Brilliant Birds Staggering Numbers.

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

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

Cockersand Goose Fest.

Tundra Bean Goose. Tom Parkinson.

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

Cockersand Monday 9 February.

White-fronted Geese/Pink-footed Geese

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

Barnacle Geese/Pink-footed Geese

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

Stonechat/Pink-footed Geese. Pete Woodruff.

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

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

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

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

Lune Estuary.

Wigeon/Black-tailed Godwit

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

Bewick's Swans.

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

9 Feb. Slack Lane Cockersand 2 Bewick's Swan

10 Feb. Braides Cockerham 4 Bewick's Swan

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

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

Reviewing 2025.

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

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

January

15  Bullfinch pair Lanc's Cemetery *

17  Common Scoter Stone Jetty M'cbe

17  Scaup Broadway M'cbe

25  Blackcap male home garden *

February

13  Hen Harrier male C'sand

18/ 27 Marsh Harrier female C'sand

March

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

12  Barnacle Goose Conder Pool *

12  March Harrier C'sand

12  Whooper Swan c.500 C'sand *

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

20  Bullfinch 2xmale/female Lanc's cemetery *

24  Mediterranean Gull adult/Little Ringed Plover Conder Pool

26  Spotted Redshank Conder Pool

April

9  Garden Warbler Crag Wood early record *

11  Ring Ouzel female Hawthornthwaite *

29  Willow Warbler at least 50 Birk Bank circuit

29  Bullfinch 2/Cuckoo 2 Birk Bank *

May

7  Crossbill 15 Tower Lodge Bowland *

18 Cetti's Warbler Glasson

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

June

25 June 7 of 17 Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool *

July

9 Swift at least 20 Fairfield Lanc's

August

6 Green Woodpecker Birk Bank *

20 Yellow Wagtail 2 Conder Pool * 

22 Ruff 20/Wood Sandpiper Heversham Moss

28 Ruff 19/Green Sandpiper Conder Pool *

September

5 Greenshank 32 Conder Pool *

9 Curlew Sandpiper Lune Estuary

25 Crossbill pair Ottergear Bridge *

October

8 Oct 9 of 18  Whooper Swan Conder Pool *

30 Merlin male C'sand

November

12 Snow Bunting 2 C'sand

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

24 Pintail drake Conder Pool

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

25 November Barnacle Goose Lune Estuary *

December

23 Brent Geese 52 Heysham

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

Hoping you have good birding in 2026....

A Very Happy New Year 

Geese At Last!

It's been the poorest winter I can recall for Pink-footed Geese in our recording area, of no more than 3 sightings, it took me until 18 February to see 1,250 Pink-footed Geese in the air over Hillam Lane.

On Thursday up to 5,000 Pink-footed Geese where in a field at Cockersand with a Tundra Bean Goose. Also up to 1,800 Golden Plover in two fields south and north side of Abbey Farm, with 8 Meadow Pipit and 4 Skylark noted. Six Eider were off Crook Farm, with Sparrowhawk and Kestrel seen.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson low tide, 22 Avocet were feeding at the mouth of Conder Estuary, 320 Golden Plover, 124 Black-tailed Godwit, and 425 Wigeon which were mostly hauled out on the mud.

Viewing Conder Pool was hopeless in the afternoon sun, but I managed to find a Greenshank which was my first on Conder Pool since 29 October, also 8 Snipe were hunkered down, and 9 Black-tailed Godwit dropped in on the creeks.

Disturbance Of Pink-footed Geese.

This is my post Geese and Chats 2 years ago on 2 March 2023 and is relevant to the event below.... 

Pink-footed Geese 2 March 2023

Off Moss Lane on Thursday, along with two other birders, I was observing up to 5,000 Pink-footed Geese from the gate into a field. Two 'farmers' came on the scene and claimed sheep would soon be coming down the road, a third person then arrived on a quad bike, went through the gate and promptly drove towards the geese putting them to flight en-masse....When I left Cockersand 3 hours later, driving past the field again which was void of sheep and geese!

Wheatear.

The first Wheatear for our recording area was at Fluke Hall yesterday 8 March, a male found by A.C. The earliest spring Wheatear in Lancashire was recorded on 26 February 2003, and an interesting record of a late Wheatear at the other end of the season, was one seen at Cockersand on 25 November 2022.

Wheatear Cockersand 25 November 2022. Pete Woodruff.

The Cuckoos Are Coming!

This is Wilfred the Cuckoo, he was satellite tagged as an adult in June 2024 at Worlingham Marshes, Suffolk. Here is the BTO update on his progress back to the UK and hopefully Suffolk.

Of the 14 tagged Cuckoos that successfully departed the UK in 2024, the biggest mover on the return journey has been Suffolk Cuckoo Wilfred. Having spent the last few months deep in the forests of north-west Angola - furthest south of all the tagged Cuckoos - and largely in radio silence, we feared the worst for him. But, over the past week he has made a massive leap, covering multiple African countries, passing through Gabon and western Cameroon before arriving in Nigeria a few days ago. From here, he has continued his journey, sweeping past a further four countries until arriving at his current location in south-eastern Guinea. He has already covered approximately 3,700 km (2,300 miles) since leaving his wintering quarters in Angola.

Geese And Chats.

Thursdays birding was a day that started just about as bad as gets, but soon took off to be as good as it gets as far as geese and to a lesser degree chats were concerned. 

Conder Pool, was virtually void of birds save 4 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Cormorant and a Little Grebe, and to make matters worse the wintering Stonechats appear to have moved on. But there was a little interest on the coastal path, with the sight of a Greenfinch being no better than an occasional bird here, in fact I'm struggling to recall the last one I saw at Conder Green. Something more positive from Conder Pool, 6 Avocet had moved in on Friday with news published by AC@FBC....But not reported since.

Along with Pete Crooks and J.C.Wood who joined me on Moss Lane, and later in the day Barrie Cooper at Cockersand, to quote Pete Crooks we enjoyed....'the best birding experience currently on offer in North Lancashire'.

Over the 3 hours spent at Cockersand, at one point I estimated a total of up to 5,000 Pink-footed Geese in the air, with 8 Barnacle Geese, and 3 White-fronted Geese seen earlier in fields opposite Lambs Farm on the south side of Moss Lane. 

With the first count made in fields, geese were in the air several times following human disturbance, and up to 4,000 were in this field immediately north of Bank House Cottage.

Worth a mention, over the past few days during these pre-migration gatherings of geese, a peak count was made of 12 White-fronted Geese, with 3 Bean Geese and a Lesser White-fronted Goose per FBC. 

A little wandering had me find 5 Stonechat, seen as two male and a female on roadside fence posts east of Abbey Farm, and a pair on the spoil heaps in the field south of Lighthouse Cottage.

Disturbance.

Throughout my observations of 'the best birding experience currently on offer in North Lancashire' on Thursday, I witnessed or was reliably informed of several incidents of wilful disturbance of geese and swans in recent days.

In addition to my personal experiences, there was disturbance being seen as deliberate a few times in a field south of Moss Lane. Add to this, earlier on Thursday and on two occasions earlier in the week, Whooper Swans had been disturbed more than once in fields west of Jeremy Lane, and on 23 February south of Cockerham, up to 3,000 geese including Bean Geese, White-fronted Geese and Pink-footed Geese were disturbed by 'someone' on a quad bike.

This incident isn't directly related to the current post about geese and swans disturbed in fields, but....Wildlife is a low priority to some, you can educate a minority, but definitely not the ignorant majority! 

Edit.

The 5,000 Pink-footed Geese were flushed this p.m. again today by a farm vehicle deliberately driving through the birds in the same area as Thursday. We have collectively to somehow try to stop this wildlife persecution, but an uphill struggle will ensue. Like I have said....it's nigh on impossible to educate the ignorant!     

Fourteen Days Later.

Two weeks since my last birding day, one word springs to mind about that....chronic. But I was back in business on Thursday when the day should and could have been a decent one to start and end with a geese bonanza, but wasn't.

To start with, a Fylde birder joined me on the viewing platform, with news that he had been alerted to sightings of a Bean Goose on Conder Pool earlier in the day. As the saying goes - to cut a long story short - I left Conder Pool one hour later unconvinced a Bean Goose had ever been anywhere near Conder Pool.....To end with follows later.

Snipe Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

At least 8 Snipe were hunkered down amongst the stones and vegetation on one of the islands on Conder Pool, difficult to see let alone count, and even more perfectly camouflaged than the four Snipe in the image above, taken on Conder Pool 8 years ago in 2015. Three Pink-footed Geese were with a small group of Greylag and around 10 Black-tailed Godwit. Also noted, the Kingfisher obliged with a couple of visits to the sluice, up to 70 Wigeon, and 120 Black-headed Gull. The Stonechat pair were busy at the east end in the long grasses, and a male Ruff was seen in the creeks.

As I drove to Cockersand, I estimated at least 250 Whooper Swan in four fields, mostly distant and inaccessible, including 50% being in fields off Hillam Lane at Cockerham. The visit to Cockersand had to be a success in that I found 7 Stonechat, though the circuit proved quiet, with a Reed Bunting and a Skylark which was in song seeming to pronounce the early arrival of spring. Four Snipe came off the marsh as the tide pushed in.

On Plover Scar c.60 Turnstone and 6 Ringed Plover, and when I got back to Bank Houses, 5 Black-tailed Godwit dropped in and spent a few minutes on the shore before flying off.

To end with, the geese bonanza that wasn't....

As I got back to the motor, I was alerted with a text at 14.08....'3 Bean Geese, a White-fronted Goose, 7 Barnacle Geese, and 2,950 Pink-footed Geese' were on pasture not far from Cockersand. I was set to go but, 6 minutes later at 14.14, another text told me....'geese all flushed by someone on a quad'.....I luv these 'somebodies', lets face it, what would we do without them, well for starters there would be a few more million birds around in the countryside!

Little Egret.

It must be very rewarding to be able to watch a Little Egret in the field behind your house at Cockersand.

Grey Plover.

I must note, since my claim regarding the paucity of Grey Plover on the Lune Estuary and my finding 26 on Plover Scar 9 February, 39 Grey Plover were seen there 24 February per FBC. This record now stands as the best count to date of the Grey Plover on Plover Scar and the Lune Estuary. 

Avocet.

An Avocet made landfall on Conder Pool Wednesday at 11.00am, but didn't hang around very long flying off towards the Lune Estuary and hasn't been seen since. This bird arrived a day earlier than last year on 23 February 2022. 

Vagrant Bunting....

....a missing Cuckoo, and the customary pic's.

Rustic Bunting Marc Heath

No idea what the record represents other than it is of 'mega' proportions in this area at least, and one glimpsed at Heysham this morning for 60 seconds. I know little about the Rustic Bunting, save I've never seen one, and reckon the likelihood is....neither have you! It's status is that of a rare vagrant and Marc Heath saw the individual in the photograph above in Kent April 2010. 

Clement the satellite tagged Cuckoo has gone off the radar and his tag has produced no signal since 22 February. Not the first time there has been a gap in transmission, but a concern all the same. He was the second bird to leave the Congo heading west to Cameroon, fingers crossed this is a problem with technology and not with Clement.


The summer migrants are moving in a little nearer to us with - as I write - a Little Ringed Plover at Longridge, Wheatear at Marshside, and White Wagtail at Hilbre Island. Another excellent record is that of a drake Scaup on Conder Pool this afternoon, where you should be watching out for the Little Ringed Plover back on here again soon.

Bean Goose. Copy Permitted.

An excellent mug shot showing the bill markings of a Tundra Bean Goose to good effect, giving people like me the opportunity to study the image so I'll maybe be able to ID one without having the benefit of seeing its leg colour.....well could you! 

Treecreeper Tony Duckett   

A smart little pic of the smart little Treecreeper....

Green Woodpecker Marc Heath

....and an excellent image of the Green Woodpecker, not a bird your likely to encounter on every venture out into the world of birding.