Conder Green and environs

Photos:

Greenshanks and Spotted Redshank at Conder - can you spot the Water Pipit?
Curlew, Morecambe
Shag, Heysham
Goosander and Dipper, Halton
Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover at HGF

7^th April 

This morning I headed over to Conder Green. A few birders were present looking for the Water Pipits but although there were plenty of Meadow Pipits, of the former there was initially no sign. Three Spotted Redshanks were feeding in the creek (all pale silvery birds) with two Greenshanks while on the pool another two Spotted Redshanks (very blackish looking birds) were roosting. I finally caught up with the Common Sandpiper here and then spotted a Little Ringed Plover. Also seen were Raven, Black-tailed Godwit and Snipe. After a while a lady spotted a small bird washing itself in the edge of the water nr the Little Ringed Plover. Putting the scope onto it I realised it was one of the Water Pipits and well on its way to breeding plumage. Nice one! The bird stayed distant and was flighty so I eventually headed back. 

Late afternoon Karen and I went to Leighton Moss. Karen has bought some dinky bins which fit in her handbag and wanted to try them out. In reality the use of the café facilities was more important than birding anyway. While sat having a drink I was watching the TV screen on the wall in the café which showed live footage of the water in front of Lillian’s Hide. The images were not great, however I swear I could see two adult Med Gulls on the screen. When we later visited the hide, none were present. 

We did eventually get over to Griesdale Hide and sat down for a bit. Almost immediately Karen saw an approaching raptor but assumed it was just a Buzzard (we had seen one outside just a minute earlier) and didn’t mention it. The guy next to me spotted it seconds later and asked “is that an Osprey?” I then looked at it and indeed it was an Osprey – flying pretty high and heading due north. The bird flew over us but still high and wasn’t tempted to come down and rest. Almost certainly the same bird had been seen earlier over Garstang and then Lancaster. There wasn’t much else about – a male Marsh Harrier and a male Sparrowhawk were the best of the rest. 

A late evening walk at Forge Bank Weir produced Dipper, Grey Wagtail and 5 Goosanders. 

8^th April 

I started this morning back at Heysham off the north harbour wall where the sum total for an hour birding in cold conditions was 1 Red-throated Diver and 4 Linnets. Fortunately Pete Marsh offered me some coffee in his office which warmed me up somewhat. A later look at the Morecambe groynes produced six tenths of bugger all. 

Late afternoon, and back home, I popped round to HGF. A Common Sandpiper and two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers were present plus 3 House Martins and a Sand Martin. Quite a few gulls of 4 species were also around today and the Chiffchaff is still singing on the east side. It is currently inhabiting territory usually occupied by Willow Warblers – I wonder if the bird will be moved out when the WW’s return? Around 20 Linnets were feeding among the rushes on the east bank. 

The feeding station was very quiet with just 2 Tree Sparrows, a single Yellowhammer and 2 Stock Doves in residence. A Coal Tit in the garden was the first for a while.