Back Up The Hill.

Having not been up Clougha since 4 September last year it was the perfect day to get back up there on Thursday to see if the Stonechats had made their comeback, on the visit in September last year I found no Stonechats on Clougha or Birk Bank, but if you've followed the history on this one, that result was no big surprise, and it was pretty sad I had no choice but to give up on them here and elsewhere, but now I'm back....8 months later. 

Stonechat Phillip Tomkinson

I was up there the customary five hours and walked at least the same number of miles. It took me the first 1.5 hours before I found just two Stonechat, a male and female, by coincidence in the very same area I had found the last pair on Clougha over 13 months ago on 26 March 2012.

Peregrine Falcon Phillip Tomkinson  

A Peregrine Falcon gave me excellent views overhead whilst I was on Birk Bank as it soared effortlessly with barely a wing flap for several minutes, a master of the air. 

Red Grouse Martin Jump  

Though nothing impressive, I noted every bird I saw during my visit to this upland area, 27 Meadow Pipit, 9 Wheatear, 8 Willow Warbler, 7 Wren, 7 Red Grouse, 2 Jay, and a Kestrel. I saw just two butterflies, a Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock, also 2 Brown Hare. 

And finally....

Black Wheatear Ana Minguez

I've already had a fair share of Wheatear sightings so far this year, but the Black Wheatear isn't a bird I'm likely to see short of a vagrant turning up in the UK or a trip to Spain maybe.

Many thanks to PT for the Stonechat and Peregrine Falcon, MJ for the Red Grouse, and AM for the Black Wheatear, excellent on all four counts. Did you 'clik the pik'....these are stunning photographs....even more stunning if you do.

Nice day....nice birding!

As always there are a good number of locations I'd like to have gone to yesterday but I've got into this routine of always going to Conder Green to start my day seeing of there's 'owt about' on and around the Lune Estuary, and today presented me with one or two nice rewards.

At Conder Green two trusted Spotted Redshank were feeding under the old railway bridge, in the creeks I found 6 Little Grebe with two more on Conder Pool where I noted a Little Egret, a Goldeneye, 3 Snipe, 12 Wigeon, and up to 55 Common Gull, c.35 Black-tailed Godwit flew over the pool to land for 10 seconds before taking off again to disappear in the direction of Jeremy Lane.

I wanted to get to Cockersands and the tide was coming in at the speed of a race horse, so having noted 14 Goldeneye and a drake Red-breasted Merganser on the River Lune at Glasson Dock I made a hasty retreat. On Moss Lane I noted swans in a field which I counted and made notes, they were still there at dusk and - with an increase in number since I saw them three hours earlier - there was 16 Bewick's Swan and 32 Whooper Swan.

Turnstone/Knot. Plover Scar Cockersands. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersands I did the stretch from Crook Farm to Bank End Farm. From my starting point I saw the foggy 9 January c.255 Black-tailed Godwit again, this time accompanied by up to 550 Curlew. By the time I got to Plover Scar you will appreciate I was pleased to find Sundays Snow Bunting there again, also a good count of c.65 Turnstone, 50 Knot, 9 Oystercatcher, and 2 Ringed Plover, as I was about to leave a Rock Pipit flew down on to the scar. On the return leg something spooked several hundred birds from the fields including at least 85 Skylark, I also noted 8 Reed Bunting and a Little Egret by a ditch in an inland field.

Photo Pete Woodruff.

About 50 mtrs short of Crook Farm an interesting find was that of a dead Porpoise on the shingle, but as can be seen in the photograph only the skull - its in shadow, clik the pik - on the head remains, and no fins can be seen....Washed up from far away, or a good live record in the area missed! 

Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.   

When having been in the area on the day I rarely fail to call back in on Conder Pool on my way home, this evening it looked particularly attractive in the light of the setting sun.

And finally....

Black Wheatear Antonio Puigg  

Its hard to believe, in about eight weeks time I'll be thinking I might find a Wheatear maybe at Cockersands....one thing for sure I won't be thinking it'll be a Black Wheatear. Thanks Antonio, a brilliant bird.

John and Ann....I know you will be reading this and it was good to see you and have an interesting chat and some comments from you re Birds2blog which were much appreciated. Thanks for the info on the young Salmon you saw at Cockersands. When it comes to fish I'm lost I'm afraid, so why it was there and dying I have no idea, I should have asked you for your opinion. Hope to see you again soon, and there's always a good chance of that if your'e at Cockersands.