A Short Birding Sortie And A Little Miscellany.

Can't resist the juvenile Black-winged Pratincole for my latest header image. Referred to as a fantastic 'first for the Fylde' find by Adam Hutt, it was seen hawking insects over fields south and east of Cocker's Dyke Houses on 28 September.  It was the 3rd Lancashire record, and 29 years since the last one.

Thanks to Adam for the record and to Paul for the image, excellent on both counts.

Spotted Redshank Conder Creek 7 October. Pete Woodruff.

It was good to find 2 Spotted Redshank were still on Conder Pool, with a Ruff, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Snipe for company. Otherwise the place was deserted, but I note there has been some refurbishment to the screen, and posts have been installed much to the delight of the photographic fraternity.

Kingfisher Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

I'm not sure precisely where the appreciation should go to for the work done on the screen, but I would like to voice mine here on B2B....Thank You. 

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, it was good to see an increase in wader numbers with c.3,360 in my notes, consisting of at least 2,000 Lapwing and 650 Golden Plover, also 325 Dunlin 250 Curlew, 120 Redshank, 16 Snipe, and 2 Bar-tailed Godwit. Also noted were 255 Greylag and 16 Little Egret. 

 

It was interesting to find the Bar-tailed Godwit close in and feeding on the mud, characteristically more active than the Black-tailed Godwit, and probing for prey whilst walking.

Also interesting was the Black-headed Gull I found, it stood out amongst the few hundred other gulls and was in breeding plumage complete with full hood. 

Black-headed Gull (centre) Lune Estuary 22 October. Pete Woodruff.

The photograph has no value other than evidence of a Black-headed Gull in full breeding plumage on the Lune Estuary nearing the end of October. At the distance, similar to and recalling adult Bonaparte's Gull, from which separation is difficult....Dream on😉

Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Pete Woodruff.

The HBHM was back in the garden again, in fading light at 6.10pm Monday 19 October. I reckon this was the last we see of this moth, it having returned to our garden 32 times since it first appeared here a little over 4 months ago 0n 17 June....I was surprised to find in my records, a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen in our garden 4 years ago in October 2022.

And Finally.

A pair of Greenfinch appeared in the garden yesterday, a major event for our little urban garden in South East Lancaster. 

The Greenfinch was added to the UK Red List 5 years ago in 2021. Perhaps the birds in our garden were migrant winter visitors from Fennoscandia!

Green For Go Part 2.

As I said in Wednesdays post, the report from Conder Pool will have to wait a few days. This was because of the chance finding of the spectacular Willow Emerald Damselfly on the Glasson Branch of the Lancaster Canal. So here it is....

Conder Pool/Green.

Five species in the creek, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Lapwing, Teal, and Goosander. 

Curlew Sandpiper Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

There was 3 Curlew Sandpiper on this visit, and frustratingly I find in a still from the video, that one bears a ring on its left leg. 

Not viewing the bird through a telescope whilst making a video, and I failed to spot the ring....Shucks!

I achieved a count of 31 Greenshank on Conder Pool as a personal first and best, but this is four under an earlier count of 35 Greenshank by another observer. Also, 4 Spotted Redshank, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Ruff. Also, 2 Gadwall were almost certainly the breeding pair, and the Kingfisher put in an appearance. 

In the creeks at high tide, 2 Mediterranean Gull, a Marsh Harrier was drifting over, and at least 150 Pink-footed Geese >south.

  A Cormorant makes short work of an Eel for lunch on Conder Pool.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Martin Jump.

A Humming bird Hawk-moth has visited our garden 18 times in the past weeks, since I saw the first one in late July.

Salvia. Pete Woodruff.

Over the last 8 sightings, the HBHM has consistently visited the Salvia in our garden, a pattern of behaviour which I mentioned in my last post. Since then I did some research to discover the Hummingbird Hawk-moth is a species known to engage in traplining, this involves traversing a specific route in which the insect checks specified plants that hold nectar, it does so repeatedly and in the same order.....Amazing!

Thanks to Martin for another of his excellent set of images of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth.   

Willow Emerald Damselfly.

Willow Emerald Damselfly. Marc Heath.

I found just 8 records of Willow Emerald Damselfly in West Lancashire 2025/26....

2025

09 Sept Brockholes NR

25 Sept Brockholes NR

31 Aug Hest Bank

2026

15 July Lancaster

24 Aug Brockholes NR

07 Sept Lancaster Canal

14 Sept Lancaster Canal

17 Sept Catforth

Thanks to Marc for his excellent image of the male Willow Emerald Damselfly. 

Think It's Called Twitching!

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

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

Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

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

The Cockersand Dip!

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

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 25 June 2025. Pete Woodruff.

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

Interest In The Garden.

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

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

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

Garden Spider With Prey. Pete Woodruff.

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

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

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

Green Shieldbug. Pete Woodruff.

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

Before The Break.

The title of this post should have been 'Good Afternoon Part 3', but I thought that would have been too boring and repetitive, and perhaps would have lost me some visitors to B2B....Just saying!

But before the break in the weather, it was in fact my third good afternoon session, and although Conder Pool was a little underwhelming, the day was no less rewarding than the first two.

Conder Pool.

First to note, was that the Common Terns have deserted Conder Pool. I understand the last sighting was Friday 21 August, void of checking my records, this sounds like an average date for their departure.

Just four species of birds noted today, a Spotted Redshank, 8 Ruff, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and 13 Little Grebe.

Speckled Wood. Pete Woodruff.

A Speckled Wood seen through the viewing screen.

Saltcote Pond.

The or another Common Hawker seen again, also an Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker, and 6 Common Darter. 

Painted Lady. Pete Woodruff.

Butterflies, a Painted Lady and Common Blue. 

Birk Bank.

Black Darter. Pete Woodruff.

On and over the bog,  a Common Hawker seen again, one here 7 August. Also 4 Black Darter and 4 Common Darter were all male. 

Roe Deer. Pete Woodruff.

As I came away from the bog I saw a Roe Deer, it was staring me in the face within 15 metres through the branches, but a pity it decided to move off as I fired the shutter. Also seen, was a male Stonechat in the same area I found a breeding pair on 15 July.

Garden First.

A little something of interest in the garden recently. 

Scorpionfly. Pete Woodruff.

When I first clapped eyes on this one I thought I'd found a dragonfly in the garden, it was a Scorpionfly.

 

The Header.

I was struggling again for a decent header image of my own, but Marc Heath came to the rescue with some stunning Red-veined Darters which have had a good season and bred for the first time on his local patch in Kent this year....Thanks Marc much appreciated.

Good Afternoon....The Sequel.

Not only did Paul West find 45+ Little Egret on Conder Pool 13 August, but he also achieved an excellent image of this all time highest record of the species for this amazing location....Paul West Photography

Conder Pool. 

Conder Pool 19 August. Pete Woodruff.

I think it's possible the water level at Conder Pool is lower than I have ever seen before, but it took nothing away from the enjoyment of seeing a decent number of eight species of birds.

Although they seem to have favoured the backside of one of the islands on my last two visits, I counted 18 Common Tern on view, seen as 14 adult and 4 juvenile. Up to 450 Redshank were present this visit, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Ruff and 4 Dunlin made a total of 463 waders today. Also 18 Little Grebe was my best count so far this period heading into winter, and 25 Greylag. Two female Wigeon were the vanguard of winter visitors I reckon. A Small Tortoiseshell put in an appearance.

Saltcote Pond.

Common Hawker. Pete Woodruff.

A Common Hawker was obliging and settled for pictures. Also an Emperor Dragonfly, a Brown Hawker, 5 Common Darter, and 2 Speckled Wood seen.

Glasson Canal Towpath.

A brief visit to the canal towpath was rewarded by a Clouded Yellow butterfly.

Clouded Yellow. Pete Woodruff.

Though the butterfly was in pristine condition, it wasn't at all obliging.

The minute I got close for pictures....we have lift off! 

Bank End.

A return to Bank End to meet AC and find 5 Yellow Wagtail was well worth the effort. Thanks for the Stonechat record at Cockers Dyke on Friday, I always love to find a Stonechat, and I know you do too Andrew.

Birk Bank.

Common Lizard Birk Bank Bog August 19. Pete Woodruff.

Best reward for the visit to the bog at Birk Bank was a Common Lizard. I have seen few reports from here since the new boardwalk was installed, and I've previously only had brief views of one. Only 4 Common Darter seen today was a bit disappointing.

Sundew Birk Bank 19 August. Pete Woodruff.

In seeing the tracks through the bog left by the heavy machinery during the erection of the new boardwalk, I had thought it was goodbye to the Sundew, so it was great to find several clusters of it today. 

Over the hour spent here, I saw 9 Buzzard, including a family of five soaring and mewing together, and a Peregrine Falcon picked up high and drifting, went into a stoop to disappear below Birk Bank ridge....A good afternoon Part 2

Lady In The Garden.

A stunning Painted Lady paid a visit to our garden yesterday, in pristine condition, it spent a long period on the Alium coming and going throughout the afternoon.

Painted Lady. Pete Woodruff.

Pool, Pond, and Bog.

Conder Pool.

Conder Pool never fails on the interest front, and didn't fail me again on Friday. I'm never involved in survey work and todays counts are estimates, though never too far from accurate. 

At least 2,100 Redshank was by far the best count ever for Conder Pool. Other waders here today, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 12 Dunlin and 8 Black-tailed Godwit, and after six attempts, I arrived at a count of 10 Little Grebe.

The terns were busy and all over the place, but eventually my count was of 31 Common Tern, seen as 24 adult, and 7 young including one near fledging. Also a new one for the pool, was a colour marked Common Tern, with a dark bill and white forehead, it was a juvenile moulting to 1st winter plumage.

Butterflies seen, a Gatekeeper and Painted Lady. 

Saltcote Pond.

Common Darter. Pete Woodruff.

A great little pond but a bit quiet today, an Emperor Dragonfly persistently attacked 2 Brown Hawker every time they came close, also 3 Common Darter, 5 Common Blue Damselfly, and a Blue-tailed Damselfly. Quite busy with butterflies, 6 Painted Lady, 5 Common Blue, and a Meadow Brown.

Birk Bank.

Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

When I arrived at the bog, the sight of it slowly drying out was a bit concerning.

Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

Though the ditch were the old boardwalk was, and the haunt favoured by the Golden Ringed Dragonfly, is still looking good.

Keeled Skimmer. Pete Woodruff.

My visit here today was an all male day with two exceptions, and it was good to find 5 Keeled Skimmer, they were seeing off anything that came close.

Keeled Skimmer Female. Pete Woodruff. 

With the two exceptions, one of which was an old female Keeled Skimmer which was obliging and basking in the sun on the boardwalk.

Common Darter Female. Pete Woodruff.

The other exception was an old female Common Darter, which was also basking on the boardwalk.

An Emperor Dragonfly was patrolling the edges of the bog during all my time here, while a Common Hawker was behaving in the same manner, flying low over the water and investigating the edges of the acidic bog, but without showing the aggression of the Emperor.

Common/Black Darter. Pete Woodruff.

Also seen, 5 Common Darter and 3 Black Darter were all male. I saw just three butterfly, 2 Speckled Wood and a Painted Lady.

Erratum....Dictionary definition, done quickly with little attention to detail.

The Keeled Skimmer female featured above, is in fact a Black-tailed Skimmer of the same sex and age....Whoooops!

Conder Pool Wednesday 2 July.

This time my header image is that of the first Common Tern to fledge on Conder Pool this breeding season, it took to the wing on 2 July. I'm grateful to Howard Stockdale for the excellent image of this bird, and for some of the stats in the post that follows regarding the Common Terns on Conder Pool.

Common Tern With Young Conder Pool Raft 1 July. Pete Woodruff.

I can't pretend not to be disappointed that the juvenile Common Tern decided to wait until the following day of my visit to Conder Pool to fledge. I had seen four young Common Tern on the raft on Wednesday, one was wing exercising, no doubt this was the one that fledged the following day, hence my disappointment. 

On the morning of 28 July, there was 25 Common Tern nests, 22 pairs were incubating, with 3 nests and 6 chicks.

Up to 30 Common Tern were on the raft on Wednesday, adults and 4 young. I made no count of any terns that may have been off the raft, though I'm told birds breeding on the islands had failed due to predation and had relocated to the raft.

The outlook for the future of this years breeding Common Terns on Conder Pool is looking good and positive....Alleluia! 

I made no counts of adult Avocet, but noted 2 young and a well grown juvenile which was rewarding. There was a good count of 12 Mediterranean Gull, including two 1st summer, and three 2nd summer birds. A lone adult Little Ringed Plover gave good views, and at the back of the pool, 11 Black-tailed Godwit and 7 Bar-tailed Godwit were lined up along with 5 Greenshank. A Little Grebe and 9 Canada Geese were noted at the west end of the pool.

Over in the creeks and on return passage, 2 Common Sandpiper, and a Ruff seen high tide roosting with Redshank.

Saltcote Pond.

Blue-tailed Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Saltcote Pond was near deserted by the dragonflies, but a pair of Blue-tailed Damselfly in cop are being recorded as an immature male and a female of the rufescens-obseleta form, also 3 Common Blue Damselfly. A Swift was over, with 2 Chiffchaff and a singing Sedge Warbler. 

Canal Glasson - Conder Green. 

Lancaster Canal Looking East. Pete Woodruff.

In search of dragons on the canal, hardly July 1 weather. The view looking east towards the Forest of Bowland was grim, and pleased I hadn't decided to go on to Hawthornthwaite Fell today, it's under a cloud of drizzle in this view.

Common Blue Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

There was no more luck with the dragons than at Saltcote Pond for a walk along the canal towpath, with just 8 Common Blue Damselfly seen, but I heard 4 Sedge Warbler. Butterflies on the day were, 6 Ringlet, 4 Red Admiral, and 2 Painted Lady. 

Garden Activity.

There was a first for me in the garden on Friday, when I found 6 Long Tailed Tit, four of which I had the chance to view before they moved on, they were young...A moment of birding magic for me.

Long tailed Tit. Pete Woodruff.

It is also good that the list of young in the garden continues to grow, with Dunnock, Blackbird, Great Tit, and good numbers of House Sparrow over the past weeks, all having had a good breeding season it seems. 

Dunnock. Pete Woodruff.

Blackbird. Pete Woodruff.

The Show Goes On.

After an unplanned leave of absence from birding for 13 days, it was good to get back out on Monday to catch up with a few things I've been missing recently, but now the show goes on....

On Conder Pool I found 3 Curlew Sandpiper in a mix of 16 Greenshank and a few Redshank, also 10 Little Grebe and 15 Canada Geese, whilst at least 10 Long-tailed Tit passed in procession through the bushes, and a Kestrel hovered overhead for the unsuspecting vole no doubt. But the big surprise was an adult Whooper Swan, although the surprise was lessened when I remembered seeing this bird on the Lune Estuary at Glasson on 9 July.

On my way to Cockersand, I stopped off at Clarkson's Farm to find c.120 Black-headed Gull accompanied by an adult Mediterranean Gull, this bird was marked with a white darvic ring, frustratingly too distant to read, but based on the colour, the best I could come up with, was ringed in the near continent perhaps. Also seen around a small flood in the same field, a Ruff, up to 6 Golden Polver and a similar number of Ringed Polver.

The traditional Cockersand circuit started with a surprise just beyond Bank House Farm, when I counted at least 40 Tree Sparrow. I've not been seeing many Tree Sparrow here the past 2 years, in fact I saw just 2 on 7 April this year, previous to that, I recorded 16 on 16 October 2023. Worth noting the Tree Sparrow is Red Listed, with a BTO report showing a significant decline across the country.

Further into the walk, I found another encouraging sight, that of 100+Linnet. Although the arrival of wintering geese has been noted, it was a bit of a surprise to find just 3 Pink-footed Geese in a field off Slack Lane, from where I heard a Skylark burst briefly into song.

Clouded Yellow Cockersand. Pete Woodruff. 

Butterflies on the day were a pleasing 4 Clouded Yellow, 2 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood, and a Silver Y moth.

Large White Chrysalis. Pete Woodruff.

As I walked along the side of Lighthouse Cottage, I spotted about a dozen chrysalis 'glued' to the whitewashed wall, a bit of searching had me find they were Large White butterfly.

Wheatear 21 September. Pete Woodruff.  

On Sunday, a pleasant walk along Morecambe Promenade at Sandylands, was made all the more pleasant with 3 Wheatear seen along the sea defences.

The Header.

Struggling to find a suitable pik of my own for the header, I remembered Ian's stunning Merveille du Jour, and....Bingo!    

All Things Bright And Beautiful!

I've been off the road and side-lined since my last outing on Tuesday 9 September, with tomorrow being my next chance, that's going to be a 12 day break from birding. Over this period and a little before it, our recording area and beyond has produced some impressive records, some of which are first or peak counts taken from the LDBWS and FBC WhatsApp groups....I've not catalogued them in date order.

Glossy Ibis Conder Pool. Paul Ellis.

Conder Pool has claimed two 1st records and peak counts, with 39 Greenshank and 19 Ruff recently on Conder Pool, also 2 Glossy Ibis put in a first time appearance here. The Little Stint previously posted on B2B, is also included in this list of Conder Pool records.

Curlew Sandpiper Conder Green. Gary Coulburn.

Curlew Sandpiper have been appearing in good number - some in double figures - at several locations including Conder Pool and on the Fylde, where a staggering 57 Buzzard were over Preesall in a vis mig watch. Another staggering record, was that of 24 Yellow Wagtail seen in the Bank End area. Even more amazing about this record, was that a Kestrel on a fence post was surrounded by the spectacle of these wagtails. 

Three Black Tern were on Conder Pool, and a Black Tern was reported flying downstream on the Lune Estuary, and multiple sightings of Hobby have been seen at Conder Green and through Conder Pool.

7 of 29 Mediterranean Gulls Conder Pool 26 June. Pete Woodruff.

Away from the Lune Estuary, two spectacular records were made, 216 Little Egret were noted going to roost at an undisclosed site, and 208 Mediterranean Gull were recorded at Heysham where Grey Phalarope was seen, also seen off the Stone Jetty at Morecambe, and two at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve.

Last But Certainly Not Least.

If I'm going to draw up a list of amazing events in and around our area, this one has to be included.

Sabine's Gull Off Star Gate Blackpool. Ashley Cooper.

Along with many other seabirds during the recent stormy weather, this juvenile Sabine's Gull flew through Ashley's viewfinder to give him the perfect opportunity to capture it on film. 

My header image is of the same Sabine's Gull, and for me is the photograph of the year....Thanks Ashley, much appreciated. Thanks also to Paul Ellis and Gary Coulburn for the use of their excellent images, they too are much appreciated.

All Things Birds Bright And Beautiful!

And Now For Something A Little Different!

Lune Estuary.

By way of a change, I decided on a different viewpoint to observe the incoming tide on the Lune Estuary, and went to the embankment above the picnic site at Conder Green. This was a first for me, I always view the same stretch on the river from the bowling green at Glasson Dock, but both these locations have plus and minus points, some you win, some you loose.

Until the tide gained height, most of the waders were out of view below the marsh, but once the tide reached the marsh they were out in the open, though then the smaller birds were in the long grass.

On the shoreline I managed to see 4 Greenshank, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, a Ruff, Whimbrel, and Common Sandpiper. Then driven on to the marsh by the tide, a Curlew Sandpiper and Snipe. Overhead a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard was briefly attacked by a Kestrel, and 3 Migrant Hawker were patrolling the trees.

When I left the area, there was little dry land for the waders to escape to. The group pictured in my header were hanging on in at high tide.

Birk Bank Bog.

Black Darter male. Pete Woodruff.

Thinking it could well be my last chance for the dragons, and the day being at least decent weather-wise, I decided to give Birk Bank a return visit where I found 6 Black Darter, 5 male and a female.

Black Darter female. Pete Woodruff.

Eleven Common Darter were seen as 6 male and 5 female. It was good to find the male Emperor Dragonfly again, still patrolling and checking out the vegetation by the boardwalk.

Common Darter. Pete Woodruff.

I reckon these are the last of the dragons at Birk Bank Bog in '25. 

Guillemot Inner M'cbe Bay.

Scaup Off Broadway 17 January. Pete Woodruff.

 

I met Steve Edmundson at Birk Bank, he reminded me we had met earlier in the year at Morecambe when we were watching the female Scaup off Broadway. Steve told me of a Guillemot he'd seen off Teal Bay during the week. I told him he had been fortunate to find a scarce sea bird for this area of Morecambe Bay, he said he would send me a picture of the bird.

Guillemot Teal Bay 9 September. Steve Edmundson.

Thank you Steve, much appreciated.

Swifts.

When I found the quite amazing record of 60 Swift on passage through Borrowdale in the Lake District on Thursday 11 September, I thought it was a sighting worthy of mention. Even more amazing when I read they were observed over a 2 hour period flying north, which is in the opposite direction of their wintering grounds in Africa. Only a minority of Swifts would still be in Europe during September....Sixty Swift flying north in Northern England in mid-September doesn't sound like a minority in Europe.