Conder Green - creek and pool - first visit of the day!
A morning visit to hopefully catch up with the adult Temmincks Stint thats been around for a few days. But no sign despite a number of other birders also looking.
But plenty of other waders including: 3 Greenshank 4 Avocets - 2 adults plus 2 young chicks - very late for these 3-4 Common Sandpipers 3 Ruff Loads of Redshank A few Curlew, Dunlin and Oystercatcher 1 Little Ringed Plover - juv 4 Common Terns - adult plus 3 juveniles
Lune Estuary 5 Eider resting on a sandbank 200+ Curlew feeding in one field along Moss Lane
Conder Green - second visit of the day! Quick 10 min stop-off to have another check for the Temmincks Stint before moving onto Foulshaw Moss (separate thread) - still no sign!
Conder Green - third visit of the day! Whilst at Foulshaw Moss word came though that the Temmincks Stint had been re-found. So on my way home I decided to call in again and the Stint was showing really well in the creek giving prolonged, good scope views. Certainly my best ever view of this species.
Saturday evening stroll along the coastal path. 2 x willow warbler singing from the trees near the Stork. 30 black-tailed godwits and 2 x oystercatcher in the stubbly field past the main car park. 1 x little grebe, several pairs of shelduck and 2 x redshank on the creek at Conder Green
Conder Green (River Conder & Pool) : 1m+1f Red Breasted Mergansers, 1f Goosander, 6 Black Tailed Godwits, 4 Little Egrets, 11 Curlews and 2 Little Grebes.
Glasson Basin : 2f Goosanders and 2f Goldeneyes.
8 Pink Footed Geese were on the salt marsh below Bodie Hill.
Glasson Dock - south along Lancashire Coastal Path (overlooking River Lune and estuary) - past Cockersand Abbey - past Bank Houses (overlooking Cocker Channel) - Moss Lane - Lower Thurnham - along Lancaster Canal back to Glasson Dock - with quick look out towards Condor Green.
Eider Duck x 36 Golden Plover x 200 plus Little Egret x 7 Turnstone x 10 Redshank x 40 Shelduck x 8 Whooper Swan x 60 Black Swan x 2 Lapwing x 15 Curlew x 25 Wigeon x 40 Linnet x 30 Tree Sparrow x 15 House Sparrow x 20 Tufted Duck x 5 Great Black-Backed Gull x 4 Black-Headed Gull x 200 Buzzard x 2 Kestrel x 1 Cormorant x 3 Collared Dove x 2 Woodpigeon x 15 Mute Swan x 14 Magpie x 3 Blue Tit x 3 Robin x 5 Blackbird x 3 Pied Wagtail x 5 Meadow Pipit x 3 Mallard x 10 Coot x 15
Lune Estuary (Glasson Dock to Conder Green) During High Tide
1f Merlin, 3 Little Egrets, 18 Snipe, 12 Curlew (30 more Curlew on farmland at Conder Green) plus lots of Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Redshank and Lapwings.
The hawthornes that line the old railway from Glasson to Conder Green held lots of Redwings and Blackbirds, together with a flock of 10 House Sparrows, 6 Fieldfares
plus Chaffinches, Greenfinches and the occasional Reed Bunting. There are still plenty of berries left though. Two of the House Sparrows, females were very pale, almost albino.
On the marsh below the hillside viewing area at Glasson were many more Lapwings, Wigeon etc, and with them 35 Golden Plovers, 1 Shoveler plus numerous Shelduck and Dunlin.
Went up to Conder Green and Glasson Dock today arriving at 12.30 - looked at Conder Pool, River Conder area and finally the front at Glasson Dock overlooking the estuary. Thanks to local birder Pete Woodruff for advising the best observation spot for giving views of the Spoonbill - well at least at that time anyway.
The Spoonbill has been favouring the area at the mouth of the River Conder. With the high tide time today, at lunchtime it would not have been visible by walking along the coastal path north of Conder Green. So it was off to Glasson Dock and the little promenade behind the bowling green. Just a case of scoping each egret type bird until it was located, which it was, despite it being very distant and across the bay. It was present until around 2pm when it flew towards Glasson Dock and on out of view. I had gone back for a second look but missed it. Amongst others :-
Spoonbill (1) Greenshank (2) Green Sandpiper (1) Common Sandpiper (1) Ruff (1) Oystercatcher Redshank Lapwing Little Egret (c.15) Shelduck
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Tuesday 11th of August 2015 04:25:30 PM
-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Tuesday 11th of August 2015 06:42:29 PM
Hope I've got the right thread for Conder Green / Lune Estuary without starting a new one, Glasson is fairly close by.
A late trip up this evening after Preston for a possible sighting of the reported Spoonbill at Glasson and Conder Green. Light was against us so a short walk along the footpath at Conder Green looking out towards the estuary. Unfortunately no sign of the Spoonbill, and it hadn't been seen since 4pm but worth a look whilst up that way.
Of note... - Curlew here and there - 1 Whimbrel - 1 Oystercatcher - 2 Common Sandpiper - Redshank dotted around - few Lapwing - Mute Swans - few Sand Martin - few Common Swift - few Swallow - adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls - 1 Great Black-backed Gull - few Black-headed Gulls - 1 Common Buzzard
A great place with some good species seen in a short time, and I reckon would probably be even better had we gone at a better time.
Didn't spend much time in area today, as visited Leighton Moss with family (see separate blog), but still plenty of the usuals knocking about.
30+ Black-tailed Godwits on the Conder with 20+ still on the freshwater pools, with a few Curlew, a Common Sand and lots of Redshank in the morning on Conder. Had a few Swifts fly through when stopped in the morning and a lazy Buzzard, also Sand Martins and a few House Martins knocking about.
On return in mid afternoon, had a Whimbrel fly overhead, which was lovely to see. A similar assemblage of birds around area from car in the afternoon, with a Little Egret passing overhead and more swifts aplenty. No evening stroll tonight, enjoying a glass of red with the kids in bed instead?!
Up here again for another long weekend. Always a pleasure!?
The Spotted Redshank have moved on since a fortnight back, but a lone Greenshank was knocking about on the Conder and the freshwater pool on Friday night/Saturday morning. Had a Common Sandpiper on the pools this morning and pair of Gadwall too with the usual pair of Teal, two Male Wigeon and 8 Tufted Ducks. First swift of the year flew through overhead on Saturday afternoon too.
Locally, Lesser Whitethroat on the cycle path into Glasson, Whinchat and Redstart very early morning around Conder Green (must have fallen in night with rain), plus Sedge Warblers and plenty of other local birds (Reed Bunts singing etc). However, bonus of the day was on taking a trip out to Galgate for the newspapers, then on way back finding a lone Glossy Ibis on the Conder itself, with Black-tailed Godwits. I was only going to take my son to see the local goat when I noticed it on the waters edge, cracking. I put it on the local grape vine, but unfortunately it was attacked by a Shelduck about 40 minutes after I first located it and it flew off south seemingly landing the other side of the Mill Hotel somewhere. Got a record shot, which is now on Birdguides, so nice to have found a bird of local interest after visiting for a number of years
Other than that I had an evening stroll this evening and found the Whinchat again, cracking male knocking about the reeds near Conder Bridge, must have been going in to roost for the night. Also a couple of Grasshopper Warblers reeling away!?
Always a cracking place to visit during any season, but particularly in spring when you never know what will turn up!? Hopefully something of interest tomorrow too....
Was up here a few weeks back (April 18th to 21st). Took a few walks around Glasson and Conder Green area in general.
Lots of Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff around Glasson, with a Common Sandpiper on the canal. 400 plus Black-tailed Godwit on the Lune Estuary and plenty of Whitethraots in the hedges scattered around. That weekend I had my first Sedge Warbler and House Martin around the same area along the country roads between Glasson and Cockersand Abbey. Tree Sparrows all over the place too and a Whooper Swan among the Mute Swans in the fields. Hare running about chasing and boxing too, always a pleasure.
Pottered over to the Lighthouse on low tide, opposite Sunderland Point, where watched a steady line of Meadow Pipits, Sand Martins, Swallows and a few other passerines flying up the Lune (including some lovely Wheatears). Small flock of Dunlin (30+) and a few Golden Plover alongside the usual Oystercatchers, Curlew and the noisy Eider on that stretch of the Lune too, plus a few Ringed Plover.
Around Conder Green there were two stunning Spotted Redshank all weekend, almost completely into their splendid black plumage!? All the usual candidates around the green too, including Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Common Sandpiper etc. Had a White Wagtail on the banks of the freshwater pools, plus a yellow wagtail flyover. Unfortunately, the winter tides look to have breached the freshwater pools on a number of occasions and you can visibly see a difference to the plant life on the pool edges and no doubt that has affected the ecology of the water too. It is definitely quieter on the freshwater pools than any other year I've known up here (been coming here for 7-8 years now, staying locally off Conder Green). Still a few male Wigeon knocking about though, but then the grass is the same in the fields with the usual two cows munching away!?
-- Edited by Sean Sweeney on Sunday 4th of May 2014 10:40:39 PM
Conder Pool - on the road to Glasson. First visit this evening after the reports of Water Pipits and what a fantastic spot - and a quick trip from the M6 - 10 minutes from J33. Highlights:
4 Spotted Redshank [between the pool and the channel] 2 Little Ringed Plovers 3 or 4 Water Pipits - [now I know what they look like I must apologise to Ian for all those photos of Meadows I tried to turn into Waters over the past three years - sorry Ian ] 1 Hare 1 Common Sandpiper [my first this year] 1 Godwit - distant but I'd say Bar Tailed
-- Edited by Pete Welch on Monday 2nd of April 2012 09:43:05 PM
An excellent walk today in superb spring weather from Glasson to Crook Farm, then along the coast to Bank Houses and back. Main sightings were:
A huge flock of Knots putting on a breathtaking aerial display 2 Red-Breasted Mergansers Several Common Eiders Little Egret Dunlin Redshank Oystercatchers Shelduck Goosander Cormorant Curlews Wigeon Northern Wheatear
had a great week up at glasson dock, plenty of curlew swans comerant 3x godwit oystercatcher and several i havent got a clue what they are. and a surprise barn owl. what a great week
had a day up at glasson dock helping my dad check over his caravan ready for the season. had an hour on the estery 10+ curlew 1 heron 20+ comerant 1 godwit 50+ shelduck 20+ oyster catcher 20+ mute swan plover plenty of gulls
Popped in to Conder Green this morning before work at Heysham, then on return in evening for high tide roost after a lovely meal in The Stork pub for a bit of venison. Lots of Oystercatcher, Shelduck, Redshank and Lapwing paired up in the fields and rough grassland in the surrounding countryside, cracking seeing these birds away from the mud!?
Greenshank seen in morning and later in evening too, I think I have now seen Greenshank here in every month of the year .
Birds Included:
Shelduck 20+ Wigeon 1 (male) Tufted Duck 4 Common Sandpiper 4 Redshank 20+ Greenshank 1 Curlew 1 Whimbrel 1 Swallow 30+ House Martin 12+
Always a lovely spot to drop in to and great food too!?
Visiting folk in Glasson Dock today during high tide. There is an excellent pool where lots of waders gather with the usual Black-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers, Goldeneye, Little Grebe etc, but this is a great place for "Shanks". All three there: Spotted, Green and Common on the pool at high tide. Once tide had gone down a little the 2 Greenshanks and a Spotted were feeding on the nearby muddy river banks together with Common Redshank, all three in the scope at the same time only 30m from the road.
Enjoyed eating my fish and chips in my car listening to the match whilst watching the Shanks!!
Also had a Common Sandpiper join the party, spring is certainly in the air.
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