A bird wasn't the initial sighting this morning. Instead it was a hitch-hiker heading home from a Saturday night party. He didn't appear to be carrying bins and 'scope so I gave a cheery wave then stepped on the gas.
Next was a Roe Deer standing in a field alongside Head Dyke Lane, the main A588, where on a quiet Sunday morning I would normally expect to see a hunting Barn Owl. I slowed the car, wound the window down and reached for the camera but the deer had turned and already hi-tailed it towards a small copse. There was a Barn Owl near Cockerham but it too turned tail and disappeared over the fields before the camera could be readied.
A good selection of waders awaited at Conder although it took some time to round them all up from the pool and the creeks. The Spotted Redshank of late continues to change its dusky coat into something more suited to blending with the greys of winter, the present mix of new and old feathers a study in wader moult. What a puzzle bird this could be for an inexperienced watcher without a field guide? Apologies for the poor picture, water reflections and digital cameras don't work well together.
Spotted Redshank
Common Sandpipers reached a round dozen today, most of them in the roadside creek where they vied for attention with 4 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank, 50+ Redshank, 3 Curlew, 20 Lapwing and 6 Oystercatcher.
Oystercatcher
The elusive Green Sandpiper reappeared briefly on the far side of the pool while 3 Snipe worked their way around the muddy edges. Two Little Egret and 2 Grey Heron were in residence with an increase to 8 Teal and the now ever present Goldeneye.
Little Egret
There were 4 Stock Doves feeding at the roadside again this morning. The species is something of an early morning speciality here, unlike the closely related and commonplace Wood Pigeon and the less so Collared Dove, the two never making it into notebook entries for here.
At Glasson village there seemed to be more Coot than of late, my count of 32 pointing to an autumnal and post breeding influx to a site which regularly holds 150+ of the species. I found some recently fledged Swallows, youngsters via the invisible-from-above nest lodged under the road bridge which crosses the keepered lock. Boats regulalrly pass to and fro between the yacht basin and the dock, eventually into the River Lune or Morecambe Bay beyond.
The Swallows were so young I can only think they fledged from the nest this morning while sleepy Glasson slumbered.
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Glasson Dock
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow
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Linking today to World Bird Wednesday.