Birk Bank And Miscellany

Willow Warbler. Pete Woodruff.

A whizz around the Birk Bank area on Thursday produced another good number of 18 Willow Warbler, and the miserable count of a lone Meadow Pipit. Best of the rest, a Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff, with a male Stonechat, 3 Red Grouse and 3 Wren to note. 

Butterflies. 

A decent show of 10 Orange Tip including two seen as a pair with a couple of intruders trying to get in on the act

Also up to 30 Small/Large White seen, 6 Green Hairstreak, 2 Green-veined White and a Peacock, with a few White-tailed Bumblebee seen.

Mini-Beasts.

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

I can often come across the Green Tiger Beetle on the moors in Bowland, they lie in wait for an unsuspecting insect to come by and pounce on, and the little mobsters can fly too.

Pompilid. Pete Woodruff.

A member of the Pompilidae family, this is a formidable Spider-hunting Wasp.

Birk Bank Bog.

The Large Red Damselfly is always the first of the season and commonest species to be seen in our recording area, and should be found during the second half of April, but despite paying two visits to Birk Bank Bog today, one before my whizz-around and again after it, there wasn't a single Large Red Damselflies to be seen.

I took a series of photographs at the bog today, these two examples show this excellent location, which currently doesn't appear to be the best place for dragonflies in my opinion.

 

Although there is plenty of acidic water along the left hand side of the bog, and maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but worth noting, this is home to a scarce dragonfly, that of the Keeled Skimmer, first found here 10 years ago in August 2015 by Steve Graham, and seen here by myself every year since. It is also the site where I had sightings of 7 Golden-ringed Dragonfly on four dates last year, including a female observed ovipositing.....Only time will tell if any of this will happen again this year.

The Header.

Howard Stockdale has previously submitted to me, three of the same Spotted Redshank taken since 1 April. Paul Ellis took one 3 days ago on 24 April, it shows a near full moult into breeding plumage which will have been completed over 4 weeks.....Amazing stuff.

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the excellent Spotted Redshank header image. 

Wilfred The Cuckoo.

Wilfred has arrived back in the UK. He is the first of the tagged Cuckoos to have done so, he is back on his breeding grounds within the Broads National Park near Worlingham Marshes where he was tagged in early June last year, clearly highlighting just how site-faithful these Cuckoos really are.

Welcome back Wilfred, I think you are one amazing bird!

Edit.

FIVE SWIFT OVER FAIRFIELD WEST OF LANCASTER CITY CENTRE THIS EVENING 8.56PM.

CUCKOO BIRK BANK 20 APRIL.

The Birk Bank Bombus.

I was struggling to make a decision on Friday, but my mind was instantly made up by a call from Ian Mitchell who told me about a find he'd made.

I was off hot foot to Birk Bank, to find an area gifted with a small carpet of Common Bird's-foot-trefoil, one of the food plants of the 2 Bilberry Bumblebee Bombus monticola I found, having foraged the Bilberry, then moving on to other food sources such as the bird's-foot-trefoils, thistles and heathers.

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

A visit to Birk Bank bog produced at least 20 Large Red Damselfly with a few mating pairs seen. Any other dragons to be seen here will have to wait until my next visit, even though the conditions were good today, the season has yet to take off at this excellent acidic site....I'm increasingly getting worried here!

On a couple of hours wander I noted a relatively low number of up to 10 Willow Warbler, a Garden Warbler, Tree Pipit, 12 Meadow Pipit, and saw Raven and Buzzard over the ridge.

Common Lizard. Pete Woodruff.

Although I noted 4 species of bees, the insect count otherwise was poor, with just 2 Small Heath butterfly, a Little Emerald moth, and 2 Common Lizard on the boardwalk at the bog.

Forest Cuckoo Bee Bombus sylvestris. Pete Woodruff.

And Finally.

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff. 

I was struggling for a header pik, but Ian Mitchell came to the rescue with his Hooded Crow found on the return journey back to Lancaster from Walney NR last week....Much appreciated Ian.

Bog Bonanza.

Having enjoyed finding my share of the mega invasion to Birk Bank Bog to count at least 40 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 9 Large Red Damselfly including two pairs coupled, and 4 Four-spotted Chaser. I had a lucky break, and found a female Keeled Skimmer quietly ovipositing....Excellent dragonfly, shame about the pik.

Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank 17 June. Pete Woodruff. 

This is my fifth consecutive year to find Keeled Skimmer on the bog at Birk Bank, and an amazing coincidence, as it was on this very date I found a pair of Keeled Skimmer here last year on 17 June 2020.

Keeled Skimmer/Large Red Damselfly Birk Bank 17 June 2020. Pete Woodruff. 

Some more notes on a wander around the area, at least 28 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, a Garden Warbler, a Buzzard drifting over, and a Cuckoo made just two calls and went silent. Other insects were, 7 Small Heath, a Small Tortoiseshell, and a Green Tiger Beetle.

Langden Brook.

The trek up Langden Brook during the week, didn't have the result I was hoping for, if only for the fact I only got to the half way point when I should have then gone on to the upper track via Holdren Castle, but had to do a 'U' turn to return via the same lower track.

Langden Valley From Holdren Castle. Pete Woodruff. 

I noted 19 species including, a Nuthatch in the trees which line the road at the start of the walk, 2 Swallow were hawking over the field here, something wrong with the Swallow this year, I've personally seen little more than a double figure to date over five visits to Bowland. 

Soon out on to the Langden track, 4 Stonechat were seen as a male and three juvenile, also a Common Sandpiper was on the brook with 2 Grey Wagtail seen, 4 singing male Blackcap and good number of Willow Warbler in song. I only managed to see a disappointing 3 Meadow Pipit, and 3 Raven were together soaring high overhead. Butterflies were, 6 Small Heath, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, and a Red Admiral was on a young Oak.

Common Green Grasshopper. Pete Woodruff.

Both insects were green, a Common Green Grasshopper....

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

....and a Green Tiger Beetle, a vicious little winged predator which can move at a speed of up to 60cm per second on bare ground, they build a burrow and ambush ground-living insects such as ants.

The Sykes Farm House Martins.

I called at Sykes Farm on my way to Langden Brook, to confirm if I still had previously granted permission to look around the buildings to check the House Martins if I called back later in the afternoon. I learned that some of the property is now privately occupied and so was out of bounds for close scrutiny.

As things turned out I wasn't able to call back, but the last time I was in the area was on 31 May 2017, when I had noted up to 45 nests around the farm complex, and established c.15 nests occupied, most of the other nests were from previous years and I saw no activity during a stake out at the rear of the property. but I did see birds flying to nest holes as I drove past on Wednesday.

Hawthornthwaite Fell.

Noted on a brief visit, a male Stonechat was accompanied by a female close by, and up to 20 Sand Martin appear to have taken to a new colony, but I need to return at a later date for more detail. The Sand Martin were in pursuit of a female Merlin which took off from the ground as I made my return off the fell. 

Swallowtail Moth

Ian was pleased to find a Swallowtail Moth in his garden where he got this record shot in the half light. Not a major find, but a moth quite unlike any other British species with a 'tail' on each hindwing.

Langden Valley.

The perfect calm and sunny day on Wednesday for a wander up the Langden Valley to Sykes Fell.

Langden Brook Towards Sykes Fell. Pete Woodruff.

As I got out of the car, a Siskin obliged by briefly coming onto the branch of a conifer, a Common Sandpiper was soon seen on Langden Brook. Along the loop of this 4 hour walk I noted, a disappointing lone male Stonechat, a moderate count of just 12 Meadow Pipit, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Sand Martin, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Wren, 2 Grey Wagtail, and a Mistle Thrush. 

Male Ring Ouzel. Jan Larson @ Vingspann

  
A buzz for me kicked in when I saw a distant male Ring Ouzel perched on a post on a ridge above me, the male flew off soon to see a female on the same post, some interaction took place out of my view below the back side of the ridge, with the birds alternating perching on the post, I was observing some behaviour at a nest site.

Insects of note, a Painted Lady was my first this year, 2 Small Heath, the beautiful plain orange upper of which is rarely seen at rest, and a Green Tiger Beetle, a vicious little winged predator which can move at speed up to 60cm per second on bare ground, they build a burrow and ambush ground-living insects such as ants. 

The Sykes Farm House Martin. 

On Friday 3 June 2016, I counted up to 50 House Martin nests at Sykes Farm in Bowland.

Sykes Farm Bowland. Pete Woodruff. 

On Wednesday I paid a return visit to the farm, spoke to the farmer Mr Robinson to remind him of our meeting last year and the nests in the property at the farm, he kindly renewed permission for me to look around. Again I found the House Martin nests and established at least 30 House Martin at 12-15 nests occupied this year, though despite visiting the rear of the building I saw no activity at around 10 nests there.  

On my way back to Lancaster I called in at Stoops Bridge in Abbeystead to find a pair of Spotted Flycatcher, the birds were active with breeding territory behaviour and I took note of the nest hole at the top of a dead tree. Other birds noted, 2 Robin, a Blackbird, Coal Tit, and Blue Tit. 

Many thanks Jan Larsson for the Ring Ouzel, and to Paul Foster for the Wood Warbler header seen recently Moor Piece Nature Reserve  

Another Bowland Safari.

On Friday I was off to Bowland again to walk up the Langden Valley and return via the top track by Holdren Castle.

Langden Valley viewed from Holdren Castle. Pete Woodruff. 

Well worth the effort for me, if only that I found a pair of Stonechat and three young, not the number I was hoping for to be found up here, but thankful for small mercies. A Common Sandpiper was on Langden Brook, as were 5 Grey Wagtail, with Oystercatcher breeding including a pair with a well grown young, House Martins were hawking over and around the brook. Other birds noted, 6 Wren, 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Curlew, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Dunnock, and a kestrel the only raptor seen.

Grey Wagtail Brian Rafferty  

Three hours on the Hareden track was equally rewarded, again if only that I found 4 Stonechat up here, seen as a pair with a single young, and a lone male, probably with the female on the nest. The days tally totalled 11 Grey Wagtail seen, with six on Hareden Brook to add to the Langden five. In the Hareden Farm and surrounding area, a few House Martin around the farm, 2 Blackcap, 2 Blackbird, Goldfinch, and Wren. Once on the moor, I found only a total of 7 Meadow Pipit on the day with just two up Hareden, also a stunning male Lesser Redpoll took me by surprise as it landed on a fence post ahead of me. I saw 2 Curlew and later 2 Buzzard soaring overhead as I reached the limit of my walk, on my way back a Dipper seen on the brook. Four Small Heath on Hareden were the only butterflies seen all day. 

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

The Green Tiger Beetle is a common ground beetle of moorland which I usually find up here in bright sunny conditions during the summer. It's a fast and agile hunter, running across the ground to catch its invertebrate prey, it is well equipped to tackle its prey with a ferocious set of jaws - not visible in my pic - and long legs that give it an impressive turn of speed to be one of our fastest insects, they also have the advantage of being able to fly. 

Thanks to Richard and to Brian for their excellent Yellow and Grey Wagtail images, much appreciated.

Chasing The Mountain Blackbird.

Langden Brook. Pete Woodruff.

Another lovely day on Wednesday had me back in Bowland chasing the Mountain Blackbird - though not primarily so - in the Langden Valley hotspot. The photograph above shows Langden Brook with the intake downstream at my back where I saw a classic White Wagtail with a Pied Wagtail as if to be there for comparison. Also seen as I walked up the tree lined avenue from the road, a 'few' Chaffinch and Robin were of particular note, with a Dipper, 4 Grey Wagtail, a Goldcrest was busy in the conifers along with a Coal Tit and Blue Tit, and a Song Thrush in fine voice.

On the walk which I stretched out over four hours, though the place was alive with them I noted at least 40 Meadow Pipit, 6 Wren, and a single Red Grouse heard only, I saw just two raptors in a Sparrowhawk and kestrel. Just one male Stonechat was a huge disappointment for me as was no Wheatear seen.  

Ring Ouzel Paul Foster

After some off the track searching based on info about a pair seen by a birder I spoke with earlier, I found a smart male Ring Ouzel but no female seen. Thanks for the image Paul, your image reflects just as I saw my bird today at the tip of a dead branch. 

Green Tiger Beetle S.Rae

Insects of note, 10 Peacock butterflies and the brilliant Green Tiger Beetle, it is a ground beetle, and it's iridescent green with yellow spots make it readily identifiable, it is an agile vicious and accomplished predator which can fly and makes a distinct buzzing sound when doing so.

I gave a couple of hours on the track up to Hawthornthwaite Fell from Marshaw but it was a walk into a void save 2 Mistle Thrush and a Coal Tit at the start of the track at Marshaw, 24 Meadow Pipit, 6 Red Grouse, and 3 Peacock butterflies. There had been a recent burn here, but....I'll spare you a rant this time.   

The Hareden/Langden Circuit.

Wednesday was a good day for me to get myself into Bowland, and accompanied by BD we went up on to Hareden Fell, across the wild tops, and down the Langden Valley.

Redshank Martin Jump 

The first sighting was of 3 Common Sandpiper together on Langden Brook with some interesting display noted between what was probably two males in pursuit of a female, with much vocalisation and running around, and one of the males constantly holding its wings vertical, reminiscent of the Redshank engaged in part of it's mating ritual above.

A 'few' Sand Martin were obviously nesting in a bank above the brook. At least 20 House Martin around Hareden Farm as we passed by with a Swift above them, a few House Martin were also around the house at the intake. 

Heading off along the Hareden Fell track on the 7 hour 6.2 mile walk, we soon picked up a pair of Stonechat with one young, probably more if we'd have lingered. I lost count of a 'good number' of Meadow Pipit, at least 14 Willow Warbler, 7 Grey Wagtail, 4 Reed Bunting, 2 Dipper, and a single male Wheatear. Two Peregrine Falcon seen, which I'm bound to note were the only raptors in the entire seven hours on the uplands of Bowland, hard to believe....but this is the 21st century.

Looking West Up The Langden Valley. Pete Woodruff. 

This is the brilliant view - 'clik the pik' - afforded by a wise choice to take the high path coming down the Langden Valley, where 6 Stonechat were seen as a pair, 3 young, and an apparent lone male.

Ring Ouzel Marc Heath 

The highlight of the day was excellent views of a male Ring Ouzel soon followed by brief views of a female in flight.

Green Tiger Beetle Arkive 

Insects on the day included....8 Green Tiger Beetle including one chasing and catching a lone ant on the track which made the fatal error of going across the beetles path.

Beautiful Yellow Underwing. Copy Permitted.  

A Beautiful Yellow Underwing, a Silver Y, and several Common Heath were the moths of the day.

A great day in great company. 

Three of a Kind!

It was good to get out again on Friday with BT and in particular JB as its been seven long months since we last met up for a days birding and quite some time since JB got out because of an upset with his health which is hopefully all behind him now....Good to be back John and away we go.

Orange Tip. David Cookson.

But first, a female Orange Tip butterfly with thanks to David Cookson....brilliant macro David.

We first called in at Birk Bank with the express hope of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary over the bog here, but no luck in perfect habitat on a perfect day near the end of May. This butterfly can be seen on the wing in late April in the south, and late May up here in the north, so something of a disappointment. On the insect trail it was good to see a Green Tiger Beetle, an active little predator and my first in a long time. Regarding birds, I heard my fifth Cuckoo of the year distant from where we were, and saw a solitary Redpoll. In the Jubilee Tower area and on Abbeystead Lane, 2 Linnet noted and one or two Lapwing with young to be seen. At Abbeystead at least one Spotted Flycatcher seen and a Blackcap in song.

In the Marshaw/Tower Lodge area it was interesting to see/hear Redpoll and Siskin, with good views of male and female Crossbill here again. I'm convinced there are decent to good numbers of all three of these species in this area being seen for the the second time in two visits here in as many weeks, given the opportunity and time I'm determined to find out before the summer is out. Also of note with much less time here than my recent 5 hours, 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Nuthatch, a Common Sandpiper, and 2 Cuckoo heard from the left and right of Trough Bridge made my total seven individuals, a Green Woodpecker was seen briefly in flight.

Now for two insect pics, one very professionally executed, the other by comparison pretty awful....

Banded Demioselle.

First the very professional one of the Banded Demioselle with thanks to Marc Heath....another brilliant macro Marc.

Lily Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

And....the 'pretty awful' one by yours truly of the Lily Beetle which are a serious pest in many gardens but not in mine, it was a welcome 'first' for me and I'm never likely to see this creature as a pest in my garden....ever!

And finally....

Have you signed the 'Buzzard' Petition in my left hand sidebar yet, if not I wonder if you would do so right now please.