Hit & Miss!

More misses that hits on my latest visit to Bowland, which causes more than a little disappointment. But the day started off in good style when I found a Spotted Flycatcher in the small dense and dark plantation at Marshaw, which is where I had also found a male Pied Flycatcher on 25 May, but that bird decided not to hang around there, and hasn't been seen since.

In a list of priority birds around the Tower Lodge area, I found these hard to come by today....

Pied Flycatcher.

I concluded these birds had already dispersed, so no activity around the nest boxes, with the exception of one which was being attended by both adults. But with some combined records from Andrew Cornall and John & Kath Darbyshire, the conclusion was, 4 pairs of Pied Flycatcher have bred here this year.

Watch for the young putting in a brief appearance at the nest hole in the video.

Spotted Flycatcher.

It was by far my worst ever productive visit to this area, having only located the one bird in the planation at Marshaw, and none seen thereafter. But again, the combined records indicate that up to 5 breeding pairs are currently present in the area this year.

Common Sandpiper.

With 5 Common Sandpiper seen today - including an adult calling to a juvenile seen at Marshaw - and others known to be present, I'm confident to record there are up to 5 breeding pairs along the length of the Marshaw Wyre Marshaw - Trough Bridge.

Grey Wagtail.

The best count of my three visits here, was of 8 Grey Wagtail with no idea of breeding successes to date.

Dipper.

Big disappointment with no sightings today, but my records read, possibly 3 pairs have bred here this year. And the question is, are there any 2nd broods to come?

House Martin.

The House Martin breeds at Tower Lodge annually, but there's bad news from here this year. Although I observed a single bird here on 25 May, there are No House Martin breeding here this year....That's nothing short of a disaster in my book.

Best Of The Rest.

There are good numbers of Sand Martin around the Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw, including up to four nest holes active in the bank upstream from the green bridge. Not much 'noise' from the Willow Warbler, but two gave excellent views, and I had single of Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, and a female Mallard with 4 duckling on the Marshaw Wyre.

The paucity of butterflies continues, with 2 Red Admiral, and one Small Heath seen.

Claim To Fame.

As far as I'm concerned, Ian Mitchell has a justifiable claim to fame, in that not only has he recently found one, but two Bilberry Bumblebee, one on the lower path at Birk Bank, and his latest one at the summit of Clougha burrowing its way underground.

I have to subscribe to Coolcut Video Editing to remove the watermark in the video. 

Maiden's Blush. Ian Mitchell.

Add to this, Ian found a Maiden's Blush in his overnight moth trap, being only the 3rd record for V60....Great stuff, keep up the good work Ian.

Thanks to Martin Jump for his dramatic and excellent image of the Buzzard being attacked by three Lapwing and an Avocet.