Local Marathon.

With JB today we had quite a tour round to find some but not others, some of the 'finds' follow.

Before we left home I saw one of the 'urban' Grey Wagtail's from our kitchen window. At Conder Green 2 male Stonechat remain here though there was no sign of the female today. The Common Sandpiper obliged as did a Spotted Redshank, 3 Little Grebe, and c.40 Black-tailed Godwit went over from the estuary towards Jeremy Lane. A Great - spotted Woodpecker flew from the picnic area towards the canal basin at Glasson Dock were an adult Med Gull was seen. On the Lune Estuary here another adult Med Gull seen, also noted here, 2 Bewick's Swans with estimates of 220 Black - tailed Godwit, 1,500 Bar - tailed Godwit, and 470 Golden Plover, 8 Goosander were also of note here. A Little Egret was distant on Collowy Marsh.

A brief visit to Cockersands gave me time to note just 5 Black - tailed Godwit, 3 Grey Plover, and 3 Red - breasted Merganser on the estuary. The wintering male Stonechat appears to have departed the area, not seen since 28 January. From Moss Lane 3 Bewick's Swan's and 4 Whooper Swan's were distant with Mute Swan's.

In the field opposite Sand Villa - with limited time available - were 95+ 'swan's' estimated as 70+ Whooper Swan's, 5 Bewick's Swan's, and the remainder Mute Swan's. A Little Egret was the only bird of note on Pilling Marsh, another was in Fluke Hall Wood. On Fluke Hall Lane c.1,000 Pink - footed Geese with similar numbers in the Eagland Hill area and on Horse Park Lane. This brings me to the missing birds again today, if you can find them - or some other kind soul does and phones them in to RBA - there are Bean Geese, White - fronted Geese, Brent Geese, and Ross's x Pink - footed Goose hybrid to be seen but they have ALL evaded me on a few visits to the area recently. As if to rub salt into the wound, two minutes after I arrived home at around 4.45 the pager gave three local messages out as the aforementioned birds at Pilling Marsh, Backsands Lane, Eagland Hill, and The Heads......Pooh!

The Short - eared Owl pic at Bradshaw Lane head last week is just about passable as decent. Believe it or not I took several shots of this bird and on not one of them - that didn't end up in the bin - was the bird looking at me. Surely these birds are soon to be off up into the hill's and with none seen today perhaps this has already happened.

Apologise for the empty pic boxes on the last two post's. I loose the first pic at the point of publishing? Then I get the second pic up and end up with the empty box and have yet to discover how to get rid of it......HELP!!

Wot no birds!

Proof - as if it was needed - that upland birding during the winter months can be really quite depressing....that's unless there's a Red Kite or a passing White -tailed Eagle overhead. A Short - eared Owl would have been nice but I only ever once saw one up here a few years ago, and incidentally only ever once saw a Hen Harrier here too.

The choice of day turned out to be a bad one as for most of the time at any altitude there was quite a heavy fog and whilst I was anywhere beyond half way to the summit of Clougha it never lifted, below this the visibility was clear and quite good but the visit produced nothing with any accuracy and it took me three hours to find my first Stonechat near Ottergear Bridge and I only found one more as I approached the car park five hours after I had arrived there at ten o'clock this morning....Still, it has to be done.

I had decided today I would note EVERY bird I saw up here, in the end it didn't take much ink to do that. I saw at least 12 Red Grouse, 2 Raven, 3 Robin, 2 Wren, a single Chaffinch and a Kestrel, a Grey Heron was by the small reservoir with 6 Mallard on there also. From Rigg Lane I noted 2 Brown Hare.

The pic was taken from the boardwalk looking at the bog - but certainly not today - a place to find small numbers of Small Pearl - bordered Fritillary in late May - June.

A short story....

....about a topical subject at the moment

plus a moderate quality pic - totally
unrelated to the story - which I took recently at Glasson Dock and is of a gull stood on ice on the canal basin. The birds plumage is too pale for Yellow-legged Gull though that was the colour of its legs. Still a lot to learn and until I do some reading am at a loss, but not much new there......well on occasions anyhow.

We've been seeing some interesting and informative post's on the LDBWS website regarding Twite and the associated and ongoing ringing programme with the species. I personally have had a reasonable winter for this bird and could have observed more than 100 in one day this week if the Conder Green birds had obliged and added their number to the 62 already seen that day, but unfortunately they evaded me. I have already expressed my view that the Twite is an often difficult bird to get to grips with when it comes to reading ring combinations and a good deal of time and determination is needed to get a result from the exercise and so far this year I have gained absolutely nil in this regard.

But my most exciting Twite find was on 11 April 2005 when, whilst walking the the banks of the Rivers Wenning and Lune on the prowl to find my first Yellow Wagtail of the summer (not an easy task these days) I had reached just north of Loyne Bridge on the River Lune when I came upon two distant passerines which turned out to be Twite. These two birds were the first of the species I ever found off passage and away from places like Cockersands, Fluke Hall and the likes on the coast. But more excitement - and a bonus - was to come when I found one of the birds was ringed and on this occasion was easily read. Passing this news on to the appropriate people we were to learn that the bird had been ringed at Cant Clough in Lanc's and was one of about 32 ringed there on 26 July 2003, apparently someone had also had a 'similar bird' at Askam which brought about the comment, quote....' so you have at least some South Pennine birds coming your way'....unquote. The e-mail I received ended, quote....'definitely interesting stuff'....unquote. Well I certainly went along with that at the time and still do.

I have it on good authority that a single Waxwing was seen on Rowan this morning from Station Road in High Bentham.

And finally......My computer is going into hospital tomorrow until goodness knows when but hopefully not too long, though I doubt very much that anyone on the planet will be affected in any way at all by this news.

Shanks's Pony....

....to Glasson Dock where the pic was

taken at 4.15 this afternoon with not
a bird in sight.

In a field at Aldcliffe at least 60 Redwing seen, and down Aldcliffe Hall Lane only a fraction of the excellent Linnet flock of yesterday with only about 20 birds seen today.

Noted between Aldcliffe and Conder Green, 2 Grey Wagtail, 6 Dunnock, 15 Blackbirds were feeding under the same hedgerow as Monday 2 February, 2 Greenfinch are not an easy bird to find these days and appears to be heading towards scarcity status, 4 Reed Bunting, 8 Goldfinch, and a Snipe flushed.

At Conder Green, 50+ Twite were very mobile, 2 Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 4 Little Grebe, and 5 Grey Plover may well constitute a personal best record here for the species.

Before leaving Aldcliffe I had walked to Freemans Pools and returned via the coastal path but I had met Dan and Steve when I got back to the crossing gates and had seen nothing to add to Steve's comprehensive list of sightings which he should always be complimented on. However, the subject of recording is worth an article as I myself often wonder were the cut-off point should realistically be when reporting birds on a 4/5 times a week basis and in particular always from the same area/s. The best single example would be that you wouldn't record seeing 2,500 Starlings on - lets say - four consecutive days all at the same location, and what about corvids/gulls as another example of recording neglect. But enough of this......another time perhaps.

Bright on weather....

....dull on birds.

Well not really as any days birding is a good day but in varying degrees and
today didn't quite get off the ground. JB and I started the day at Knott End which was a badly timed decision as the tide was well in when we arrived and the only birds for the records book were just 4 Twite.

A look in at the goose fields around Eagland Hill produced up to 5,ooo Pink-footed Geese. At Fluke Hall the first thing to note was a Skylark singing its towering flight song like it was early spring, 7 Pied Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, and 12 Linnet were in a ploughed field west of the slipway, a Buzzard was perched up in a tree and c.1,000 Pink-footed Geese seen. From Backsands Lane the Black-tailed Godwit number had dwindled from 250/300 recently to just 50 today in the same field.

In the fields opposite Sand Villa the Whooper Swan number appeared to be the same as yesterdays count though the troughs in these fields make counting difficult if not impossible at times, 2 Bewick's Swan's were seen here today.

On Moss Lane heading to Cockersands a Little Egret was on the move from ditch to ditch and was probably the same bird seen on Jeremy Lane yesterday. At Cockersands, 6 Twite were at the Caravan Park end, and the Bank Houses Little Owl was again perched in tree's around the paddock. At the lighthouse end, 4 Grey Plover, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, and 3 Red-breasted Merganser were the only birds of note.

I really don't have to note this here, but in truth JB joined me today to do the very same thing as I had done myself yesterday in that once again we 'missed' the White-fronted Geese, Brent Goose, Bean Goose, and the hybrid Ross's Goose x Pink-footed Goose......Oh dear where am I going wrong!

The Skylark pic represents the one singing at Fluke Hall this afternoon, but this one was at Halforth one summers day.

Todays Notes.

As the tide pushed onto the marsh at

Conder Green a Greenshank was revealed, also a Spotted Redshank and 3 Snipe. These marshes must be one of the best in the area for Jack Snipe (seen here on previous occasions) but not the easiest of marsh to negotiate having many hidden channels and holes to break your ankle in and along time since I tried it out with 3 JS seen, the 3 Stonechat were on here again today. The Common Sandpiper was trying to break through the iced over grass on the 'shelf' at the back of Conder Pool and surely must have been wondering once again were it went wrong last autumn, 3 Little Grebe also noted.

On Jeremy Lane a Little Egret was in a field with c.200 Common Gull.

At Cockersands 42 Twite were in the trees and adjacent stubble field by Bank Houses where the Little Owl was again hiding in a tree. I also took note of 5 Brown Hare in Abbey Farm fields.

In the field opposite Sand Villa 66 Whooper Swan counted, and a male Ruff was in a field off Backsand Lane with 250+ Black-tailed Godwit. And at Fluke Hall 20+ Twite were the first I saw this winter in this area just west of the slipway, also a Little Egret here. A Song Thrush was in song just north of the picnic area at Conder Green this late afternoon when I called in on the way home to see if I could achieve an in excess of 100 Twite figure for the day with the Conder birds but they were not playing ball and so it remains at c.62.

I 'missed' a few birds in the area I covered today - White-fronted Geese, Brent Goose, Bean Goose, and hybrid Ross's Goose x Pink-footed Goose - but you can't be everywhere can you!

Don't think I need to explain where the pic was taken......but at least they're birds and more in keeping with the blog.

The Short List.

Noted in the short list on the third

consecutive day local patch birding.

At Conder Green 25+ Twite seen late morning had increased to 55+ by late
afternoon just north of the picnic area. The 3 Stonechat were seen here again, also 2 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, a Grey Plover, and 7 Little Grebe. Four hours later 6 Little Grebe were on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock therefore not possible to claim having seen 13 birds on the day. Also on the estuary, at least 1,000 Bar-tailed Godwit and 200 Black-tailed Godwit. Goldeneye numbers appear to have fallen here dramatically and only c.40 were seen today, 3 Turnstone are something of a rarity at Glasson Dock and I don't recall ever seeing this species here before......or haven't I been trying hard enough? From Bodie Hill a Little Egret was on Glasson Marsh.

On the short list at Cockersands were 45 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Grey Partridge, and the Bank Houses Little Owl. Also noted were 7 Brown Hare.
For the second day in a row the male Stonechat didn't put in an appearance, perhaps it has just failed by a couple of days to be here a full four months, time will tell.

No appropriate 'birdie pic' again, nothing new there then! This one - which was taken from the Cockersands lighthouse parking area - is of the last house - Old Hall - on the east side of Sunderland Point. The house will have a huge value today but where will it be by the turn of the century. The photograph had two obscene pylons behind it in the composition which ruined the whole scene but which I 'fixed' with Picasa. If you do photography and need tools to manipulate your images with download it now for free......recommended.

If you are reading this Richard I'm pleased to tell you your artwork remains standing and in tact, but a 10 mtr tide one day next week may change all this, although if the weather is anything like today with brilliant sunshine and a flat calm then I'm willing to take bets it stands the test of time and the tide.

More of the same.

Not really, birding is NEVER more of

the same. With JB/BT today checking
out the coastal area's the highlight's of which were......

At Freemans Pools a 1w male Stonechat was excellent, two drake Gadwall and 3 drake and a female Shoveler were good records here, 2 Little Grebe and a Goldeneye were also to note on the pool. On Aldcliffe Hall Lane possibly up to 100 Linnet was a good count.

At Conder Green the 3 Stonechat showed again today, I have a 'niggle' that there may be more here and future searches will prove one way or the other, also 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank seen today.

From Bodie Hill 2 Bewick's Swans were on the Lune Estuary.

At Cockersands the Bank Houses Little Owl was perched out in the open on a small tree but did what the Merlin did yesterday when it saw Johns camera.

In the field opposite Sand Villa today were 71 Whooper Swans and 2 Bewick's Swans. On the A588 just short of the PLE turn off a Little Egret flew over. On Backsands Lane c.100 Black-tailed Godwit were a reduction of around 200 on yesterdays count in the same field.

Straying yet again OOA (I do it all the time) at the New Lane feeding station at least 70 Corn Bunting was an excellent count, and at Bradshaw Lane Head (hope you are reading this GM) the Short-eared Owl gave prolonged and fantastic views as it quartered the field eventually taking a small vole which was taken and eaten in less than 10 seconds. It's hard to believe S E Owl's can start egg-laying in the second half of February. I think you could take bet's they won't be doing that this year if things stay as they are at the moment......will they?

The Stonechat in the pic above is one of the three at Conder Green taken on 8 January, but despite shouting to the bird to do so it wouldn't turn to me for the shot.

Worth waiting for!

As JB says on the LDBWS website he had not been birding for
11 days, but my parting words to him as he got out of the car were....'worth waiting for John'.... and I know he agreed.

John has - as always - dealt with the details of the day, here are the highlights......

At Conder Green 3 Stonechats (2m/f) seen here again today are almost certainly the three seen by me on 8 January.This sighting is even more interesting in that I only ever saw three adult birds together on one previous occasion, these three appear to have been together for a month at least. Perhaps this is more the norm during the winter period but still remains only my second record in winter or summer. Also here, 2 Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, and up to four Tree Sparrows. The Common Sandpiper showed itself to us again today.

A Little Egret was seen briefly before disappearing down a gully on Colloway Marsh, and from Bodie Hill 4 Whooper Swans seen.

From Moss Lane 45 Whooper Swans, and on the same lane nearer to Cockersands a male Merlin was in a tree within 8 mtrs of the car but soon departed when it saw John dive for his camera. Amazingly it was on a fence post a few mtrs along the lane but didn't hang around when it again saw the camera.

At Cockersands a Short-eared Owl was quartering the marsh as we turned the corner and if a sight like that doesn't excite then it's time to give up. The wintering male Stonechat failed to show and was the only down side of the entire day.

In the field opposite Sand Villa 26 Whooper Swans were with Mute Swans, and c.300 Black-tailed Godwit were in a field off Backsands Lane, at Fluke Hall 5 Stock Dove were to note.

At Bradshaw Lane Head - whilst straying OOA - a Short-eared Owl was hunting Pilling Moss, and 35 Corn Bunting were on wires near the feeding station, lending proof the species is still not extinct in this area, and just up the road from here at Eagland Hill c.12 Fieldfare seen.

En route home to Lancaster a detour round Gulf Lane gave c.2,000 Pink-footed Geese over the Winmarleigh Moss area.

The Wheatear in the pic is the next one on the menu just a few weeks from now, probably for me at either Fluke Hall/Cockersands. The pic is again grossly over cropped and if you can expand it please don't for my sake!

Snowbound.

Not quite snowbound but reckon I'd have struggled to get out of our road in the car so threw away the keys for the day and walked to Glasson Dock along the coastal path.

In Aldcliffe I saw c.40 Redwing. When I get to the old railway crossing on this walk I usually go right to Freemans Wood but decided short on time so turned left and noted a Grey Wagtail and Dunnock to Stodday where a Raven went to perch on a pylon and instantly annoyed a male and female Peregrine Falcon. This was a first record for me as I never saw m/f together before for size comparison. I probably saw up to 45 Blackbirds on the walk - the one on the right isn't one of them I took this at Clapham - including 11 feeding together under the same hedgerow with 2 Redwing, 25 more Redwing were seen at Conder Green with a Song Thrush to note. Flying east - a bit too distant for ease of ID - were 25 'geese' which I regarded to be Greylag, they were accompanied by a 'white' goose which again I regarded to be of the 'farmyard' type (PFG and a Snow Goose....Whoooops).

Also at Conder Green the 2 Stonechat seen here again, 2 Greenshank, a Grey Plover, 3 Little Grebe, and a Reed Bunting were noted.

On the Glasson Basin, 16 drake Pochard continues the increasing number here but......how come the females are never to be seen? also a Little Grebe and 2 Great-crested Grebe.

On Jeremy Lane, c.200 Golden Plover, 6+ Fieldfare, and a Dunnock to note.

The pager had already told me earlier in the day 'no sign' of yesterdays Black Redstart but I took a non intensive look at Fishnet Point (you can't do serious birding with just a pair of binos round your neck) to confirm no sign for me either.