Pleasantries Around The Estuary.

A nice little trio of waders at Conder Green on Monday were seen as the rapidly transforming Spotted Redshank in the creeks. On Conder Pool, an adult male Ruff is also transforming into breeding plumage, also present 2 Little Ringed Plover, with 2 Black-tailed Godwit. up to 10 Avocet were the only ones in view.

The Ruff was a little distant for footage of any quality, but there was entertainment provided by a male Redshank pursuing the female with no sign of any letup in the chase for several minutes.

At Cockersand, there was no sign of any Whooper Swan, but up to 2,500 Pink-footed Geese were distant in fields on the north side of Bank End Farm. A Raven was high over head, probably the highest I have ever seen a soaring Raven, a count of 52 Eider were on the estuary between Plover Scar and Crook Farm.

At Bank House I saw 2 Tree Sparrow, these were the first I have recorded at Cockersand since I saw 16 on 10 October 2023, they were in company with half a dozen House Sparrow. I don't recall ever seeing the two species literally side by side. Hybrids between the two are rare, the only record I know of, is that of a bird in Somerset probably 40 years ago, which showed mixed characters obviously intermediate between the two.

Do Not Disturb.

Four bodies with seven mutts decided a visit to the seaside was a good idea.

I'm really hoping this is going to be the only time they decide to trespass out on to Plover Scar. This is a known breeding site for the Ringed Plover, and today there was no chance of me seeing the odd Sandwich Tern plunge diving off here, which I did in early May 2018.

It's important to know, Plover Scar is an essential high tide roost for waders, and is within a SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest. 

A Little Upland Birding.

Bowland Wilderness. Pete Woodruff.

My last visit to Hawthornthwaite was 12 November 2024 when I found two wintering Stonechat. The only other records I have from this location in 2024 are, 2 Stonechat 24 April, and 7 Stonechat 10 May. This is a disappointing result from me, but the truth is, the dragonflies, butterflies and bees take over these days from late April and the chats suffer serious neglect.

In the video, the farmer on his quadbike was ahead of the sheep on the Hawthornthwaite track. It was an amazing sight to see up to 300 bleating sheep running off the fellside from all directions to form an orderly procession and claim their turn for a portion of the cake.

Can't Have Your Cake And Eat It!

The visit produced five sightings of Stonechat, but my records read 4 Stonechat seen as 2 pairs, I regarded one of the females seen alone, to be one from a pair. Other notes made, a Pied Wagtail was on Cam Brook, a Lapwing was on territory and was the only one seen, a Curlew was heard only as was a Red Grouse, 2 Wren seen, and a Raven overhead, 5 Meadow Pipit was a shock result, but I decided as it was only the 2 April, maybe early days.

Two hours on the east side of Hawthornthwaite from Marshaw, had me find 2 Stonechat, seen as a pair in a area of Bowland that my records have never highlighted to be a Stonechat mecca. The only other sightings were, 8 Meadow Pipit and a Jay was seen as I arrived back off the fell.

That's a total of 9 species in a 5 hour period....Well that's upland birding in'it!

Wilfred The Cuckoo

    

There had been no signal from Wilfred's transmitter since 20 March when he was in south-east Guinea, but good news eventually came through in the past few days, that he had made remarkable progress and was in fact now in Spain. Currently just north of Guadalupe, having covered at least 2,174 miles since leaving Guinea, and in excess of 4,350 miles since he departed his wintering grounds in Angola. 

It's worthy of note, that of all the tagged Cuckoos, Wilfrid was the one that wintered the furthest south, and that he is now by far the most northerly of all the satellite tagged Cuckoos.

Rock on Wilfred....I think you are one truly amazing bird!

Poor In Number Good In Quality.

Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

It gave me much pleasure to find 2 Mediterranean Gull on Conder Pool Monday morning. 

Adult Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool 24 March

Also on Conder Pool, I finally caught up with the Little Ringed Plover having been found here a week ago, 14 Avocet were in view today too.

Not much reward for my efforts of a 2 hour circuit, but the infamous Cockersand Barn Owl was waiting for me just 3 minutes out of the motor, it was on a fence post at Bank Houses horse paddock, before taking off to soon disappear from view. Notes around the area, probably 6 Skylark heard in full never ending flight song, up to 600 Golden Plover still in the field south side of Abbey Farm. A Raven fooled me briefly into thinking I was watching a Buzzard flying away over fields, and a White Wagtail looked forlorn on a flood.

I also saw 2 Small Tortoiseshell as my 2nd/3rd butterflies of the year, and 2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

Right Place Right Time.

On a visit to the nest site was a million to one chance, when I observed the Nuthatch spring cleaning and disposing of the debris out of the hole in the tree. I was truly fascinated to have witnessed this behaviour by the Nuthatch, and with no apologies for the second consecutive Nuthatch header image.

More Therapeutic Than Birds...

....and notes about moorland burns, the bog, the cemetery, and the diver.

Another beautiful calm sunny early February day on Thursday, had me pleasantly sauntering around the Birk Bank area. As I left then car behind me on Rigg Lane, I had been thinking this was going to be a therapeutic day rather than a day for birds, and so it was.

I'm known on B2B to often say, upland birding can produce quality, but not a bag full of birds, today that is something of an understatement. In the 3 hours here I saw just four birds - yes just four birds - 2 Blue Tit and 2 Wren, heard Raven calling high and distant, six times I heard the 'bouncing bark' of Red Grouse, and not a raptor in sight.

Moorland Burns.

I haven't been in the area since last September, and was surprised and puzzled by several small areas with patches of burnt heather....I have no idea what that was about!

Birk Bank Bog.

The old boardwalk has been replaced by a new one running straight out and across the bog. 

With machinery used in erecting the new boardwalk, there has been the inevitable damage to the bog, and there is now a wide ditch on the left side. In the image above, the bottom right hand is the corner of the old boardwalk.

This image was taken from what was the corner of the old boardwalk. It shows a ditch where the walk was, but the wall remains in place. So maybe not all bad news for the Common Lizards, which I suspect are currently in hibernation perhaps somewhere in the wall, they could often be seen basking in the sun on the old walk.....It remains to be seen where they will bask this summer.

It is my understanding that consultations where made during the planning for work undertaken to retain the water level at the far end of the bog, dragonflies and butterflies were taken into consideration. My informant concludes by telling me....'the site will have room for everything'.

Lancaster Cemetery.

An hour in the cemetery was well rewarded with excellent views of at least 8 Siskin flighty but briefly feeding on Alders, also equally excellent views of a Goldcrest.

Treecreeper. Pete Woodruff.

But the best bird was a Treecreeper, initially picked up flying from one tree to the foot of another, then creeping spirally up before moving to the next tree, soon to disappear from view on the backside. I stalked the bird to get views again and observed some interesting behaviour, it was motionless for a few minutes, then slowly looked to the left, then to the right, its eyes blinking slowly. 

Great Northern Diver.

The Great Northern Diver remains at Pine Lake, having been present there since it was first recorded last year on 15 December 2024.

Great Northern Diver Pine Lake. John Wallace.

This is the diver I predicted was doomed to die after seeing a line with a Pike fishing rig hanging out of the side of its bill, and a hole the size of a 10 pence piece in the left side of its neck. One birder I spoke with had a genuine suspicion the line was wrapped around the underside of the bird, and thought it was probably unable to fly, and that could well be the case today. Not good for a seabird trapped on an inland lake for 7 weeks unable to return to the sea.

I'm grateful to John Wallace for allowing me to use his excellent image of this bird dated 25 January, showing it to be in pristine and healthy condition.   

Great Northern Diver Pine Lake December 2024 (Facebook)

Hard to believe this Great Northern Diver appears to have fully recovered from the terrible injury inflicted upon it obviously since it's arrival on Pine Lake in December last year.

And The Winner Is....

Hard to pick a winner from Friday's bag full of sightings at Conder Pool. A female Yellow Wagtail I found in the morning was looking good to take first place, but a Hobby seen later on my second visit to the pool, won by a small margin over the wagtail.

The Falco subbuteo came on the scene and zipped over the pool, putting every bird in sight to the wing, including at least 900 Redshank which were roosting with 20 Greenshank, and a Spotted Redshank.

My attempt to get some decent footage of the Spotted Redshank was in vain. Too far off, and in poor light. But good to see some behavior of the Common Terns, and the Little Egret in the background.

Spotted Redshank With Redshank. Pete Woodruff.

Other waders mixed with the shank's, a male Ruff, 75 Lapwing, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, and a Snipe. When things settled down after the Hobby panic attack, I found 5 Little Ringed Plover which were seen as an adult with 4 juvenile, certainly not the Conder Pool birds, I would guess from somewhere on the Lune Estuary, Aldcliffe perhaps?

I made no attempt to count the Conder Pool Common Tern population, but noted fledged young and counted 5 chicks on the platform. At least 2 Linnet and a Stock Dove seen. A Red Admiral was the only butterfly seen during the time spent at Conder Green and Glasson Dock where 2 Raven were over the estuary. Two Emperor Dragonfly were seen from the canal towpath.

Saltcote Pond.

Clik The Piks....It Looks Even Worse

A visit to Saltcote Pond had me find the result of some bad management. All the pondside vegetation had been taken out, and the edges trimmed like a bowling green in 'Keep Britain Tidy' style. In performing this mis-management, they will have excluded a number of aquatic creatures and dragonflies from using this excellent little pond which hosted a Ruddy Darter, found by Martin Jump on 20 July last year. The Ruddy Darter is one of the rarest of our areas breeding dragonfly, second only to the Golden-ringed Dragonfly....I found no dragonflies here on Friday.

Thanks for the header image Martin....Much Appreciated.

Two For The Price Of One!

Being the summer finally decided to show up again, I managed a couple of trips into Bowland this week.

Wednesday 17 July.

Grisedale Bridge Looking To Harrisend

Well as I saw it, the weatherman said sunny clear skies and humid, but when I arrived at Grisedale Bridge with dragonflies in mind, I thought I'd made the wrong choice and come to the wrong place.

Undeterred, I set off to look for the quarry with golden rings, to find a male Stonechat as a welcome sight to start with. The only other birds to note were a Meadow Pipit and a Raven over. I saw no more than a dozen butterflies here, seen as a mega count by recent standards, the best of which was a Red Admiral, with Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, and Large White to note.

All was not lost as I got back to the bridge....There's something magical about seeing a Golden-ringed Dragonfly - not in the video - coming into view under the bridge and flying downstream. It's just so disappointing, that on 14 June last year I searched Grisedale Brook to find 12 Golden-ringed Dragonfly in one hour.

On a circuit of the pond at Catshaw, I found no dragons or damsels, but flushed out 2 Snipe in the process. On Hawthornthwaite I found 2 Stonechat, 6 Meadow Pipit, a Kestrel and 2 Sand Martin. I saw just two butterflies, a Red Admiral and Small Heath. The 'best bit' here came in the form of a male Emperor Dragonfly.

With dragonflies in mind, my day ended nicely, with a Golden-ringed Dragonfly on Cam Brook at the foot of Cam Brow. But I'm convinced there's been no Sand Martin colony at Cam Brow this year, nor do I think there's been one at Hawthornthwaite on Catshaw Grieve....Food for thought! 

Friday 19 July.

Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank Bog 24 July. Ian Mitchell.

At Birk Bank, 6 Keeled Skimmer was good enough for me, they were seen as three male, a mating pair, and a female egg laying, all seen at close range. Also an Emperor Dragonfly, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, and 4 Large Red Damselfly.

On a wander around the area, a Stonechat pair, a Raven over, 4 Buzzard soaring and mewing together, and a Kestrel in a direct flight with a large gull above it was calling repeatedly 'kee-kee-kee-kee'.

Anting Gulls.

Too many for the camera to pick up on one frame, but a few hundred anting gulls over the house yesterday tea time. 

Emperor Dragonfly.

I have had my Emperor Dragonfly records accepted on iRecord, all with the comment attached....'Coordinate is outside known range for Anax imperator'....Clearly this is incorrect, and in this regard iRecord needs to be updated. I am reliably informed, there are a few records of Emperor Dragonfly on moorland other than Bowland, where I have recorded the species this year and in 2023.

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.

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. 

Quiet Around The Lune Estuary....Again!

The lull before the storm migration takes off. But for what it's worth, high spring tides this week, 10.64m where I'm planning on going Tuesday. 

On Conder Pool, by the time I had noted the number had declined considerably from 4,000 recently to 1,500 Black-tailed Godwit today, a drake Scaup with 6 Tufted Duck had come into my view. This smart little drake was seen as another 'goodie' to add to the long list on Conder Pool, and was my first here since I found one 7 years ago in August 2017.

On the eerily quiet Lune Estuary at low tide, probably the same 9 Avocet as seen on 9 February/4 March, this time they were fragmented into 3 groups, 4 opposite Fishnet Point, 3 upstream opposite Waterloo Cottage, and 2 at the Conder mouth. The only other note was of 2 Goldeneye drake.

At Cockersand, the circuit was again quiet, but I had a brief view of a Barn Owl leaving its roost in a farm building, to perch on a post and return to roost 2 minutes later. A Sparrowhawk and later a Buzzard seen over fields, a Raven overhead on Slack Lane, from where c.35 Linnet poorly seen in the stubble field, and 4 Snipe exploded out of the ditch.

Through the doorway to the shell of a barn, I heard alarm calling which initially fooled me, until 4 Great Tit erupted out of the thicket.

Park and Garden.

Yes, this is the pond in Williamson's Park, and yes, this is a drake Pintail. 

I think Amazon have had a hand in the delivery of this duck here...I've seen the invoice!

And in the garden at dawn around at 6.15am, I watched a pair of Robin exploring the possibilities of using this open nest box for breeding....Definitely a case of watch this space.

On Wednesday, a Comma in the garden was my first, and the first one this year to be reported on the Butterfly Conservation website.

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the header image of the Scaup on Conder Pool Tuesday 5 March.

Chats On The Starter Menu....

....and a raptor to finish with on the sweet menu!

What a lovely sunny if cold day on Friday to find 7 Stonechat, with two found on Conder Pool, two foraging along the marsh by Cockersand Caravan Park, one on roadside fence posts Moss Lane, and two along the bulrushes behind Lighthouse Cottage. AC found the mate of my loner on Moss Lane, so proof of four pairs wintering in the Lune Estuary area.

Stonechat Moss Lane 24 November

Also noted on Conder Pool, 20 Tufted Duck, 5 Goosander, and 9 Little Grebe.

Little Grebe Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.

Ian Mitchell caught on camera conclusive proof the Little Grebe catch Sticklebacks like there's no tomorrow, and play with them until they can swallow head first so the spines don't snag on the throat.

On the Lune at Glasson, up to 650 Golden Plover and 620 Black-tailed Godwit which was up to half the number seen on my last visit here last Tuesday. A Raven was overhead at close range.

As I approached Cockersand along Moss Lane, a Buzzard was close by in a tree, but took offence to me and flew off as I pulled up to grab a pik. My records read, the circuit was a huge success, if only because I found 5 Stonechat here. Otherwise, just 3 Wren, 2 Meadow Pipit, and a lone Greenfinch got into my little black book.

But hey, the visit ended with a bang....As I watched a Stonechat pair foraging the marsh edge, a Hen Harrier ringtail burst onto the scene, it quartered low over the marsh 50 metres out for several minutes before I eventually lost it to view heading to Cockerham Marsh....Heck!

Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his stunning Hen Harrier header image.

Anniversary.

Wheatear Cockersand 25 November 2022. Pete Woodruff.

Twelve months yesterday since I found this little beauty on detritus at Cockersand. 

More Pleasantries Around The Estuary.

Although I had to sit out a 30 minute downpour as I was about to set off on my traditional circuit of Conder Green following a check of Conder Pool, the pilgrimage around the Lune Estuary was rewarded by at least one decent wader, and a personal all time odonata record.

With 8 Greenshank seen on Conder Pool, it's obvious they are remaining faithful to the site, not unusual as they can be recorded here throughout the winter, whilst they wave goodbye to their brothers and sisters as they migrate west of Africa. Also on the pool, a Common Sandpiper, 13 Little Grebe, and a Collared Dove not being a regular here, 2 Raven were calling overhead.

My initial plan was Cockersand next, but with an ominous looking sky, that idea was quickly kicked into touch. So it was an hour spent at the bowling green, to watch the tide rise and push a nice juvenile Curlew Sandpiper into closer views, surrounded by good numbers of Redshank, Dunlin, Lapwing, and 5 Black-tailed Godwit. Also, in company with a few hundred gulls, I picked out an adult and 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull.

The day bucked up nicely, breezy and sunny, and a wander along the canal towpath Glasson Dock - Conder Green, rewarded me with another eleven hawkers including four pairs in cop. This count sent my record through the roof, to put a grand total of 206 Migrant Hawker seen since my first over the River Conder at Cragg Wood 8 August.

House Sparrow.

During the week, I watched four groups of up to 60 House Sparrow flying to disappear into a wild rose bush on Sandylands Promenade towards Heysham. 

Gone Fishing Part 2.

Enquires about the legality of fishing off Plover Scar are ongoing. Meanwhile, as an explanation as to why these two 'completely ruined my birding' and caused serious disturbance to the waders on the day. My header image and two others sent to me, clearly show the reason why this was the case.

Little Stint Plover Scar. Howard Stockdale.

Sanderling Plover Scar. Howard Stockdale.

The images show a Curlew Sandpiper in the header, a Little Stint, and my favourite wader the Sanderling, all three of which I was hoping I might connect with on the day, but was thwarted by the anglers. 

I'm grateful to Howard Stockdale for this trio of excellent images. 

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.   

Wrong Time Wrong Day....Again!

My third visit in three weeks to Birk Bank, proved conclusively that I'm out of luck when it comes to getting it right regarding the weather. 

Leaving home on Thursday, I was encouraged with some sun and the hope of improvement as the day progressed, but little more than 15 minutes later, on arrival at Birk Bank the grey clouds rolled in, and the wind was no better than chilly. I reckoned I was on a loser again, and with no improvement in the weather, for the whole time spent here I was proved right.

The yellow flowers of the Bog Asphodel have now turned to their orange fruiting colour.

Birk Bank Bog 20 July. Pete Woodruff.

I paid two visits three hours apart to the bog, and given the poor conditions, considered myself fortunate to find one male Keeled Skimmer, a male Common Darter, and the surprising bonus of a Golden-ringed Dragonfly. 

One Keeled Skimmer is the total over the three visits here, and I can only assume the weather conditions are responsible, blistering heat for three weeks, followed by wet and windy for three more weeks, can't be good news for Odonata.

Although Birk Bank didn't look anything like it should do on 20 July, I made a three hour trek around the area. Three Stonechat were seen as a lone female and later on the west side of Ottergear Bridge a pair. A Jay was something of a surprise, 2 Buzzard and 3 Raven were overhead, and a hovering Kestrel were as good as it got. 

On the day before I was at Birk Bank, Ian Mitchell had better luck than me, when he found Purple Hairstreak again in the Oaks by Ottergear Bridge. 

Purple Hairstreak Birk Bank 19 July. Ian Mitchell.

Wherever there are Oak, the Purple Hairstreak can be found mainly in the canopy. In some areas in the south, even one Oak tree can support a colony, though they can be easily be overlooked when searching for their food source of honeydew. The better chance of seeing this butterfly is in the evening of warm summer days.

Birk Bank Bog.  

Out of interest, Ian made a couple of pH water tests on the bog at Birk Bank, and found both samples returned a score of 6. I was as surprised as Ian by the reading, thinking it would be more than 'slightly acidic'. Water in the home is regarded as fit for drinking at a score of between 6.5 and 8.5! 

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.