BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND..................................................SPOTTED REDSHANK RIVER CONDER HOWARD STOCKDALE

Sunday 14 August 2022

Little Success...Big Disappointments.

In a week with perfect weather, I was off to check out Birk Bank bog and surroundings. But, bearing in mind the successes of recent sorties here and there, five hours later I came away from the area with little success and big disappointments.

Dealing with the disappointments first, given the conditions of calm hot sunny weather, I've not seen Four-spotted Chaser over or on the bog since 15 were seen on 16 June. I've also yet to see Black-tailed Skimmer or Black Darter here this year, and that's three species certain to be found around the bog at Birk Bank*

Dragons2blog....But not that many! 

To lift the visit to the bog out of total disappointment, I did see 4 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, 2 Keeled Skimmer male, 8 Common Darter all males, a Common Hawker and a Migrant Hawker

The Migrant Hawker was seen as a species that avoids acidic water, but tolerates brackish water. It can be found anywhere on migration which reaches its peak during the first half of September. My records in 2021 show a total of 90 Migrant Hawker seen in two trawls along the canal towpath, 43 Glasson-Conder Green 15 September, 47 Conder Green-Galgate 20 September. Both these records fit in nicely with the peak migration of Migrant Hawker in mid-September.

Keeled Skimmer Ottergear Bridge. Pete Woodruff.

A wander to Ottergear Bridge had me finding 2 Keeled Skimmer male again this year on the west side of the bridge. On the grit track to Cragg Wood, 2 Common Darter female and a Common Blue Damselfly.

Stonechat Birk Bank. Ian Mitchell. 

A pair of Stonechat with a young were east of the car park on Rigg Lane, and a juvenile Robin seen from the footpath as I came away from the bog. Butterflies, 6 Red Admiral, 2 Small Copper, 2 Meadow Brown, and a Speckled Wood.

Sundew Drosera rotundifolia. Pete Woodruff. 

A recent star find goes to the Sundew. A plant which carries the symbol indicating the need for protection, and which Charles Darwen once wrote in a letter in 1860....'at the present moment, I care more about Drosera than the origin of all the species in the world'.

Black Darter bog boardwalk (Archive Image) Pete Woodruff.

In relation to my lack of sightings this week at Birk Bank in mid-August, some notes on flight periods of three species in Lancashire which may go some way to explain reasons for the disappointment.

Four-spotted Chaser....The first large dragonfly to appear in spring, and the earliest to disappear in autumn, falling rapidly in early August.

Black-tailed Skimmer....Appears mid-June, rapidly declining in mid-August.

Black Darter....A late emerging species, beginning during August and gradually reaching a peak in September.

Looks like I may have been too late for the top two species, and too early for the last one....My next visit might throw up some answers on that.

6 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear about you lack of dragons etc. at Birk Bank, it was very quiet last time I was there I only saw one Golden Ringed Dragonfly on the bog. On my last 3 visits to the bog there has been a Small Copper butterfly sat on the same stone every time, it sure has taken a fancy to it.

    Painted Lady butterflies have finally started turning up in my garden at long last.

    Unfortunately my resident flock of about 20 House Sparrows suddenly disappeared about a month ago - don't know why.

    Nice header picture.

    Ian

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  2. It seems a general pattern this year. I've really noticed numbers down for a few species of late, probably heat related as pools have been dried up rapidly. Just hope they recover next year. Take care.

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  3. Although I think that your conclusions about flight periods may account for your lack of sightings of those three species, Pete, I reckon numbers this year are well down on previous years. I think that this is largely due to the drought conditions, which means that nymphs will have been dying in their thousands as ponds and rivers dry out. Also, there seems to be a distinct shortage of insects this year, which means that dragonflies are probably short of prey, and so short-lived. This does not bode well for a recovery next year as many of what would have emerged next year are probably already dead!

    On the positive side, If I saw a GRD, Keeled Skimmer, and Common Hawker in one day it would, undoubtedly, be my star day of the year!

    Good luck wishes for you finding Black Darter soon. Take good care - - - Richard

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  4. Ian/Richard/Anonymous....Many thanks for your contributions which I can respond to in a block reply.

    Regarding the paucity of Odonata at Birk Bank, this is not related to drought conditions, the bog at this location is in as good condition as at any other time, not having suffered any shortage of rain for any length of time despite the two periods of heat-wave the country has endured recently. Having said that, Richards and Anonymous thoughts about the drought conditions, bringing about the demise of thousands of nymphs where this condition now exists, is spot on.

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  5. Hi Pete... There are good and bad days... Nature is a continuous surprise... I hope you are well and having a good summer... In Spain it is very hot... too hot!!!...
    The photos are very cool... . Take care of yourself...

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  6. Good to see you here Ana, and you are quite right....'There are good and bad days....Nature is a continuous surprise. This echoes a favourite sentiment of mine about nature, and in particular the birds....

    Not what you will find
    But rather what you might
    The element of surprise
    Never fails to delight.

    Take Care Stay Cool....Pete.

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