Buses, Boots, And Binos.

The last days birding of 2014 for me was on Tuesday, the initial plan was to walk along the River Lune from Skerton Bridge in Lancaster, do a loop of Aldcliffe and return back to Lancaster, in the end I walked all the way to Glasson Dock.....as it turned out, quite a good decision. 

This is an excellent 5 mile birding walk on which today I encountered - and noted in the little black book - a few thousand gulls and waders, Oystercatcher/Curlew/Lapwing/Golden Plover/Redshank/Dunlin, and good numbers of small birds not all noted here below....

Song Thrush. Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery

Highlights were seeing 3 Song Thrush together - not an every day occurrence these days - finding 40 Blackbird along the way, with 12 Robin another excellent count, at least 90 Redwing in a field adjacent to Ashton Golf Club. On the river in Lancaster I found 4 Goldeneye and 6 Goosander, and on Freemans Pool, notable were 6 Gadwall, a duck I'm always pleased to see, and a Sparrowhawk flew across the pools. Around the mainly frozen wildfowlers pool I noted 22 Moorhen pecking away in a line.  

White-fronted Geese Jan Larsson 

Frustration took a hold on Aldcliffe Marsh when I picked out a distant Barnacle Goose with c.150 Canada Geese, and five smaller geese which were obviously 5 White-fronted Geese, but which instantly took off the minute I put my binos up and disappeared over the by-pass road towards the fields around Oxcliffe Road where I could see a 'few thousand' Pink-footed Geese in the air. 

Also noted along the coastal path, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Dunnock, 2 Mistle Thrush, and a Meadow Pipit. By the time I got to Conder Green dusk was setting in, but I picked up the Common Sandpiper in the creeks, and in the semi darkness I saw 10 Little Grebe, six in the creeks and four on Conder Pool. I then had to hot foot it to Glasson Dock....my bus was due.

Thanks to Martin and Jan for their photographs, they are much appreciated.

Out With The Old, In With The New.

I'm grateful to anyone and everyone who took the trouble to look in and comment during 2014, giving me the evidence I need that I'm not posting on Birds2blog to myself....THANK YOU....See you all in 2015.

Iv'e had as good a year as any other on Birds2blog. I've managed to keep it up and running - hopefully with a little interest to report from time to time - and certainly with some stunning photography to show thanks to my army of excellent photographers who allow me to use their work for which I'm eternally grateful.

Out with the old.

I'm seeing 2014 out with the best image of it's kind I've seen this year. 

Hen Harrier. Howard Stockdale.

Howard explained to me how he was treated to a great aerial display by a Hen Harrier recently. After seeing off the two Carrion Crow that were mobbing it, to his pleasure the bird landed on a dead tree stump for a good 30 minutes before heading off.

Thanks for this Howard....Brilliant. 

In with the new.

And I'm seeing 2015 in with the Stonechat, in the hope that it's going to make a comeback on the uplands of Clougha/BirkBank/Harrisend/Hawthornthwaite.

 Stonechat Simon Hawtin 

Thanks for the Stonechat Simon....Brilliant bird, brilliant photography.

Nothing Spektakler....

....but a beautiful calm, frosty, sunny day, and it was good to be taking a look at the birds again yesterday in the Conder, Glasson, and Cockersands area after the Christmas break.

There are 15 Little Grebe still in the area, with eight seen on Conder Pool, one in the creeks, three down the Conder Channel, and another three seen later on the Lune Estuary. On a circuit of Conder Green I noted, 5 Fieldfare, a single Redwing, Little Egret, Snipe, Dunnock, 7 Long-tailed Tit, and c.20 Chaffinch.

Red-breasted Merganser Brian Rafferty 

On the Lune Estuary, a mix of 72 diving duck were pretty hard work to count whilst drifting downstream and constantly diving, I saw them as 32 Goldeneye and 40 Tufted Duck. Also of note, c.120 Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Bar-tailed Godwit. At the Conder mouth, a Spotted Redshank and 2 Red-breasted Merganser. The injured Snow Goose was at the south end of Colloway Marsh again, and c.3,000 Knot were seen at Sunderland Point from Bodie Hill.

Last Wednesdays 2 Bewick's Swan were seen on Jeremy Lane again, and 2 Bewick's Swan were with at least 80 Whooper Swan off Moss Lane. At Cockersands, 108 Black-tailed Godwit counted off Crook Farm, with 16 Dunlin and 3 Knot noted. Off Plover Scar, 600 wildfowl were seen as estimates of 500 Wigeon and 100 Pintail, 4 Red-breasted Merganser were in the Cocker Channel, and I saw 2 Kestrel during the visit here.

Blackbird. Pete Woodruff.

There appears to be a good number of Blackbird around and I counted at least twenty on the day. We had one with a metal ring on it's right leg in our garden recently, the first ringed Blackbird I ever saw.

Snow Bunting.   

Snow Bunting David Cookson 

An excellent count of 36 Snow Bunting were on Pendle Hill yesterday morning. 

Christmas Birding....Noel, Noel!

Bewick's Swan Marc Heath   

I snatched four hours on Christmas Eve out of the busy holiday build-up and was rewarded by finding 4 Bewick's Swan and at least 80 Whooper Swan off Moss Lane, another 2 Bewick's Swan were with Mute Swan, with c.70 Pink-footed Geese and c.40 Greylag on Jeremy Lane.  

At Cockersands I covered Crook Farm to Bank End in the cold westerly howler which wasn't anything to call enjoyable along the headland, but I noted 2 Rock Pipit off the car park at the lighthouse. Good but insignificant numbers of waders had escaped into fields from the 10.10m tide and howling wind including Golden Plover, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, and Oystercatcher.

Twite Jan Larsson

Between the Caravan Park and Bank End I encountered at least 20 Twite, 3 Reed Bunting, and 3 Snipe came up off the marsh displaced by the tide, and a local Kestrel seen.

On the choppy Conder Pool, following several attempts at accuracy my best count was of 8 Little Grebe, 4 Goldeneye, 10 Tufted Duck, a Red-breasted Merganser, and a Little Egret, a Spotted Redshank was in the creeks.

And finally....The 'Christmas Bird Award' goes to....

Glaucous Gull. Chris Batty.

A juvenile Glaucous Gull found on Preesall Sands at Knott End yesterday.

Thanks to Marc/Jan/Chris for more excellent photography on Birds2blog. Also my thanks for the brilliant new header of the Little Owl. Richard watched this bird take to the roof when it came on to rain, it promptly spread it's wings to take a shower. Another excellent observation of bird behaviour which fascinates me.

Hope everyone is having a good Christmas break.

GREETINGS.

A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE.

Frosty Morn. Pete Woodruff

High tide at Conder Green on a frosty December morning....'clik the pik' it'll look bigger and better.

Back soon....hopefully.

The Royal Conservationist.

I'd sooner be birding....But haven't been since last Friday, and probably won't be until next Monday, and that's serious in my book. But what about the Royal Conservationist.... 

Elephants Gary Jones

Prince William has been in America recently talking about Elephants and Rhinos, it's estimated that 35,000 Elephants are poached every year for their ivory and 1,000 Rhinos for their horns and he advocated a zero-tolerance policy on this.

But the thing about conservation is that it's global, that means it's a domestic issue too. You can't go abroad and tell people not to destroy the rainforests if you support the destruction of ancient woodland for a high speed railway in Britain, and you can't go abroad to tell people not to kill Elephants and Rhinos in Africa and Asia if you support shooting wildlife in Britain.

There's a consistency which has eluded Prince William as it has other generations of royals, but whose work for wildlife has been compromised by their taste for killing it. I've personally always considered the RSPB banner to be a ludicrous one until the R for royal has been removed from it.

So, if Prince William wants to be taken seriously in America - or anywhere else in the world - as an advocate for conservation, he has to speak out against some of the issues in his own country....like the shooting industry in Britain and the associated slaughter of birds of prey in the country of his birth....better still he's gotta stop doing it and hang up is gun's. He's got to stop going around pretending to be a wildlife friendly guy who's really only out to promote a pretty picture of himself, and isn't a wildlife conservationist at all. 

And I hope Harry is keeping away from Sandringham too. William's brother Harry was questioned by police in 2007 after two Hen Harriers were shot on the Sandringham Estate, an act witnessed from a nature reserve within sight of the estate. The bodies of the two birds were never found and no case was ever brought.

Royal conservationists HYPOCRITES.

Thanks for the Elephants Gary....brilliant photography as ever. No tusks on these two youngsters, but they stand a good chance of ending up dead one day because they do have ivory tusks.

Massacre Of The Innocents....

Not remotely connected to anything Birds2blog is about, but too tragic to ignore, and necessary to share.

Pakistan has almost 5.5 million children that are out of school, the second highest number in the world only after Nigeria. 

On Tuesday 17 December 2014 a band of men walked into a school in Pakistan and massacred in excess of 130 children. These were Taliban extremists who see education as a threat. The best way to respond to their heinous crime is to meet their attack with a global call to get every child in school.

If you haven't already done so, please join the global call and consider signing the petition to Honour Pakistan's Children 

And the passing of a friendly Fylde birder.

On Friday I was sorry to hear some late news about the death of Tony Rhodes about a fortnight ago after a long illness. I only met Tony two or three times, when I did meet him he was always in the company of Maurice Jones and usually Barry and Roy, he was a nice man whose conversations would always include a friendly quip....Rest In Peace Tony. 

The Short Cut!

I had to cut short yesterdays birding, but the decision was made all the easier with some nasty showers and a bloody strong and cold westerly wind in the face. But I was able to check out The Green and The Dock before the cut off.

Fieldfare. Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery  

From the coastal path at Conder Green I noted a 'few' uncounted Fieldfare and Redwing, 12 Chaffinch, and 3 Blackbird.

Conder Pool resembled a choppy lake making the count all the more difficult, in the end I settled for 10 Little Grebe with the company of 3 Goldeneye, 22 Wigeon, 7 Tufted Duck, a 'few' Mallard, a Red-breasted Merganser, and a Little Egret. In the creeks, the Spotted Redshank obliged with excellent views, the Common Sandpiper - as is often the case - was down by the old railway bridge.

Lapwing. Bob Bushell @ Birdsfod

I don't ever recall being able to say....I saw not a solitary Lapwing on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock today....that was bizarre. This, and just c.250 Redshank, 30 Black-tailed Godwit, and 3 Dunlin, close in by the bowling green, had the place looking almost wader deserted. Other notes, c.90 Wigeon, a solitary drake Goldeneye and Great-crested Grebe. On Colloway Marsh, the Snow Goose seen again, but beware, at times there are white farmyard geese on here, a mix of 150 Pink-footed Geese and Greylag predominantly the former, and a Peregrine Falcon biding it's time again.

As far as I'm concerned, any birding is better than no birding, but I'm afraid this didn't fall into the 'exciting' category, and it was a bit too short lived for my liking.

If I can remind you to 'clik the pik' to get the full benefit of excellent photography from Martin and Bob.    

Hardly Riveting.

I gave Cockersands a good three hour rake around on Tuesday and came up with nothing to be called riveting. I walked the length from the Caravan Park to Crook Farm and return with one or two diversions to little avail.

Wren Ana Minguez  

That said, the 600 Pintail I saw off Plover Scar on 1 December were not far short of that number again today off here with up to 1,000 Wigeon. On the Cocker channel another 3,000 Wigeon were an impressive sight mostly hauled out on to the mud, 3 Red-breasted Merganser and 3 Little Egret were also of note. In and around the Bank Houses horse paddock, 4 Meadow Pipit and 3 Wren seen.

Whooper Swan Brian Rafferty 

Off Moss Lane I noted at least 55 Whooper Swan still in the fields, and I was able to up the recent counts with c.100 Fieldfare and a few Redwing seen today. On my way back to Lancaster and unable to drive past the place even in semi-darkness, Conder Pool held 12 Little Grebe.

Wigeon on Conder Pool.

 Wigeon Bob Bushell 

The Wigeon breed across the northern Palearctic from Iceland to the Bering Straits. There is a small breeding population in Scotland where they commence egg laying in mid-April, in Iceland the dates are from mid to late May.  

On Monday I watched a pair of Wigeon on Conder Pool, the drake of which was in the act of mating with the female which was completely submerged for several seconds on occasions, when she surfaced the drake showed aggression by stabbing at her head and pulling on her crown feathers before she was submerged again. Odd behaviour in mid-December, though in wintering areas drakes are known to compete for mates in display behaviour....but this was a first for me, and was the first entry in my book of 'Notes On Bird Behaviour' since March 2013 when I observed Mallards and Shelducks diving on the River Lune at Glasson Dock.

Thanks to Ana/Brian/Bob for the photographs in this post.  

Monday's Little Black Book.

By the time I left Crook Cottage yesterday - having paid a visit to the very nice people there - the light was beginning to fade, and by the time I reached the Cocker channel it had faded even more. I had left my telescope in the motor, this to add to the lack of light by 3.45pm was all pretty frustrating as there was collectively a few thousand waders, wildfowl, and gulls to look through had I got my act together here earlier in the day with the proper optics. Some you win....some you loose. 

Conder Pool had 12 Little Grebe on view, with 21 Wigeon and 7 Tufted Duck also noted. In the creeks, a Snipe, and the Common Sandpiper seen downstream from the iron bridge. 

Redwing. Martin Lofgren.

Along the coastal path to Glasson Dock I saw 10 Redwing, counted 13 Blackbirds, a Song Thrush never fails to please, 5 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Wren, 2 Robin, a Goldfinch and a Chaffinch.

Cormorant. Ana Minguez.

On the Lune Estuary, I noted 29 Cormorant in a group on the mud. I was on a 'no counting' day, but did note estimates of 5,000 Lapwing, 500 Golden Plover, 150 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, and could only find 8 Goldeneye. The injured Snow Goose was again on the mud opposite the bowling green, with uncounted Pink-footed Geese, Greylag, and Canada Geese on Colloway Marsh. A Peregrine Falcon was also on Colloway Marsh surveying the terrain for it's next attack, and on Jeremy Lane, 8 Whooper Swan were with Mute Swans.

Every bird has it's own beauty as the excellent portrait of the Cormorant above clearly illustrates, with thanks to Ana at Naturanafotos and to Martin at Wild Bird Gallery for the excellent Redwing.