Think It's Called Twitching!

My latest visit to Conder Pool was rewarded by another first, when at least 2,500 Redshank were  present, including up to 100 in the creeks. This record puts an end to the 2,000 Redshank seen here on 7 August. 

Also, 14 Ruff, 6 Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin, 2 Snipe. and 15 Little Grebe. A pair of Shoveler always create some interest on Conder Pool for their scarcity, and 4 Wigeon are the early winter returners.

Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

At Saltcote Pond, it was a surprise to find a Common Hawker again, it was patrolling in a cool, windy and gloomy 18 °C    flying low and investigating the pool. The male is known to be very active, even in overcast conditions.

The Cockersand Dip!

At Cockersand, I failed to find a couple of target species - I think it's called twitching - but noted up to 450 Dunlin and 12o Ringed Plover, also 4 Turnstone one of which retained some of its smart breeding plumage.

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 25 June 2025. Pete Woodruff.

Checking a group of 12 Black-headed Gull off Lighthouse Cottage, I found 4 Mediterranean Gull with them, they were all males in winter garb, and nothing like as smart as the black-hooded ones I saw on Conder Pool 25 June 2025. Also off here, 4 Eider.

Interest In The Garden.

There was interest in the garden yesterday, when I found a Garden Spider with prey. 

I think what we see is a Sphaerophoria sp of hoverfly, of which there are 11 confirmed species in Britain, and not easy to ID. 

Todays unfortunate find was in the jaws of a Garden Spider.

Garden Spider With Prey. Pete Woodruff.

Eventually the head was separated from its body which hung from a thread of the spiders web.

Another interest was in the form of the 8th Hummingbird-hawkmoth in as many weeks in the garden.

The moth performed perfectly for several minutes, nectaring on Salvia in the garden.

Green Shieldbug. Pete Woodruff.

And finally another first for me, an appropriately named nymph Green Shieldbug. 

Scratching The Surface.

Tip of the iceberg stuff in the expanse that is the Forest of Bowland, where we'll never know the true picture on the status of birds, in particular my very own favourite. 

A trip up the west and east sides of Hawthornthwaite Fell earlier in the week, had my tally reaching 41 Stonechat at three locations visited in Bowland over 19 days. On the west side, 4 Stonechat, at least 80 Meadow Pipit and 4 Red Grouse. Butterflies seen, 16 Red Admiral, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, a Peacock and Comma.

Something of a surprise was a grounded racing Pigeon which was found to be marked, Pink left, White right. Enquiries with a neighbouring pigeon fancier about my find, indicated the colour combination was of a bird ringed in England. The bird was a smart individual with immaculate plumage, it appeared to be in good health and was feeding on heather seed.

On the east side of Hawthornthwaite, 4 Stonechat, a lone Meadow Pipit and 5 Red Grouse. Butterflies, 10 Small Tortoiseshell, a Red Admiral and Peacock. A Stoat ran across the grit track ahead of me. 

As I got to the gate to go back out and on to the Trough Road at Marshaw, I had a fleeting glimpse of two small butterflies between the canopies of two large Oaks. Purple Hairstreak surely?....but I don't record possible/probable.  

The Spider.

I watched this Garden Spider spinning its web as one of the endless wonders of the natural world for us all to see, the energy and determination of this creature fascinated me. In the present climate we find ourselves in, I had 84 secs of chilling out therapy in my own garden. 

VIEW FULL SCREEN

This Is Not Portland Bill....

....but it was good to see up to 70 Black-tailed Godwit back on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock yesterday, other early winter arrivals here were 14 Wigeon, with 4 Shoveler presumably the recent Conder Pool birds, seen as unusual on the estuary as they were at Conder Green.

A look in at Cockersand was the road to nowhere, with c.350 Curlew on Cockerham Sands, and a Wheatear on the headland the only notes I made here. 

Just two attempts at counting came up with 13 Little Grebe on Conder Pool yesterday, also noted were 4 Wigeon and 2 Little Egret. Another 'good to see returned' was a Spotted Redshank in the creeks, also a Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, 3 Snipe, 4 Goosander, with 5 Greylag and 4 Canada Geese a little less expected.

Not a question of 'where are all the migrants' more like 'where are all the birds'....Should have gone to Specsavers Portland Bill though even there it was disappointing yesterday 12 September.

The Spider, The Lighthouse, and The Roadworks.

This appropriately named Garden Spider Araneus diadematus was in our garden yesterday morning in the centre of it's large dew covered web.

The Lighthouse.   

The lighthouse at Cockersand as it stands yesterday - does'nt look well after the collision does it - with little having been done to it's repair since the arrival on site of the crew last week, although on close inspection it does appear to have been fitted with some ironwork at the base.

And The Roadworks.

If by chance like me you've been driving along this half mile section of the B5290 at Conder Green - as the worst bit of highway in the north of England for the past twelve months - whilst wrecking your suspension and wheel alignment in the process, you'll be pleased to hear they are about to relay it later this month. 

Pictures by your's truly. 

Migrants....What Migrants!

Seek and ye shall find....Didn't work for me yesterday.

I reckoned a walk along the coastal path to Glasson Dock was as good a bet as any for a Yellow -browed Warbler, it took me two hours to crawl along, and crawl back to Conder Green....dream on. But along the way I saw a decent flock of c.80 Goldfinch, a Great Tit, Blue Tit, and a Robin.

In view from the bowling green along the south side of the estuary, 2 Spotted Redshank were at the Conder mouth, 8 Snipe on the tideline, and Tuesday's c.560 Golden Plover were over on the north side, with well into a four figure number of scattered Lapwing.

Common Sandpiper Antonio Puigg 

At Conder Green, the now probably wintering Common Sandpiper was close to the Conder Pool viewing platform and feeding along the waterline of what is now a lake again following the two recent 10.40m super tides. I counted 13 Little Grebe again, diving and gobbling up the small fry like there was no tomorrow, with 52 Mute Swan having also taken a liking to the pool. In the creeks, a juvenile Ruff, a Snipe, c.70 Teal, and 4 Little Egret.

I also reckoned some scratching under the surface at Cockersands was a good idea for a migrant hunt, the tally says it all....4 Wheatear and a Rock Pipit were along the headland, 3 Swallow were flying around without purpose, a Stock Dove and the local female Kestrel seen again, with another Kestrel over Jeremy Lane.

Migrants....what migrants!  

Garden Spider. Pete Woodruff.

Though I failed to get a decent photograph of it, this Garden Spider Araneus diadematus, which is one of the commonest and largest British spider, has spun a beautiful orb web on the outside of our front room window. The female Garden Spider can grow up to 15mm, they can be found during June - November when the first frosts kill them off.  

Joining The Hunt.

 Yellow-browed Warbler Cockersands Copies Permitted

For once I let the birds and their often unpredictability get the better of me on Tuesday when I joined in the hunt for a scarce passage migrant from Siberia the Yellow-browed Warbler. Having seen language like....'shed loads of 'em on the east coast just waiting to be blown west by the easterlies'....I'd thought my best move was to do a crawl from the far end of St Georges Quay in Lancaster to Glasson Dock along the old railway line now better known as the Coastal Way, hopefully littered with 'tits' and definitely littered with sycamore, surely one of the best locations in the area to make contact with one of these little beauties....dream on!  

But I was grateful both for the text telling me of one found at Cockersands on Wednesday, and the subsequent photographs sent to me.

Chiffchaff Warren Baker  

Checking the 'gulls' on the River Lune downstream from Skerton Bridge I noted 4 Goosander. Having passed Keyline and reaching the start of the serious stage of the exercise I actually very soon got quite excited, the first three birds I saw where a Blue Tit, Great Tit, and yes, its a 'warbler', ahhhh not the target bird....its a Chiffchaff. Little did I know this was going to be the height of my excitement for the day. Thanks for the excellent Chiffchaff Warren.

Three Little Grebe, 8 Wigeon, and 5 Teal were noted on Freeman's Pools, but now I had the dilemma,  do I go forward via the embankment or keep to the footpath, I can't do both and no time for a circuit....I kept to the path, and to Conder Green took note of, 4 Little Egret, 8 'alba' Wagtail, c.90 Golden Plover on the opposite bank from Nansbuck Cottage, and a 'few' Swallow over on the way....this is not front line/top of the range birding, nor are the results!

By the time I arrived at Conder Green I had to keep to the coastal path to catch the bus back to Lancaster, but did find a small group of 'tits' flitting about the picnic area from tree to tree, mainly Long-tailed with Blue and Great Tit. I came across another Chiffchaff towards Glasson Dock, this one 'hweeting' louder than any other I ever heard, an excellent sight and sound. I also counted 8 Red Admiral butterflies all in pristine condition, and a similar count of Speckled Wood. 

Red-necked Grebe. Marton Mere 30 Sept. Copy Permitted.

Thanks to RBA I was alerted to a Red-necked Grebe at Marton Mere, Blackpool on Monday. A rare winter visitor from eastern Europe and Russia, less than annual in Lancashire and North Merseyside, the last one being a 1st winter bird at Fairhaven Lake 4 - 31 January 2011.  

And finally, a non-bird photograph....

Garden Cross Spider Martin Jump

    

....of a Garden Cross Spider....Couldn't resist this one Martin....Brilliant. 

Please Note.

Although I have left the caption to the spider image unedited I'm grateful for the ID as being Araneus quadratus and not Garden Cross. Many thanks for this to David at Lalows