Well it’s been mostly shine for three or four weeks now so a bit of a bummer on waking up today with 100% cloud and grey skies. Then bang on cue at about 10am, rain with a strengthening breeze.
Not before I’d done the rounds of Glasson and Conder though, a circuit which found little change from Monday or Wednesday. The highlight of a common enough Greenshank might give some clue as to the other birds seen.
The Greenshank was in the tidal creeks with 150+ Redshank, 9 Common Sandpiper, 3 Curlew, 12 Oystercatcher, 2 Grey Heron and 2 Little Egret.
A Greenshank Tringa nebularia is somewhat larger than the related Common Redshank Tringa totanus, and perhaps surprisingly, the Greenshank’s closest relative is the Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca, its North American cousin. Greenshanks are beginning to appear on their return journeys from their breeding sites of sub-Arctic Europe, although a number of pairs do breed in northernmost Scotland, a country which can be quite Arctic like.
The Greater Yellowlegs does turn up in Britain occasionally but not yet at Conder Green.
Greenshank
Redshank
Common Sandpiper
On the pool, and this beginning to sound more than a little monotonous, 2 Little Grebe, 14 Tufted Duck, 4 Shelduck, 3 Little Egret, another 20+ Lapwings and a Grey Heron.
Grey Heron
Quiet and breezy at Glasson where a walk along the canal towpath and the yacht basin produced a tiny flock of 14 Goldfinch, 5 Reed Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and 1 Grey Wagtail.
In the cool of the morning Swallows were restricted to 10+ and Swifts to just two.
Let’s hope for shine tomorrow when Another Bird Blog goes birding again.
Linking today to Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday Blog.
The Lancaster Canal at Glasson
Glasson Dock
Let’s hope for shine tomorrow when Another Bird Blog goes birding again.
Linking today to Anni's Blog and Eileen's Saturday Blog.
.jpg)
