South Cumbria dawn til dusk

Photo: Great northern diver, dawn, Urswick Tarn.

Photo: Sunrise at the river Leven.

I spent the day in south Cumbria today, surveying estuary birds. It can be a long day, especially if the weather is bad, but sitting in one spot from dawn until dusk watching and monitoring the movements of estuary birds as the tides advance and recede can also be a very rewarding and relaxing experience. Nothing unusual to note today, 55 curlew, 150 dunlin, 70 knot, 150 redshank, 800 oystercatchers, 80 eider, three red-breasted mergansers, eight goldeneye and a single greenshank, all pretty much standard fare, but exactly what I want to see when I'm here.

Urswick tarn.

Urswick tarn.

Walney island.

Eider.

Photo: Sunset over Walney island.