gGnKc1txDau8ohzB1EC58REzdTRDGVp5iSPnAvbBH78Mu7037PxoGxMo/s3561/DSC00802.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1819" data-original-width="3561" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEvdd2CR1rMIxJo2IVKfMqFSysF3H6X9U2gbClO0fRLeo1VZRC_yAVKuX3t7k9OUCa67vzhIXreCmBmJ3lSZPPh_-Ryh_G9jV69bc8PJ04LsHy7U_ZMvHczQApXVUFIdXrc2gGnKc1txDau8ohzB1EC58REzdTRDGVp5iSPnAvbBH78Mu7037PxoGxMo/w640-h326/DSC00802.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I initially decided not to publish this picture of a man out on Plover Scar, complete with camera and mutt. B<span style="text-align: justify;">ut following conversations I've had about </span>unnecessary<span> disturbance, including the Barn Owl/s at Cockersand which have attracted much attention from people who should know better. </span>I'm prompted to publish it now to give some publicity to bird disturbance. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This 'photographer' was joined on Wednesday by someone with two more mutts, all trampling across the recent Snow Bunting territory on Plover Scar, and much worse was followed by 'two people' with a 4 wheel drive and trailer with a Punt Gun almost at the foot of the lighthouse, a positively vile weapon capable of killing large numbers of wildfowl with a single shot....This area is in one such SSSI.</div></span><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-66525321057107808412024-02-08T17:03:00.003+00:002024-02-09T13:22:45.018+00:00Barn Owl In The Spotlight....Again.<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of view to the right in the video is Bank House, and what followed</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> was interesting, whilst also very worrying. </span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzBvpCaTRZy9ffQxxaZobftQ_J8RRFQzjMj5pX09CAMhm89GJem5iajCFeRePOCzVia8mKQtf9VIR3W6My_vA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: justify;">I made this short video footage at 1.12pm yesterday, t</span>he Barn Owl took off 30 seconds after I set the camera to record, at the same time I also took off on my circuit of Cockersand. The Barn Owl 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, and perched on fence posts about the same number of times.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are things to take into account here, a) the distance the bird flew over the hour must have been up to 3 miles, it had no success in taking prey during this time and distance, b) how long ago was it that the bird had last fed, c) the Barn Owl normally doesn't hunt in daylight or in rain, whilst these birds are seen daily, </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">in itself a concern, d) the recent weather conditions mean this/these birds are suffering, and as things stand with the weather wet, windy, and possibly snow, the Barn Owl looks set to continue to go hungry.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">At best, I felt uncomfortable about this sighting yesterday at Cockersand.</span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-61977730051572769232024-02-04T12:12:00.002+00:002024-02-07T09:14:23.232+00:00Better Late Than Never!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On a nice bright if cold </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">sunny </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">day</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, Conder Pool was as dull as it gets, with just 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span>, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>, and a few <span style="color: #ffa400;">Mallard</span> making the total of no more than 20 birds present. Conder Pool rules....but not this time.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, at least 2,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span>, a couple of hundred <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span> and <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span> were hanging on to the shoreline as the tide rushed in, with 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander </span>noted, and then the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Peregrine Falcon</span> flew onto the scene.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzpmtc7KCEdCPvOYC1c9pNjGFJFlYBEwzkxl64CzxX4J_BCHLJP4dxv7-CpNIAzPEkmXHTBj1U-sKF7qR1XGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Peregrine Falcon caused a mass dread for a few thousand waders, including the Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, and Dunlin, and created a spectacle that lasted several minutes.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> seen, a pair in the rough field behind Bank House, a pair at Lighthouse Cottage, and a female along Moss Lane. Seeing 32 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stock Dove </span>come down into a field was a first for me in our recording area, where birds seen in single figures is the norm </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in my experience. Whilst watching the doves, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Merlin</span> rocketed over towards the estuary, and in the area around Bank House, 45 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Linnet</span> was a decent count, with 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenfinch</span> and 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Reed Bunting</span> seen, 13 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Eider</span> were off Plover Scar.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Sandylands Geese</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyG5H7PuPkR9IXkKGMmFY0ZXWh8BIwazapqSajQvjgKgK2W0QUAGlvlkWB4P8qrBnh_d2DQkPLVUj3cASR78g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Sunday, I'm quietly confident the geese </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">flying </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">silent and in silhouette north>south towards the harbour, were 20 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Brent Geese</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. Earlier a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Peregrine Falcon</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> was seen unsuccessfully chasing a small wader, before doing a U turn to fly off inland.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Stonechat At Cockersand</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My header image is of one of the Lighthouse Cottage birds sent to me by Ian Mitchell....Thanks Ian, much appreciated.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_zt_4nttzSWEkVnO3S2BviUX8UgARQWR_F8yR1hxTj4BNoPNRDrFMoynmeGv1GXx62V_P9yqShJ5dDQ8WaUNf5ltp2E3mpdme5OhfjCeDqaxtyguvUParnQhLIXvEsR1Ivn-w_Tpp7952H6StZ-0qYYKeT9wt_GSx1qZNnGffFwVSMrAzA0z6pQT37s/s2620/Stonechat_Cockersands01_300124_Legs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1746" data-original-width="2620" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_zt_4nttzSWEkVnO3S2BviUX8UgARQWR_F8yR1hxTj4BNoPNRDrFMoynmeGv1GXx62V_P9yqShJ5dDQ8WaUNf5ltp2E3mpdme5OhfjCeDqaxtyguvUParnQhLIXvEsR1Ivn-w_Tpp7952H6StZ-0qYYKeT9wt_GSx1qZNnGffFwVSMrAzA0z6pQT37s/w640-h426/Stonechat_Cockersands01_300124_Legs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">This cropped image from Ian Mitchell, is of the same female Stonechat in the header, showing something b</span><span style="text-align: left;">est described as thin white plastic wire </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">wrapped around both left and right lower leg.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEi2rDE8XHg4FiuWBJ1WDaatgKkwQoj9_ILfJ1NIWRJrQEz_fjgmL9PZUPhzupiWCOaTeBzOhgvZggBZzzLXKfycLZfAe_gEKsguDkCoJmtIcmubJvAfn6o2onRWr5rWPK85he57JecOJ0EDM6Inh1gL7UDBstd4UPe-MLoiAQtd579Q4404F6aWOmO8/s799/Stonechat%20Crop%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="295" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEi2rDE8XHg4FiuWBJ1WDaatgKkwQoj9_ILfJ1NIWRJrQEz_fjgmL9PZUPhzupiWCOaTeBzOhgvZggBZzzLXKfycLZfAe_gEKsguDkCoJmtIcmubJvAfn6o2onRWr5rWPK85he57JecOJ0EDM6Inh1gL7UDBstd4UPe-MLoiAQtd579Q4404F6aWOmO8/w237-h640/Stonechat%20Crop%201.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was in touch with and forwarded this image to a front line ringer in</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"> Cumbria</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">, who notes they are both identical in dimension and position, otherwise is as baffled as me....Are we missing something here I ask myself!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><b>Barn Owl</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Ian Mitchell finds a fair share of interesting stuff....<b>Bilberry Bumblebee</b> at Birk Bank in June 2023, including an amazing video of it burrowing on Clougha. T</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">he </span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Merlin</b><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"> at Cockersand in October 2023</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"> with some excellent photo and video </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">footage of the bird taking a bath on a flooded stubble field. Two </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><b>Otter</b> in the Lune Valley in January, and the <b>Stonechats</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">at Cockersand </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">this week, one of which has what appears to be thin white plastic rings on both legs.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDtPEpFpY2mf6G9lPsUAkYqWENkNEFOtb7X-4q2TWs_VARoZeeNI0shD44PBY3ohqyzOubBknv4fZ6FuUEz98gkSDItP2Cpsv19YEZLWQ1OtjBk1a67ihfIQ2glUw96ifj68UZVl4GeellBj0mLPLWVxvM9lm4RUa1kKzaM66esDkY0siHIpBVoo7ZZs/s835/Barn%20Owl%20Crop.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="835" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDtPEpFpY2mf6G9lPsUAkYqWENkNEFOtb7X-4q2TWs_VARoZeeNI0shD44PBY3ohqyzOubBknv4fZ6FuUEz98gkSDItP2Cpsv19YEZLWQ1OtjBk1a67ihfIQ2glUw96ifj68UZVl4GeellBj0mLPLWVxvM9lm4RUa1kKzaM66esDkY0siHIpBVoo7ZZs/w640-h408/Barn%20Owl%20Crop.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> up to date, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">Barn Owl</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> at Cockersand </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">on Thursday 1 February </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">bearing a metal ring on its right leg....What next Ian!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Movements of Barn Owl</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The West Palearctic population is basically resident, though young birds are known to make occasional dispersals, with no clear overall directional trend within Europe.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a result of Ian Mitchell's discovery of the Cockersand Barn Owl bearing a metal ring. I made enquiries to another front line ringer, this one in Lancashire, about any known movements of Barn Owl, to be told they are usually only over fairly short distances. However, in the conversation I learn of one bird recovered in Lancashire having been marked in Nottingham.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>And Finally</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At this point I'm not sure of the significance of the record, but I'd suggest it is a first for Lancashire and beyond. What I do know, is that this bird should have been more likely to be seen in West Africa.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rPSYzdIR6utxIX8fHDFgIWsDGAbpQzZujOIx94LrbCoY-0IwrhUCnpWro0OpqisQ-DEwahpFOEmQf_YifKOv2FDNECMdeEaEV8FAClUurlkpxtN6YppnQaM7_Uirzr_NfcF_LMHMyVHsDeA4fMIjgvCUl_NVUyCx0zi5uCSw934CNgkQyYFPcKjd67s/s800/53506351890_ce8818ca32_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="798" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rPSYzdIR6utxIX8fHDFgIWsDGAbpQzZujOIx94LrbCoY-0IwrhUCnpWro0OpqisQ-DEwahpFOEmQf_YifKOv2FDNECMdeEaEV8FAClUurlkpxtN6YppnQaM7_Uirzr_NfcF_LMHMyVHsDeA4fMIjgvCUl_NVUyCx0zi5uCSw934CNgkQyYFPcKjd67s/w399-h400/53506351890_ce8818ca32_c.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Curlew Sandpiper Record Shots. Ian Walker.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An amazing record of a Curlew Sandpiper on Warton Marsh yesterday 3 February....Ian Walker FBC.</span></div></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-1686789022784402172024-01-28T11:56:00.001+00:002024-01-28T12:03:03.292+00:00Harrier Wins The Day.... <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">....and some other goodies!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Conder Pool, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenshank</span> was my first since I found four here on 19 October last. Also noted, 85 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span> and a similar number of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Teal</span>, 55 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Mallard</span>, 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span>, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">22 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span>, and 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>. When I looked towards the marsh I saw a male <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span>, probably one of the pools wintering birds.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pulling in at Saltcote Brow Pumping Station, there was a good number of geese in the field, I eventually counted up to 180 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greylag</span>, and saw they were </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">accompanied by the 1st winter<span style="color: #ffa400;"> Russian White-fronted Goose </span>and 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed Geese</span>.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I passed the field at Clarkson's Farm I could see 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle Egret</span>, which appear to have lost one of their number, first seen 25 October when four were opposite Lighthouse Cottage. At Cockersand, up to 30 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Twite</span> were flighting around Bank House, probably the same flock first seen on Plover Scar 19 October. The <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> seen briefly, initially it was grounded in the field. I saw just one male <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> by Lighthouse Cottage, but AC reported a pair on Moss Lane. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzWJGhvraYA_5PBuxfxjbgxOupYwpdBV4_67EllY4uop7N9BxmhEuCG9IrjwIxkGoTYDmF_GPkdx16VDXszGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">A lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Twite</span> was looking lost on the shore below the abbey. Difficult to stay firm in a mini howler and the camera set to zoomed in. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">I've silenced the wind in the short clip.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was three high number records on the day, at least 380 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span> were spread over four distant fields including a herd off Jeremy Lane. Up to 3,000 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Geese</span> were in the air, but the most impressive count was of up to 500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span> as an absolute minimum estimate, they were at rest on the mud south side of the Cocker Estuary. I've seen this kind of number here before, but as yet have failed to trace my record....I note the entire January WeBS count for the Lune Estuary in 2021 </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">was 307</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Curlew, which was </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">well down on the 5 year average, suggesting a continuing decline of the species...</span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The Birds of Lancaster and District 2021</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>And Finally</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I was leaving Cockersand</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, in fields opposite Abbey Farm on the east side of Moss Lane which is narrow with no passing places and ditches on both sides. A pale grey harrier with white underparts, and contrasting black primaries, it was a stunning male </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Hen Harrier</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, but by the time I found somewhere to pull up it was lost to view....N'er mind, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">m</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">y day was already made.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his header image of the male Hen Harrier.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Stonechats</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If last year is anything to go by, it gives me much pleasure to think in just four weeks time Stonechat passage will have taken off. By the end of February 2023, I had collated 53 records of 102 individual Stonechats on passage. These records were followed by even more unprecedented records of the Stonechat on spring passage in March. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">During the past four weeks of January, I have collected 37 records of 76 wintering Stonechats. Three of these were of lowland records in the LDBWS recording area not known to be breeding territories, and not known as wintering territories either.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stonechat spring passage is coming soon....Bring it on!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Redpoll In The Garden</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzPjKeAvMWlt4nUt4t61B638_R-xA-bQXN-MEF5CFh-nmFdO1pwmaN_rn8BmYqSRyLNOF7Wi_GtRBkZfmFxDuBXKNR5mqWzZrUzn4eoeTOooweRGFOUHx8YLr4Or-YTzkCb0sF-XtPc2y8ptnUl7webuRjMWR8hbZSG7V2tCcQFtS-gjbE3Gdjyk6Ds4/s1867/Male%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1867" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzPjKeAvMWlt4nUt4t61B638_R-xA-bQXN-MEF5CFh-nmFdO1pwmaN_rn8BmYqSRyLNOF7Wi_GtRBkZfmFxDuBXKNR5mqWzZrUzn4eoeTOooweRGFOUHx8YLr4Or-YTzkCb0sF-XtPc2y8ptnUl7webuRjMWR8hbZSG7V2tCcQFtS-gjbE3Gdjyk6Ds4/w400-h309/Male%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Mike Atkinson has struck gold - well red actually - when he had Lesser Redpoll visit his garden feeders, including this brilliant full frame portrait of the male....</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Sm8w4IDxTQvYYcNRvFabfS5Eemwl3dLp7OQe5ScsYTccuqNaWi74b-z8bQxyiOE1hqIxkBS1H1nzZqxOaVCKUB2QmqG6fM9hyphenhyphenUs37cZ4kMy32gOwdHGbMDYJLMCb5b6QCekbbqI2dYXC9hLQvV3NwvFHVgt7vx9dbkWX4BCkL2DB1cgJUtTgUwm0GFk/s1863/Female%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1863" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Sm8w4IDxTQvYYcNRvFabfS5Eemwl3dLp7OQe5ScsYTccuqNaWi74b-z8bQxyiOE1hqIxkBS1H1nzZqxOaVCKUB2QmqG6fM9hyphenhyphenUs37cZ4kMy32gOwdHGbMDYJLMCb5b6QCekbbqI2dYXC9hLQvV3NwvFHVgt7vx9dbkWX4BCkL2DB1cgJUtTgUwm0GFk/w400-h309/Female%20Lesser%20Redpoll.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">....and the equally brilliant female.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for these Mike, much appreciated, and very envious. Lucky you!</div></div></span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-70894031530178812152024-01-21T13:33:00.002+00:002024-01-21T13:33:18.165+00:00Barn Owls In The Spotlight!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a bit cheesed off at getting it wrong again, but i</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">n my defence I never hide behind my errors. My claim </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">at Conder Pool on 12 January</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">....'</span><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">the vegetation has been cut down, so </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">no doubt</span></i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i> goodbye to the wintering Stonechats of several weeks here</i>'....proved to be a hasty and unjustified one. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had excellent views of the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pair </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">at the east end of Conder Pool. The result of the rest of the stock taking exercise was, 6 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Little Grebe</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, 10 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Canada</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Geese</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, 4 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Mute Swan</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, and a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Wren</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> in the hedgerow. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span> seen, and in fields off Jeremy Lane, up to 350 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed Geese</span>, 175 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greylag</span>, and 125 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover</span>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz_NXUGuyhqJEL3lkxCQKjTniMsJ7wOmwTPi8TQgzBUhWtvMwY_XFITCZp1C2OJhtoQHypjhzU-zRsr9und0w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Best surprise whilst watching the geese, was the appearance of a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> which spent a few minutes hunting along the hedgerow around Saltcote Brow pumping station....Perhaps this was the bird seen at Conder Pool 10 November.</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> flew over my car whilst I was watching the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> pair on the marsh where I saw 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Rock Pipit</span>, 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Meadow</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pipit</span>, and 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Reed Bunting</span>. Up to 380 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span> were seen a distant north from behind the Caravan Park.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7aWEaLyunRVTHk515FBwdi8fyvYsExYZxEoHjPuYlTdS1tKY4w5xw-7fppPTVX1xUMh1ovYxeltu2gLrBttz_uyUw3B3o9PuqB9luusXsChnIAXOuDteaeFYBdP4ut_vXjp6CffPqYbAYy11qrWn2oHmzOrnNgKk3virtWnt3YKVsGV64F91bCQUB6s/s2719/DSC00859.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="2719" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7aWEaLyunRVTHk515FBwdi8fyvYsExYZxEoHjPuYlTdS1tKY4w5xw-7fppPTVX1xUMh1ovYxeltu2gLrBttz_uyUw3B3o9PuqB9luusXsChnIAXOuDteaeFYBdP4ut_vXjp6CffPqYbAYy11qrWn2oHmzOrnNgKk3virtWnt3YKVsGV64F91bCQUB6s/w640-h250/DSC00859.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Sunderland Point from Cockersand with snow on the Lakeland Mountains. Pete Woodruff. </div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The circuit was a pleasant walk and resulted in a lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> just short of the Moss and Slack Lane junction, from where I saw 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Bewick's Swan</span>, seen as two adult and a juvenile. Also a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snipe</span> came up and out of a ditch, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Song Thrush</span> and 420 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span> were in two fields with 6 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed Geese</span>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyY-WHwp7AEkiS64B8fb17RksKNYDeUus74WPwUxVAt_aLzCXF_M20UK6x_dbkw2V2Ibcbg53H2vlYZl6xlTQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A pity the footage of 21 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Eider </span>off Plover Scar, was taken against the light, but it was a great opportunity to see them on a calm sea. The sighting proved to be quite interesting as I was able to observe some unexpected behaviour with display not normally associated with mid-January. In my experience, the Eider is very vocal during courtship, usually silent at other times, and doesn't start to think about breeding until April....Pump up the volume to hear the Eider 'cooing/crooning'. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Kingfisher at Cockersand</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was a remarkable report of 2 Kingfisher flying north past Plover Scar on Wednesday 17 January. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Kingfisher isn't known to take to open water like an estuary, more likely to avoid it, and I'm intrigued to hear from anyone able to explain what they thought two Kingfisher were doing flying over the sea and past the lighthouse on a estuary in mid-winter? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Barn Owl at Cockersand</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In my last post, I made the suggestion that I suspected there might be 2 Barn Owls at Cockersand. Today it seems to be common knowledge that there are indeed 2 Barn Owls here. I met five people on Wednesday who all told me of the roost here. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I get great pleasure in sharing and reporting the Barn Owl anywhere, but don't agree with any kind of freely published information about </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">any species of Schedule 1 birds that gives even a hint of where they might be holding territory to start breeding by early April.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Picture Gallery</b>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iZB2fFXZQ9LHajqWazIYNvQcBNf9oBq7EKMiXReKtzu6eHAxGcRjKUZHWUEeII7seXP-AfLROzdum1o1KCCU8weX2tHPvi71XJEAl1ZEh58XULaUVc5DkNd3WGDAPY8jXLft8w3zzL63ZXHaGLOelOHQLABbZVXcD9A_FXr842eyj1NH479yizjQHTg/s1352/SB.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1352" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iZB2fFXZQ9LHajqWazIYNvQcBNf9oBq7EKMiXReKtzu6eHAxGcRjKUZHWUEeII7seXP-AfLROzdum1o1KCCU8weX2tHPvi71XJEAl1ZEh58XULaUVc5DkNd3WGDAPY8jXLft8w3zzL63ZXHaGLOelOHQLABbZVXcD9A_FXr842eyj1NH479yizjQHTg/w640-h426/SB.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Howard Stockdale sent me an image of the long staying Snow Bunting on Plover Scar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNBIbqsfXsHnmYVuKpZjHiPCwlpS15oGRJLXjjd3F7C0QDq0omt5LbiGxOVp1GgBncYuwLTJtgQxcAZz3x7qRUvvDNUsOCVDO3H6NLPq9khz4NnL0vYaE50GXsd5DhkU93apP6p9I3IcX9MOYLR3kK7t76RshMfUtLOBhT8gJWM1zasSIvjLUbJEVqtE/s1620/LTT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNBIbqsfXsHnmYVuKpZjHiPCwlpS15oGRJLXjjd3F7C0QDq0omt5LbiGxOVp1GgBncYuwLTJtgQxcAZz3x7qRUvvDNUsOCVDO3H6NLPq9khz4NnL0vYaE50GXsd5DhkU93apP6p9I3IcX9MOYLR3kK7t76RshMfUtLOBhT8gJWM1zasSIvjLUbJEVqtE/w640-h426/LTT.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ian Mitchell's </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">image of Long-tailed Tit on his garden feeders.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-nLthkfvemHVJmVjdC6ZO68hLrebc7wEe3bOKOw-BIPHByWgltVfz9Y8-AZZHmn_3P2ryJDUy2vezAWdmLAdE1ZAkTF_GxlJz6rYeOymJQ__QiRSC5KrW_AMjwLtWWncNsESQcl6vQbes9ZdcNn484gW_tM920zQ9NahwWq8jzqfiYc7rUjDMQR-tIk/s923/8V8A4080%20Copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="923" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-nLthkfvemHVJmVjdC6ZO68hLrebc7wEe3bOKOw-BIPHByWgltVfz9Y8-AZZHmn_3P2ryJDUy2vezAWdmLAdE1ZAkTF_GxlJz6rYeOymJQ__QiRSC5KrW_AMjwLtWWncNsESQcl6vQbes9ZdcNn484gW_tM920zQ9NahwWq8jzqfiYc7rUjDMQR-tIk/w640-h300/8V8A4080%20Copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Martin Jump observed some excellent aerobatics by no less than 7 Buzzard and 3 Raven over the ridge at Harrisend recently.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to Howard, Ian, and Martin for the excellent and m</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">uch appreciated </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">images which add some interest and colour to B2B. </span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-84339790418254625482024-01-14T12:01:00.002+00:002024-01-14T12:06:52.044+00:00Better Than....<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">....an average day at the office, and a bit of enjoyment with the camera for some piks!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nothing to excite at Conder Pool, and the vegetation has been cut down, so </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">no doubt</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> goodbye to the wintering Stonechats of several weeks here.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyhEA8-H_hfMj7t1t5X1uqxpNKTTFNzrpJaC-R44sKbYaQWA91G5JVM-_JFL-U34sddk0sBITHGbcz5L7Yc3A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a bit of a contradiction to my 'nothing to excite' comment, there was a first record on Conder Pool, with a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Buzzard </span>spending a considerable time in a tree by the canal. A quick stock take produced 15 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Mallard</span>, 12 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span>, 10 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span>, and 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span>. A <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wren</span> was in the hedge by the viewing platform, and a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Kestrel</span> mobbed the Buzzard when it took off, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the Kestrel was in turn mobbed by a Black-headed Gull.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxPzTUcqAXLqbr-vy-Lvg-eMlV9cpvLRc8GlleZZE-mn6ohwWhzBSH8EiOs7ItUT0c43t4Vh35YnXMHsYiCQA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, in fading light and at a distance, a conservative estimate was of 2,500 but probably more like 3,000 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span> upstream from the Conder Estuary, with up to 450 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span> and 300 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span>, also 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span> to note.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzYDGYpELvFOaSStbiMeowwfPAIjSI-dZMMuovRUeF3IZXAfKQNAtyijwgXpBB7AWDu54m_wo1NdifL6Oy9CQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the canal basin, 6<span style="color: #ffa400;"> Goldeneye</span> were all stunning </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">drakes....Follow me!</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Jeremy Lane, an even mix of c.150 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greylag</span> and <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed Geese</span>, with 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span>, c.40 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span> on the flood. On Moss Lane, in the field at Clarkson's Farm, 6 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Bewick's Swan</span> were with a total of 350 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span> in fields on the north and south side of Moss Lane. Also a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle Egret</span> appears to have been separated from the other three present in the area since 25 October.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, AC alerted me to the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> disappearing out of sight towards Bank End, it soon returned with a catch in its talon's to disappear behind Bank House. Four <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> were seen as a pair on the marsh, and another pair along Moss Lane heading to Slack Lane. On the circuit, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Song Thrush</span>, 220 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Plover</span>, and 72 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew </span>in fields.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Barn Owl at Cockersand</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Friday as I walked along Moss Lane, AC pulled up to tell me he had seen the Barn Owl again behind Bank House. Five minutes later and only a few metres walked, l watched a Barn Owl flying towards me from the direction of Abbey Farm. It flew along at the height of the hedgerow to within a few metres of me, before veering off and on towards Bank House. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I rang AC on Saturday to tell him about my encounter with the owl, and suggested there is now the distinct possibility of 2 Barn Owl at Cockersand. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">During our conversation, AC told me of 11 Bewick's Swan in fields at Jeremy and Moss Lane on Saturday, including three 1st winter birds.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Siskin</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WOIiI1wfO6tXhXgJ0ar8mhBGO3HJbNkvZ_7eUaXLAHXVNOBlVQGLQXVWGrwmLwDJ3SC-QpQQV8E4NRKZ_a_hDQv2dJ37joBUeOvVYYrnGdSJApjOqmLDbtYCAoRlX6_kvT70rmxddWYHMfSdj5y-oxrQCbhjHmTxcFTm2hI1mcFPRJlyRMkmVNzw4Js/s1788/Siskin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1788" height="517" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WOIiI1wfO6tXhXgJ0ar8mhBGO3HJbNkvZ_7eUaXLAHXVNOBlVQGLQXVWGrwmLwDJ3SC-QpQQV8E4NRKZ_a_hDQv2dJ37joBUeOvVYYrnGdSJApjOqmLDbtYCAoRlX6_kvT70rmxddWYHMfSdj5y-oxrQCbhjHmTxcFTm2hI1mcFPRJlyRMkmVNzw4Js/w640-h517/Siskin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Siskin. Mike Atkinson.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am grateful to Mike Atkinson for the image of a male Siskin from five in his garden on Friday. Mike's garden is just around the corner from ours. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwX8ioVyYETDWLIxedvJ354_Qs4vyalHQl0kjux-odKuTRJjIABDgNEbRUS5VdZjt77Vukw5dY8bfn7v-klxA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The last Siskins we had on the feeders were a pair on 30 April 2022. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not to be expected in urban gardens in Lancaster</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></div><p></p><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-56075299986761081132024-01-07T12:12:00.004+00:002024-01-07T12:25:17.489+00:00Seventeen Days Later!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I finally got out on Friday, it had been 17 days since my last wander around the ranch....That's depressing. What started as a snail trail, slowly built into a bit of a crescendo which culminated in another one of my successful return visits to a site covered earlier in the day.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If I was going to get the ball rolling five days late into the New Year, I had to note the routine stuff on Conder Pool to get something in the book. There was a up to 90 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Mallard</span>, 42 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Teal</span>, 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span>, 8 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span>, a lone drake <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span>, a<span style="color: #ffa400;"> Snipe </span>and a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Egret</span>....Stock taking complete.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was a day of large numbers of waders on the Lune Estuary, and in what was essentially a brief visit for me, I noted at least 1,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span>, up to 100 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span>, and 120 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover</span>. A male and female <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span> hauled out together were marked with a green ring right leg, and metal left. Frustratingly too distant to read, they were my first ever ringed Wigeon.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I drove past Clarkson's Farm fields to see 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle Egret</span>, almost certainly the same four I found along Slack Lane over two months ago on 25 October. As I set out on the circuit, a pair of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> were on the marsh opposite the Caravan Park, they were the only two I saw on the day. In the hedge at Bank House, 15 <span style="color: #ffa400;">House</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Sparrow</span>, to be honest I don't recall the last time I saw this number of House Sparrow at Cockersand. Noted along Moss Lane, 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Blackbird</span> were within 20 metres of each other, 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goldfinch</span>, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Reed Bunting</span> and a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Song Thrush</span>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzeYHiu8ki2WLsfA62ycCi6KUV3nvismVTwFtc3UhtTfB7LcSGISailNVaekWgEaYH733GAGU5mqPOKtw0_ow' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a field off Slack Lane, 138 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span>, were the only ones seen at or from Cockersand today.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwrvk2NpyFTBqM7CMQ0vE_PXsowFne7dcpu63HL6NznJszQfBSztMiP7Xx28N9q75XYfcRhWiGQAAXA7Kw40A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Plover Scar, I finally caught up with the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snow Bunting</span>, amazingly camouflaged on the tidewrack. Arriving back at the Caravan Park, I briefly saw the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> in fields behind Bank House.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I made what turned out to be a successful return to the Lune Estuary at Glasson, the tide was in flow and was pushing a good number of waders on to the shore. I eventually picked out a mid-distance bird with unmarked white underparts and clear cut white fore-supercilium. It was the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Spotted Redshank</span> e</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">nding my day nicely thank you very much!</span></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-35523805029619179702023-12-31T13:11:00.001+00:002023-12-31T13:13:30.888+00:00Highlights 2023.<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">These are some of my highlights for 2023, they are a mix of birds and during June/July/Aug/September dragonflies. Only 7 of these records are other peoples birds and marked</span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">January</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cockersand. Black Redstart<b><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></b> Hen Harrier</span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our Urban Garden. Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Blackcap.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>February</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lancaster Cemetery. Bullfinch pair.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cockersand. Merlin<b><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">March.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our Urban Garden. Reed Bunting was a first and unexpected record.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>April</b>. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Williamson's Park/Lancaster Cemetery, 8 Chiffchaff.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Birk Bank. Cuckoo.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Holme Wood. Redstart.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw91QWF37k7mJFgSMAMohjwt71haHrz3bTUGzkCpo-GS2gBeUlhp8tP16e8kr4io5gDtvL2q9c5ztmUOn4cjg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">Holme Wood. Redstart 29 April.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>May</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Gibson Wood. Wood Warbler<b>*</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Circuit Rigg Lane-Crag Wood-Birk Bank-Rigg Lane, 6 Garden Warbler.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hawthornthwaite Fell. Ring Ouzel.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Bull Beck. 4 Garden Warbler.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Birk Bank. Bilberry Bumblebee<span style="font-size: medium;">,</span> 10 Pearl-bordered Fritillary over the bog.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmtyl5N4sxmTTRlYQ-F2Wy7ZC5c36H8kWxsY9apttmqhZpU7Ob0rbeb9Ls9u4G1Ow_J9UjG7DK4hAge4xruvxeLYCDeF3jS5229cHyQw1Nds14LU-Uia9Tr-UsLXlukRnLT4bX6vO915-m0LZTNqIg36dviWKlLNJgJ7CsLrW5z2DRKpRq9Kiat9QqsE/s500/Bilberry%20Bumblebee.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="500" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmtyl5N4sxmTTRlYQ-F2Wy7ZC5c36H8kWxsY9apttmqhZpU7Ob0rbeb9Ls9u4G1Ow_J9UjG7DK4hAge4xruvxeLYCDeF3jS5229cHyQw1Nds14LU-Uia9Tr-UsLXlukRnLT4bX6vO915-m0LZTNqIg36dviWKlLNJgJ7CsLrW5z2DRKpRq9Kiat9QqsE/w400-h319/Bilberry%20Bumblebee.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bilberry Bumblebee 6 June. Pete Woodruff.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>June</b>.</div></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span>Glasson-Conder Green Canal. 5 Banded Demoiselle.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Grisedale Brook. 12 Golden-ringed Dragonfly.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Glasson Dock. White-letter Hairstreak.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAQ4vgq6yCQpHXIvOkGaJeJBEZv-xQ8Rfyh4BmrlRM38eU7WSMTnAtxRds3S23w5fuf_QmYiJfGHbSNn_adFTqXzcX8nmNyKvdgB5aXog1bmZrh8vPbcOJwI4D1N9N3B4PA_TbFJxYbyfdp7_V8ex_D7Kt1cjBv6ms1mMwbkVZkY33MxNu6QOXgBE80A/s719/White-letter%20Hairstreak.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="719" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAQ4vgq6yCQpHXIvOkGaJeJBEZv-xQ8Rfyh4BmrlRM38eU7WSMTnAtxRds3S23w5fuf_QmYiJfGHbSNn_adFTqXzcX8nmNyKvdgB5aXog1bmZrh8vPbcOJwI4D1N9N3B4PA_TbFJxYbyfdp7_V8ex_D7Kt1cjBv6ms1mMwbkVZkY33MxNu6QOXgBE80A/w400-h314/White-letter%20Hairstreak.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: x-small;">White-letter Hairstreak 29 June. Pete Woodruff.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">July</b><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Grisedale Brook. 11 Golden-ringed Dragonfly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Cam Brow. 4 Golden-ringed Dragonfly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Hawthornthwaite Fell. Golden-ringed Dragonfly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Catshaw Pond. Emperor Dragonfly.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Birk Bank. 3 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Purple Hairstreak. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZueAq903lg3j_ekuGWB-1Kkiwhxt6ysptbCPHTDrJsUAezHp7fQviRnFznuQelOLHQaLLfFhBjgzdt4-pT3kCssKu4II2syfcUMiiXyUK1Gspui7XMIjzlAFt5ZaIzHkAtUKIv8d9uZlmyeA9axxuJymgB87r2rk5usqzVqQreuJTyDJk9C7ni7CdLU/s1246/Golden-ringed%20Dragonfly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1246" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZueAq903lg3j_ekuGWB-1Kkiwhxt6ysptbCPHTDrJsUAezHp7fQviRnFznuQelOLHQaLLfFhBjgzdt4-pT3kCssKu4II2syfcUMiiXyUK1Gspui7XMIjzlAFt5ZaIzHkAtUKIv8d9uZlmyeA9axxuJymgB87r2rk5usqzVqQreuJTyDJk9C7ni7CdLU/w400-h260/Golden-ringed%20Dragonfly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">Golden-ringed Dragonfly 11 July. Pete Woodruff.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span><b>August</b>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span>Birk Bank Bog. 4 Keeled Skimmer, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, 6 Migrant Hawker.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Crag Wood/River Conder. Up to 20 Migrant Hawker overhead at one time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><span><span><span>Canal Towpath Aqueduct-Lancaster. Southern Hawker, 12 Brown Hawker.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Canal Towpath Glasson-Galgate. 30 Brown Hawker, 12 Migrant Hawker, Banded Demoiselle.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bank End. 3 Yellow Wagtail<b><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bodie Hill Glasson. American Golden Plover<b><span style="font-size: medium;">*</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Aqueduct Pool. Emerald Damselfly, 2 Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDtkqUkxFb-HAA1kdBlFeV1bkDfwtlpzXLw51GHz0yJUWN5wdmrtxcBANPhNC4mHrgwDA6MVHb_77_JdFfIw2WE5b58LtoDMhioxLqBqdZhKMzZn6wKfMnT1XDjK8PSmJXGO3aUIZJvlIEEagHZMpHqkyHmBCTxXW2RWl8R92NEh91saUSPQimg_q2Yw/s431/Emerald.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="431" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDtkqUkxFb-HAA1kdBlFeV1bkDfwtlpzXLw51GHz0yJUWN5wdmrtxcBANPhNC4mHrgwDA6MVHb_77_JdFfIw2WE5b58LtoDMhioxLqBqdZhKMzZn6wKfMnT1XDjK8PSmJXGO3aUIZJvlIEEagHZMpHqkyHmBCTxXW2RWl8R92NEh91saUSPQimg_q2Yw/w400-h283/Emerald.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Emerald Damselfly 20 August. Pete Woodruff.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>September</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Canal Towpath Garstang. 20 Migrant Hawker, 10 Brown Hawker.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cockersand. Curlew Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier, 1st winter Little Gull, 12 Wheatear.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lune Estuary Glasson. Curlew Sandpiper, 7 Migrant Hawker.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Canal Towpath Conder-Galgate. <b>112</b> Migrant Hawker, <b>44</b> Red Admiral.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj003ZApJhbd_hD_vDF1rgl1YONK7Q7pvzwqe6bZj_n3Z5vy4WkMDq8rGEQX6Vr7ZSq5xUu4XYV8FxBZ2OStpF6xVXaWbHg6ljDYntrQT68K-yrSUzYecHozWlsB4KufaLJP52NMkPSWCU5nt19S2xhFBMvQYKbOmxpXaBXXNJTGEirr5rMTpsb_AdxybQ/s1183/Migrant%20Hawker%20Male.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1183" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj003ZApJhbd_hD_vDF1rgl1YONK7Q7pvzwqe6bZj_n3Z5vy4WkMDq8rGEQX6Vr7ZSq5xUu4XYV8FxBZ2OStpF6xVXaWbHg6ljDYntrQT68K-yrSUzYecHozWlsB4KufaLJP52NMkPSWCU5nt19S2xhFBMvQYKbOmxpXaBXXNJTGEirr5rMTpsb_AdxybQ/w400-h321/Migrant%20Hawker%20Male.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Migrant Hawker September. Pete Woodruff.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><b>October</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cockersand. 1st winter Merlin, 30 Twite, 4 Cattle Egret.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">November</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Conder Pool. Barn Owl.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cockersand. Hen Harrier ringtail.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>December</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cockersand. 2,500 Pink-footed Geese, Snow Bunting.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jeremy Lane. 1st winter Russian White-fronted Goose<b>*</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">And The Winner Is</span></b>....</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The truly amazing record of <b>394 Stonechat </b>o</span>ver 54 days from 7 February - 2 April, which I </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">collected from two sightings pages, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in the main FBC and to a lesser degree LDBWS. </span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwn52gGFj5WK96rlOn2raUEYZ4VrRyZO-SWuxCtjGHRpPBObaWOLW-hLyeM-1EvS1mUH4A3DfkknSZlkdY0ow' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In 2nd Place</b>. S</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">een three times, a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">Bilberry Bumblebee</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">, including some remarkable footage of a specimen burrowing on Clougha 12 June. Thanks to Ian Mitchell. It was suggested by an expert in the field, it was burrowing to hibernate as opposed to </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">attempting to nest</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In 3rd Place</b>. Between 8 August and 21 September, I found and logged <b>206</b> <b>Migrant Hawker</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: red; font-family: "Dancing Script";">A Happy New Year To Everyone</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope you have some good birding for 2024. If it's half as good as 2023 was for me, then your in for an excellent year and something special.</span></p><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-10076088742215155562023-12-24T10:57:00.003+00:002023-12-24T11:46:47.180+00:00Greetings And Good News.<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Dancing Script; font-size: x-large;"><b>A Very Happy Christmas To Everyone</b> 🎅</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To the many followers of B2B - up to 100 every publication - can I offer a sincere thank you </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">for the support which generates the encouragement for me to 'keep up the good work' as I am often told to do.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, many thanks to the dedicated photographers - t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">heir work is always credited - </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">who take such an interest in the blog, that they regularly supply excellent images to brighten up the pages, always adding interest, colour, and often including some drama.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Excellent News From Cumbria</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I recently read a couple of articles that give hope for the future of our local wildlife, which we are often told is rapidly going down the pan worldwide. I don't think either of these articles could be regarded as spectacular, but they are both positive in nature....Excuse the pun!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiAfUmSj0xnUXVaYfC3yba7p215HJW89JjScRwrqXQ9tdXxHG5yrT_lrLvRiUtSvm24tP6QGf256u78HfWsPlpf3QlecjfGik-4L64FV_b4S42oU45SbkNxbJ2Vi0ULts7uwlWkl0MoeItV6O8tH36t8KsO7dRVOCOLDuIcebh7F9bR5IvnE0nE32SRA/s480/1-Pied%20Flycatcher.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="351" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsiAfUmSj0xnUXVaYfC3yba7p215HJW89JjScRwrqXQ9tdXxHG5yrT_lrLvRiUtSvm24tP6QGf256u78HfWsPlpf3QlecjfGik-4L64FV_b4S42oU45SbkNxbJ2Vi0ULts7uwlWkl0MoeItV6O8tH36t8KsO7dRVOCOLDuIcebh7F9bR5IvnE0nE32SRA/w468-h640/1-Pied%20Flycatcher.JPG" width="468" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Pied Flycatcher. Howard Stockdale.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There has been the best Pied Flycatcher breeding season in a decade in an area of the Lake District National Park, were in early summer a count of 29 singing males was recorded, this number brought about the suggestion that there was a population of up to 60 pairs.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Some habitat management work had been carried out at the Hawsewater </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">RSPB Reserve, involving the clearing of holly that blocks out the light, this also allowed plants, and insects as a food source, to flourish.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Given the Pied Flycatcher returns to breed here in the UK every summer from West Africa, this is a joyful tale of success about one of my personal favourites, along with it's cousin, the Spotted Flycatcher.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9_TIx1fqHWsMRAvb-AkzTbNs8cQ4kJ7rL8A0bMwAtZx5V8FJmN0Qw0TRypO7QyHyz77xr-61dXEvkfXviz-m_0_Xn1HAFaC1BL3O3ElPCQrq20xWSZsC960VgRwLqrkB0HtYWcuaGV94qJ_qbUhn2CVgAjIKhMefAiW6DlHWkxHrW9qSas8lttQ9bZQ/s976/Peat%20Bog.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9_TIx1fqHWsMRAvb-AkzTbNs8cQ4kJ7rL8A0bMwAtZx5V8FJmN0Qw0TRypO7QyHyz77xr-61dXEvkfXviz-m_0_Xn1HAFaC1BL3O3ElPCQrq20xWSZsC960VgRwLqrkB0HtYWcuaGV94qJ_qbUhn2CVgAjIKhMefAiW6DlHWkxHrW9qSas8lttQ9bZQ/w640-h360/Peat%20Bog.webp" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Peat Bog Hawsewater. Lee Scholfield.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The other piece of excellent news from Hawsewater, is that a peat bog is to be restored to help wildlife, when a team of thirty soldiers will lend engineering skills and collective strength to re-wet this not easy to access area.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to Brian Rafferty for the header with a seasonal feel and appropriately suited for a birding blog.</span></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-73835869044814254712023-12-20T16:19:00.002+00:002023-12-20T16:19:54.816+00:00The Russian Down The Lane!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The female <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pochard</span> remains faithful to Conder Pool, and thinks it is one of the 46 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span> I counted with which it mingled. Also noted were 22 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span> and 6 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span>, with single figure <span style="color: #ffa400;">Fieldfare</span>, <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redwing</span>, <span style="color: #ffa400;">Blackbird</span>, and 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Song Thrush</span> taking berries along the hedgerow, but the male <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> wasn't deposed from its top spot on Conder Pool....AC had seen the pair of Stonechat here earlier in the day.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibghKKFlQ9Dgm9VbGbo4F1rZLOI2ZH6ruuG-R9KBvnKRMHDFeePh0Gjw9jkkAFmSQUeRoWJ1AY2N4FFODlny5s22QHtwKyvBBMBFs79stwN0JWKltTyE6NoK5VKwV0-xiJUu8ig2E_T2G7WkoUhsbheXfeQ7N-H-WIdPog8uXKW3lZi7TTe-aDjq1ll0c/s699/wp4e560e54_05_06%20crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="699" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibghKKFlQ9Dgm9VbGbo4F1rZLOI2ZH6ruuG-R9KBvnKRMHDFeePh0Gjw9jkkAFmSQUeRoWJ1AY2N4FFODlny5s22QHtwKyvBBMBFs79stwN0JWKltTyE6NoK5VKwV0-xiJUu8ig2E_T2G7WkoUhsbheXfeQ7N-H-WIdPog8uXKW3lZi7TTe-aDjq1ll0c/w640-h562/wp4e560e54_05_06%20crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Hen Harrier. Simon Hawtin.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, my third recent sighting of the ringtail <span style="color: #ffa400;">Hen Harrier</span> in flight over the stubble field behind Lighthouse Cottage before lost to view over Crook Cottage, almost but not quite knocking 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat </span>seen off their throne....Well if I'm going to keep seeing this spectacular ringtail, I'm going to keep posting the spectacular images from Simon Hawtin. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The c.240 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span> seen had made return appearance, with 120 in the field at Clarkson's Farm where I only found one of the four <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle Egret</span> seen there earlier per AC, another similar number of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span> were distant around Thursland Hill.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The bunting currently reported around Plover Scar, gave me a bit of a run-around. I saw 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Twite</span> foraging the detritus on the scar, and gave up on the bunting, but as I went through the kissing gate, I saw a bird flying around, by the time I reached </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the abbey I saw it was a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snow Bunting</span> flying off </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">towards</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Plover Scar and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">calling, but I made a fruitless chase after the bird. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">My other Cockersand notes were of at least 200 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span> in the field north of Abbey Farm, 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenfinch</span>, and 92 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed Geese</span> over >south.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I headed to Cockersand earlier in the afternoon, the field off Jeremy Lane, which had held large numbers of geese for a fortnight, was deserted. But when I drove back down the lane </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">3 hours later </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">returning to Lancaster, there was up to 80 Greylag back in the field....is this my lucky day?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwAhBrsIfbtSaLL8AdDkQ70DWFtT7SfEA-WBYhOW2HJe02km_yQxvcUYnrwKyfkhUaAhuDIzeFrHnD9eKTAUg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The 1st winter <span style="color: #ffa400;">Russian White-fronted Goose</span> <i>Anser albifrons</i> with a white facial blaze and pink bill and breeds in western Russia, had recently latched on to the large gaggle of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greylag Geese </span>which - though noticeably smaller - it resembles. </div></span><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-18473512450890219102023-12-17T12:26:00.004+00:002023-12-17T21:44:14.886+00:00A Window Of Opportunity.<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some decent weather gave me a chance to get out on Wednesday, with another special day at Cockersand and around the Lune Estuary.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was good to find </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a female</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pochard</span> on Conder Pool, seen as a declining winter visitor, and very irregular anywhere in our recording area. Other notes of interest were, the wintering pair of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span>, 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Kingfisher</span> which paid a visit to the perching post a few minutes apart from opposite directions. I saw just 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span> and 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span>, and made some comfortably round figure estimates of 50 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Mallard</span> and 40 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span>. Also up to 150 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Teal</span> were seen between Conder Pool and the River Conder, and a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Sparrowhawk</span> flew into the hedgerow by the viewing platform, and few back out again 2 minutes later.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, there was just 85 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed Geese</span> left from the 2,500 on 5 December, there was a notable count of 250 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span> in a field off Slack Lane, 12 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goldfinch</span> and 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenfinch</span> were around Bank Houses.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErp0-m1dayjoIIyrgZY9YLyraxgTwF0SUDKizrYxJqbDbtYxr2GpT2Y8QGCWwKhi24CsCytQ1_WBEh6l8I0ncvCHZD71wO6ARrLt2HxPhAKK0StVPlGVWtTQiUmdq4JpMGkqK8YEfrIUV__-dYZAlt78jUH5gMGW5gP69byqq6O4f8ZepoJC0K0veK0I/s1000/wpc43d05db_05_06.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="1000" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErp0-m1dayjoIIyrgZY9YLyraxgTwF0SUDKizrYxJqbDbtYxr2GpT2Y8QGCWwKhi24CsCytQ1_WBEh6l8I0ncvCHZD71wO6ARrLt2HxPhAKK0StVPlGVWtTQiUmdq4JpMGkqK8YEfrIUV__-dYZAlt78jUH5gMGW5gP69byqq6O4f8ZepoJC0K0veK0I/w640-h462/wpc43d05db_05_06.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Hen Harrier. Simon Hawtin.</div></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I rounded the Lighthouse Cottage, a ringtail <span style="color: #ffa400;">Hen Harrier</span> appeared over the stubble field and eventually disappeared over Cockersand Abbey, almost certainly the same bird of 24 November over the marsh at the Caravan Park. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I left Cockersand, 2 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Cattle Egret</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> were off Moss Lane by Tomlinson's Farm.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Interesting and worrying, I saw not a single Whooper Swan today at Cockersand after recording up to 300 there 1 December.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyZvGqMyVUD1aVOkB8-yC6HBwoO14vltbS2CHANGqJprgFrKsrGMCP8Iw_qDmenVu9xs04DtLuBkaLimGKftw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fifteen Black-tailed Godwit segregated from 3,000 Lune Estuary 13 December. A pity the light was fading for the video.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most notable on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, the count of at least 3,000 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Black-tailed Godwit</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> in three groups, 2,000 being at the mouth of the River Conder and upstream, and others on the shore below Colloway Marsh. Also of note, c.500 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Dunlin</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and 80 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Golden Plover</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxgfRdxxtSJoc5tom9bYkUPhxYoLzA9QTYsieg2FhWfXKlKsm8I5R7vDnR4zHEnnmdc4YLDHJEIKKUv-D08Qw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I had the opportunity to call in at Teal Bay yesterday, where there was a nice variety of waders roosting on the groyne at high tide. Predominantly Oystercatcher with 9 Bar-tailed Godwit and Redshank. Also single figures of Turnstone, Knot and Dunlin, with Wigeon and 2 female Pintail. I had to mute the video to take out the annoying wind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Pintail</b>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The status of the Pintail in our recording area, is that of a common passage migrant and winter visitor. The Pintail I saw yesterday at Teal Bay, were the first I've seen in 4 years, when I noted them in 'large number' off Pilling Lane Ends on 15 October 2019....I have obviously not been to Cockersand on the right date. I was truly amazed when I found the record of 550 Pintail seen off Plover Scar 1 October 2023....<i>LDBWS </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is an interesting breeding record, that of a female Pintail with 7 ducklings at Alston Wetland on 27 May 2022, with still two young on 11 July, only the third breeding record for Lancashire since 49 years ago in 1973....<i>Lancashire Bird Report </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to Ian Mitchell for the excellent header image of a pair of Pintail at Morecambe....In my book one of the smartest of ducks. </div></span><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-27552085623089670602023-12-10T12:47:00.003+00:002023-12-12T15:52:13.006+00:00....And A Raptor To Boot!!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My visit started at Conder Pool....well where else.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There were 87 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span> present, with 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span>, and a lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snipe</span>. A <span style="color: #ffa400;">Roe Deer</span> in the long grasses at the east end of the pool represents a first record for me on Conder Pool. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The good number of 345 geese </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">on Conder Pool 1 December had relocated, in fact a record of precisely 499 were reported, being 409 Greylag and 90 Canada Geese </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">on Glasson Marsh </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">5 December. A</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ll was revealed about the absence of geese from Conder Pool, when I found a similarly large number of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greylag</span> and a lesser number of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Canada Geese</span> on Jeremy Lane.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMd1VOTqJuX7cuQiF96S75SQmQVi3kX73t5XOgTDh0Er5cNY64vG0zLB30EBKI76SWZHG4bnUWeDGbeH3WOXxBCBctQRwvEdDwXpj33AFz9Gy8sbkRqo6HDe1vXo6E1E4B1uMks3idbYJa8065Jz6pSOy4VUAiaDczcHDyh_P6zQ_Cv-R_bERVoyJczY/s1599/Moss%20Lane%20Ffare-%2005.12.23.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1599" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMd1VOTqJuX7cuQiF96S75SQmQVi3kX73t5XOgTDh0Er5cNY64vG0zLB30EBKI76SWZHG4bnUWeDGbeH3WOXxBCBctQRwvEdDwXpj33AFz9Gy8sbkRqo6HDe1vXo6E1E4B1uMks3idbYJa8065Jz6pSOy4VUAiaDczcHDyh_P6zQ_Cv-R_bERVoyJczY/w640-h360/Moss%20Lane%20Ffare-%2005.12.23.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fieldfare Moss Lane. Howard Stockdale.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Driving along Moss Lane, a flock of around 50 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Fieldfare</span> were the second flock I've seen from a moving vehicle in the past week. I have yet to have good views of any winter thrush this winter.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq-stcgqR2gWrPZZtBgEUvsOz6Y38ckQf1Zodt47F2L4EWhTWx-tYBZa6Lzw0lY5RJ3SNAmAG3R739Tjla3pwNTrJGha_iOGHJT5h6MjRfFLGmgYs5WgNQS62lSX3KEna9nwAxO7XuiXPhcttKEhCkU1uhiFwJvY0Kgz7h6J7DCT9edUAFYsrYNVS3tU/s1600/8V8A2338-Enhanced-NR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq-stcgqR2gWrPZZtBgEUvsOz6Y38ckQf1Zodt47F2L4EWhTWx-tYBZa6Lzw0lY5RJ3SNAmAG3R739Tjla3pwNTrJGha_iOGHJT5h6MjRfFLGmgYs5WgNQS62lSX3KEna9nwAxO7XuiXPhcttKEhCkU1uhiFwJvY0Kgz7h6J7DCT9edUAFYsrYNVS3tU/w640-h402/8V8A2338-Enhanced-NR.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Stonechat Cockersand. Martin Jump.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, a pair of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> were working their way along the marsh towards Crook Cottage. My best encounter by far this year was at least 2,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Pink-footed</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Geese</span> in fields between Lighthouse Cottage and Abbey Farm, but with binoculars only I found nothing 'odd' amongst them</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">. Also in the </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">field by Abbey Farm, up to 150 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span> seen, and on a wander around, 14 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snipe</span> took to flight out of ditches and damp areas.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I arrived back at the Caravan Park from the circuit, things progressively got better and more exciting. First</span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> was on the marsh edge, then a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl</span> flew through the gate by Lower Bank House and promptly flew back and out of sight. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">But best of the day - </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">after the Stonechat - </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">was yet to come.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQbp_x6NtLn_wiLLxiFv4fkGZpoF8HaNYLdXoJiEUE5itjU5-p-F_eTYnFoNwdb9IW1OuDZpB8OHff118lHKHZF-9hD_PXOExkXEgCjeqNBUlhPPqUtt-cnzQtXOT11iXHjijHfcPIqBwJIgCzEm3-TunTQ8SwsmzHRbq6PAObAuCXRnhCdA7nyev-Zc/s1600/8V8A1975%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQbp_x6NtLn_wiLLxiFv4fkGZpoF8HaNYLdXoJiEUE5itjU5-p-F_eTYnFoNwdb9IW1OuDZpB8OHff118lHKHZF-9hD_PXOExkXEgCjeqNBUlhPPqUtt-cnzQtXOT11iXHjijHfcPIqBwJIgCzEm3-TunTQ8SwsmzHRbq6PAObAuCXRnhCdA7nyev-Zc/w640-h360/8V8A1975%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Flight of Dunlin off Plover Scar. Martin Jump.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: left;">I spied a </span><span style="color: #ffa400; text-align: left;">Merlin</span><span style="text-align: left;"> perched distant on a post in the middle of the marsh, the raptor soon</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> took off to take out a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span> which it immediately dropped, at which point 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Carrion Crow</span> on the shore and having witnessed this, seized the opportunity to pounce and started to pluck </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">the unfortunate Dunlin.</span></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;">Thanks to Howard and Martin for their excellent images, they are much appreciated.</span></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-14073139389720659242023-12-03T12:01:00.004+00:002023-12-03T12:06:42.850+00:00Winners And Losers.<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After the first hand report about Snow Bunting and Little Owl at Cockersand on Tuesday, I ended the week having made two follow up visits there to draw a blank on the bunting and the owl. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">On all three visits the weather was excellent, but Tuesday was exceptional though cold, and with a flat calm sea I reckon it was the best day ever at Cockersand, to be there with the wind speed at nil verges on unique. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzXdFqDyVuAja8zeFWfk7ciR3ScNDJifeb5z40GjzCegxmENSPjINV7nNHr7Z1h_F70WacrSBTV_MWmOdX0ug' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Though I was hoping the fly-past of swans where going to have yellow bills, but the Mute Swans skimming inches over the flat calm sea was brilliant.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I only clocked 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> at Cockersand, being the busy pair foraging along the marsh edge. Also of note, 15 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Blackbird </span>seen on the circuit and 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Song</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Thrush</span>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Up to 100 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover </span>were scattered through four fields with 7 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span>, 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snipe</span> took flight out of a ditch along Moss Lane. Passerines seen, 11 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenfinch</span>, 7 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goldfinch</span>, 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Reed Bunting</span>, and 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wren</span>, 11 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Eider</span> were off Plover Scar. The count of swans at Cockersand in two fields now stands at in excess of 300 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Up to 345 geese dominated Conder Pool on Friday, with up to 235 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greylag</span> and 110 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Canada Geese</span>, also 85 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span> and 9 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span> seen. The <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> pair also put on a show for me. On the Lune Estuary following a tip off, I made haste there to count an impressive at least 2,000 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some you win, some you loose!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Stonechat</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Simon Hawtin sent me two excellent upland records of 10 Stonechat, seen as 7 on a circuit of Tarnbrook 28 November, and 3 below Ward Stone 2 December. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhudeefMs7tGtUwNAfjO6KXC0jMnshkpHD-n1X-Uove-InS0Z4YOG2BGd-yweiWEdtvtKu8ZxfuXiAFWMn_zBPcN2MSXrhjGRj9SBRikKHKxpn2M_zKtA4WCZ7xTLEsfEfx8eD6wQ0cfN4J1pK58iw74ijIkDguyDcw_UipMUwimvinf9REnxsw2o9Ns/s1829/IMG_0670.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="1276" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhudeefMs7tGtUwNAfjO6KXC0jMnshkpHD-n1X-Uove-InS0Z4YOG2BGd-yweiWEdtvtKu8ZxfuXiAFWMn_zBPcN2MSXrhjGRj9SBRikKHKxpn2M_zKtA4WCZ7xTLEsfEfx8eD6wQ0cfN4J1pK58iw74ijIkDguyDcw_UipMUwimvinf9REnxsw2o9Ns/w279-h400/IMG_0670.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stonechat 2 December. Simon Hawtin</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">Lowland Stonechat records to also qualify as excellent, are those of 9 Stonechat at four locations 30 November AC, and 10 Stonechat at two locations 1 December FB....<i>Fylde Bird Club</i> </div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOFEWvOOb9JiAH9-GgvCgmGUABh655T6zoPGyH_GgDbkyLrL5d8DFyS47GWPaRv4y2L2Rn7IjF37bjxOPNFue9MOPrX5KfpHfSBBzZ96LzjG-4K_grWlJsqZW8vno0SwbfIWnTb1D2wX5F-h2No6tZPg0-CyOgylgZ414K612hbOXXdTfveYX4e7ECsA/s3024/Stonechat%20SH.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2842" data-original-width="3024" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOFEWvOOb9JiAH9-GgvCgmGUABh655T6zoPGyH_GgDbkyLrL5d8DFyS47GWPaRv4y2L2Rn7IjF37bjxOPNFue9MOPrX5KfpHfSBBzZ96LzjG-4K_grWlJsqZW8vno0SwbfIWnTb1D2wX5F-h2No6tZPg0-CyOgylgZ414K612hbOXXdTfveYX4e7ECsA/w400-h376/Stonechat%20SH.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stonechat. Helen Hawtin.</span><br /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Simon Hawtin sent me an image of a male Stonechat at Grisedale Bridge earlier in the year, it was taken by his daughter with a phone camera. I particularly like the picture as it has the quality of a painting as opposed to a photograph.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to Ian Mitchell for the header image of the female Kestrel at Cockersand. Ian says....'<i>not a very good picture because looking into the sun</i>'....I don't readily agree with Ian's criticism.</div></span><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-52021953686591736232023-11-29T10:28:00.000+00:002023-11-29T10:28:18.763+00:00Cockersand News.<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBV77mnlq-wT-UVJmiIJbTSNGOyT7kBofaoPYcY0g4Rm3fquV2qpwyRAlmpYIBFvQywF5F0m-VEuoYcRM3y_gunmfEviXkbyRqiBIO88NmpyjfyANBnB6HMvei2X81Y64Z4xV5842t_VnKLHhI1vVpEVNz47240tEnELFusZJZOnunlX1HVu2LlJ8lYE/s561/1-Little%20Owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="561" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBV77mnlq-wT-UVJmiIJbTSNGOyT7kBofaoPYcY0g4Rm3fquV2qpwyRAlmpYIBFvQywF5F0m-VEuoYcRM3y_gunmfEviXkbyRqiBIO88NmpyjfyANBnB6HMvei2X81Y64Z4xV5842t_VnKLHhI1vVpEVNz47240tEnELFusZJZOnunlX1HVu2LlJ8lYE/w640-h222/1-Little%20Owl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Little Owl Abbey Farm </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">10 November 2014. Pete Woodruff.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand yesterday, the amazing record of a Little Owl. Amazing because this is the first record of Little Owl at Cockersand as far as I am aware since I last saw one 9 years ago.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ9jmHhjShqhb2iFJPoXQMrLZY7iG2Ax_TBDWQqf0xBhs6m8IdwXBy0WeYyzjplIshFzony6P86X3d50YHZUGqWAuR_bc3dTgbL4vNGKiAFGgA9FaxioT1XAC4RS2E4KoyiVGr25f-rH5st-wxPtD0KakAwbpUpSVZ5kcNEdAIzVvp5cOAaxlNJ-8ziI/s599/Snow%20Bunting%202b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ9jmHhjShqhb2iFJPoXQMrLZY7iG2Ax_TBDWQqf0xBhs6m8IdwXBy0WeYyzjplIshFzony6P86X3d50YHZUGqWAuR_bc3dTgbL4vNGKiAFGgA9FaxioT1XAC4RS2E4KoyiVGr25f-rH5st-wxPtD0KakAwbpUpSVZ5kcNEdAIzVvp5cOAaxlNJ-8ziI/w320-h400/Snow%20Bunting%202b.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Snow Bunting Cockersand 28 Nov. John Whittle.</div></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two Snow Bunting were seen off Lighthouse Cottage. Thanks to John for news and image.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUfJoGCkpYKvNclvseYggHS6kD9roM24HdHPUQCTqkdvEcC7GVLWdLbkYeSscCuoJP0PkB5SJZ39v0b_W36R4NTb5QMDfe0ryGeu0x1Wjt8iTcnc9pfo7ysX1PAx-hBnrAjChX2hp0LBOyGDofMwITlKbV3jKPlxa2NC06EkqdieizFutNgtr018Fr-Y/s1857/Merlin%20Cockersand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1857" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUfJoGCkpYKvNclvseYggHS6kD9roM24HdHPUQCTqkdvEcC7GVLWdLbkYeSscCuoJP0PkB5SJZ39v0b_W36R4NTb5QMDfe0ryGeu0x1Wjt8iTcnc9pfo7ysX1PAx-hBnrAjChX2hp0LBOyGDofMwITlKbV3jKPlxa2NC06EkqdieizFutNgtr018Fr-Y/w640-h278/Merlin%20Cockersand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">1st Winter Merlin Cockersand 12 October. Ian Mitchell.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Merlin seen yesterday also at Cockersand. A female, probably the same bird seen 12 October. Thanks to Maurice for the news.</span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-63780671494306305482023-11-26T11:24:00.001+00:002023-11-26T11:28:30.467+00:00Chats On The Starter Menu....<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">....and a raptor to finish with on the sweet menu!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What a lovely sunny if cold day on Friday to find 7 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span>, with two found on Conder Pool, two foraging along the marsh by Cockersand Caravan Park, one on roadside fence posts Moss Lane, and two along the bulrushes behind Lighthouse Cottage. AC found the mate of my loner on Moss Lane, so proof of four pairs wintering in the Lune Estuary area.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzEbZsoeKgKG_c9IRHQx9C0rgI7OqEIyqcpNaZo4ghM-eK4mg7YMkk1N3UBfDnfrevJ-sBDPVaJM7zLod-6ZA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Stonechat Moss Lane 24 November</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also noted on Conder Pool, 20 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span>, 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>, and </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">9 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Little Grebe</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh23hYilp8Zy4uhyphenhyphenjGn0lyBSZ1VO-ZXFfoX1Y8jDiPyJrvVu1Tzv4SyGX9rKPQ-4b8XmK7o70FSKXPNJv4TMUxtl0lRJdNk9bJcEw3OEMr77yoCV06-evHg3h3nyyo04Y2aKW54qwuKXW1nis11kT0v5H8-Liq8F8GVDUs5mnjjCxzwkliCmVgrDMPeo/s3240/4K_Little_Grebe_Conder_241123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh23hYilp8Zy4uhyphenhyphenjGn0lyBSZ1VO-ZXFfoX1Y8jDiPyJrvVu1Tzv4SyGX9rKPQ-4b8XmK7o70FSKXPNJv4TMUxtl0lRJdNk9bJcEw3OEMr77yoCV06-evHg3h3nyyo04Y2aKW54qwuKXW1nis11kT0v5H8-Liq8F8GVDUs5mnjjCxzwkliCmVgrDMPeo/w640-h426/4K_Little_Grebe_Conder_241123.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Little Grebe Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ian Mitchell caught on camera conclusive proof the Little Grebe catch Sticklebacks like there's no tomorrow, and play with them until they can swallow head first</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> so the spines don't snag on the throat.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the Lune at Glasson, up to 650 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover</span> and 620 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span> which was up to half the number seen on my last visit here last Tuesday. A <span style="color: #ffa400;">Raven</span> was overhead at close range.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I approached Cockersand along Moss Lane, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Buzzard</span> was close by in a tree, but took offence to me and flew off as I pulled up to grab a pik. My records read, the circuit was a huge success, if only because I found 5 Stonechat here. Otherwise, just 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wren</span>, 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Meadow Pipit</span>, and a lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Greenfinch</span> got into my little black book.</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But hey, the visit ended with a bang....A</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">s I watched a Stonechat pair foraging the marsh edge, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Hen Harrier</span> ringtail burst onto the scene, it quartered low over the marsh 50 metres out for several minutes before I eventually lost it to view heading to Cockerham Marsh....Heck!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his stunning Hen Harrier header image.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Anniversary</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVr28JmNcabe7xE0jdOk1b0g_jH4riDaDbuqkNAXhSsZa1VLexNDQowfAK21_LLHTlSDxV5QoxOLXBLiw2ZIvAeE5hyd-ZKJyLMpnKoFiHZByyytpsCQbVFF5YNV2_-RVfft_8fpkgvS_2R3G0SC6Y5atEdTlCSyRS-qrxdakCqCnA-n-Hkr7yhoE-NwQ/s2281/Wheatear%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1301" data-original-width="2281" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVr28JmNcabe7xE0jdOk1b0g_jH4riDaDbuqkNAXhSsZa1VLexNDQowfAK21_LLHTlSDxV5QoxOLXBLiw2ZIvAeE5hyd-ZKJyLMpnKoFiHZByyytpsCQbVFF5YNV2_-RVfft_8fpkgvS_2R3G0SC6Y5atEdTlCSyRS-qrxdakCqCnA-n-Hkr7yhoE-NwQ/w640-h366/Wheatear%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wheatear Cockersand 25 November 2022. Pete Woodruff.</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Twelve months yesterday since I found this little beauty on detritus at Cockersand. </span></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-87026707600377165642023-11-22T16:19:00.002+00:002023-11-25T15:19:46.144+00:00Eleven Days Later.<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I finally got out yesterday, it had been 11 days since I'd had a wander around the estuary, and in my book the day started well with the sight of a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> in the east corner of Conder Pool. This looks like a bird from a possible 4 pairs set to winter in the area around the Lune Estuary....time will tell. A lone <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tree Sparrow</span> was in the hedgerow by the viewing screen.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A stunning female <span style="color: #ffa400;">Kingfisher</span> soon followed the chat to oblige and pose for a picture. If the volume in the video is full on, the </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">winnowing call of one of 10 </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe </span>is heard</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"> towards the end prior to the Kingfisher leaving the scene.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxMsv9h-d-R2Ivs_00co-PDEF7F2JNdC3wXs1RTo2kIZT3ggKq7VTe3tGDO4mZilnOfjogVwKhH_3OzX39-xA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On arriving at the bowling green to view the estuary, to be honest I was overwhelmed by the sight of up to 5,000 waders in view. Making life even more difficult, there was also a raptor - probably an undetected Peregrine Falcon - in hunting mode. Up to 2,000 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Lapwing</span> and 1,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Black-tailed Godwit</span>, with good numbers of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Golden Plover</span>, <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span>, <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span>, and <span style="color: #ffa400;">Dunlin</span>. A drake <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goldeneye</span>, 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>, and a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Great-crested Grebe</span> were of note, also 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Shoveler</span> are at best irregular here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the canal basin, 24 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Tufted Duck</span> and a drake <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span> seen, with not a Goldeneye in sight, a favoured location for the winter visitor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Driving along Moss Lane with a vehicle behind, I noted c.40 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Fieldfare</span> in trees. At Cockersand, I struggled to find 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span>, two were working their way along the bulrushes in the ditch off Slack Lane, and after two visits to the rough field behind Lower Bank House, I eventually found another <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span>. I also saw a pair of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Chaffinch</span>....Can't remember when I last saw Chaffinch at Cockersand!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Along a length of c.1/4 mile, I estimated at least 2,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Wigeon</span> in rafts stretching from Plover Scar to the Cocker Estuary. In a field by Abbey Farm, 130 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span> seen. This winters peak count of 245 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span> was opposite Gardners Farm off Moss lane.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIs4LNKGUAW-IJp-WWTHRC2Cd8ZwF2cBw6XAJtq1X7obuWEdXmcS7TAcrxCvQ0oYoe3GKnEM0Co3wy_nPejveSzaD883uDw5xdZhQPqjVLIWoMsudArDqvI0_heW-b8tjOa_MLFoasawUuRxFQ5Ogk7bSsD9hhp3rRoUTOuWwc-yYNQaebiWLVuapOOc/s1200/Whooper%20Swan%20W43C.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIs4LNKGUAW-IJp-WWTHRC2Cd8ZwF2cBw6XAJtq1X7obuWEdXmcS7TAcrxCvQ0oYoe3GKnEM0Co3wy_nPejveSzaD883uDw5xdZhQPqjVLIWoMsudArDqvI0_heW-b8tjOa_MLFoasawUuRxFQ5Ogk7bSsD9hhp3rRoUTOuWwc-yYNQaebiWLVuapOOc/w400-h400/Whooper%20Swan%20W43C.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Whooper Swan Thurnham 19 Nov. Howard Stockdale.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Howard sent me the image of Whooper Swan W43C. Ringed a little over 3 months ago at Miklavatn, Skagafjorour, Iceland, 14 August 2023. Having flown 1,600km to be seen for the first time in Thurnham on 19 November....Thanks Howard, much appreciated. </div></span>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-15585814004785636042023-11-12T12:36:00.000+00:002023-11-12T12:36:29.803+00:00Conder & Cocker.<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A bit of action on Conder Pool Friday....As I stepped on to the viewing platform, a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Barn Owl </span>was disappearing below the far bank and hedgerow, to reappear and do the same again. I never saw the owl after that as I was distracted by the appearance of the <span style="color: #ffa400;">Kingfisher</span> which perched on the prop by the sluice. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The best of three counts on Conder Pool resulted in 14 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Grebe</span> seen, with 3 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>, 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snipe</span>, and my first<span style="color: #ffa400;"> Goldeneye </span>of the winter, later 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goldeneye </span>were on the Canal Basin at Glasson Dock.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNt4xXVSnycqyaunlPn8pC24FKr3nq0Gv5iz5mL1whWbwL83hdVgsMAoOLdr4DjK6cFwqReP3Nqf-kcApgdQ6YK5fyy3PUVFIzQj_IBF0Ne0tjK1wOeIlz-mtsujDUUVh75h56eMZVIxZ65QDcTaLHKm_7uTwoIheYJY4OE6DcahT2N9GY26F7QHEXATI/s1478/Moss%20Lane%20Chat.1%20-%2001.11.23%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1478" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNt4xXVSnycqyaunlPn8pC24FKr3nq0Gv5iz5mL1whWbwL83hdVgsMAoOLdr4DjK6cFwqReP3Nqf-kcApgdQ6YK5fyy3PUVFIzQj_IBF0Ne0tjK1wOeIlz-mtsujDUUVh75h56eMZVIxZ65QDcTaLHKm_7uTwoIheYJY4OE6DcahT2N9GY26F7QHEXATI/w640-h384/Moss%20Lane%20Chat.1%20-%2001.11.23%20(1).JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Stonechat Female Moss Lane. Howard Stockdale.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At Cockersand, I found 5 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat </span>on the visit, two were working their way along the ditch by the junction of Moss/Slack Lane, two more were also working along the ditch off Slack Lane behind Lighthouse Cottage, and the fifth was seen in the rough field behind Lower Bank House. With recent reports and a little inside info, I would suggest there could be up to 5 pairs/10 Stonechat currently looking to winter around the Lune Estuary. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whilst watching the Stonechat at Lower Bank House, I saw a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Red Admiral</span> fly across the field....A note in my records reads, 7 Red Admiral seen 19 November 2022, and I found a record of Red Admiral on 19 December in Rossendale on a search of the Butterfly Conservation website.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Up to 120 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Whooper Swan</span> were on inland fields again as seen 25 October. I would have had good views of these birds looking to the north off Hillam Lane. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I checked a flooded field at the east end of Moss Lane which held a few hundred gulls, to find a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Ruff</span>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Sanderling</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In recent years the Sanderling has been referred to as an uncommon passage migrant at both seasons and a rare winter visitor....</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The Birds of Lancaster & District 2021</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZnExznlhPCsp2I2FdFVPry6PFX8dwXkGNnzxHhqWfrsCATtYgohDpeobRqRUeErVV2jt0aPRy77VG1sLlW_E5oMUtn7SkNUDalhmb15wlwPHJp0KXYVbgswmb60brOnBoC3ph09PBNrCjjpbh-m2gyVnJvINpLPzRWLhndc6i0YQX7FOXZXnWIP6mBM/s1251/001u.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="1251" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZnExznlhPCsp2I2FdFVPry6PFX8dwXkGNnzxHhqWfrsCATtYgohDpeobRqRUeErVV2jt0aPRy77VG1sLlW_E5oMUtn7SkNUDalhmb15wlwPHJp0KXYVbgswmb60brOnBoC3ph09PBNrCjjpbh-m2gyVnJvINpLPzRWLhndc6i0YQX7FOXZXnWIP6mBM/w640-h324/001u.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sanderling. Martin Jump.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Tuesday 7 November, I received the report of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">15 Sanderling on the shore off Lighthouse Cottage, Cockersand. A</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">n excellent record of a wader nothing more than rare north of the Fylde Coast, and certainly rarely if ever recorded on the Lune Estuary in winter. I have never recorded the Sanderling </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from Cockersand </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">upstream</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> on the River Lune in any season other than during spring/autumn passage.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the Stonechat, and to Martin Jump for his monochrome header image of Plover Scar, and the Sanderling from his archives.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">...............................................................................</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">My Kind Of Birding.</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If I was asked to give an example of what I like about birding. I wouldn't hesitate to show this video of c.2,000 Knot which were seen coming in to land on the beach off Sandylands Promenade last week.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzBniZrEvH0V8lqZhRkSUUU9l7PjEcZ5raKCgBhtBpRnlmo-B0hS56y5c--Yx67ekqGkJoVhEiqOswZieRCcw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The footage was made in the fading light of Sunday, and the Knot gave an impressive show not least because of the tightly packed flock, with a view of the Stone Jetty </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">at Morecambe, and the Lakeland mountains as a backdrop.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGDMrFezdUW3YNf9JRoNWtqvFhXSTU6bfTVInQ4k8RNP17jfe7Fe9qLoi_1E_V76jvX0vT9HCNfLO7T8em6Nm1pMjidBujs-pTw6HwQslWvow5tXcFnMjctBkU3M3d_QbOJgBfIodVmBzAC4rGw2BgUX2L_jMc-5H0N_uci5AnFLcpt5tePmJAVuHhZ0/s4896/Heysham%20Beach.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1779" data-original-width="4896" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHGDMrFezdUW3YNf9JRoNWtqvFhXSTU6bfTVInQ4k8RNP17jfe7Fe9qLoi_1E_V76jvX0vT9HCNfLO7T8em6Nm1pMjidBujs-pTw6HwQslWvow5tXcFnMjctBkU3M3d_QbOJgBfIodVmBzAC4rGw2BgUX2L_jMc-5H0N_uci5AnFLcpt5tePmJAVuHhZ0/w640-h232/Heysham%20Beach.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other than never knowing what's next to be found on the bird front, a pleasant hour in pleasant conditions on the promenade, presented some nice photo opportunities. This image of a group on the shore at Heysham gave the feeling of a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> relaxing </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">walk on the beach in moonlight.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwweaWFTIkVunCkwmdJj1KnVgzShxzkYB9xVpjnykjHio2hRto9mR0mhaLFtmA0oU8fjvwZD-d0xbEu4Xj9wg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As the skies cleared behind the stormy clouds, a fraction of the numerous 'love'em or loath'em' wind turbines out in the Irish Sea, gave a slightly surreal feeling, some of which were dropping below the horizon....So the world is round after all!</span></div></div><p></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-3075451534889287002023-11-05T11:07:00.000+00:002023-11-05T11:07:19.359+00:00Botched!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well that was exciting....I made two attempts at birding during the week, both of which soon became what can only be referred to as scrappy botched affairs.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Conder Pool still resembles a lake, with the new platform partially sunk again adding to the whole vista currently looking not at all pretty. But a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Ruff </span>was with up to 90 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Redshank</span>, with a similar number of <span style="color: #ffa400;">Teal</span> noted, also two <span style="color: #ffa400;">Snipe</span> and 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the Lune at Glasson, early winter days, but at least 1,500 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Lapwing</span> is my best count to date, also 220 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Curlew</span> were below Colloway Marsh waiting to escape the high tide as it rushed in.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuJmFyU_WJ9PAU4ej5IsJE_hiMRUdEmDqlp40Gxj1VsaBqhGKUCfcdO9CbpWEZPi-sGtKbIDlaEtJ1GAB9ZSsO2ZrZapPTQt7gEU6a1DQPvcYHRJ6nkStgChFTmHcEYpObHynP2hXIzOQutI2nWnLc0dwE21cmphBjYqD25EijG7dssvRsXw8MfYybe8/s1600/Cattle%20Egret%20HS.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuJmFyU_WJ9PAU4ej5IsJE_hiMRUdEmDqlp40Gxj1VsaBqhGKUCfcdO9CbpWEZPi-sGtKbIDlaEtJ1GAB9ZSsO2ZrZapPTQt7gEU6a1DQPvcYHRJ6nkStgChFTmHcEYpObHynP2hXIzOQutI2nWnLc0dwE21cmphBjYqD25EijG7dssvRsXw8MfYybe8/w640-h360/Cattle%20Egret%20HS.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Cattle Egret Moss Lane 1 November. Howard Stockdale. </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I drove along Moss Lane to avoid </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wednesdays downpour,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle Egret</span> - presumably my 25 October birds - were in fields west of Gardners Farm, and brought to end my double botched birding attempts for the week.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_0MBLhGnrf-h8C8_4FBQTvWKM3Uevwgsz0j_BoS1s0yVTBxWORTfydfAmKEpqjshaQjTQc6KK7CwgGFglMw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Turnstone Cockersand. Pete Woodruff.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think the Turnstone is one of the most obliging waders to have a close encounter with. These had no care that I was within a few metres of them.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thanks to Howard for the Cattle Egret, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and to Martin for the header reminder of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pleasant</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> summer odonata days....T</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he images are much appreciated.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ian Mitchell sent me a short video of the beautiful Whooper Swans having returned to winter at Cockersand....Thank You Ian.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz2mWNe47HiJtIZJbQg0vUeR22Dslq-3P2zgTvjtr0gfhUBFTV-wLyAEQ6rpRhyk2c0kKluCftd3bmOkv9udQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>...................................................................................</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Triple-brooded Stonechats</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In years with a 'forward' warm spring, some Stonechats may have three nesting attempts. A notable example was at Sale Fell, Wythop in 1999, when 19 chicks from broods of 6/7/6 were fledged. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In early April this year, John Callion discovered a territorial pair of Stonechat south of Silloth Dock. Ten further visits to the territory during the summer, had John witnessing seamless timing between clutches which didn't allow for any pair-bond breakdown and replacement of an adult, a behaviour consistent with loyal pairs of breeding Stonechats.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nest 1. On 17 April, a nest contained 5 eggs which hatched 12 days later on 29 April. The nestlings were colour-ringed on 9 May and fledged 10 days later on 19 May.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nest 2. On 7 June, John discovered a second nest about 30 metres from the first. This nest contained 6 eggs, of which 5 had hatched 12 days later on 19 June and were duly colour-ringed. These had fledged and were close to the parent birds and nest 10 days later on 29 June.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nest 3. This third nest was discovered between the two previous nests, and only 15 metres from the first. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">On 10 July it had 5 eggs, of which 4 hatched and were subsequently colour-ringed 20 days later on 30 July, and had fledged by 6 August.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Summary</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This extract from John Callion's summary....</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Excluding pairing and nest-building, the pair </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">studied had either eggs or young between 11 April and 20 August, by which date the final brood became independent. They were therefore in the breeding </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">process for a total of 132 days. If the time to pair-bond and nest-build is added, it seems likely that these and other S</span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">tonechats can </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">potentially be in breeding condition for more than 5 months....</span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Ref: John Callion in Lakeland Naturalist</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This article was an education for me, and the summary that the Stonechat can potentially be in breeding condition for in excess of 5 months is </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a revelation. I am grateful to John Callion for allowing me to publish extracts from his article in Lakeland Naturalist.</span></p>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3003192502289547336.post-46116040722802801892023-10-29T10:19:00.021+00:002023-10-29T10:37:55.639+00:00Short But Sweet!<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The highlights of another spell of pleasant birding around the Lune Estuary, which s</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">tarted well when I found 2 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Stonechat</span> in the tall rough at the east end of Conder Pool, they were very busy, and I had feelings of three birds, but it didn't develop any further than that. Five <span style="color: #ffa400;">Goosander</span> were the only other birds to highlight here, but I did see a dragonfly too distant to ID, but a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Migrant Hawker </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to record</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> towards the end of October </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">would be my bet against that of a Southern Hawker</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwygSSfBld_gAAMPnQC9HUVSambTzSiXEx5pJLF-zOGYsYbjcpZ9RAAz5V93boyBYX-RBSA5oCWs5kv9PdY4g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I turned into Slack Lane at Cockersand, five white objects seen in the top </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">corner of the field opposite Lighthouse Cottage, turned out to be 4 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Cattle</span> <span style="color: #ffa400;">Egret</span> in company with a <span style="color: #ffa400;">Little Egret</span>....Nice!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A walk along the headland produced a nice late October</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Wheatear</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, and looking inland from here, I found that at least 120</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Whooper Swan</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">had arrived back on their wintering grounds distant in the Thursland Hill area. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I reached the caravan park, I found </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the first of 2 </span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">Stonechat</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, one in the rough field by Lower Bank House</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, then the second one seen from the path to Bank End.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxZVwRvB2rdeD6FvJb7sMYnWQ5SROWn26oSG1htaMYmjzCWDqSBIq-IXV0T0m56adddOBgSlrdjz5OWKCD6lA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was the Stonechat that can be seen and heard calling </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">in the video which I found interesting. The alarm call is probably related to my presence, though in my experience the Stonechat never give the impression that they are agitated or alarmed by humans outside the breeding season, and certainly not during the winter period. The only other explanation would be of a ground predator around, or maybe just territorial. Incidentally, with regard to the Stonechat singing, only the male sings, and both male and female are virtually silent during the winter.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">October Chats</b><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's good to see the upland Stonechat back at lowland sites, where my interest is with those around the Lune Estuary. Andrew Cornall and myself have found a total of 11 Stonechat at Conder Green/Jeremy Lane and Cockersand, I've also collected records of 85 Stonechat from 35 locations during October, predominantly from the Fylde Bird Club sightings page, where the most interesting one was of 9 Stonechat at Fairhaven Dunes 23 October.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Footnote</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was pleased to hear, John Callion and his dedicated team in Cumbria, have ringed 160 Stonechat nestlings this year....Many Thanks for passing on to me news of this excellent achievement John & Co. </span></div></span></div>Pete Woodruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16039548314043002357noreply@blogger.com5