Mixed Feelings In Bowland!

For starters, my visit to Bowland wouldn't have happened had I known how strong the wind was going to be, a bit of a howler to be honest, and took the edge of what was otherwise a beautiful sunny day. For whatever reason, it turned out to be the wrong day and the wrong time. N'er mind, in the end, a couple of bird species made my day....End of whinge!

Hawthornthwaite.

On Hawthornthwaite, 4 Stonechat seen as 2 pairs started the day on a positive note, 2 Wheatear helped the day along too. It's always good to find birds on territory as opposed to finding them on passage along the coast. Ian Mitchell accompanied me on this trip and he managed the summit, result was a combined count of 24 Meadow Pipit. Also noted in the little black book, a lone Red Grouse, 2 Wren, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Greylag, and no more than 6 Sand Martin were along Catshaw Grieve.

Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge.

If I go through the negatives first, there were some disappointments about the  trundle from Marshaw through to Trough Bridge. Not a single Common Sandpiper seen, and no Willow Warbler heard let alone seen. On the brighter and more positive side, a Dipper and 4 Grey Wagtail were seen along the Marshaw Wyre.

Pied Flycatcher Bowland 29 April. Ian Mitchell.

The positives reached a peak when 3 Pied Flycatcher were found, always a better experience seeing these birds tree nesting as opposed to purpose built nest boxes, my records read probably two breeding pairs here today....I'm convinced my next visit to this area of Bowland in a couple of weeks, will produce a much better all round result, and certainly more flycatcher species seen.

Birk Bank.

Large Red Damselfly female colour form typica. Ian Mitchell.

 

The hope of some shelter from the wind was wishful thinking, a look in on the bog at Birk Bank, at least gave a Large Red Damselfly. Now we are into May, things will pick up on the dragon front.

I met Steve Ed at Birk Bank, he was photographing some bees I had seen a little earlier. One of the bees was a Lathbury's Nomada Bee.

Nomada lathburiana Steve Ed

This Nomada is a cleptoparasite of the Ashy Mining-Bee, its only host in Britain.

Andrena cineraria Steve Ed

The Ashy Mining-Bee is one of the most robust and distinctive mining bees in Lancashire. I love the ashy-grey appearance and the shiny black abdomen of one of my favourite bees.

Miscellany. 

On the way along the path to the bog at Birk Bank, a Slow Worn seemed to be making little progress on the dry path, until it reached the grass.

Five Greylag goslings were making their way toward us, eventually reaching the boardwalk, then wandered off through a field...No adult birds in sight!

Pond Skater. Ian Mitchell.

Ian got this excellent image of the appropriately named Pond Skater with its ability to skate on water.

The Header.

Martin Jump's header of the Lapwing has no immediate connection with this post, but I love pictures with a difference and this one fits perfectly into that category....Excellent and thanks to Martin.

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.

Bowland....Negatives And Positives.

Negatives.

Lets get rid of the negatives first....Over the 5 hours spent in the Tower Lodge and surrounding area this week, I counted 12 nest boxes and found no life at or around any of them, not a single Pied Flycatcher in sight. No Redstart, and no Dipper seen on the Marshaw Wyre. My records also read, no House Martin at Tower Lodge for the second year running, and no Cuckoo. 

Last year I had 3 Cuckoo seen together at Marshaw on 12 June, and observed interaction between the birds. Two hours later I heard 2 Cuckoos calling in the Tower Lodge area but couldn't rule out duplication. 

But it was a pleasing sight to chance upon a male Pied Flycatcher emerging from a natural nest hole rather than a box, though despite my hanging around a few minutes it didn't return. 

Positives.

Now the good stuff....I had a count of 24 species, just about an average count for the area on a spring day. Pride of place for top spot were 2 Spotted Flycatcher which were seen as a pair, and quite an early date for these birds to be here, and already on territory when all others of the species are only being reported in recent days on passage.

Spotted Flycatcher. Pete Woodruff.

But todays two doesn't match the number of 12 Spotted Flycatcher found here 7 years ago in June 2018, when the Tower Lodge area was leading the way as the top spot for the Spotted Flycatcher in our recording area, but hasn't done so since.

Running a close 2nd place were up to 16 Crossbill, they exploded out of the tree as a heavy goods vehicle thundered by, they flew off with their characteristic and explosive 'chip-chip' flight call, the ground at the base of the tree was littered with pine cones.

There was a healthy number of Sand Martin at Marshaw, with House Martin and Swallow around the farm. Other notes on the day, 4 Common Sandpiper might amount to three breeding pairs by the time of my next visit, 5 Grey Wagtail were not particularly exciting in such small number, up to 6 Willow Warbler, a Goldcrest, 5 Mistle Thrush included a recently fledged young, a Song Thrush, and a lone Redpoll.

Butterflies.

A pitiful four individuals, best of which was a Small Copper, with 2 Green-veined White and an Orange Tip.

On my way back to Lancaster, I called in at Stoops Bridge, to find 3 Blackcap, all singing males....Pump up the volume!

Garden Interest.

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Not at all the least interesting was a Large Red Damselfly found near our small urban garden pond, also a Green-veined White, and a Sparrowhawk over. 

Light Brown Apple Moth. Pete Woodruff.

Another nice surprise was the Light Brown Apple Moth. The origins of this moth is Australia, probably accidentally introduced into Cornwall in the 1930's. Today it can be found regularly in many parts of the country.

From The Archives.

Wall Brown. Pete Woodruff.

Looking through my older files I found this image of a Wall Brown. It is the last record of the species, seen at Cockers Dyke 8 years ago August 2017.

My thanks to Simon Hawtin for the header image of the brilliant male Crossbill. 

And Finally....An Owl At Cockersand.

It was good to find 2 Grey Wagtail on Conder Pool yesterday, they were collecting insects on the tern raft for several minutes, and according to another birder had been doing so earlier in the day when he called in. A rare sight, I don't recall the last time I saw Grey Wagtail on Conder Pool. Other notes from a stock taking exercise, 112 Mallard, 45 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Goosander, 10 Little Grebe, and a Grey Heron.

On the Lune Estuary, up to 2,000 Black-tailed Godwit, half the number disturbed and flying downstream, with a 'white' individual amongst them but not discernible in the video. An adult Mediterranean Gull was ringed on the left leg, unreadable at the distance, but looked white or possibly very pale green with a metal ring on the right leg, otherwise gull and wader numbers were low.

At Cockersand, despite the effort made for a circuit, there was little to report, and the 13 Whooper Swans of 10 October obviously decided to move on. However, I did manage to log 3 raptor species, with a Buzzard atop of a telegraph pole, a Kestrel which thought it was a Merlin zipping at a metre height over a stubble field before hovering, and a Sparrowhawk. As I left Cockersand, a Barn Owl flew across the road in front of the car and over the Bank Houses paddock.  

Little Owl.

In company with Andrew Cornall on Monday, Ian Mitchell had good views of the Little Owl in residence at Cockersand, and in the circumstances with poor light, achieved a decent image of the bird....Thanks for this Ian, it is much appreciated.

Little Owl. Ian Mitchell.

According to my records, this is the first record of Little Owl at Cockersand for 10 years, with one last seen at Bank Houses 10 November 2014. I also found a Little Owl at Abbey Farm on 31 October 2014, at the time I thought this was the Bank Houses bird having a day out as I had never found one at the farm ever before or since.

Little Owl 10 July 2020. Pete Woodruff.

This Little Owl was a surprise find at the junction of Green Lane and the Kirkby Lonsdale Road 4 years ago. I managed this grab shot from my car with traffic behind me....I've not seen a Little Owl anywhere else since.

Patient Perseverance.

On Monday, a couple of hours patient perseverance at Grisedale Brook from Grisedale Bridge downstream to Holme Wood, eventually resulted in finding 3 Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Something of a disappointment, as I had seen 12 GRD here on 14 June 2023, and by coincidence the same number of 12 the previous year on 11 July 2022.

Not part of any Odonata strategy that I'm aware of, but this one was well camouflaged as it set down on the stone. 

Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Mike Atkinson.

Not only did Mike Atkinson find the first GRD of the year at Birk Bank on 9 June, he found this one freshly emerged and drying out....Great stuff Mike.

It was another of those days that started off in fine style for me, when I got out of the car to be greeted by a pair of Stonechat on gorse by the side of the road. I've seen Stonechat here last year, and as I recall, also the year before. It was interesting to see a continuous stream of at least 60 Carrion Crow flying north over Harrisend. Also on Grisedale Brook, 2 Grey Wagtail and a Large Red Damselfly, with butterflies represented by  2 Small Heath and a Speckled Wood.

I looked in on Catshaw Pond to find a male Emperor Dragonfly, and saw a Broad-bodied Chaser too brief and distant to sex. With Ian Mitchell's Emperor Dragonfly at Birk Bank 6 June, this is the second one found in Bowland and is a species regarded as 'remaining absent in the uplands', though this reference is 9 years out of date!

On to Hawthornthwaite, where in little more than an hour I found 8 Stonechat, having my records to read possibly 4 breeding pairs here in 2024, though this lacks evidence of young.

 
                 

But having seen a female leaving the ground nest whilst its mate was close by, I took the opportunity to record the male which, having perceived danger at my presence, was alarm calling whilst on guard duty.                     

I found 2 Golden-ringed Dragonfly here, and made a count of only 8 Sand Martin and 3 Meadow Pipit, with another 4 Small Heath making my total of seven butterflies on the day.

Swifts.

We had the pleasure of up to 30 Swift over our house in Bowerham yesterday evening at 9.00pm, also c.20 Swift in the Fairfield colony on Monday evening.

Bombus monticola.

Bilberry Bumblebee Harrisend 25 June. Ian Mitchell.  

A visit to Harrisend yesterday paid off handsomely with Bilberry Bumblebee seen, also Stonechat as in my header image. Thanks Ian, your records and pictures are much appreciated.

Dragons In The Night!

Drawing the curtains on the patio, I was amazed to see a dragonfly patrolling the garden in the near dark of 10.15pm. It spent several minutes here, but the best I could get on the creature as it darted around the garden, was that it was dark in colour. In the end I was convinced we had a visit by a male Common Darter....Impressed! 

....And The Pied Flycatchers Tale.

I spent the traditional 5 hour on my trek around the Tower Lodge area and came away with a mix of good and bad feelings. 

But the day started out in good style, when 2 minutes after I arrived at Marshaw I picked up three birds in a line in flight which soon disappeared from view, but two returned over my head a minute later, then one of the two returned another minute later. A lot of 'cu-coo' calls heard throughout this several minutes spectacle which I regarded as some sort of dispute. This sighting resulted in my recording 5 Cuckoo on the day, but it has to be a possibility the two heard later were from the three seen earlier in the day though 1/2 mile away.

On the Marshaw Wyre, 6 Common Sandpiper seen, including two young having soon gained independence and able to fend for themselves.

According to my observations, probably three breeding pairs of Common Sandpiper here this year, also a decent count of 10 Grey Wagtail, and just the one Dipper. A Song Thrush was behind Tower Lodge, where 2 Siskin were noted.

One of the downside of things today was, there are No House Martin at Tower Lodge, though I'm aware that Swallows and House Martins didn't arrive back in the country in their normal numbers during May. So perhaps summer isn't here yet....Not too difficult to believe given the inclement weather.

I found my first 4 Spotted Flycatcher seen as 2 pairs, and the 6 Pied Flycatcher seen, which brings me to the bad feelings....

The Pied Flycatchers Tale.

On a day that was nothing like I expected or was forecast, by the time I left for Lancaster, I had spent the day here in cloud at little more than 11°C and no sunlight.

Although the 6 Pied Flycatcher I found where seen as three pairs within a distance of 80 metres, with two pairs frantically attending nests, and one male seen to take out an insect in flight, in itself an excellent sighting, but I think this area may have suffered the same fate as one in Cumbria.

I was in touch with John Callion a ringer of note in Cumbria. John has been dismayed at the high levels of mortality in some of the Pied Flycatcher nests. A few have had full broods dead, others part broods, sometimes just an individual. The persistent winds have been the result of reduced numbers of invertibrates available resulting in the high level of failure. I note ringers in Durham have had similar findings.

On my visit to Bowland this week, I didn't experience any dead birds in nests like John did, but with the possibility of up to eight breeding pairs here this year, two pairs this time not previously seen, and no activity seen today through 15 nest boxes. I think this area may have suffered the same failure as those in Cumbria.

With all this negativity behind us, and as a self confessed Stonechat nerd, I found it heartening that JC has recently had four pairs of Stonechat, all with healthy full broods of five....Alleluia! 

The Header.

Although obligingly posed, it's a pity the Spotted Flycatcher was on barbed wire for some pictures....N'er mind, you can't win'em all! 

The Up's And Down's of Bowland.

A fairly good day in Bowland on Tuesday, which produced some notable positives and a few negatives, including I have yet to find my first Spotted Flycatcher here.

The most positive news being, as I found 4 Pied Flycatcher in the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge area - one of which was at a natural nest hole - my records now read, there is a distinct possibility that there are currently 10 breeding pairs of Pied Flycatcher at two Bowland sites, both of which I have visited twice....To be continued.

Dipper Marshaw 21 May

Having kept the Marshaw Wyre in my sights for most of the walk, other breeders here today were a Dipper up and down the stream with food in its bill.

Grey Wagtail Female Marshaw Wyre 21 May

I had a better result than my last visit on 9 May, when I found 9 Grey Wagtail today with food collecting individuals seen. On the downside, I connected with just one Common Sandpiper, but I'm convinced two pairs here this year. A Siskin was in the same view as the sandpiper on the Wyre at Marshaw, from where I heard a distant Cuckoo, probably the Tower Lodge bird which I never heard again throughout my 4 hours here.

More evidence was Curlew individuals calling, an indication of probably 6 breeding pairs. A singing male Blackcap was around the Tower Lodge area, with 2 Mistle Thrush as opposed to nine on my last visit, also 2 Treecreeper seen.

Stonechat Hawthornthwaite 21 May 

A relatively brief visit to Hawthorthwaite was rewarded by a nice pair of Stonechat, with at  least 14 Meadow Pipit and 3 Red Grouse to note.

Sand/House Martin.

My records were going to read none over and around Catshaw Greave on Hawthornthwaite today, but I did eventually see 3 Sand Martin as I arrived back at the car. But I've yet to see them this year at the Cam Brow site.

After two visits, the House Martin remains absent from Tower Lodge, and I note just one bird seen 25 May last year. I have seen none to date at River Winds and the Railway Crossing Cottage at Conder Green. 

Back To Bowland.

My first visit of the year to the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge trail, came with something of a surprise and a shock thrown in for good measure, and by the time I had completed my 5 hour mini-marathon, I had counted 14 nest boxes which have been erected over the length of c.2 miles between Marshaw and beyond Trough Bridge. 

In my opinion 14 nest boxes is one thing, but some placed in locations like the one illustrated above in one of the many lay-by's along this stretch is another thing.

But I reminded myself that this is the kind of crap I photographed in this AONB which I'm almost certain to find again during the summer months....Here's hoping it isn't under a tree with a nest box nailed to it.  

I found 4 Pied Flycatcher, three male all singing around nest boxes, and a female. Eight Mistle Thrush, a surprisingly low count of only 6 Willow Warbler, at least 8 Siskin were moving restlessly through the tree examining the cones.

Breeding Mistle Thrush At Marshaw. Howard Stockdale.

With 16 Mistle Thrush seen in three visits to Bowland recently, this one with obvious evidence of breeding, I am getting the feeling they are doing well here this year. 

Common Sandpiper Marshaw Wyre. Howard Stockdale.

On the Marshaw Wyre, 4 Common Sandpiper were seen as two pairs, a Dipper flew upstream, and 4 Grey Wagtail.

There was no sign of any House Martin having returned to Tower Lodge as yet, but as I walked up the track from the lodge to the moors, a Cuckoo was heard along the treeline beyond the plantation. 

The days five star award goes to the Woodcock, stood quietly on the wall behind the lodge, giving me another chance in a million to follow Tuesdays thrush duo.

When I arrived back home, our first 3 Swift of the summer were over the house. Thanks to KT for this excellent record. I also have a report that a healthy number of Swift have arrived, with some around nest boxes at property in Fairfield thanks to a member of the Woodruff clan. 

Stonechat.

Stonechat Hawthornthwaite. Ian Mitchell.

Really pleased to have received some much appreciated Bowland records on 10 May....

Trough Bridge area, a pair and male Stonechat per Andrew Cornall

Hawthornthwaite Fell, 7 Stonechat per Simon Hawtin.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for his images of Mistle Thrush and Common Sandpiper at Marshaw, and to Ian Mitchell for the Hawthornthwaite Stonechat.

More Probable/Possible in Bowland!

Ring Ouzel Bowland. Ian Mitchell.

A bit of double checking in Bowland again this week, when amongst other things, I managed a trek half way up Hawthornthwaite Fell with scant reward, to assemble a bit more of a comprehensive list to exceed what is usually the norm for me.

The number of waders presumably there to breed was pitiful, with no more than six birds seen in 2 hours, 4 Lapwing, a single Curlew and an Oystercatcher. There was a build up of 6 Sand Martin around the bank on Catshaw Greave, and 8 Wheatear were seen, one of which was taking a wash and brush up in Cam Brook.

There was a better count of 18 Meadow Pipit compared to eight on my last visit 24 April, 2 Wren, a pair of Mistle Thrush were something of a surprise, 3 Red Grouse, male Reed Bunting, and a Wood Pigeon, 2 Kestrel and a Buzzard. I saw just one male Stonechat, almost certainly one of the two 24 April birds, and I never really expect my first House Martin of the year was going to be seen flying east over a fell in Bowland. 

Grey Wagtail Bowland. Howard Stockdale.

A Grey Wagtail on Cam Brook, and at Cam Brow I heard a Cuckoo to the east which soon flew over the road to the woodlands west of here, also a Willow Warbler in song, and a Red Admiral.

Dipper Bowland. Martin Jump.

Calling in at Abbeystead, a Dipper was seen flying upstream on the Marshaw Wyre, and 2 Orange Tip butterflies seen. But the excellent news is, that I gathered more evidence to add to my previous claim which now reads, the probability of 5 Pied Flycatcher breeding pairs. 

A brief look in on the bog at Birk Bank hopefully for a Large Red Damselfly was fruitless despite the warm sunny May day, but a single Green Hairstreak and a small colony of Ashy Mining Bee were of note. A Cuckoo heard distant was probably around the Ottergear Bridge area.

My take on these two Ashy Mining Bees, is that they were a mating pair until the male dislodged!....Other theories welcome.

I'm grateful to Ian, Howard, and Martin, who by coincidence sent me images on the same day, and all taken in Bowland....They are much appreciated.  

Probably/Possibly In Bowland!

Grisedale Bridge.

Birds in and around Holme Wood, Willow Warbler atop of gorse by Grisedale Brook, Treecreeper seen in the woods, with Nuthatch and Song Thrush in good voice, Grey Wagtail on the stream, and Sparrowhawk and Raven over Barnacre Reservoir. As I arrived back at the car, a pair of Stonechat on the roadside wall.

Harrisend.

Stonechat Harrisend 24 April. Martin Jump.

With some of my birding - especially in the uplands - seriously curtailed, it was my first visit this year on to Harrisend Fell. So it was particularly pleasing that I found 6 Stonechat here, which has my records to read, three breeding pairs highly probable. Otherwise not particularly riveting here with just 9 Meadow Pipit seen as a low count, but maybe I should note this is only the end of April, 6 Linnet and a Buzzard was over the ridge.

Bombus lapidarius Pete Woodruff.

A Red-tailed Bumblebee queen was looking rather lethargic on Harrisend, and an Orange Tip was my first of the year, and the only butterfly seen on the day.

Hawthornthwaite.

On to Hawthornthwaite Fell, where 2 Stonechat seen were both male, but with females likely on the nest, again my records read two breeding pairs highly probable. 

I have to say, otherwise not particularly riveting here, although up to 10 Willow Warbler were all unseen and singing, 8 Meadow Pipit was another low count, a single Red Grouse and male Reed Bunting seen, with 2 Wheatear and just 3 Sand Martin indicating the colony has not yet arrived, which appeared to be the case in a drive-by at Cam Brow.

There was a little disappointment at Hawthornthwaite, when a female Emperor Moth passed in a rapid fly-by.

The decision to call in to Stoops Bridge at Abbeystead on my way back to Lancaster was an excellent idea as I found 5 Pied Flycatcher there. So according to these observations, a distinct possibility in my book, of four pairs of Pied Flycatcher here this year. A male Blackcap also gave me excellent views.

Avocet.

Avocet Newton Marsh 24 April. Martin Jump.

Martin found and photographed the marked Avocet. Hopefully I may soon get some details about this sighting.

Common Tern.

A Common Tern arrived at Conder Pool this early a.m. Sunday 28 April, 6 days later than 2023. I am grateful to Howard Stockdale for this excellent news. Also good to hear from a contact, a double figure of Common Tern are now present at Preston Dock this morning. 

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.   

The Golden Dragon.

No....not the best place for a jar on Saturday night, but the four best places to find my all time best count of 18 Golden-ringed Dragonfly on a five hour stint in Bowland. The top spot award as usual goes to Grisedale Brook, where in one hour Martin Jump and myself, taking into account the risk of duplication, found at least 11 Golden-ringed Dragonfly. 

Though the species doesn't sharply decline until late July, it was a little surprising to find a Large Red Damselfly hanging on vegetation. It was interesting that a single House Martin flew through, also in the air, a Buzzard and 5 Raven were thought to be family group.

Stonechat Grisedale Bridge. Martin Jump.

Four Stonechat were seen as a male and female with two juvenile. There are a few Willow Warbler breeding in the area, also a few Goldfinch, a Reed Bunting, and a Grey Wagtail was on the brook.

Butterflies continue to be seen in low numbers, today at Grisedale Bridge they just nudged into a double figure, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, and 2 Red Admiral seen.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Martin Jump.

Cam Brow was the next port of call, where a walk the length of Cam Brook towards Hawthornthwaite, found 4 Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Apart from a couple of Sand Martin still attending nests, the only other bird of note was a female Redpoll, though a small number distant in flight were almost certainly the same finches, 2 Red Admiral were seen.

An hour to get the feel of what it was like to be on Hawthornthwaite on such a pleasant day, turned up another Golden-ringed Dragonfly, and another Large Red Damselfly. I got a glimpse of just one Sand Martin here, 10 Meadow Pipit, and thinking it was looking like a chat'less visit, a lone female Stonechat put in a brief appearance before flying off.

Emperor Dragonfly Catshaw 7 July 

To the east of the plantation at Catshaw, on a small pond which is always worth keeping an eye on, I found an Anax imperator. The sighting confirms my record of an Emperor Dragonfly on Hawthornthwaite on 27 July 2022, a species that is regarded as absent in the uplands.

I needed to check a couple of things today, and on my way back to Lancaster, I called in on the River Conder at Cragg Wood, and found 2 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, and on the west and east side of Ottergear Bridge, I found 8 Stonechat, two females with young and not a male in sight, so well pleased to have found another two breeding records for Birk Bank.

Thanks to Martin Jump for sharing his images and an excellent day with me in Bowland. Also thanks to Ian Mitchell for another of his amazing aerobatics images on Conder Pool. I've never seen behavior of the Common Tern like this before, presumably a territorial battle. 

Hit & Miss!

More misses that hits on my latest visit to Bowland, which causes more than a little disappointment. But the day started off in good style when I found a Spotted Flycatcher in the small dense and dark plantation at Marshaw, which is where I had also found a male Pied Flycatcher on 25 May, but that bird decided not to hang around there, and hasn't been seen since.

In a list of priority birds around the Tower Lodge area, I found these hard to come by today....

Pied Flycatcher.

I concluded these birds had already dispersed, so no activity around the nest boxes, with the exception of one which was being attended by both adults. But with some combined records from Andrew Cornall and John & Kath Darbyshire, the conclusion was, 4 pairs of Pied Flycatcher have bred here this year.

Watch for the young putting in a brief appearance at the nest hole in the video.

Spotted Flycatcher.

It was by far my worst ever productive visit to this area, having only located the one bird in the planation at Marshaw, and none seen thereafter. But again, the combined records indicate that up to 5 breeding pairs are currently present in the area this year.

Common Sandpiper.

With 5 Common Sandpiper seen today - including an adult calling to a juvenile seen at Marshaw - and others known to be present, I'm confident to record there are up to 5 breeding pairs along the length of the Marshaw Wyre Marshaw - Trough Bridge.

Grey Wagtail.

The best count of my three visits here, was of 8 Grey Wagtail with no idea of breeding successes to date.

Dipper.

Big disappointment with no sightings today, but my records read, possibly 3 pairs have bred here this year. And the question is, are there any 2nd broods to come?

House Martin.

The House Martin breeds at Tower Lodge annually, but there's bad news from here this year. Although I observed a single bird here on 25 May, there are No House Martin breeding here this year....That's nothing short of a disaster in my book.

Best Of The Rest.

There are good numbers of Sand Martin around the Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw, including up to four nest holes active in the bank upstream from the green bridge. Not much 'noise' from the Willow Warbler, but two gave excellent views, and I had single of Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, and a female Mallard with 4 duckling on the Marshaw Wyre.

The paucity of butterflies continues, with 2 Red Admiral, and one Small Heath seen.

Claim To Fame.

As far as I'm concerned, Ian Mitchell has a justifiable claim to fame, in that not only has he recently found one, but two Bilberry Bumblebee, one on the lower path at Birk Bank, and his latest one at the summit of Clougha burrowing its way underground.

I have to subscribe to Coolcut Video Editing to remove the watermark in the video. 

Maiden's Blush. Ian Mitchell.

Add to this, Ian found a Maiden's Blush in his overnight moth trap, being only the 3rd record for V60....Great stuff, keep up the good work Ian.

Thanks to Martin Jump for his dramatic and excellent image of the Buzzard being attacked by three Lapwing and an Avocet.