....And The Birds In Our Garden.

Juvenile Pomerine Skua Geoff Gradwell

I had been to Cockers Dyke on Tuesday to get decent views of the juvenile Pomerine Skua and an adult Mediterranean Gull amongst the few hundred other gulls assembled here. In the area and on my way back to Fluke Hall I probably saw 20 Twite in three small groups in their bouncing flight along the coastal path.

Song Thrush Antonio Puigg 

At Fluke Hall a walk along the back side of the hedge running along the parking area is always a good idea, today it resulted in an amazing 10 Song Thrush, 9 Dunnock, and a 'few' Blackbird, this was bit of January bush bashing resulting in this excellent number of Song Thrush, also noted was a Reed Bunting, and Nuthatch.

Pink-footed Geese Brian Rafferty  

On my way back to Glasson Dock, I pulled in to see 55 Whooper Swan in fields opposite Braides, and at Thurnham on Moss Lane found up to 3,000 Pink-footed Geese. On the canal basin the drake Scaup was again with Tufted Duck and 23 Goldeneye counted, a Little Grebe was also on here, and I caught a glimpse of the Kingfisher as it disappeared over the lock towards the dock.

The Lune Estuary was awash with the tide and I noted nothing more than a single Goldeneye and 2 Little Grebe, with the Snow Goose distant on Colloway Marsh again. Conder Green was virtually under water with 2 Rock Pipit pushed off the marsh at high tide, but more of a surprise was a Song Thrush alongside the pipits. On Conder Pool, 7 Little Grebe, 2 Goldeneye, 3 Snipe, and a Brown Hare running along the back terrace.

....and the birds in our garden.

House Sparrow 1000-Pattes  

With the continuing decline of the Red listed species, it was good to see 40 House Sparrow in one sighting in our small urban garden recently, on the same day 8 Blackbird had also been present at the same time....This weekend KT will be doing the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch.

Thanks to Geoff/Antonio/Brian/Noushka for the excellent images, they are much appreciated.    

Routine....But Pleasant With It.

By 2.00pm on Monday at Cockersands it was pleasantly warm in the sun and the wind abated. I got closer views and was able to count 95 Whooper Swan in the field NW of Bank End accompanied by 2 Bewick's Swan. Off Plover Scar up to 3,000 Wigeon were spread over a wide area with some birds distant on the sea, also at least 65 Pintail were of note, with 4 Eider and a Red-breasted Merganser seen. Few waders to be seen here today, but 28 Golden Plover were in a field, with Redshank, Curlew, and Lapwing in small numbers in various fields.

 

Reed Bunting. Pete Woodruff.

Small birds during my wander at Cockersands, 26 Greenfinch seen in three small groups, 7 Reed Bunting - one of which obliged whilst I tried my hand at photography - 3 Wren and a Dunnock. 

Peregrine Falcon Wildsnaps

A Peregrine Falcon was again perched up on the railings around the lighthouse, and a local Kestrel seen, I also decided to take particular note of 4 Brown Hare.

Scaup. Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery  

On the canal basin at Glasson Dock a drake Scaup mingled with 15 Goldeneye and uncounted Tufted Duck, with a Little Grebe and Kingfisher which gave me brief views as it disappeared over the lock gates.

On the Lune Estuary, waders were a little sparse again today, but 38 Bar-tailed Godwit and 14 Black-tailed Godwit were of note, with an estimated 300 Dunlin way over below Waterloo Cottage and 3 Red-breasted Merganser seen. Off Jeremy Lane, 5 Whooper Swan were a family party of two adult and three juvenile. In the same field, c.600 Pink-footed Geese and 40 Greylag.

At Conder Green, in the creeks and on the pool I got a double figure again of 12 Little Grebe, with Spotted Redshank, 4 Snipe, a pair of Goosander and 14 Wigeon. Two species noted from the coastal path, c.15 Chaffinch and a Reed Bunting.

The Cockers Dyke Skua.

Pomerine Skua. Stuart Piner.

The juvenile Pomerine Skua which - since having been first found at Knott End on 10 January - has pitched up in the Cockers Dyke area to the joys of many a birder. It appears healthy in the photograph above and gives the impression it could fly off over the sea and disappear into the sunset. I went to see this bird yesterday and it now appears to have at best a problem with it's left wing, and at worst a broken one. I find it difficult to believe it can still fly but will be well pleased to see the next photograph or being told of it doing just that.

For 'something better 'clik the pik'....With thanks to Phillip/Martin/Stuart.

Good Friday!

Well it was a Good Friday if only because it was my first trip out since Monday, though the gap was never planned to be that long.

Nothing special, but it was good to be out and about to see the regulars again, including 9 Little Grebe found today at Conder Green, two of which were downstream from the old railway bridge - which is where I found the Common Sandpiper - three in the creeks, and four on Conder Pool where I saw just one lone drake Goldeneye. A Reed Bunting was the only other bird to note on my wander, whilst c.300 Pink-footed Geese were making a northerly move overhead from the south in their distinct V formation.

Goosander Warren Baker @ Pittswood Birds 

On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, I saw 7 Goldeneye and noted up to 50 Tufted Duck. The Lune Estuary was remarkably quiet with little more than 50 Black-tailed Godwit, a pair of Goosander, a Red-breasted Merganser, and another 28 Goldeneye seen.

At Cockersands, an excellent sight was of at least 2,500 Golden Plover overhead and undecided where to land, with another c.350 Golden Plover in a field by Abbey Farm. A Snipe was over too, the Kestrel was hovering, 17 Greenfinch were at the Caravan Park end, and 52 Whooper Swan were still distant in the field NW of Bank End with obvious Bewick's Swans still present with them.

Dusky Warbler. Martin Lofgren.

News via the RBA pager service was of a Dusky Warbler found yesterday at Marton Mere LNR, Blackpool. A notoriously difficult bird to observe with it's secretive habits. It is a rare vagrant....

Radde's Warbler Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery 

....and has to be separated from the 'lookalike' Radde's Warbler. 

The last Dusky Warbler seen in Lancashire was a little over 11 years ago at Fairhaven Dunes, Lytham St Annes in October 2003. Thanks to Martin and Warren for the excellent images, and to Geoff Gradwell Gallerie for the header of the long staying juvenile Pomerine Skua on the Fylde Coast.

I'm looking forward to a 'Good Monday' hopefully....I don't do weekends!   

Doing it again!

A re-run of Tuesday, plus a trip 'down the road'....and a couple of  'Cookies Feeders'.

Swallows. David Cookson.

The first of which is a brilliant photograph of the young Swallow being fed by the parent bird and reminder that I saw a late one this afternoon at Cockersands. The second 'feeder pic' bears no relationship to today's birding but is another DC picture with the brilliant tag.

Great-spotted Woodpecker. David Cookson. 

The young GSW being fed by the parent bird, with thanks to DC for these two photographs. If it's excellent photographs you're after there's loads of 'em HERE   

I first checked out Conder Pool this morning but could only find 6 Little Grebe and nothing else of note. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, a Curlew Sandpiper was distant by the Conder Estuary, 3 Spotted Redshank, an adult and 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull, 4 Goosander and 8 Snipe were of note, and an increase in numbers of estimated 2,500 Golden Plover, and 150 Bar-tailed Godwit. From Jeremy Lane, a lengthy sift through another field full of several hundred Black-headed Gulls - and a farmer in a tractor pulling a slurry tank - were accompanied by 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls.

At Cockersands a Dark-bellied Brent Goose was off Plover Scar - which itself was disappointingly void of birds - was initially in the company of 9 Eider but took off to fly south, a Rock Pipit also soon took off west and high out to sea before doing a u-turn to fly high inland north east. Also of note, 4 Wheatear, a 'few' uncounted Tree Sparrow, just 8 Linnet in the set -aside with a single Greenfinch, and a lone Swallow heading south.

On Pilling Marsh c.4,500 Pink-footed Geese were accompanied by at least 7 Barnacle Geese, frustratingly distant with PFG with neck collars seen. A smart little female/juvenile Merlin moved from place to place on the marsh showing its characteristic threatening glare and bobbing head. At Fluke Hall I saw 2 Wheatear, 3 Little Egret, and another 30 Pink-footed Geese joined several hundred others flying inland off the marsh. On the day I counted 14 Red Admiral with probably at least the same number seen but unidentified at a distance.

And finally....

Yesterday this adult pale morph Pomerine Skua was 'hanging around' at Fleetwood Golf Course before being relocated on Cleveleys Beach. By all accounts it was an approachable individual on the beach. I have been given permission by the author to post these photograhs.