Resurrection!

Well my birding has been very patchy of late, in fact it's been non existent to be honest, but I'm working on getting myself out of the hole I find myself in. Meanwhile, there's some resurrection on the horizon in some areas starting with a fledged c.6 week old juvenile Tawny Owl seen in Bowland.

This is the best image available, a phone shot for the record. I've decided to keep my mouth shut about details on this one....Schedule 1 birds and all that!

The Lancaster Orchids.

It was good to find the orchids again this year east of Lancaster.

Southern Marsh Orchid June 2026. Pete Woodruff.

This time I found at least 120 spikes of Southern Marsh Orchid, a slight improvement on last year, when I made a count of up to 100 spikes.

Common Spotted Orchid June 2026. Pete Woodruff.

My count this year, was of 48 Common Spotted Orchid, better than last year when it was 25 spikes.

Garden Birds.

Our birds have had a good breeding season so far this year.

I managed to get some footage of the Blue Tit feeding young, also Great Tit, Goldfinch and Dunnock all have young, and a Blackbird with a juvenile. The House Sparrow has done well with a total figure of at least 40 adult and young.

Who knows how many adult and young Starling have visited us over the past few weeks, it could have been a three figure number, and included this bully juvenile on the apple.

Garden Bees.

The garden bees were busy on Sunday with the weather warming.

Red Mason Bee. Pete Woodruff.

The Mason Bees were back and forth to the hotel....

The Blue Mason Bees were filling in the holes, with an upstairs neighbour having a nosey!

Blue Mason Bee. Pete Woodruff.

....this one was resting on the roof. I think these will leave later than their red cousins, but both will have gone by the end of July.

Common Carder Bee. Pete Woodruff.

A Common Carder Bee was nectaring on Viper Bugloss.

Conder Pool.

It's good to see the Common Terns have taken control of the platform, and even better to hear they have started to produce this years chicks. The news from Conder Pool gets better by the day, when two new Common Terns arrived yesterday.

The Avocets are also having a good season, and adults have already succeeded to guide chicks off Conder Pool, to cross the busy B5290 to the River Conder. I have no accurate figures, but I get the impression there are at least 20 Avocet chicks with 5 nests to hatch.

There seems to be no end to the good news from the pool this year, when a new Avocet arrived here to breed. This is a bird ringed at Boulais in France 20 June 2008, according to its history, a much traveled 18 year old Avocet.

I am grateful to Howard Stockdale for this update with news and images from Conder Pool. 

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.

Four Probable's In Bowland!

Probable: Something that is true and is likely to happen, but not certain.

Based on my observations in the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge area 7 May/2 June equaling 10 hours. I have collated what my records read as probable breeding records in the area. 

Pied Flycatcher.

There are three breeding pairs of Pied Flycatcher in the area this year, all in nest boxes, with one box seeming to have been vacated and young fledged....Well they did fledge on Springwatch!

One of those million to one chances, when a Pied Flycatcher came on to the fence to perch next to a Swallow with food for young, the flycatcher bears a metal ring on its left leg.

Spotted Flycatcher.

I found just one pair of Spotted Flycatcher on this visit, but in fact there are 4 pairs. This is a record to which I have to add this note....Barry Dyson was in the area the day before me on Sunday 1 June, and reports three pairs of Spotted Flycatcher and a Dipper seen....So now the records read, 4 pairs of Spotted Flycatcher, and a Dipper feeding young on the Marshaw Wyre.

Thanks to Barry for getting in touch with me and for these records, they are much appreciated. 

Common Sandpiper.

I recorded 4 pairs of breeding Common Sandpiper, with one pair having young at one location, out of sight and adults alarm calling.

Grey Wagtail.

Grey Wagtail. Pete Woodruff.

I'm convinced there are no more than 3 pairs of breeding Grey Wagtail on the Marshaw Wyre. Last year I had a peak count of 10 Grey Wagtail here in mid-June.

Crossbill.

Following my 16 Crossbill seen west of Tower Lodge on 7 May, Andrew Cornall found 5 adult and 7 juvenile Crossbill today 2 June at Trough Bridge. 

Thanks to Andrew for this excellent record.

House Martin/Dipper.

There are no House Martin at Tower Lodge again as was the case last year, and with the Marshaw Wyre barely out of my sight throughout both visits, it was good to see it in good flow once again. However, as opposed to Barry Dyson's record, I found no Dipper throughout the 10 hours spent in the area.

The Runners Up.

I counted just 16 species during my visit on Monday, the ones to note being....c.50 Sand Martin up and down the Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw, 5 Mistle Thrush, just 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Treecreeper, 3 Wren, a Coal Tit feeding young, and a Cuckoo heard at the east end of the woodland strip above Tower Lodge, where the Swallow are nesting in a shed in the compound.

 

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

I was a little surprised to see a Large Red Damselfly come to rest at my feet behind the plantation at Marshaw. The camera auto focused on the vegetation rather than the damselfly, but good enough for the record.

....And Another Double Bonus.

I made no accurate count of Avocet on Conder Pool this visit, I reckon more where hidden from view than in view, but 6 were in the creeks, and a count of 10 on the Lune Estuary has my records reading up to 24 Avocet seen. My only other notes from Conder Pool were, 48 Greylag, and at least 225 Black-headed Gull which looks like breeding might reach in excess of 100 pairs.

At Cockersand, 220 Golden Plover were in their favourite field south side of Abbey Farm, and I regarded distant finches to be a grounded spring flock of c.60 Linnet, similarly distant were at least 24 Meadow Pipit. A Snipe erupted out of a ditch on Slack Lane, also a Sparrowhawk seen. A relatively small roost on Plover Scar consisted of c.200 waders, 120 Dunlin, 75 Oystercatcher, 4 Grey Plover, and 2 Ringed Plover.

Driving along Moss Lane leaving Cockersand, a male Hen Harrier flew over fields from the north, across the road to disappear from view south over fields. This was my fifth sighting of a Hen/Marsh Harrier in visits to Cockersand over a five week period since February.

Rookery Fenham Carr 20 March. Pete Woodruff.

A wander through Williamson's Park had me count eight Rook nests at the entrance to Standen Park, down 50% on a count I made of 15 nests at the rookery on the very same date of 20 March 2024.

A Double Bonus.

In Lancaster Cemetery, Goldcrest, Jay, Coal Tit, and 2 Buzzard together in the air. But a very pleasant surprise and double bonus awaited me when....

I heard a Bullfinch probably contact calling in the Pine, it calls six times in the video before it flies to the tree next to me on the left, then 3 Bullfinch fly out of the tree - two male in pursuit of a female - and back to the Pine. 

This is my ninth sighting of Bullfinch in the cemetery, always in the same area, my last was 17 January. With the exception of a pair seen 1 May 2023, all sightings have been during the winter period, this is only the second time I've seen them during the breeding season....Must try to find out where these are nesting!

Bonus No2.

Another tree another bird, a male Nuthatch sings six times as I walk down the path to view another Pine to find 2 Nuthatch, one of which is checking the area around the nest hole, whilst the other is clawing its way up the tree.

Prospecting Pair Of Nuthatch. Pete Woodruff.

This is the same tree the Nuthatch has bred in for the past 3 years.

Garden News.

Peacock. Pete Woodruff.

A Peacock - not the one in the image above - was my first butterfly of 2025. Another first for the garden was a Rook which took just 2 sec's to realise it couldn't land on the feeders and took off!

  

Moorhen. Martin Jump.

I was sent this image of the Moorhen in flight, it is a first for me and has me wondering how many are as surprised as I was to see the Moorhen with such underwing markings/colour....Thanks Martin much appreciated.

There are no such underwing colours in the illustrations in my comprehensive Birds of the Western Palearctic reference book. 

Brief With A Little Quality.

By usual standards it was a bit of a whizz around the estuary surroundings on Friday, but at least there was a little quality about the findings, not least because the sight of up to 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit on the Lune Estuary at Glasson was a delight, also a Mediterranean Gull was amongst the gulls, and a Peregrine Falcon was on the south end of Colloway Marsh, recommended if you'd like to see one regularly there, or on the hunt and putting a few thousand waders to flight.

As I was leaving, 6 Whooper Swan flew upstream by me, before swinging south towards Conder Pool or Jeremy Lane I thought.

Thirty minutes later, it was my second guess the swans had chosen and settled on a flood on Jeremy Lane.

Little Owl At Cockersand.

On 28 November 2023, a visiting birder I met opposite Cockersand Abbey, was searching for a Snow Bunting. In a conversation he pointed towards Bank Houses and told me of a Little Owl he had seen on an out building there. In amazement, I told him this was the first Little Owl for Cockersand in 9 years when I had found one at Abbey Farm on 28 November 2014.

I never did find the owl the birder reported to me, but 9 years later on 25 October 2024, I connected with a Little Owl in the very same area he talked of 11 months ago.

Historically, the Little Owl could be seen regularly for many years on the derelict barn, now converted and called Bank House Cottage.

Action In The Garden.

Our resident Robin is friendly, bold, and very entertaining, following anyone digging in the garden. Also on Friday, a flock of 12 Long-tailed Tit worked their way through the garden, and our first Coal Tit in 11 months paid a visit. 

Thanks to Martin Jump for the excellent header of Little Owl.

News From The Bog!

Odonata enthusiasts in particular, may be interested in the news that the boardwalk along the perimeter of the bog at Birk Bank, has been removed and relocated from the corner of the old one, straight across to the east side.

On the positive side, this may be good news for the dragonflies and insects, in particular the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary with its partiality to Marsh Thistle.

Hawker Spectacular.

When I stepped on to the canal towpath at Glasson Dock to walk the 3 mile length to Galgate, although I had a similar experience in September last year, I never really expected the spectacle that was about to unfold.

Although the weather conditions were perfect, for the first half mile I was beginning to think I had chosen the wrong day, I was seeing little if anything of what I was out to find today. But then the situation began to change, things were picking up, and I was seeing the odd dragon or two. By the time I reached Galgate 3 miles and 3 hours after the start at Glasson Dock, I had logged an impressive 112 Migrant Hawker, including 4 pairs on the wing and copulating. Other odonata seen, 24 Common Darter, and 3 Brown Hawker. Butterflies encountered were, 14 Large White and 8 Speckled Wood.

Red Admiral On Ivy. Pete Woodruff.

When I arrived at Galgate, another pleasant surprise came in the form of 44 Red Admiral counted on and around the Ivy before I came off the canal by the marina.

Birds of note, 2 Raven came 'honking' overhead, and a Grey Wagtail was by the lock at the canal junction.

Migrant Hawker.

Since the first sighting on 8 August, my count has totaled 188 Migrant Hawker to date, and with 18 seen last year on 28 September around the Conder/Glasson area, who knows where this years will end.

Garden Birds.

In recent days, 15 Long-tailed Tit came in procession through the garden, 5 Blue Tit and a Coal Tit formed a nice little flock, and up to 8 Red Admiral visited the Plum Tree.   

Good Day In Bowland.

In the good company of Martin Jump, we had an interesting day in Bowland with a little learning and some discoveries to boot.

A walk along the path by the 1/4 mile long plantation strip at Catshaw, produced up to 8 Willow Warbler, 4 Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Robin, Kestrel, and a Coal Tit probably nesting in a wall cavity. As I drove away from here, a Wheatear flew across my path.

On Hawthornthwaite, Saturdays 5 Stonechat seen again, with further proof of breeding when a female was seen carrying food. Two Raven overhead were mobbed by a Curlew, of which three pairs are probable breeders here. Conversely, I've seen not a single Lapwing here in two recent visits. A Ring Ouzel frustrated by being heard in song but not located when falling silent. Martin succeeded in collecting numbers from the Sand Martin colony, and came up with 34 nest holes - not all occupied - and c.12 birds in flight.

We called at Marshaw for Martin to check out some breeding Dipper he is monitoring. The visit resulted in finding the first and never recorded Coal Tit breeding in a nest box, even more intriguing was a male Pied Flycatcher on an adjacent branch, looking as confused as I was, it had earlier been singing. Also noted here, a Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and 2 Treecreeper.

All in all, an interesting day.

Conder Pool.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the update and the quartet of images of 'beauties' on Conder Pool, two of which are....

Common Tern On The New Raft Conder Pool 17 May. Howard Stockdale.

1st summer Mediterranean Gull/1st Summer Common Gull Conder Pool 17 May. Howard Stockdale.

I'm also grateful to Ian Mitchell for his image of the colour ringed Common Tern having returned to Conder Pool for its 3rd year.

Common Tern Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.

Finching It Again!....Episode 5.

It was to say the least exciting to have my fifth sighting of Bullfinch again in Lancaster Cemetery this week.

This sighting was particularly interesting in that, not only are these excellent records for the location, but the Bullfinch is known to be a shy bird, and doesn't usually show itself on the ground, hardly ever feeding more than a few metres from cover. I'm more acquainted to seeing the Bullfinch extracting seeds from fruit on trees or bushes, small seed-heads and fruits are removed when fallen to the ground which is what was going on here. 

The ground feeding Bullfinch was certainly a first for me, with both male and female collecting seeds found on the grave and surroundings having fallen from the tree which is as yet unidentified beyond it being of the genus Sorbus....Probably Sorbus aucuparia

Fieldfare. Ian Mitchell.

Also in the cemetery a lone Redwing, briefly atop of a tree before flying off. It joins its lone cousin the Fieldfare which I saw at Cockersand 1 December, being the only two winter thrushes I've seen this winter to date.

Williamson's Park.

Birds of note as I wandered through the park, 2 Song Thrush took top spot for me, Mistle Thrush, a Jay, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Wren, a few Wood Pigeon, at least 20 Blackbird, and a similar number of Magpie. To note at the feeding station, up to 5 Dunnock and 5 Coal Tit.

Ashton Memorial. Pete Woodruff.

There there was some attractive colours on the fallen ice covered leaves of the Canadian Maple in Williamson's Park.

Community Spirit.

The Robin putting in an appearance, the Blackbird having a go at the apple, and the Starling and House Sparrows, all showing a little harmony in the garden.

Many thanks to Steve Graham for the header image of four of the eight Caton Moor wind turbines with heads above the mist to create an atmospheric scene, along with the excellent record of 3 Stonechat reported to me whilst up there.

And Finally.

Yes, another Stonechat image....Well what do you expect, this is B2B, and this is a 1st winter male Stonechat at Conder Pool. Classic the bird, excellent the image, thanks to Howard Stockdale.

Twice Round The Block!

During the week I managed a couple of blasts through Williamson's Park and Lancaster Cemetery. This turned out to be another one of my good ideas as I was rewarded with the latest sighting of 4 Bullfinch here again, seen as two male and female. This is my fourth sighting of Bullfinch in Lancaster Cemetery since I found five on 30 October 2014, whilst noting as in Bowland, I've never found Bullfinch here during the breeding season starting late April.

Canadian Maple In Williamson's Park. Pete Woodruff.

Also of note in the park, 2 Jay, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, and Wren, 3 Coal Tit, at least 16 Blackbird, 12 Wood Pigeon, 8 Magpie, and with 6 Chaffinch on beech mast I was hoping to find a Brambling....wishful thinking!

Red Admiral 19 October. Pete Woodruff. 

On the two visits I saw 7 Red Admiral, they were seen as five in Williamson's Park, and two in Lancaster Cemetery....Have you seen the one on Ivy top left of the frame?

Pintail Anus acuta....In our recording area, the Pintail is a passage migrant and winter visitor.

The header image is of 20 Pintail>south off Plover Scar. This is significant in that I'd say it's the first record of such a number at Cockersand in many a year, I've never recorded the species here to date, and I regard the Pintail on the Lune Estuary at best scarce. In my records, 2 female on Conder Pool 25 October 2019 were the first there and not since.

Thanks to Martin Jump for his excellent record breaking image.   

Keeping Up Appearances!

In my attempt against mental instability and my world of diminishing birding. I was off armed with bino's round my neck and camera in pocket, and went for a wander through the Lancaster Cemetery and Williamson Park, from where there was excellent if slightly misty views from the Ashton Memorial over the north side of Lancaster to the distant Lakeland mountains over Morecambe Bay.

This turned out to be another excellent idea, if only because I found a stunning male Bullfinch in the cemetery. This is my second record of Bullfinch at this location, I found five here on 30 October 2014. These represent the only two records of Bullfinch seen in Lancaster Cemetery east of Lancaster at SD 491619  

I will be keeping an eye on this, although 7 years between my sightings, I now reckon the Bullfinch is resident in this area in which to my knowledge no-one does any birding and I only visit occasionally, but that's going to change, and I need to find them here in the summer months. 

Some thoughtful bird lover has put four feeders up in the cemetery which had attracted a mix of up to 20 Blue Tit and Great Tit, a Nuthatch and Robin soon joined them as I watched. Also seen in the cemetery, at least 8 Long-tailed Tit and a Treecreeper. Other notes on the wander, 2 Jay one of which was seen of in aerial combat by 2 Magpie. 

Eight Rooks were in the rookery by the entrance to Williamson Park, they were quite noisy and you would have thought it was at the start of the breeding season in March by their behaviour.

Good numbers of birds at the feeders in Williamson Park, including Blue Tit, Great Tit, and Coal Tit, 3 Dunnock, and 2 Robin. Fourteen Black-headed Gull were accompanied by Mallard on the pond. I liked the reflections of the surrounding landscape in the video.

All in all, an enjoyable couple of therapeutic hours on Friday.

Top Ten On Harrisend.

Weatherwise the day started well on Thursday, but by midday it turned cloudy eventually becoming drizzle for a spell in the afternoon with a cold wind, not the day I had hoped for.

But the inclement weather didn't succeed in putting the damper on my visit to Harrisend. By the time I took this photograph of the view toward Clougha almost hidden in the murk, I had found a perfect 10 Stonechat looking set to winter here.

I love this image of the stunning male Stonechat, it takes me back to the moment where and when I found the bird isolated on the remains of the old lone Hawthorn.

This male Stonechat was amongst the gorse where there was another surprise find, in and out of the gorse was a Coal Tit. Unexpected, I never thought I'd find a Coal Tit on moorland, being a woodland bird, preferring conifers particularly spruce, also a regular garden visitor. Just 2 Red Grouse seen, with no Raven or Buzzard seen, as opposed to a mix of 6/8) seen here 6 October.

I came across this Dusky Puffball Lycoperdon nigrescens on Harrisend. This fungi rarely occurs in large number, is found in acid coniferous woodland and on heathland, and is regarded as suspect and inedible. 

A comparatively short visit to Hawthornthwaite had me finding 14 Red Grouse, and a Wren skulking amongst the heather.

Thinking I was going to draw another blank as I had on 6 October, I was five minutes away from the end of the visit, when I came across a pair of Stonechat, the male being in the short 30sec footage above.

Garden Birds and Moths.

I was grateful as ever that Mike and Ian were in touch with news and images from their respective Lancaster gardens recently.

Brambling Male. Mike Atkinson.

Sparrowhawk Juvenile. Mike Atkinson.

Feathered Thorn. Ian Mitchell.

Merveille du Jour....Wonder Of The Day.

Merveille du Jour. Ian Mitchell.

One of the most beautiful of UK moths, with a brilliant name to match.

Thanks to Bob Bushell for his excellent header image of the Redwing.