Sunday, June 16, 2013

A Green Day

Destination Conder Green again this morning. Just a couple of hours later there was a decent list of birds in my notebook plus new pictures to share with blog followers. And remember to "click the pics" for the birding tour.

There must have been a recent hatch or awakening of insects at the line of hawthorns because lots of hirundines and Swifts fed there, all dashing alongside, through and above the hedge. In all I estimated 25+ Swift, 20+ Sand Martin, 14 House Martin and 10 Swallows taking part in the feeding frenzy for an hour or more before most moved on to the next feast. 

It was less frenetic on the pool and the river where apart from the noisy Oystercatchers, the wildfowl go about their business in a quiet sort of way. Similar numbers to recent days with 16 Tufted Duck, 1 Teal, 3 Wigeon and then 2 Canada Goose with 2 youngsters. There are 3 broods of Mallards numbering about 15 chicks + 3 adult females, the males seeming to be absent on this Father's Day. 

Eurasian Wigeon

Mallard

Waders as normal with 1 Curlew, 15 Redshank and 10 Oystercatcher but a few passerines in evidence with 2 Pied Wagtail, 3 Whitethroat, 5 Greenfinch, 2 Linnet, 5 Tree Sparrow, 6 Goldfinch and then 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing from the car park area. 

Tree Sparrow

Two Ravens flew over honking loudly and heading in the direction of Cockersands/Pilling. My cue to take a look at Glasson Dock where I didn't find much save for more Tufted Duck in the dock, Swallows nesting in the toilet block, a Blackbird feeding young and a Grey Heron looking for a fishy breakfast down in the muddy waters of the dock. 

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Blackbird

Mostly From Wiki. The settlement of Glasson village built up slowly in the 19th century with the main buildings being Christ Church in 1830, a shipyard and Customs House constructed in 1834, a Watch House in 1836, and a Dry Dock in 1841. The shipyards were largely concerned with ship repair rather than shipbuilding, eventually closing in 1968, with the dry dock filled in a year later. 

Glasson Dock

The quay was connected to the UK railway network in 1883, operating until the closure of passenger services on 5th July 1930. Goods traffic continued until 7 September 1964. The trackbed of the disused branch-line is now a linear park and cycleway (popular with birders). A limited amount of commercial traffic still uses the dock, with outbound shipments including coal for the Isle of Man and the Western Islands of Scotland, and incoming cargoes including animal foodstuffs and fertilizer, which are stored in sheds located on the dock side. 

River Lune - Glasson looking to Conder Green

The River Conder meets the River Lune at Conder Green, the latter a tiny settlement of a few dozen homes (and The Stork pub) formerly served by the London and North Western Railway's Glasson Dock railway line which had three stations in the parish: one at Conder Green, the terminus at Glasson Dock and a private stop at the local gentry's home of Ashton Hall further north towards Lancaster. 

Conder Green

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This post is linking to Stewart's gallery in Australia  .

20 comments:

  1. Nice pictures.. Have a nice day.. :-)))

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  2. Estupendas capturas Phil.Un abrazo

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  3. Thanks for the nice tour! And the birds are wonderful, I really love the sweet Tree Sparrow! Great shots! Happy Biridng, Phil!

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  4. Thanks for the tour, Phil. My wife and I were thinking of visiting the UK this coming summer but we've left it too late. Maybe another year, but I can do it via this beautiful blog in the meantime.

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  5. Phil the Eurasion Wigeon is a beauty but you know that sparrow shot is such a special one; I really like it. Just posing for you ..

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  6. Muy buenas las fotos Phil, los paisajes están geniales.
    Un abrazo!!

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  7. Wow... Conder Green looks so quaint and beautiful from your exceptional images...the water looks very clean and the old boat would make for a grand subject in a watercolour rendering. The Eurasian Wigeon image is really great, showing the pretty feather colouration of this beauty to the max. The little Tree Sparrow looks a wee bit like our own, and your Gray Heron, looks very much like our Great Blue Herons in colour and size. I hope you enjoyed your day yesterday and have a wonderful week Phil~

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  8. I feel a bit homesick now you're talking about pubs in places like Glasson Dock.......

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  9. gorgeous still waters! sweet little sparrow all puffed up. love that beautiful wigeon!!

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  10. I think my favorite bird shot today is the sparrow. Love the framing of this sweet shot!
    Great shots of the heron!
    LOVE the boat shot - very nicely captured and frame worthy!
    Great post Phil!

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  11. Lovely serie of photos, well done!

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  12. Lovely series of bird photos, especially the heron, one of my favourite water bird to photograph.

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  13. Great photos of all the birds - the wigeon is beautiful. The landscape photos are beautiful too - so different from my country.

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  14. Great shots, love the heron. The dock water is mirror smooth, terrific reflections!

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  15. What a nice shot of the tree sparrow. Looks like the model for the bronze garden taps.
    Your grey heron looks very like our white-faced heron. It is good to see the surrounding countryside as well. Thanks.

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  16. Wonderful post, I love the photos of the heron!

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  17. Beautiful birds. I love the heron.

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  18. Hey Phil...Did you know that Green Day is a punk rock band, and if you think those swallows, swifts, and Martins where in a frenzy man just listen to them and your head will be in a frenzy , bad title chose!! ; )
    I like that Blackbird, and the shot of the Tree Sparrow is a sweetie!!

    Nice history of the area, and I loved the photo's especially the one River Lune...that would make a wonderful painting with the boat, wish I could paint.. even the
    deck would be good hahaha ; )!!

    A word of advise ..
    stay away form Green Day concerts!
    Your Bud
    Grace
    Thanks for your comments two of them at that Wow!! : )

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  19. I do like that tree sparrow - we have them here (introduced) but I have yet to get a decent picture!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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