Landart......

Richard Shilling recently visited Ribblesdale five times in a week if I'm not mistaken and the photograph above is his creation he called Maple Ice Windows.

                                       

Richard returned to Ribblesdale the following day to photograph his sculpture this time in sunlight, the result of which is obvious compared to the previous one taken with a snow laden sky in the background.

                                      

This photograph is a longer shot of the sculpture illustrating the superb surrounding landscape and the equally superb shadow's the low sun has created.

                                      

Photographically this is my most favourite image of them all and I have come to admire and appreciate Richards photography in equal measure to his Landart. Thanks once more for helping me to brightening up Birds2blog Richard whilst the birding takes a back seat during this 'nice to look at' but pretty serious freezing condition's we are all suffering one way or another at the moment, the consequences for the birds will become more apparent as time passes until the thaw arrives.

......and a couple of sightings - both unusual - on Sunday I forgot to mention, a Raven flew NW over Morrison's Car Park in Morecambe, and a Jay was on Quarry Road in Lancaster.

I think it's time I mentioned that I have two copies of the excellent book 'The Birds of Lancashire & North Merseyside' by Steve White, Barry McCarthy, and Morris Jones. The explanation being that it was a rather unfortunate mistake that I had two delivered and paid for and despite some considerable long drawn out attempts at returning one I was in the end unsuccessful in being able to do so. If there's anyone out there who would like to offer me £30 (RRP £40) or some other reasonable offer then please let me know.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!!

They named it after me!

Thanks to John Bateman for this pic of the Grey Wagtail which visited his garden. Hopefully he will soon be able to take up his optics once again and accompany me in a back to normal mode......fingers crossed John.

BAIRDS SANDPIPER.

There's a Bairds Sandpiper currently SE of Dunblane in Lothian and there's a connection between Spencer Fullerton Baird and one of the founder members of the American Ornithologists' Union called Dr Elliot B Coues in that he was responsible for naming the sandpiper after Baird following his description of the bird in 1861, Coues also has a flycatcher and a Gadwall (now extinct) named after himself. Baird who became a giant in American Ornithology was also the young friend of John James Audubon was has five bird species named after him including an Audubon's Shearwater.

BEWICK'S SWAN.

Thomas Bewick was an English ornithologist who never saw America, but most natural history student's knew is works as the best known English illustrator of his generation. William Yarrell named the swan after Bewick in 1830. The same J J Audubon above also named another bird after him, the Bewick's Wren. Shortly before Bewick died he paid a final visit to Audubon and met another visitor named William Swainson thus becoming a gathering of the three greatest natural history artists of their age.

BONAPARTE'S GULL.

Prince Charles Lucian Bonaparte was a nephew of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, he died before accomplishing the publication of a complete list of the world's birds. The Bonaparte's Gull was named after him but probably not everyone will know that out of a list of ten birds named after him one of them - which we now know as the White-rumped Sandpiper - was given the name Bonaparte's Sandpiper by L J P Vieillot in 1819.

As a point of interest the Turnstone mentioned in yesterday's post bearing rings on it's right leg and photographed on Plover Scar at Cockersands, the most up to date info I have on the bird is that it appears to have been marked on Hilbre Island in August of last year.

The Iceman Cometh!

By the time I took this pic of the ship passing the Cockersands Light I was a frozen block of ice with icicles hanging from my nose - not a pretty sight - and soon after threw in the towel, but a few birds seen before that event......

                                      

......including these Knot and Turnstone roosting at high tide on Plover Scar......

.....and also including this ringed bird.

These were six of the 14 Eider off Plover Scar with 6 Red-breasted Merganser, also on the scar 52 Turnstone  were a good count, 4 Black-tailed Godwit with the same number of Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Grey Plover was a good count here in my book, c.850 Oystercatcher, and 32 Knot. On the walk along the headland to the caravan park, the male Stonechat was put into second place on the 'Bird of the Day' award which was firmly given to the Rock Pipit a bird less likely to be found than the Stonechat anywhere in the area. Also noted, up to 12 Greenfinch, 15 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, a Mistle Thrush, 9 Meadow Pipit, 4 Fieldfare, and a Reed Bunting, 3 Brown Hare included one running off Plover Scar to escape the incoming tide.

Of note on the Lune Estuary a Glasson Dock at least 135 Goldeneye here again today leaving numbers anywhere else in the area in the shade, c.150 Tufted Duck along with 7 drake Pochard were only on the River Lune because of the solid canal basin, as probably were 3 Little Grebe, the Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot went uncounted (low hundred's) much lower in numbers than of late, three Little Egret were seen distant on Colloway Marsh. On Jeremy Lane a Little Egret flew out of a ditch as I drove by, and the Mute Swans have relocated themselves into fields here and 220 were counted.

By 2.45 pm the aforementioned icicles had formed on my nose end and I reluctantly surrendered  to the ice-age element's.

More Snippet's.

But first my thanks to Ian Tallon for sending me this excellent image of the Barrow Lodge juvenile drake Velvet Scoter complete with its next bite to eat in a freshwater Mussel......thanks very much Ian.

Well if you're looking for exciting reading you'd best move on, but if you're intent on carrying on these are a few snippets from my records for March/April in 2009.

MARCH.

2nd. A drake Scaup was on the canal basin at Glasson Dock, with none have been seen here yet this winter.

4th. An excellent record of 4 Bean Geese were seen from Fluke Hall Lane.

Movement of Stonechats in the month were......three on the 5th at Fluke Hall, a male on the 6th at Freeman's Pools, and on the 13th three at Aldcliffe. On the 16th six birds were at Harrisend with another six found from the Hawthornthwaite track from Marshaw on the same date.

17th. I found my first Wheatears at Cockersands with three seen.

19th. Two Wheatear had found their way up Clougha at c.400m above sea level.

30th. My first Sand Martin - by no means the earliest in the area- were over Freeman's Pools.

31st. Two Little-ringed Plover had arrived on the very same date as in 2008 on Conder Pool, and a Swallow was over the canal basin at Glasson Dock.

APRIL.

3rd. A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was on Pilling Marsh.

6th. A White Wagtail was at Aldcliffe, and two Little-ringed Plover were on Freeman's Pools, and a White-fronted Goose was on Pilling Marsh.

7th. At least six White Wagtail were west of Fluke Hall.

12th. An Osprey was high >NE over Glasson Dock.

14th. An amazing 22 Wheatear were within 30mtrs of each other on the sea defences behind Fluke Hall.

20th. A Cuckoo was on Birk Bank.

22nd. Eight Stonechat and a pair of Whinchat were at Barbondale.

24th. Two Whimbrel were on the marsh as seen from Conder Green picnic area, and two Common Sandpiper were found at Marshaw in the Trough of Bowland.

29th. Proof that spring was turning into summer was found from the coastal path between Aldcliffe and Conder Green with a singing Chiffchaff, two Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat , three singing Blackcap, eight Whimbrel, and at Teal Bay two Sandwich Terns.

A Walk......

......through the park on a pleasant if very cold afternoon but definitely not without my bino's round my neck and the view from up here was quite good today though the snow covered Lakeland mountains don't show in my pic above as they did with the naked eye.

And yes that's Mrs W - if you look hard enough - in the doorway of the majestic Ashton Memorial, and yes she does have some bino's up to her eyes......well being out with me she would have wouldn't she.

So, with a determination not to leave a blank day on Birds2blog these are the few birds noted en route, a Nuthatch, c.9 Long-tailed Tits doing their characteristic follow my leader thing from tree to tree, a Treecreeper, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, a Jay, a Song Thrush , and at least 25 Blackbirds.

Well this isn't regarded as riveting stuff for a birding blog and I'm looking forward to normal service being resumed on Monday......can't wait.

Mini Marathon!

But first another stunning image from BR, this time a Redwing which graced his garden today, many thanks yet again for allowing me to put your images on Birds2blog. Don't forget you can link to Brian Raffertys blog from here in the left hand sidebar.

I decided on another 'Up a Lazy River' again today which is actually not quite accurate as the walk involves going downstream. Today I started at Skerton Bridge and although it was never my plan to do so I ended up 4 hours later at Glasson Dock, the dawdle produced the following......

Between Skerton Bridge and Marsh Point I saw 9 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander drake's, and 4 Cormorant, the tide was wrong today and this resulted in the 'gull grilling' being much reduced as there were very few to grill. At Marsh Point I saw just 6 Black-tailed Godwits today but note C.180 recorded earlier by H Hughes on another blog on which you can read more here http://birdingaldcliffe.blogspot.com/

On Aldcliffe Marsh the visit was in ruins just after my arrival here due to a 'man and microlight' which put up a couple of thousand 'geese' of which I did managed to ID the 4 Snow Geese accompanying them in flight before disappearing from view. I won't wish this guy had run out fuel in case I'm accused of wishing ill on one of my fellow men as he fell from the sky, but why did he have to be over here at the same time as me instead of - lets say -  somewhere in Scotland......Urghhhh!

Two Little Egret, 12 Goldfinch, and a  Dunnock were noted and 2 Water Rail obliged feeding below the fence on the much reduced (in water) flood. Between Stodday and Conder Green I counted a good number of 42 Blackbird and what I can only describe as 'an amazing' 22 Song Thrush at least, also 4 Fieldfare, a Mistle Thrush, and a Brown Hare was racing straight at me on the path until it saw me. On the lake at Ashton Golf Club I noted 21 Tufted Duck, I then had to put my legs into 5th gear to catch a bus for Lancaster at 4.15 from Glasson Dock. So, with the 'amazing' Song Thrush record aside nothing remarkable but this is birding in my book. 

Many Thanks to EVERYONE who visited Birds2blog in 2009, I never really thought I'd get this far down the line when I created the blog in November 2008 but encouraged by lots of people visiting I did and am now left wondering whether or not I'll survive 2010......we'll see!

HAPPY NEW  YEAR TO ALL.

Looking Back......

......and a couple of pics of Richard Shilling's recent Landart creations in Ribblesdale.

Both a stunning piece of sculpture and an equally stunning photograph showing Penyghent in the background.

And again the second piece located in Ribblesdale North Yorkshire. Richard calls these work's of art Ribblesdale Stacked Snow Squares......Thanks for allowing me to show these two images on Birds2blog Richard.

And a few snippets from my Jan/Feb records of 2009.

JANUARY.

The Common Sandpiper remained at Conder Green throughout the winter months as did Spotted Redshank and Greenshank with two of both seen on one visit, at least 50 Twite was the peak of this species here in January, c.150 Goldeneye on the River Lune at Glasson Dock far exceed any other location in the area, 3 Stonechat were at Conder Green on Thursday 8 January, and a male wintered at Cockersands, Short-eared Owl/s entertained lots of birders at Bradshaw Lane Head including me but became a little too predictable for my liking but I did keep returning to see the spectacle just the same.

FEBRUARY.

On Wednesday 5 February a Short-eared Owl was hunting the marsh at Cockersands, at New Lane on 5 February at least 100 Corn Bunting was an amazing sight and you wonder if this will/can last with agricultural practices forging forward in the 21st century, 3 Stonechat seen at Conder Green again this month, an adult Mediterranean Gull was on the canal basin at Glasson Dock with another on the Lune Estuary where they are now a regular feature, on Sunday 15 February I saw the Purple Sandpiper on the Bubbles groyne, an amazing 21 Bewick's Swans were on Jeremy Lane on 20 February, a Tundra Bean Goose was with c.2,000 Pink-footed Geese opposite Gulf Lane from the A588, and a female Stonechat at Fluke Hall was almost certainly the first returning one in my book.

It's worth noting a Blackbird was heard in full song in Dalton Square Lancaster in the dark just after dusk on 28 December 2008. More 'snippets' from 2009 to follow at a later date.  

Up a Lazy River.

Well the River Lune certainly looked lazy today compared to what it did a few weeks ago during the appalling November weather we had. I decided to take a look at the section between Skerton Bridge to Marsh Point then on to Aldcliffe Marsh.

Between these points I saw 10 Goldeneye, a drake Goosander, a Grey Wagtail and Song Thrush. Despite grilling a few hundred 'gull's' on the way down I could find no Med's but 26 Black-tailed Godwits taking rest opposite Marsh Point was excellent.

The pic above is the best of my efforts to record the 4 Snow Geese on Aldcliffe Marsh for a month and two days since 27 November and previously of Carnforth Marsh fame, they were in company with a small group the rest of which in total amounted to at least 550 Greylags which represents the largest number of this species I personally ever recorded. I would estimate the 100 Pink-footed Geese here today as numbering little more than that, the 'best' bird was a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, a Little Egret was also noted, and as I came off the marsh 3 Meadow Pipit seen.

  

I decided to put this piece of 'artwork' on the blog as I came across it along the quay on the outer shell of what was the very heartbeat of employment called Williamson's of Lancaster when I was a little younger, you could actually leave a job of work here on a Friday and probably start a new one at Lansil/Storey's on the following Monday morning such was the level of work in those days......how things change!

Keen as Mustard!

Well keen enough to take the  pic below of Conder Pool as the sun came up, it's the view to the southeast of the pool which is the only section not frozen but will be in the morning.

Well, if like me you thought the Common Sandpiper had given up on wintering here again this year having not been seen by me since 10 November (22 Nov LDBWS) you were not just too clever but wrong as well as it was found on my second visit here today at 3.00 pm, and how many times has a second visit to many a location paid off for me......recommended if possible.

Back to the beginning......I gave Conder Green a full 2 hours including a circuit which produced, hanging on in on Conder Pool, 45 Lapwing, 26 Mallard, 7 Snipe, 4 Shelduck, and a pair of Wigeon, by the platform a Reed Bunting, Song Thrush, and Dunnock. Just one on the pool but nine in the Conder Channel equals the ten Little Grebe seen regularly here recently, also noted 2 Grey Plover, c.2,000 Pink-footed Geese seen from here lingering over the Hillam Lane area, later another 2,500 went south over Glasson Dock and later still in excess of 4,000 disturbed over Hillam Lane (Norbreck Farm) again. On the Lune Estuary from Glasson Dock to note, circa 1,500 Bar-tailed Godwit, 250 Golden Plover, 85 Greylag, an adult Med Gull and Little Egret. Between Waterloo Cottage and Bazil Point I would estimate 135 Goldeneye seen on the River Lune again as on 4 December.

At Cockersands just 9 Eider seen off Plover Scar today, c.150 Dunlin, and 12 Black-tailed Godwit. By the time I'd walked a stop/start dawdle I was a block of ice when I arrived at the caravan park end so low estimates of 6 Greenfinch and 4 Meadow Pipit, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Reed Bunting, 6 Fieldfare, a female Kestrel, and a male Stonechat has finally arrived here again this winter, c.100 Golden Plover were scattered in the fields back to the lighthouse via the road, and 4 Brown Hare.

   

This notice is on a post at the entrance to Cockersands Abbey Farm and although I've not yet had an opportunity to look up the website http://www.mycoastline.org/ I think you should, and act upon it too.

Looking Forward....

....to Monday to get back to some normality, can't wait to see Conder Pool and a few other places in my sights. Meanwhile, thanks to Paul Baker for the excellent image of the drake America Wigeon at White Rock BC Canada of which I  reckon it not beyond the bounds of possibilities that there's one lurking out there amongst the thousands of them in our area and just beyond.

The image of the 1st winter drake Velvet Scoter is thanks to Colin Bushell and for your infomation the bird is currently at Barrow Lodge near Clitheroe if you have a desire to see it.

There is much to be said about the Sanderling but these brief notes are interesting and the species runs very close to being one of my favourite waders, in all my years of birding the best record I ever achieved in our recording area was of 130 at Cockersands on 31 May 2007 and I now await something of a repeat of this excellent record which didn't happen in 2008/9.

Inland records of the Sanderling are not unknown and of particular note is of c.20 at Brockholes Quarry  in May/June of 2000, also at Stocks Reservoir an unprecedented 12 were recorded in May 2001. There is only thin evidence of where our passage migrant Sanderling winter, the only foreign recoveries of marked birds in winter are of three on Mauritania's Banc d'Arguin and two in Morocco, but this at least does suggest that many of them winter in Africa, but there remains much to be learned about the movements of Lancashire's Sanderlings.

I've edited this post as the photograph of the Velvet Scoter and accompanying text has brought about some interesting conflict regarding sex/age. I've seen it reported as a 1st winter female, a female, and a juvenile drake, it is now widely recorded as the latter.