On Grune Point a flock of 150+ Twite on the 17/2 was a good count though there has been little else there with Scaup numbers low, 4 on the 28/2 and Pintail numbers also poor, 12 on the 28/2. On the plus side 25 Yellowhammer was a reasonably good number.
Further down the coast the regular wintering Purple Sandpipers at Workington gave a count of 25+ on the 18/2 and 2 Med Gulls were also present.
Away from the coast the pair of Smew were on Tindale Tarn from the 15/2 until at least the 7/3 with a female on Talkin Tarn on the 27/2. A drake Smew and 2 Redheads were then located on Longtown ponds on the 8/3 and a drake and single redhead were still present on the 13/3.
At Carr Beds even low water levels didnt bring many birds but a Green Sandpiper on the 19/2 was good and a small flock of c30 whooper Swans remained throughout. On the same day about 3000 Barnacle Geese were present at Cardurnock and had in them a single leucistic bird again, just visible in the middle of the photo below.
A walk at Armathwaite on the 4/3 saw 3 Crossbills, c40 Siskin and a Dipper with a few spring flower such as Celandine, Crocus and Aconite starting to appear.
The 13/3 also brought the interesting news of a White Stork roosting on buildings by the Railway in upperby, Carlisle though the bird was reported to be ringed on both legs.
Hopefully the next few weeks will bring the migrants flooding in
