The Russian Down The Lane!

The female Pochard remains faithful to Conder Pool, and thinks it is one of the 46 Wigeon I counted with which it mingled. Also noted were 22 Tufted Duck and 6 Little Grebe, with single figure Fieldfare, Redwing, Blackbird, and 2 Song Thrush taking berries along the hedgerow, but the male Stonechat wasn't deposed from its top spot on Conder Pool....AC had seen the pair of Stonechat here earlier in the day.

Hen Harrier. Simon Hawtin.

At Cockersand, my third recent sighting of the ringtail Hen Harrier in flight over the stubble field behind Lighthouse Cottage before lost to view over Crook Cottage, almost but not quite knocking 4 Stonechat 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. 

The c.240 Whooper Swan seen had made return appearance, with 120 in the field at Clarkson's Farm where I only found one of the four Cattle Egret seen there earlier per AC, another similar number of Whooper Swan were distant around Thursland Hill.

The bunting currently reported around Plover Scar, gave me a bit of a run-around. I saw 2 Twite 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 the abbey I saw it was a Snow Bunting flying off towards Plover Scar and calling, but I made a fruitless chase after the bird. My other Cockersand notes were of at least 200 Curlew in the field north of Abbey Farm, 9 Greenfinch, and 92 Pink-footed Geese over >south.

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 3 hours later returning to Lancaster, there was up to 80 Greylag back in the field....is this my lucky day?

The 1st winter Russian White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons with a white facial blaze and pink bill and breeds in western Russia, had recently latched on to the large gaggle of Greylag Geese which - though noticeably smaller - it resembles. 

A Window Of Opportunity.

Some decent weather gave me a chance to get out on Wednesday, with another special day at Cockersand and around the Lune Estuary.

It was good to find a female Pochard 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 Stonechat, 2 Kingfisher which paid a visit to the perching post a few minutes apart from opposite directions. I saw just 5 Little Grebe and 2 Tufted Duck, and made some comfortably round figure estimates of 50 Mallard and 40 Wigeon. Also up to 150 Teal were seen between Conder Pool and the River Conder, and a Sparrowhawk flew into the hedgerow by the viewing platform, and few back out again 2 minutes later.

At Cockersand, there was just 85 Pink-footed Geese left from the 2,500 on 5 December, there was a notable count of 250 Curlew in a field off Slack Lane, 12 Goldfinch and 9 Greenfinch were around Bank Houses.

Hen Harrier. Simon Hawtin.

As I rounded the Lighthouse Cottage, a ringtail Hen Harrier 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. As I left Cockersand, 2 Cattle Egret were off Moss Lane by Tomlinson's Farm.

Interesting and worrying, I saw not a single Whooper Swan today at Cockersand after recording up to 300 there 1 December.

Fifteen Black-tailed Godwit segregated from 3,000 Lune Estuary 13 December. A pity the light was fading for the video. 

Most notable on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, the count of at least 3,000 Black-tailed Godwit 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 Dunlin and 80 Golden Plover.

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.

The Pintail.

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....LDBWS 

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....Lancashire Bird Report 

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.  

GP's Make The Comeback.

Cockersand.

On my visit to Cockersand this week, it was brilliant to see the waders had congregated in the fields, which looked more like what you would expect in mid-March, with one species of wader having been low in number throughout the winter on the Lune Estuary if not the entire recording area.

The full picture came together as I walked along the headland. I spotted a good number mid-distance already out on the shore, then over the next few minutes, several waves shot over my head with characteristic rapid flight, and dropped down to join the already mass to become the spectacle of at least 3,000 Golden Plover, many showing advanced breeding plumage....Alleluia.

In the field on the east side of Abbey Farm, at least 150 Redshank with a small number of Dunlin, and on the circuit, scattered in the fields were c.50 Lapwing looking territorial.

Lune Estuary. 

Noted on the River Lune at Glasson, 4 Avocet, 150 Golden Plover, 82 Black-tailed Godwit, and a distant c.100 Pink-footed Geese on Colloway Marsh.

Conder Pool.

All quiet on Conder Pool, though the Ruff feeding on the terrace, lifted my spirit as it always does. A Stock Dove and Little Grebe seen, with probably 50 Black-headed Gull screeching and behaving like they were checking out the islands for breeding sites, and all of which seemed unfazed by the management work taking place here.

Two birders joined me during my watch at Conder Pool, both agreed to be as puzzled as me about the structure we were seeing currently being assembled at the east end.

My guess is, perhaps a large raft is being assembled to the left of this image, which shows the existing small raft right of centre, to be joined soon by the new and larger one....Time will tell.

March Migrants.

Some early March migrants have now arrived in and around our area, with a Sand Martin reported at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve Wednesday 15 March, a Swallow at Bispham Thursday 16 March, Wheatear at Blackpool Airport Wednesday 15 March. Also out of our Lancashire area, *Sandwich Tern at Hodbarrow Sunday 12 March. And an Osprey over Tebay Friday 17 March.

*This bird at Hodbarrow in Cumbria, beats the earliest Sandwich Tern for Lancashire by one day, but according to info received, the earliest ever record of Sandwich Tern in Cumbria was of a bird seen on 9 January 2001. The implication being it was a very early migrant, but right to consider, either a very late departing bird, or one over-wintering....Thanks for this Andy, interesting piece of information and much appreciated.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the header image of the Goldeneye on Glasson Basin, where it is worth a mention, a male Pochard is currently present as no more than a scarce visitor to the area.

And Finally....

White-tailed Bumblebee Bowland July 2022. Pete Woodruff.

Had my first bumblebee of the year, this morning in the garden. Briefly, but Bombus lucorum I reckon. 

Better Late Than Never....Part 3.

Apologies for the title, I know it's becoming a little boring and repetitive, but apart from the fact it has been another week since I got some birding done, it saves me scratching my head for another one, and in any case, if I'd have known what was in store for me when I finally did get out again on Friday, I'd never have coped with the excitement....after all I always was easily pleased!

Even if the footage is a bit of jelly on a plate stuff, the Chiffchaff at Conder Pool - although busy and difficult to keep up to - was a delight out in the open and at close range. 

Kingfisher Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

Also on the pool, a Kingfisher came on to the outlet for around 5 secs, looked at me behind the viewing screen and promptly flew off, also a lone Little Grebe to note. A drake Pochard is only the second one I have seen on Conder Pool, and seen as nothing better than a rare breeder and declining winter visitor in the Leighton Moss area and Pine Lake, scarce anywhere else. Todays drake Pochard was probably the canal basin individual of late having a trip out.

Lune Estuary Looking To Clougha And The Bowland Fells. Pete Woodruff.

With too much water at near high tide, I collect just a few notes on the Lune Estuary at Glasson. At least 700 Dunlin is a best and low personal count here this winter, 2 drake Goldeneye, 4 Goosander and 3 Little Grebe, 50 Pink-footed Geese were on Colloway Marsh, almost certainly more out of view.

At Cockersand, up to 220 Curlew and a even mix of up to 100 Redwing and Fieldfare in the same field, 14 Greenfinch, 5 Wren and a Song Thrush. Three small groups totaling 12 Snipe, up off the marsh and calling in flight sounding like a muffled sneeze.

Six Stonechat seen today at Cockersand, these two were on the spoil heaps, a pair on Slack Lane by Lighthouse Cottage, and a pair in the rough field by Bank Houses, from where I saw a ringtail Hen Harrier, and later saw it on a return flight but was obstructed by the hedgerow for good views.

As I rounded the path at Lighthouse Cottage, a female Merlin shot by me a little more than a foot above the marsh. AC who I met later confirmed he had seen the bird 15 minutes after me, and had excellent views as it perched on a telegraph pole along Slack Lane.

I had good views of the Black Redstart along the shore south of the abbey, a stunning little bird in some excellent sunlight, and from where up to 300 Whooper Swan could be seen mainly inaccessible at Thursland Hill, but including c.50 on a drive past at the Thurnham end of Moss Lane.

Garden Birds.

The birds served us well yesterday when a male Blackcap spent a little time on the feeders, then one hour later a Chiffchaff made the day by searching the plants for insects a metre outside the patio window. This bird/another visited us on 20 September 2022.

And Finally.

I received some excellent images of an Otter seen this week for which I was truly grateful, it was seen in the east of our area. I also had a good count of 15 Brown Hare during the week at an undisclosed location.

Otter 19 January. Copy Permitted.

With six Stonechat at Cockersand and much more, a bit of birding magic for me on Friday....What next I ask myself!

Thursday Rewind!

The new header is appropriate enough to remind us that the summer days are on their way. 

It didn't take long to check out Conder Green, still a little on the quiet side, until the geese went over later, 15 Curlew were on Conder Pool until a Grey Heron flew in and sent them packing, also a Little Egret, and a female Goosander which thought it was one of the 38 Wigeon it was in company with. In the creeks, c.150 Teal seems to be an average count lately, 18 Redshank and 2 Little Grebe one of which was down the channel towards the Conder mouth. 

As I was about to leave Conder Green, I could hear geese calling, eventually up to 2,500 Pink-footed Geese appeared from the east and arced over Conder Pool south toward Jeremy Lane. On the canal basin, the male Pochard seen again but no sign of Mondays female.

On the Lune Estuary at low tide, there was large numbers of waders, wildfowl and gulls. Most notable was a similar number of at least Mondays 2,000 godwit, probably looking more like 1,875 Black-tailed Godwit, and 625 Bar-tailed Godwit today, also up to 2,000 Golden Plover, with a large proportion on the south side of the river, unusual as they invariably stick to the north shore here, c.50 Knot, with Dunlin and Redshank, 3 Goldeneye and 4 Goosander also noted. 

No Stonechat found at the Lighthouse Cottage or Caravan Park at Cockersand, but c.95 Fieldfare seen in the field to the south of the abbey. 

In our garden this Sunday morning, a Goldcrest, the last one here was 18 November 2017.  

With a Blogger limit of 100mb for downloading videos, here is a trimmed 50 sec taste of a fraction of the c.2,000 Golden Plover & Co on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock.

VIEW FULL SCREEN

The Stonechat At Last!

Conder Pool has been pretty hard work on recent visits, not helped by the departure of the Little Grebe, they have generally left Conder Pool by early December, though an exceptional count for the date at Conder Green was of 15 on 3 December, not one of which was on the pool. Yesterday 62 Curlew were accompanied by a lone Black-tailed Godwit, a Snipe was on the small island, and a drake Goosander brought up the rear.

Black-tailed Godwit Brian Rafferty Clik the pik

On the Lune Estuary, an impressive mix of up to 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit and Bar-tailed Godwit were estimated at 75/25 respectfully, 26 Goldeneye was this winters peak count here to date. 

On the canal basin, it was good to find a pair of Pochard, seen as a declining winter visitor to Leighton Moss RSPB and Pine Lake, and at best irregular elsewhere, the last one on the canal basin at Glasson Dock was a drake on 26 November. Also seen, 2 Goosander and 27 Tufted Duck.

At Cockersand, the male Stonechat seen opposite the Caravan Park, and was virtually my last bird of 2019. AC tells me the bird has found an ample food source of caterpillars on the marsh edge. Up to 95 Fieldfare were accompanied by a Mistle Thrush in a field adjacent to c.350 Curlew, also a Reed Bunting and Kestrel noted.

On a wander through Williamson Park yesterday with KT, a Little Grebe was on the old reservoir at Fenham Carr, good to see at least one remaining after they bred there this year with five found 18 August. Also noted, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Jay, Nuthatch, Song Thrush, and Long-tailed Tits.  

The Full Page....Well Almost!

The page was almost filled in the little black book yesterday. 

Starting with calling at Conder Green about 30 minutes before the high tide, when a smart adult Mediterranean Gull dropped in with the Black-headed Gulls to make a decent start to the session, and at least 150 Teal. On Conder Pool, 3 Little Grebe, 25 Curlew, 18 Wigeon, with 2 Snipe over and a hovering Kestrel.

On the canal basin, a drake Pochard, 2 drake Goldeneye, 38 Tufted Duck, 2 Goosander, and a Great-crested Grebe. Of note on the Lune Estuary, c.350 Dunlin, and low counts of 45 Golden Plover, 34 Black-tailed Godwit, and 32 Curlew, 2 Little Grebe were on the River Lune today at the Conder mouth.

Driving along Moss Lane to Cockersand, several groups totaling an estimate of 200 Fieldfare. Four Rock Pipit were off the marsh at Cockerham Sands, also 6 Snipe, and 18 Turnstone were again on the shingle here, and a lone Grey Plover on the shore. At Bank Houses, 9 Greenfinch, and a Wren. In fields, c.225 Curlew and 28 Black-tailed Godwit.

Stonechat Cockersand 26 Nov Pete Woodruff. Clik the pik 

By a stroke of fortune along Slack Lane, a bird seen flying across the field behind Lighthouse Cottage, and then on the bulrushes along the ditch between fields, was a male Stonechat, soon joined by a female, they were almost certainly last Thursdays pair less than a mile south from here at Cockerham Sands.

The pik is as good as it gets with my little digi camera. Not world class equipment, and the bird was a long way off using the zoom lens. Clik the pik, it really is essential this time to see the bigger picture. 

The session ended even better than it had started with the Mediterranean Gull. Well....after all they were Stonechats!

The Lune Estuary Pochard.

It was good to see a drake Pochard on the canal basin yesterday at Glasson Dock, one seen at Middleton NR on Sunday was referred to as 'presumably the Lune Estuary singleton?'.

The Pochard is at best a scarce bird anywhere on the Lune Estuary, referred to as 'very irregular' in the LDBWS Annual Report. My last record was a drake on Conder Pool 21 June, previously, three drake was an exceptional record also on Conder Pool 31 May 2018.

Pochard. Pete Woodruff.

A female photographed through the fog on Conder Pool 15 March 2018, has an even more scarce status than the drake. 

Boring Birding!

For a day in June - a month when birding is regarded to be going nowhere - Friday was a good day which had some movement and action to keep me interested for an hour or two, and some butterflies came too....Boring Birding!....I don't think so.

Four Common Sandpiper were at Conder Green on Friday, they found their way into the little black book three days later than the four returning birds seen here on 18 June last year, when they peaked at thirteen on 17 July, we'll see if that figure will be beaten this year in the coming weeks.

On Conder Pool, 7 Avocet have decided to set up camp again, with two birds sitting, one of which showed at least two eggs as it got up to stretch it's legs. The same number of 7 Common Tern were doing much noisy flighting around, with two healthy growing young, and one adult bird sitting tight in the right hand corner of the pontoon. The Black-headed Gull young continue to grow apace, and on the whole, the pontoon remains to have a 'welcome to the pleasure dome' feel about it.

Also on a quite lively Conder Pool, a lone Black-tailed Godwit was feeding frantically, a Little Ringed Plover put in a brief appearance, as did 2 Stock Dove, and at least 85 Black-headed Gull have colonised the large island. But I reckon the bird to collect the most points on Conder Pool today was the drake Pochard, seen at best as irregular here. A summering drake Wigeon was down the channel from the iron bridge.

Painted Lady Conder Green 21 June. Pete Woodruff. 

A wander along the coastal path produced 6 Painted Lady, 4 Speckled Wood, and a Small Tortoiseshell. Along the canal tow-path Glasson - Conder Green, a Sparrowhawk flew from Christ Church across the canal, 2 Tree Sparrow seen again, a singing Sedge Warbler, and good number of Blue-tailed Damselflies.

Thanks again to Ian Mitchell, who sent me the excellent header butterfly which he took at Birk Bank recently.

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

The video is thanks to Ian Pinkerton, and shows the frantic feeding style of a Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet on Conder Pool. You'll need to try and ignore the traffic on the busy B5290, and watch on Full Screen for the big picture if you can.

A Little Pick Me Up!

Little Gull Conder Pool 30 May. Pete Woodruff.

Bird of the day was the Little Gull, a 1st year which was initially in the creeks, but later graced Conder Pool to claim a first record there. Another excellent record was 3 Pochard drake, as far as the number goes, another first for the pool. Also noted, 4 Common Tern, 3 Black-tailed Godwit and 17 Tufted Duck.

A wander produced 2 Reed Warbler, and a Sedge Warbler, all showing well in the reeds upstream, also a singing male Reed Bunting. From the coastal path, a Willow Warbler and Song Thrush, 2 Swift were over Glasson Dock. 

The Conder Common Terns.

There are now two pairs of breeding Common Tern on Conder Pool, with a second pair arrived on the pool last Saturday, both female are sitting, one on the original Tern Island.

Image. Ian Pinkerton. (Clik the pik)

In this photograph we can see a Common Tern has already taken a dislike to the Oystercatchers on the pontoon which now have three chicks. The Common Tern chicks will be next....then the fun really starts, though in reality it'll be anything but fun.

At Least Reasonable.

A sluggish start to Thursday's birding, with Conder Green appearing to have closed down for the day. Conder Pool was once more like a lake with the high tides, and little of note save a few Black-headed Gull bobbing up and down on the swell, and a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gull having taken a shine to the inside of the pontoon. 

Common Sandpiper. Conder Channel 22 March. Pete Woodruff.

But the reliable Common Sandpiper was down the channel again, and I got another grab shot for the record, the Conder Kestrel also put in an appearance.

The Lune Estuary wasn't much less sluggish, with little more than 80 waders in viewing distance, 60 Dunlin, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, and a drake Goosander of note. Noticeably, not a Wigeon to be seen, and a little less surprising, no Goldeneye. A female Pochard on the canal basin was almost certainly the one with Tufted Ducks on Conder Pool recently, a Grey Wagtail also seen here. On Jeremy Lane 40 Whooper Swan and a lone Greylag. 

The Cockersand swans were again spread out from Moss Lane to Bank End almost 2 miles away, but remain at least 300 Whooper Swan, a Black Swan was with a group at Bank End. Plover Scar at high tide held 152 Oystercatcher, 95 Turnstone, 4 Grey Plover, and a lone Knot, a Rock Pipit dropped in as I was leaving. A 'few' Meadow Pipit were in the Cockersand Abbey field, and with numbers lower and fluctuating, c.950 Golden Plover were in the Abbey Farm field where I also saw a Buzzard on a fence post. 

I picked up a Merlin on a distant post as I watched a Raven heading towards Abbey Farm, and a Merlin I saw an hour later over the marsh and Cocker Channel was no doubt the earlier male seen. Of 6 Snipe seen, four were up off the marsh, and two out of ditches from the road, from where I saw 3 Shoveler on the flood.

Given the weather wasn't perfect for birding, it was still bloody windy, and still bloody cold especially along the headland at Cockersand, but it was at least a reasonable selection of birds seen.

Thanks to Martin Lofgren for the excellent header image of the Water Pipit, which reminded me of my less than excellent image of the bird I found at Conder Green in 2016.

Water Pipit. Conder Green 4 April 2016. Pete Woodruff.    

Spring In The Air!

Skylark. Pete Woodruff.

Despite a cold and windy day and the threat of the return of the beast from the east, a Skylark was singing it's never ending flight song at Cockersand on Thursday, making it sound like spring if it didn't feel or even look like it.

Noted off Crook Farm, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit and 52 Curlew, one of the Crook Cottage garden Tree Sparrow was seen, with a Goldcrest also here in the conifers. A field off Slack Lane was quite lively, with at least 10 Skylark, 35 Meadow Pipit and a similar count of 35 Linnet seen.

A drastically reduced c.450 Golden Plover were initially in flight as seen on Tuesday, to eventually settle in the Abbey Farm field. The c.60 Twite were in the rough field behind Bank House Cottage, 2 Stock Dove were seen. On the flood 4 Shoveler were seen as two pair, and a Sparrowhawk flew out of a ditch ahead of me with small prey in it's talons.

Pochard Conder Pool 15 March Pete Woodruff.

A 2nd class image of the 1st class Pochard female on Conder Pool again, the bird appears to think it's one of the 11 Tufted Duck it accompanies, it dives, rests, and preens with them. Also 22 Wigeon, a Goldeneye, and Goosander drake hauled out. In the creeks, the Common Sandpiper and a lone Little Grebe.

The Corn Bunting.

Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his header image of the Corn Bunting, the status of which in our recording area is of an irregular summer visitor, and hangs on the edge of extinction here.

I found a Corn Bunting at Cockersand on 30 May 2015, it is the only one of the species I ever found in our recording area despite a 'few' years birding, unfortunately the record was missed and never published beyond Birds2blog.

Plover Days Again.

It was good to see the first bird on Conder Pool yesterday was a Pochard, but not just any Pochard, a female Pochard, a bird of almost rarity status here. Also of note, by way of a change the Common Sandpiper was on the pool, with 5 Snipe, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, a Goldeneye, and 16 Tufted Duck. In the creeks, a pair of Goosander, and a Kestrel overhead.

Stonechat Conder Green 13 March Pete Woodruff. 

Bird of the day was a male Stonechat around the scrub by The Stork car park, of which I managed a record grab shot.

Waders on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock were at a premium, but 45 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, and 120 Curlew were noted, with 4 Shoveler drake a good record, 15 Goldeneye, 5 Goosander, and 135 Wigeon, 2 Goldeneye were on the canal basin.

At Cockersand, at least 70 Meadow Pipit and 24 Skylark with 4 Linnet seen. Two drake and a female Shoveler were on the Moss/Slack Lane junction flood where a Sparrowhawk was over, and c.60 Twite were again in the rough field behind Bank House Cottage, and although I didn't set out to count them, I saw 15 Brown Hare here today.

The Cockersand swans were spread out over inaccessible fields again, but including 75 counted off Jeremy Lane they stand at c.325 Whooper Swan.

My day ended as last Friday did, as I drove along Moss Lane I watched a Barn Owl hunting the ditches at Bamber's Farm, and the Stonechat I'd seen 6 hours earlier at Conder Green was still around as I drove past on my way back to Lancaster.

The Cockersand Golden Plovers.

The Lune Estuary plovers have consistently spent their time in fields mainly in the Abbey Farm area for several weeks now, and at least 3,000 Golden Plover were there again yesterday, initially seen in the air, but eventually settled in the field by Abbey Farm.

Golden Plover. Pete Woodruff. 'Clik the pik'

This photograph was taken at Cockersand in April. In a mix of GP's, there are at least five classic individuals of the Northern form, completely black from face to belly, but with a broad white supercilium which extends down the sides of the neck, to broaden on sides of the breast and down the flanks. I was looking through the Golden Plovers at Cockersand when I found the lone Dotterel with them here in April 2013.     

Ducktacular!

Following Mondays spectacle, there was another on Wednesday, when I walked the length of coastline from Crook Farm to Bank End by which time I'd estimated at least 5,500 Wigeon stretching the entire length in some impressive rafts drifting in on the tide and including 13 Pintail and 12 Shoveler.

Stonechat Cockerham Sands 7 February. Pete Woodruff.

On the way to Bank End I saw the Cockerham Sands female Stonechat again. In the field NW of Bank End Farm, 245 Whooper Swan were accompanied by 2 Bewick's Swan. Returning from here, 7 Greenfinch seen, and 35 Twite were in the rough field behind Bank House Cottage.

At Conder Green I found 8 Little Grebe, my best count here in up to 3 months, probably dispersed from some frozen pool somewhere, six of these were in the creeks and two on Conder Pool which was almost frozen over save a small area where the grebe's had taken advantage with a Mute Swan which I reckon was responsible for the ice free patch. Also in the creeks, a Goosander noted, and the Common Sandpiper was down the River Conder from the iron bridge, and had the entire channel to itself.


The canal basin was also frozen over except for an area at the SW corner where the two Pochard drake were with a lone Moorhen, 46 Coot were mainly stood on the ice. 

 

Low Tide Lune Estuary Glasson. Pete Woodruff.

Birds were all over the place on the low tide estuary at Glasson Dock, but there was no decent counts to be seen, the best example I could find was little more than 175 Golden Plover, 45 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Goldeneye, a Greenshank, and a Red-breasted Merganser, a Merlin was distant on Colloway Marsh.

Wigeon Spectacular....And More.

Seen at Cockersand a month ago on 8 January, there was another spectacular sight of at least 4,500 Wigeon again at Cockersand on Monday, on a flat calm sea, a huge raft stretching from the lighthouse, drifting in on the tide towards the Cocker Estuary. As a bonus, 19 Eider, 15 Teal - surely more given time to search - and 4 Shoveler. On Plover Scar, 72 Turnstone, 8 Knot, and 2 Grey Plover. A lone Pink-footed Goose was off Plover Scar, the bird looked healthy, but drifting on the water I wondered if it could fly. 

I watched at least 100 Black-tailed Godwit drop into the field by the abbey including one individual in near breeding plumage, with c.200 Curlew in surrounding fields, 15 Twite went over my head and SW out to sea towards Pilling, also a skein of c.150 Pink-footed Geese flew south 2 hours after I had seen the same number flying north over Glasson. Star of the show was the female Stonechat seen again on the tide wrack opposite the caravan park.

Goldeneye Brian Rafferty

Of 14 Goldeneye seen, eight were on the canal basin and six on the Lune Estuary, interesting that the species here this winter have been predominantly drake. Also on the basin, 2 Pochard drake and a Great-crested Grebe of note, and on the estuary, at least 200 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, and a Goosander drake.

When I arrived at Conder Green, a nice welcoming party of 75 Black-tailed Godwit were in the creeks with 2 Little Grebe and a Goosander drake, the Common Sandpiper was down by the iron bridge, and 16 Goldfinch were on the marsh below the coastal path. On Conder Pool, 12 Curlew and a Little Grebe, with a pair of Oystercatcher appearing to be intent on their breeding programme here. 

Thanks to Brian Rafferty for the excellent image of Goldeneye on the canal basin at Glasson Dock, including two males displaying.