The Wrong Day!

It was the wrong day when I walked the stretch of the canal from Glasson-Galgate in the hope of a dragon or two, cloudy and an unwelcome breeze. After a 3 mile and 3 hour trek, I saw not a single dragonfly, with just two damselflies seen, and one bird of note, it was a walk all about the butterflies. The population of UK butterflies has now reached an 80% decline since the 1970's, but it's not the end of the world yet, and I've had some decent sightings recently regarding them as heartening.

Gatekeeper. Pete Woodruff.

On todays walk I encountered a nice 34 Gatekeeper, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Meadow Brown, 3 Painted Lady, 3 Red Admiral, and a Peacock. The only two damselflies seen were, a Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Common Blue Damselfly. The only bird of note was a Buzzard over the canal junction at Galgate.

Garden Butterflies.

Comma. Pete Woodruff.

A Comma spent a good 15 minutes nectaring on the Elecampane in our garden and was soon followed by a smart Red Admiral.

Picture Gallery.

I got more excellent finds and images in my inbox again, all best viewed enlarged.

Ruddy Darter. Martin Jump.

Martin has is second Ruddy Darter under his belt this week in Preston.

Buff Ermine. Ian Mitchell.

And with the help of a beautiful Buff Ermine, Ian continues to achieve excellent results of moths in flight.

The Odd Couple. Howard Stockdale.

Howards image shows the result of an Embden Goose which paired with a hybrid GreylagxCanada Goose. Having had a hatched chick out on the marsh this year, perhaps a cursory look might have some thinking Conder Pool now has its own Snow Goose!

And Finally....

Cuckoo Juvenile. Marc Heath.

Marc got an excellent image of a Cuckoo. In congratulating him, I confessed to never having previously recognised the juvenile Cuckoo had such brilliant markings on its tail feathers. 

Lots Of Interest....Pool And Estuary.

Managed a pleasant sortie to Conder Pool and the Lune Estuary around and after high tide, where my records of the birds I noted can only be taken as totals of the species on the day, as they were present at both locations, many having left Conder Pool for the estuary during my visit at high tide.

I paid two visits to Conder Pool, at 11.30 and returned there at 3.30, the combined sightings were, 12 Common Tern, with 6 chicks on the platform, adults still sitting, and some coming and going to the river to feed young and fledged juveniles, two of which were noted as blue ringed 418/424. 

I made a count of 26 Avocet, and saw just one juvenile which wasn't going to pose for me, and was preening all the time I was filming.

Six Mediterranean Gull, included an adult and 1st summer on the island to the right from the screen. Also, a male Ruff, 9 Greenshank, a lone Black-tailed Godwit in splendid breeding plumage, c.150 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, and 2 Dunlin which were seen as non breeders/early returners?

On the Lune Estuary, it was a treat to see adult Common Terns and 5 juveniles, one of which was being fed small fry by the adult. Four Mediterranean Gull were on the shore below Colloway Marsh, and 6 Avocet were by the Conder mouth. But the biggest surprise here today, had to be the adult Whooper Swan around a tidal pool below Waterloo Cottage. I don't recall ever seeing a summer Whooper Swan before.

On a short wander along the canal towpath, 2 Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush, Mute Swans with 9 cygnets, and a brief Emperor Dragonfly.

Blue-tailed Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

At Saltcote Pond, modest numbers of 8 Blue-tailed Damselfly, including a female of the colour form infuscans, and 3 Common Blue Damselfly.

Blue-tailed Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Butterfly numbers were also modest, although up to 35 Large White was a decent count, with 5 Gatekeeper, 4 Ringlet, 2 Speckled Wood, a lone Meadow Brown brought up the rear.

Swift.

Given the sparsity of my hirundine sightings so far this year, at least 20 Swift over Fairfield was notable, as were 4 Swift over Bowerham in the south of Lancaster, and a Comma in the garden was a welcome sight too.

Saturday 12 July.

A peasant walk south along the canal towpath and into Garstang, produced 6 Emperor Dragonflies, 6 Brown Hawker, a pair of Common Blue Damselfly in tandem, and a lone Blue-tailed Damselfly.  

Picture Gallery.

In receipt of another two excellent images which I'm obliged to share on B2B....

Banded Demoiselle. Martin Jump.

Martin's Banded Demoiselle impersonating a helicopter....my thoughts anyway!

Large Yellow Underwing. Ian Mitchell.

And Ian's Large Yellow Underwing impersonating a Lancaster Bomber....my thoughts anyway!

Much respect for these two photographers, the images must have been difficult to achieve to this level.

Dragons2blog....Episode 2.

Given the perfect conditions and the right time of the season, It was time I did the 3 mile/4 hour trawl along the canal towpath Conder Green to Galgate. 

As I made my way to the canal at The Mill at Conder Green, I noted 8 Avocet in the creeks. However, striking east along the canal, it soon became apparent that it wasn't quite 'the right time of the season' and had only seen 2 Migrant Hawker in the first hour of the walk. Realising I was at least 3 weeks ahead of myself, I note on the same route last year on 8 September, I had found 112 Migrant Hawker by the time I reached Galgate. This number added to the previous sightings made the grand total of 206 Migrant Hawker in 2023. 

I soon found the first of what became a total of 12 Emperor Dragonfly, soon followed by the first of 14 Brown Hawker, and went on to count 26 Common Darter including 4 mating pairs.

Banded Demoiselle. Marc Heath.

When I arrived at the penultimate lock before the junction of the Glasson Arm of the canal, I noted rafts of Water Lilies, and was soon relishing the spectacle of 16 Banded Demoiselle flitting over and occasionally coming to rest on the lilies.

The butterflies have now established a serious concern over their current status this year, and although I recorded 24 Large White, they were accompanied by just 4 Gatekeeper, and 2 Speckled Wood....Hard to believe!

Canal Closure.

For some reason the canal is closed between Conder Green and Galgate, perhaps one of the locks has ceased up. But some good has come out of the closure, in that void of any traffic the water looks clear and healthy. I don't recall ever being able to see the bottom of the canal before.

Knowing relatively little about fish, these seen in the clear waters of the Lancaster Canal, and with only size for detail, perhaps they are Minnows!

Time and the seasons move on apace.

I took this photograph looking towards a drab dark green Birk Bank on 19 July.

From the same viewpoint, I took this one 3 weeks later on 8 August, showing Birk Bank covered with carpets of beautiful purple Heather.

And Finally.

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly. Marc Heath. 

My man in Kent has a new post about yet another discovery of a new species for the county Here

Egret & Redshank Take Centre Stage.

Perfect timing on Tuesday, as I arrived at Conder Pool a Great White Egret dropped in and provided me with some footage. It was accompanied for a while by a Little Egret for some little and large comparison before it exited stage left.

Also of note on the pool, 14 Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 8 Little Grebe were the first evidence of their return to Conder Pool, 6 Tree Sparrow flew into the hedgerow, up to 30 Pied Wagtail were predominantly juvenile, a Stock Dove, and c.150 Lapwing.

I made no attempt at counting Common Tern, but adults and juveniles seen, with just one young remaining and still to fledge on the breeding platform. Also no numbers of Avocet but adults and juveniles noted.

By far the best record for Conder Pool on Tuesday, was the count of at least 2,000 Redshank. An unprecedented number, not only for Conder Pool, but also for the Lune Estuary, and even surpasses the Morecambe Bay WeBS figure for August....Lancashire Bird Report 2022

A wander along the canal towpath Conder Green - Glasson Dock, had me find 11 Emperor Dragonfly including 2 female ovipositing, 6 Brown Hawker, 6 Common Darter all male, 5 Blue-tailed Damselfly, and a Sparrowhawk which flew across the canal and disappeared over the hedge.

On Saltcote Pond, 10 Common Blue Damselfly, 5 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 7 Common Darter, and a Brown Hawker. Butterflies on the day, 2 Gatekeeper, a Meadow Brown, and Large White was worryingly grim....again!   

Dragonflies2blog!

Thursday 1 August.

I set off on my walk to the Aqueduct Ponds. It was my third visit here to look for the Emerald Damselfly, the first made on 4 August 2022, the second on 10 August 2023. On both these visits I was successful in finding the Emerald Damselfly.

Common Darter Millennium Park Footpath. Pete Woodruff.

From the footpath alongside the River Lune, I was a little surprised to find a female Common Darter. But not quite as surprised as I was to find a Banded Demoiselle from the same footpath on my walk here on 4 August 2022.

Banded Demoiselle Millennium Park Footpath 4 Aug 2022. Pete Woodruff.

I was disappointed not to find any Emerald Damselfly this time, hopefully perhaps too early, but to be honest I doubt that is the case, in my view the site has management issues, but that's another matter. 

Good views of 3 Brown Hawker including a female seen ovipositing, up to 8 Common Darter seen, including a pair in cop. Also 4 Common Blue Damselfly and a Blue-tailed Damselfly.

I made the return walk back to Lancaster via the canal which was a bit of a revelation in that I had a dragonfly in my sights along every straight length and round every bend of the canal along the 2 mile, and notched up a grand total of 23 Emperor Dragonfly including two female ovipositing, 12 Brown Hawker, 8 Common Darter, and 5 Common Blue Damselfly.

It was interesting and worrying, that in the 4 hours I noted just two species of butterfly, 9 Speckled Wood and 8 Large White.

Saturday 3 August.

Along a 2 mile stretch of the Lancaster Canal north of Garstang produced a lone male Emperor Dragonfly, 3 Brown Hawker, 3 Gatekeeper, 2 Red Admiral, and a Kingfisher.

The Dorset Mega.

The Scarlet Darter is an African species that extends into Eurasia. It was once common only in the Mediterranean region, but is becoming an increasingly common sight further north.

Scarlet Darter. Marc Heath.

My man in Kent gave me the heads-up about this stunning dragonfly found in Dorset last week. You can find his report and accompanying excellent images at Kent Dragonflies    

Thanks to Martin for the header image, and to Marc for info and image of the Mega Darter. 

The Brook/Pond/Fell And Bog.

If it's dragons we're talking, my day on the fringe of Bowland was excellent.

Grisedale Brook.

Though this year isn't panning out as good as last year between Grisedale Bridge and Holme Wood, this visit turned up 3 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, and 2 Common Hawker which, not having settled in the several minutes I watched them, I reluctantly recorded as them 'possible' based on size, behaviour, and upland habitat. The butterflies were in better number than of late, with 6 Meadow Brown, 4 Large White, 3 Large Skipper, and a Gatekeeper. 

Catshaw Pond.

The 'Lone Ranger' male Emperor Dragonfly was again patrolling the pond at Catshaw. This is the second year I have found the species at this small upland pool.

Hawthornthwaite Fell.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Pete Woodruff.

Another Golden-ringed Dragonfly seen here, with a Stonechat pair both alarmed at my presence at both the outward walk, and on the return. Six Meadow Pipit to note, with just 4 Sand Martin seen, and a Kestrel high overhead. Butterflies, 44 Large White and a lone Green-veined White.

Birk Bank Bog.

My visit here today verged towards exceptional, with 10 Keeled Skimmer which were seen as 4 male, 2 pairs in cop, and 2 female egg laying....Looks like the Birk Bank skimmers are here to stay!

I was a little disappointed with the result of my efforts to make a video which is a little fuzzy. But ne'r mind, it's not every day you find a female Keeled Skimmer egg laying whilst the male hovers nearby.

A bonus today came in the form of 4 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, with a Large Red Damselfly keep putting in an appearance. Butterflies, 2 Ringlet and a Red Admiral.

22 dragonflies on the day, and all rated as excellent....That'll do nicely thank you!

Picture Gallery.

Black Darter Birk Bank Bog 30 July. Ian Mitchell.

First past the post for Ian Mitchells male Black Darter. Ian beat me to this early'ish emerging dragonfly on Birk Bank bog, and many thanks for his header image. 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly. Martin Jump.

Martin is getting some excellent results for his project of in flight shots of this dainty damselfly. 

Back In Business!.

I was back in business when the weather finally improved this week, and there was plenty of action on Conder Pool when I paid my first visit there following a gap of 11 days, to find the pontoon deserted of the 9 Common Tern chicks I had seen on 23 July. Amazing to think the progress they made in under a fortnight, to fledge and scatter around the pool.

The Common Tern has had the best year to date on Conder Pool in 2023, and my guess is that at least 15 birds have made it to fledging this year. Today I made an estimate count of 15 Common Tern adult and several juvenile, probably with as many out of sight as there was in view. 

I saw just one adult Avocet accompanied by a juvenile, but understand there is a nest out of view and still active. Up to 350 Redshank, c.20 Dunlin, and a Ruff were lined up at the back of the pool with an impressive count of 18 Greenshank. Just one Common Sandpiper seen, 9 Little Grebe, 2 Stock Dove, and a Collared Dove. 

I caught a glimpse of 2 Kingfisher flying together as they whizzed across the pool. A Sparrowhawk was patrolling high above the pool, and a few House Martin were around the now defunct cafe on Corricks Lane with one nest still active. 

Saltcote Pond.

In my last post, I made a comment that Saltcote Pond was an attractive little waterbody, but on a wander from Glasson Dock and back to Conder Green today, I looked in and was disappointed to find some badly timed management having been carried out....The Keep Britain Tidy gang had been at work.

Hopefully all the dragonflies will have now bred, maybe my concern was unnecessary, but it wasn't a pretty sight.

Along the canal towpath, 8 Brown Hawker were the only dragonflies encountered. Butterflies verged on abysmal, with 2 Comma, 2 Gatekeeper, 2 Meadow Brown, and a Speckled Wood.    

I paid two visits to Conder Pool, one before and one after the high tide, it took me 2 hours for 3 Little Ringed Plover juvenile to show, which actually made my day when they did. There was a bonus attached to the sighting, through a conversation with Ian Hartley, I am aware of 2 juveniles being seen here recently, and I agree with the opinion, that this third juvenile is a visitor to Conder Pool from elsewhere probably on the Lune Estuary.

Food For Thought!

Camera's had been in place on the Conder Pool raft to monitor fish species being brought in for the broods as research for the RSPB. Sprats were the main fish with smaller numbers of Sand Eel and the odd fresh water fish such as Roach and small Pike, probably taken from the canal where I had recently seen the terns up and down the length of the canal Glasson - Conder Green.

An excellent image of an adult Common Tern bringing in food for the chicks stood in line to get to the front of the queue with anticipation....It's my turn next please!

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the info and camera footage. Also for the header image of one of two of this years Little Ringed Plover.

........................................................................

And Finally.

Southern Hawker. Ian Stephenson.

A dragonfly came to rest on a window box at a house in Brookhouse yesterday. Identified as a Southern Hawker female, and photographed on a Smartphone, with thanks to Ian for alerting me and sending me the image.

Turned Out Nice Again!

A decent day on Monday, brought about a re-run of my day on 17 July, plus a wander along the canal towpath Glasson-Conder Green.

On Conder Pool, my count was of 20 Common Tern which were seen as 7 adult, 4 fledged juvenile, and 9 chicks of variable size on the pontoon. I saw 3 Avocet adult and 2 juvenile, 14 Greenshank were lined up at the back of the pool with 27 Redshank, a lone adult a Little Ringed Plover, and a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull was hunkered down roosting at the back of the pool.

Setting off on my wanderings, I was reminded that the House Martin have failed to nest at River Winds this year, but six House Martin were seen around what was Cafe d'Lune now closed, with two nests active.

Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

Saltcote Pond is an attractive little waterbody, and a pair of Emperor Dragonfly obliged me today, the male patrolling whilst the female was ovipositing alone, the only Anax to do so without the male, the abdominal colour becoming obscured through oviposting is clearly shown in this footage. Also seen, 3 Common Blue Damselfly, and a Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Along the canal towpath, several sightings of Common Tern adults searching for fish, and good numbers of Swallow seen, a Reed Warbler burst into song, Goldfinch were on thistles including juvenile birds, a lone Tree Sparrow came onto the path, and a Wren seen. Dragonflies, 7 Brown Hawker, and an Emperor Dragonfly.

Butterflies seen, 19 Gatekeeper, 8 on the canal and 11 from the viewing screen at Conder Pool, 12 Large White, 5 Speckled Wood, 4 Green-veined White, 2 Red Admiral, Peacock, Common Blue, and a Silver Y moth.

Conder Pool Terns.

One adult Common Tern seems to have been sitting on the nest forever, it was still there when I arrived on Monday and had been on three previous visits. Someone made a comment that it was rather late to still be on a nest at the end of July, but it's worth noting, the first ever Common Terns to come to Conder Pool, didn't arrive until 14 July 2014. This pair of terns successfully raised two birds which I followed through until I last saw them on the Lune Estuary on 12 September. I had previously watched the adults on the estuary, and my notes read that I observed a Common Tern on 9 September making 22 dives to catch a total of 18 fish.

Avocet CJ.

This bird fledged on Conder Pool 22 June 2023, interestingly it was sighted at Blacktoft Sands on Humberside a month later on 23 July. I'm grateful to Howard Stockdale for his continuing contribution with info and images.

Life On The Pool.

Conder Pool.

There was probably 400 birds on Conder Pool when I arrived there on Monday, at least 50% were 250 Redshank, with a large male Ruff in near black summer plumage, also 12 Greenshank, c.30 Dunlin, and a solitary Black-tailed Godwit.

A count of 24 Common Tern represents a good breeding season this year, which I don't have details for. Nine chicks were on the pontoon and six fledged birds seen on the wing, and at least 10 adult including birds seen as I walked the coastal path back and forth to the Lune Estuary with fish.

Avocet CA enjoys some new found independence

Nine adult Avocet, with seven fledged and three young still to do so, also a pair in the creeks with at least one young. I had three sightings of an adult Little Ringed Plover, probably the same bird which chased a Common Sandpiper around the pool for several minutes. I've never seen this behaviour by a LRP towards another small wader before. Two Little Grebe and 2 Stock Dove, a Kingfisher put in an appearance perching briefly on the outlet.

Coastal Path.

Gatekeeper male. Pete Woodruff.

By way of a change at least 40 butterflies seen, 24 Large White, 9 Gatekeeper were within a few metres of each other, 4 Red Admiral, a Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown.

Saltcote Pond.

Painted Lady. Pete Woodruff. 

A nice pristine Painted Lady was here, with a lone Emperor Dragonfly male on patrol, also a male Common Darter, and a Common Blue Damselfly.

Gatekeeper.

Gatekeeper. Pete Woodruff.

When I took this photograph I thought it was of a pair of Gatekeeper. But viewing the image on my computer, whilst it had brighter orange areas on its wings than the male on the right, it should have lacked the sex brand but didn't....So did I find a coloured variant Gatekeeper?

Being I had a better day for butterflies this year so far, I thought it appropriate for the header image of a Small Skipper....Credit and Thanks to Martin Jump.

Butterfly Bonanza....

But first....Steve Graham and myself entered the world of twitchers at Conder Green where we went on the circuit and relocated the Temminck's Stint in the creeks below River Winds. A smart little adult stint still wearing some brown, buff and grey mottled breeding plumage.

Med Gulls Conder Pool 1 August. Silent Video

Some other casual records included, at least 8 Mediterranean Gull on Conder Pool, also uncounted Avocet including 4 young seen in the creeks, 12 Greenshank was a good count, as was 11 Little Grebe , both seen as current peak counts. It was also good to see 2 Common Tern juvenile with uncounted adults, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Sandpiper, and up to 40 House Martin seen lingering around River Winds.

Butterfly Bonanza.

The butterfly bonanza soon took off when we came to the canal towpath at The Mill at Conder Green to walk the section of the canal to Galgate. The results from the walk, was to log an impressive 51 Gatekeeper, followed at the top of the list by 40 Meadow Brown. Runners up consisted of 13 Green-veined White, the 7 Red Admiral and 5 Painted Lady seen, were all noted to be very fresh. Also 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Small White, 3 Holly Blue, and 2 Peacock.

Large Skipper. Pete Woodruff.

I didn't ask Steve for comments, but personally thought just one Large Skipper, a Large White and Speckled Wood, came as surprising and disappointing low numbers, and included no Ringlet or Small Skipper seen.

Odonata sightings came in fine style, when we stepped on to the towpath at the lock by The Mill we found our first five of 13 Banded Demoiselle at four locations, they were seen as 9 male and 4 female. An excellent count of 13 Emperor Dragonfly and 10 Brown Hawker.

Shaded Broad-bar. Pete Woodruff.

Moths seen, 3 Shaded Broad-bar and 6 Silver Y, also up to 40 Red-tailed Bumblebee were seen along the way. A Buzzard and 2 Raven were all seen a little distance to the north, and a Kingfisher seen briefly as it rounded the corner and lost to view on the canal at Galgate.

Thanks to Ian once again, for the excellent header shot of the equally excellent Small Copper, as one of the species not seen at Mondays Butterfly Bonanza.

Postscript.

Gatekeeper on Regale Lily. Pete Woodruff.

After finding 51 Gatekeeper on Monday, our first one ever in the garden paid a visit this afternoon.    

The Hairstreak Experience.

Brown Hairstreak.

The first confirmed record of the Brown Hairstreak in Lancashire, came from the Silverdale area in 2011, and was the result of an unauthorised release. The species is restricted to the south, the nearest colonies being in Worcestershire c.150 miles away from Silverdale. A colony has now been established at Gait Barrows, and is recorded annually for 4 years since 2017. However it is noted, the species is not fully protected, and unofficial releases are strongly discouraged by Butterfly Conservation.

Yesterday I was in the excellent company of Steve Graham, he had agreed to accompany me on a guided butterfly safari.

Brown Hairstreak Egg. Pete Woodruff.

The day started a little sluggish, but within the hour Steve was soon showing his skill to me, and finding an egg resembling Sea Urchin tucked away under a spur branch.

Brown Hairstreak Female. Pete Woodruff. 

From then on, the day turned into a Brown Hairstreak spectacular, we had six sightings of this elusive butterfly, three individuals around and in the tree tops, and three at lower ground level.

View Full Screen

Other butterflies seen continued the dearth, and were particularly worrying, with just singular Small Copper, Gatekeeper, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, with 6 Speckled Wood, 2 Brimstone, and a Sliver Y moth.

Common Darter Gait Barrows 24 August. Pete Woodruff.

Dragonflies seen, at least 6 Common Darter, a few sightings of Migrant Hawker, and a Brown Hawker. 

Birds sighting were, 2 Buzzard and a Raven overhead, a small flock of Long-tailed Tit in flight between trees, Bullfinch and Great-spotted Woodpecker.

Garden Birds.

Robin 25 August 2021. Pete Woodruff.

I managed to grab a shot of our young garden Robin this morning, 3 Buzzard were soaring together over Bowerham, and about 5 Long-tailed Tit looking interested in the feeders according to the Woodruff's.   

Around The Lune Estuary.

A look in on Conder Pool yesterday produced the kind of interest you come to expect here. Thirteen Common Tern seen, heading toward the climax of their breeding season, with eight adult and five young seen, four of which have yet to fledge, though I'd be surprised if they didn't do so soon after I left, with wing flapping lifting the birds a metre off the pontoon at times. 

One of the adult Common Tern has a metal ring on the lower right leg, it is one of three around at the moment, and one having been read was ringed as a chick at Shotton, Flintshire in 2017.

Common Tern 10 Aug 2021

 

I'm grateful to Ian Hartley for his help regarding info about ringed Common Terns at Conder Green.

Conder Pool held a decent count of 11 Greenshank, with 3 Avocet seen as an adult with two juvenile. Also 3 Common Sandpiper, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Little Grebe, and a Swift seen as it zoomed over the old iron railway bridge, might well be my last of the year. On a circuit to Glasson, an Emperor Dragonfly was on Saltcote Pond, with 2 Common Darter and Blue-tailed Damselfly, also a Sparrowhawk over. 

Common Blue Male & Female

On a walk along the marsh edge to Glasson Dock, the butterflies put on a bit of a show for me at last, all nectaring on Sea Lavender, with 12 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Common Blue, 2 Green-veined White, a Gatekeeper, Comma, and Meadow Brown. 

In the last 15 minutes of exposed mud on the Lune Estuary as the tide flowed in, c.400 Redshank and 48 Dunlin, 18 Little Egret were on the southern tip of Colloway Marsh. Up to 30 Swallow and 2 Sand Martin were hawking over the canal basin.

Thanks to Howard for the Knot header image. Howard has news of up to 3,000 Knot arriving in the Netherlands, and is looking forward to a similar arrival here in the UK soon.     

Beside The Seaside.

A lovely day to chill out and sit on the sea wall at Heysham and check out a decent gull roost up to high tide. 

I panned through the c.200 gulls half a dozen times, the best count that came up was 16 Mediterranean Gull, many - but not all - hunkered down in the distance on Red Nab and identified only by the magnificent full black hood, and just one seen as a sub-adult bird with small black primary markings. But some showed their unmistakable all-white flight-feathers, large black hood, and scarlet bill, including the green ringed bird, probably the one ringed ANLT in Germany as a nestling 9 years ago in June 2012 and a visitor to Heysham every year since 2017....Beautiful creatures.

Ringlet Heysham NR. Pete Woodruff.

At Heysham NR, birds heard, 2 Chiffchaff and a Blackcap. Butterflies noted, 18 Ringlet, 14 Small Skipper, 8 Meadow Brown, 4 Large White, and 2 Gatekeeper. The large and conspicuous male Emperor Dragonfly patrolled the pool which it had to itself.

Small Skipper Heysham NR. Pete Woodruff.

Six Spot Burnet Heysham NR. Pete Woodruff.

The Burnets appeared to be joined at the hip.

Udea lutealis Heysham NR. Pete Woodruff.

If I keep at it, one day I'll find a moth with a bit of class!