LANCS: Barnacle Geese.

Looking across Pilling Marsh with Bowland in the distance.

A serious bout of Man Flu has made me very grumpy indeed the past few days and bright sunny autumn afternoons make finishing bird reports and making checklists for tours totally impossible. I'll move on as this is not good for business! Anyway I found myself in Morcambe Bay this afternoon for one reason or another, starting at Pilling Lane Ends. Loads of Pink-footed Geese plus 5 Barnies out on the marsh at high tide, 3 Little Egrets but no small waders.

Drove to Cockersands in the hope of Curlew Sands or Little Stints but very few Dunlin around, just a few Grey Plovers, Knot and loads of Redshanks.

The thought entered my mind of checking the stubble fields for Lapland Buntings as I drove past, but with the tide dropping I continued to the caravan site. Parked the car, noticed a small flock of geese on the mud and was most surprised to find that they were Barnacle Geese - all 21 of them.

May not be a noteworthy gathering on the Solway but I've never had double figure counts of Barnies in Lancs in the short time I've lived here so I was pretty pleased.

Loads of Dunlin too far off to sift through on the distant mud and a single Greenshank. Nice afternoon out. Probably lash down tomorrow ........