Migrants At Last.

Conder Pool.

I found my first migrants this week, the first being a pair of Little Ringed Plover on Conder Pool.

The first bird was seen on the small island to the right of the viewing platform, it soon flew off. The next sighting was of a bird on the island behind the main Common Tern raft, was joined by a second bird. I was soon able to observe display behaviour, with posturing seen. I had seen the same behaviour between a pair last year on Conder Pool 26 March.

Other notes from Conder Pool, numbers of godwit continue to fall, with just 280 Black-tailed Godwit today, they were accompanied by at least 10 Knot. Also 15 Avocet in view, and 5 Tufted Duck noted, the Shoveler have departed.

 Cockersand.

My second migrant species was the 2 Wheatear male, seen off the headland. 

Wheatear. Pete Woodruff.

I'm not seeing the Tree Sparrow at Cockersand in anything like the numbers that used to be, though I did find 40 here last September. this time just 3 Tree Sparrow were around Bank Houses, 2 Stock Dove were in a field. The number of swans are dwindling, with no more than 160 Whooper Swan in fields off Moss Lane. I noted 3 Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

Deceased Gannet Plover Scar 2 April. Pete Woodruff.

Lune Estuary.

The estuary at Glasson Dock was near deserted 3 hours after high tide, but 10 Avocet saved the day. If this number is in addition to the birds seen on Conder Pool 3 hours earlier - I ran out of time to call back and check - the grand total would be 25 Avocet. A pair of Red-breasted Merganser were also to note. I saw not a single Wigeon here today, but a few lingering gulls also added a bit of life to the area. 

Red-tailed Bumblebee.

Bombus lapidarius. Pete Woodruff.

In the garden this week, I found my first Red-tailed Bumblebee of the year. 

More Decent Numbers!

There was at least a couple of decent counts again on my latest visit around the Lune Estuary, at least 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit were present and correct on Conder Pool, some acquiring their stunning breeding plumage.

Avocet Conder Pool Summer 2019. Ian Pinkerton....In Memory Of

There was a decent count of 17 Avocet and 14 Shoveler in view on the pool, also a Greenshank and Snipe noted, and a lone Little Grebe was advancing into breeding plumage. I don't see Little Grebe during the summer months, and they certainly do not breed on Conder Pool.

At Cockersand, between the time leaving the motor at Lighthouse Cottage and walking to Plover Scar, I had seen at least 1,250 Golden Plover, they were in wheeling flocks of 650/400/200, all eventually disappearing from view....Quite a spectacle. 

Despite a couple of hours around Cockersand, I failed to find my own first Wheatear, and with the exception of just 3 Meadow Pipit, saw no other early migrants, but probably passed other unseen MP's in fields on the circuit. The c.250 Whooper Swan here today, were distant and spread over three fields south of Moss lane towards Bank End Farm.

Bombus terrestris 11 March. Pete Woodruff.

Eight Linnet few off the shore, and the Skylark could be heard in its endless flight song. I saw 3 Small Tortoiseshell and a huge queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, up to 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit were probably the same birds seen 4 hours earlier on Conder Pool, and to be honest, the same could be said about the 15 Avocet seen here, otherwise the record would have been 32 Avocet. On the canal basin at Glasson Dock, 2 Goosander and a Great-crested Grebe seen.

Another short list today, much enjoyed by me on a beautiful sunny and warm mid-March day.

Coal Tit.

There was a record of 84 Coal Tit heading south over the Fylde on Thursday morning, and 4 Coal Tit were in our garden later in the day. All this and more, is the result of an irruption of the species currently in place. 

The Coal Tit is regarded as sedentary in the south and west of its range, but eruptive over much of the remainder. During eruptions, birds from the continent regularly reach Britain during March, and on this occasion I'm seeing expressions like, 'amazing' and 'unprecedented spring numbers'.

Oak Beauty.

Ian's trap produced the goods again, with another stunning moth worth featuring....Clik the pix they're even better.

Oak Beauty. Ian Mitchell.

A large bodied and attractive moth, fairly common in England and Wales. Being referred to as common, belies its name as a beauty....Thanks Ian.

Hooded Crow/Stonechat.

Hooded Crow Walney. Howard Stockdale.

Howard Stockdale sent me some results of a trip to Walney, they included a splendid looking Hooded Crow....

Stonechat Walney. Howard Stockdale.

....and an even more splendid record of 22 Stonechat, seen as 11 pairs....Many thanks Howard.

Michael & Fiona.

Good to see you at Conder Pool in the week and hope you find my latest post a good and interesting read. Thank you for the kind words and your support for B2B, and see I did remember your names!

Kind Regards....Pete.

Early Garden Bird!

Four hours on a circuit of the Birk Bank area which had one or two nice surprises, not least of which was a Garden Warbler, the bird sang just once, but briefly obliged close by me in the tree. This is an early bird, the earliest Garden Warbler in Lancashire being 14 years ago on 6 April 2011, three days earlier than this bird on 9 April 2025.

I first went to check out the bog at Birk Bank in the hope perhaps the decent weather we've had the past two weeks, would have encouraged some early Large Red Damselflies out but hadn't.

Looking North Birk Bank Boardwalk. Pete Woodruff.

We will have to wait and see any results the new boardwalk will have had, but in a conversation with someone from the estate, I was encouraged by being told the welfare of the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary had played a major part in the project.

Stonechat Male. Pete Woodruff.

I counted at least 22 Willow Warbler on the circuit today, 2 Buzzard were over the bog soaring together, and 3 Greylag flew north over here. I soon came across 3 Stonechat, seen as a pair and lone male singing atop a distant tree.

More totals were, 4 Robin, with some coming in two's, 2 Red Grouse, 2 Wren, 2 Blackbird, and 2 Chaffinch, a Pied Wagtail, Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, and my first Swallow was overhead.

Meadow Pipit. Pete Woodruff.

A Meadow Pipit seen was surprisingly the only one.

Bee-fly. Pete Woodruff.

Insects seen were 2 Bee-fly, and my first of the year Red-tailed Bumblebee, also at least one Buff-tailed Bumblebee and White-tailed Bumblebee. Butterflies seen....4 Peacock, 3 Small White, 2 Large White, and a Green-veined White.

Coal Tit. Pete Woodruff.

With Pied Flycatchers reported at 4/5 locations in Cumbria, I had a look in at the Tower Lodge area to see if the Pied Flycatchers had arrived there with no success, but I did find a pair of Coal Tit checking out a nest box....Well there's a surprise, I had no idea the Coal Tit ever took to the nest box?

At Hawthornthwaite, 3 Wheatear and 4 Stonechat seen, it's my belief that there are possibly 3 pairs of Stonechat currently on territory here. 

In Cumbria, hatchlings in the nest yesterday 12 April, first egg date estimated at 24 March....John Callion

Ring Ouzel. Ian Mitchell.

Also in Bowland this week, I found a pretty smart male Mountain Blackbird. 

And Finally...

It was good to see a few butterflies around Birk Bank this week, and 3 Speckled Wood in the garden.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for allowing his excellent SEO in Bowland to be my header image.  

Poor In Number Good In Quality.

Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

It gave me much pleasure to find 2 Mediterranean Gull on Conder Pool Monday morning. 

Adult Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool 24 March

Also on Conder Pool, I finally caught up with the Little Ringed Plover having been found here a week ago, 14 Avocet were in view today too.

Not much reward for my efforts of a 2 hour circuit, but the infamous Cockersand Barn Owl was waiting for me just 3 minutes out of the motor, it was on a fence post at Bank Houses horse paddock, before taking off to soon disappear from view. Notes around the area, probably 6 Skylark heard in full never ending flight song, up to 600 Golden Plover still in the field south side of Abbey Farm. A Raven fooled me briefly into thinking I was watching a Buzzard flying away over fields, and a White Wagtail looked forlorn on a flood.

I also saw 2 Small Tortoiseshell as my 2nd/3rd butterflies of the year, and 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

Right Place Right Time.

On a visit to the nest site was a million to one chance, when I observed the Nuthatch spring cleaning and disposing of the debris out of the hole in the tree. I was truly fascinated to have witnessed this behaviour by the Nuthatch, and with no apologies for the second consecutive Nuthatch header image.

Barnacle Double Bonus.

It was good to find a Barnacle Goose on Conder Pool, the bird is yet another first here, and I must search my records to get the full picture of firsts for Conder Pool. 

Barnacle Goose Conder Pool Wednesday 12 March

The Barnacle Goose was accompanied by 44 Greylag Geese which maybe puts the provenance of the BG in some doubt, but it is a marked bird with a blue ring which - at the time of publishing this post - has yet to be read. 

You can never tell with Barnacle Geese, there are many feral bird species in the country these days, with Lincolnshire alone having an estimated 2,000 individuals. Barnacle Goose with Greylag Geese get labeled feral, with Pink-footed Geese they get the thumbs up. An interesting note about the recent Lesser White-fronted Goose on Jeremy Lane, was that everyone was happy about this bird being wild....Thanks to Paul Ellis for his help with my query 'maybe puts the provenance of the Barnacle Goose in some doubt'.    

Other notes from the pool, 11 Avocet, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Tufted Duck, a Little Grebe, and a Kingfisher which put in two appearances, the second being a brief pose on the sluice.

By the time I got to the coast and Cockersand Abbey, I had a distinct feeling I was going to get a soaking, but with the exception of a cold wind from the north, my circuit was a pleasure, albeit there was little to rave about, though up to 900 Golden Plover were in the field on the south side of Abbey Farm, and an estimate of 550 Whooper Swan were in multiple fields including Jeremy Lane.

When I arrived back at the Caravan Park, the stormy weather had drifted south over Bowland and I had escaped the downpour. 

A female Marsh Harrier was seen at the outer edge of the marsh, flew out of sight left in the picture towards Bank End, across the Cocker Estuary, and over Cockerham Marsh centre of the picture, disappearing from view over Pilling Marsh in the right edge of the picture.

Aldcliffe - Glasson Dock.

I decided to leg it on Friday, not one of my best decisions ever, and didn't create any excitement for the 5 mile hike, but after all it's only mid-March so what was I to expect. 

But I did collect my best count of the winter when I found 18 Goldeneye on Freeman's Pools, and noted 2 Black-tailed Godwit, soon followed by the wonderful sight of a pair of Long-tailed Tit nest building in brambles. There was up to 5,000 Pink-footed Geese on Aldcliffe Marsh, unsettled and soon departed to the opposite side of the river on Heaton Marsh.

The only other notes I made were of a Chiffchaff at Stodday, a Buzzard over, 16 Blackbird along the length of the walk, and a Jay was in the woodland by Christ Church at Glasson Dock.

Wednesdays Barnacle Goose was in the west corner of Conder Pool out of view from the viewing screen and the blue ring under water, this was a double bonus for me.

Stop Press.

It was excellent news that I learn a Little Ringed Plover arrived on Conder Pool yesterday 15 March. My prediction is, that the Common Tern will have also arrived back here in c.3 weeks time....Watch this space. Many Thanks for the info Howard Stockdale.

News From The Garden.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee on Hellebore. Pete Woodruff.

Found my first bumblebee in the garden on Tuesday 11 March, a huge queen Bombus terrestris. I found two more since then, one of which was at Cockersand.

A Few More Estuarine Delights.

Conder Pool came good again on Monday, and with apologies for rabbiting on about the Ruff, and a promise to try and never mention it again, it/one has finally run the 12 month course for the first time ever around the Lune Estuary.

There was up to 20 Avocet on Conder Pool, and the impressive sight of up to 900 Icelandic Back-tailed Godwit, some in near stunning rufous summer plumage, they were accompanied by a 'few' Knot, also 3 Little Ringed Plover, and a Greenshank.

When I called in 4 hours later on the estuary at Glasson, presumably the Conder Pool near 1,000 Black-tailed Godwit were present with c.250 Knot, 4 Avocet seen, and a Great Crested Grebe was to note.

Despite the routine circuit at Cockersand, nothing riveting to note, but c.40 Linnet were accompanied by a lone Reed Bunting, flighty in and around the stubble field, with 2 Stock Dove, 13 Eider were off Plover Scar. Insects to note here, I saw my first 3 Small Tortoiseshell and a Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

You Can Help The Birds.

Don't worry about the birds, they can look after themselves, even if they can't rest and conserve energy when the tide is high, or feed and even breed on Plover Scar like the Ringed Plover on the notice board does.   

Just carry on and do your birding and taking piks....Enjoy!

Moths.

Ian Mitchell does the decent thing and sends me brilliant images of brilliant moths in his trap two days in a row.

Hebrew Character. Ian Mitchell.

Early Thorn. Ian Mitchell.

And Finally.

Red Kite. Martin Jump.

Martin calls this image 'a poor distant one' of the Red Kite yesterday in Bowland. I call it an excellent record of one....Thanks Martin.

And I can record 2 Ring Ouzel yesterday in Bowland.

After The Fall, And Four Nice Chats

As the result of a fall in perfect conditions, in the four hours around the Birk Bank area, I recorded at least 22 Willow Warbler most heard only,  Otherwise, a lone Chiffchaff, 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Buzzard soaring and mewing, and 2 Dunnock in the car park on Rigg Lane.

It was good to get myself back on the top of Birk Bank again on Thursday to find 4 Stonechat. A little early in the season to get the full picture of breeding birds here, but if I get myself back up at the end of April, the picture will be more convincing.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee on flowering Bilberry. Pete Woodruff.

I saw a few Buff-tailed Bumblebee, and also saw White-tailed Bumblebee, the taxonomy of which is complex and the subject of ongoing research. The label Bombus lucorum is used to include two other species, B.magnus and B.cryptarum, and are treated as 'aggregate' species....Add to this, much more science of interest....But I'm out of my comfort zone now!

Green Hairstreak. Pete Woodruff.

Other insect interest was 5 Green Hairstreak seen.

Up the path from the car park, I was confronted by a rogue Red Grouse, the second of its kind, with one behaving in the same manner was seen several times a couple of years ago in this area. They are aggressive, and the last one actually flew at me on one occasion. I reckon neither of these birds can fly any distance if at all, and behave for some reason in a retarded manner.

Bilberry Bumblebee. Copyright David Whitaker.

It would have been great to have found my Birk Bank Buff-tailed Bumblebee was a Bilberry Bumblebee like David Whitaker did. With the help I've had from some experts, I may decide to take on the quest to hunt them down in Bowland. 

I'm grateful to Ian Mitchell for being in touch with the moth in his trap recently.

Blossom Underwing. Ian Mitchell.

A scarce moth, not common anywhere, found locally in the south and Wales, and infrequently seen in NW England. Its name is given by the pink-tinged hindwings distinguishing it from most other species. Nice one Ian, many thanks.  

Park, Cemetery, And Garden.

Williamson Park.

A walk through the park proved eventful, with a pair of Mistle Thrush found to be nesting in a Sycamore, also up to 10 Chiffchaff mostly heard, though one bird gave excellent views. Also noted, 16 Blackbird, 5 Nuthatch, 5 Robin, 4 Great Tit, a Wren, and 2 Long-tailed Tit.

View The Videos Full Screen

Two Herring Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were at the pond in Williamson Park....Well, you can't call 'em 'seabirds' can you!

Lancaster Cemetery.

On to the cemetery which also proved to be eventful, in that I had another sighting of at least 3 Bullfinch which were seen short of 1/3 mile east of the male I found in the area on 17 December last year. These sightings have been made on inaccessible/private land unfortunately. Also in the cemetery, I found 2 Nuthatch behaving in a manner that made it likely to become a breeding site. 

Making a return visit the following day, I watched the male Nuthatch coming down the tree and appear to feed the female a small food item through a hole bottom right of the split in the trunk....So, a bit of interest here to keep me on my toes for a few weeks.

The Garden. 

Butterflies and Bees have been visiting the garden recently, particularly the latter, this Tree Bumblebee and the Buff-tailed Bumblebee were showing the benefit of our Pussy Willow.

We had the pleasure of a visit by a Greenfinch to the feeders. A declining species and scarce visitor to our garden. Footage through the kitchen window, and a little too enthusiastic with the zoom....Well thats my excuse anyway.

Stonechat Black Moss Reservoir. Courtesy of Martin Jordan.

Stonechats....In the first quarter of this year to 31 March.

With no duplications, I have noted 137 Stonechat individuals in 71 records taken from FBC/LDBWS websites. Only 5 of my personal records are included in these, and are represented by 15 Stonechat, 9 of which are now on territory. 

I have categorised these Stonechat records as 30 wintering birds seen from 2 January until 27 February, the early date migration took off, when 13 Stonechat were seen by a birder on one birding date.

Upland Wanderings....

....and some interest in the garden.

On a beautiful calm spring day, it was good to get myself on Harrisend for 3 hours on Thursday, to find 6 Stonechat, seen as two pairs and a lone male and female, almost certainly having mates which I failed to see and make four 'probable' breeding pairs to date on Harrisend.

At least 13 Meadow Pipit seen, 2 Wren, 3 Dunnock including a male displaying to a female, 3 Red Grouse, and a male Reed Bunting, which was initially tricky alongside a male Stonechat, both in the far distance, 10 Greylag overhead flying west.

Five of fifteen 7-Spot Ladybirds. Pete Woodruff.

I found 15 7-Spot Ladybirds in four small clusters on Gorse, and saw 2 Peacock butterflies.

Two hours on Hawthorthwaite, produced 3 Stonechat, seen as a pair and a lone male. Also, 8 Red Grouse, 7 Meadow Pipit, and 3 Wren. The bonus bird was a Woodcock, flushed and flew about 400m to go down by Catshaw Greave.

I was grateful for the report of 2 Barn Owls seen on Wednesday, one of which was reasonably obvious to have been the same one seen by me at and around the foot of Hawthornthwaite on 20 January, the other seen at the woodlands at the bottom of Cam Brow. Reasonable to suggest perhaps these two Barn Owls are a pair....Many thanks for this Simon.

   

Interest In The Garden.

There was a lot of enjoyment to be had in the garden this week, with visits by Bees, Butterflies, Birds, Hoverflies, and a colourful if nasty little critter.                          

 

With some video footage made, a visit to see the Reed Bunting in a Brookhouse garden was a success. A bit of a surprise, and not the bird to be found on your feeders on a regular basis, and not one I'm expecting ever on mine in urban Lancaster.

European Hoverfly. Pete Woodruff.

The Eristalis pertinax found in our garden, developed into something a little more interesting, in that I discovered the larva of this hoverfly is the Rat-tailed Maggot, one of which was seen in the garden pond last year....The larva's name doesn't conjure up anything of beauty does it!

Tree Bumblebee on Pussy Willow 

 

Buff-tailed Bumblebee. Pete Woodruff.

 

As the most familiar bumblebee, this Bombus terrestris was basking on Camellia in the garden, unfortunately giving a rear view only.

Yellow Dung-Fly. Pete Woodruff. 

And the nasty colourful critter which I couldn't miss, is the golden-furred male Yellow-Dung Fly on the branch of a Willow in the garden yesterday.

Footnote.

Hard to believe in the 21st century, but as my experience has clearly shown, you can spend 5 hours in the Forest of Bowland like I did today - often spending much more time than that - and not see a single bird of prey....Hen Harrier, Red Kite, Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Short-eared Owl, Kestrel.