Out for the count...

Highlights from Aldcliffe to Conder WeBS count included:
2 LR Plover at Freeman's Pools and another at Conder Pool
1 Arctic tern over Colloway and presumably the same bird later at Glasson
74 dunlin on the Lune at Stodday
A few whimbrel including a flock of 26 on the Lune off Colloway
32 black-tailed godwit at Conder
3m & 1f eider on the Lune
Pair gadwall on Bank Pool
145 mute swan

also en route:
Male whinchat at Stodday
10 singing whitethroat counted (though curiously NO lessers)
12 wheatears - probably Greenland birds appearing larger & darker than 'our' birds, though I'm always a bit loathe to stick my neck out without direct comparisons! The date would certainly suggest that they're leucorhoa.
Good fun watching the raven adults noisily enticing their young to fledge the nest. 2 emerged while I was there.

How nice to be out without a howling gale for company!

Brighter later

Waited for the rain to ease off before making an afternoon visit in the hope that something interesting might have been dropped with it.
The pools were fairly quiet with just the regular sort of stuff: 2 mute swan, 2 Canada geese, 2 shelduck, 6 mallard, 2 tufted duck, 1 little grebe, 1 lapwing, 2 oystercatcher, 1 common sandpiper and a pair of little ringed plover.
Single sand and house martins were amongst the more numerous swallows and swifts.
A common whitethroat was singing near the top viewing area.
At least 2 further com whitethroat were in song along the cycle track, though with the wind dropping tomorrow a more reliable count should be possible.
A single whimbrel was with a couple of curlew on the estuary and 3 wheatear were on the tideline at Snipe Bog.
A raven was upsetting the local carrion crows and the 2 resident male kestrels within the patch boundaries were busy hunting in their respective areas.

That Friday feeling...

A touch on the breezy side for Aldcliffe, but I made a post-work visit nonetheless.
Freeman's Pools were quiet with just the 5 tufted duck and the odd coot and shelduck seen - probably due to the kids who were running around the place screaming, shouting and trampling on coot nests. Actually, I don't know if they were trampling on coot nests, I just thought I'd put that in for effect.
Single common sandpipers were on the Flood and at the Wildfowlers' Pools while a lone whimbrel was on the marsh, as well as all the usual oystercatchers, redshank etc.
Good numbers of swift, swallow and house martins around plus a single singing whitethroat along the cycle track. A willow warbler was in song in the cutting behind Cadaver Corner while chiffchaffs and blackcaps could be heard in Freeman's Wood.
A raven was battling against the wind over the estuary.

Post-work parish pootle proves poor

A pair of common sandpiper were on the top pools this evening, plus 5 tufted duck.
Otherwise it was pretty unremarkable with just the usual 'resident' stuff. I couldn't see any LRPs but a carrion crow was marching around on the island so I guess they could have been keeping a low profile.
Frog Pond was birdless as was Darter Pool, bar a couple of mallard and a moorhen.
The Wildfowlers' Pools seemed quiet with just a pair of shelduck alongside the usual suspects while the Flood also drew a blank.
A noisy whimbrel was on the marsh.
Both whitethroat species were heard but were keeping hunkered down in the wind.
A group of 5 swift were feeding over Freeman's Wood.

Slight return

Quick visit to the pools on my way home Tuesday eve following an absence of 2 weeks.
A little egret was fishing on the top pools and at least one little ringed plover was on the gravel island.
2 sand martin were feeding over the water with a dozen or so swallow and a pair of tufted duck were on the main pool.