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!

The First Swans-The Last Dragons....Perhaps!

There were one or two visitors to Conder Pool whilst I was there on Wednesday, and with a cursory look would have regarded the place as 'dead', and that's because they failed to picked up eight of the nine Spotted Redshanks, being an all time record for Conder Pool and the species.

Conder Pool & Area.

The 8 Spotted Redshank were lined up along the waterline at the back of the pool, the reality being that Conder Pool was in fact otherwise deserted. 

Curlew Sandpiper/Redshank Conder Creeks. Pete Woodruff.

A Curlew Sandpiper was in the creeks with a Redshank for company, also a Snipe was to note. The call of the Spotted Redshanks was an indication they had been disturbed from Conder Pool, and all eight flew to the creeks.

I went off in pursuit of the Spotted Redshanks, and caught up with five of them downstream towards the old railway bridge, and later all eight were beyond the bridge and towards the Conder Estuary.

Lune Estuary.

On the estuary viewed from the bowling green, I was pleased to find my first 15 Whooper Swan hauled out just beyond the Conder Estuary. Also of note, at least 250 Greylag, 190 Curlew again, 18 Canada Geese, and 12 Snipe.

Whooper Swans Conder Pool 8 October 2025. Pete Woodruff.

Last years first Whooper Swans were on Conder Pool 8 October when they were seen as 9 adult and 9 juvenile.

Saltcote Pond.

I called in at Saltcote Pond and found a Migrant Hawker and 4 Common Darter including a pair in cop. 

Birk Bank.

Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

By the time I arrived at Birk Bank, the weather was threatening to turn wet and not conducive with dragonfly hunting.

Common Darter. Pete Woodruff.

But at least I found a lone male Common Darter making the most of any suitable weather conditions remaining for a rest on the boardwalk....More proof that I hadn't yet seen my last dragons of the year. 

As I walked the path from the bog, I heard a Chiffchaff calling, and having walked little more than 50 metres I had heard and seen 4 Chiffchaff. Given 24 Chiffchaff were ringed at Heysham in an early morning fall this sighting seems significant. 

Hawk-moths.

The Hummingbird Hawk-moth was in our garden yet again on Friday 9 October, making this its 40th visit here since it was first seen 17 June. It behaved impeccably, lingering for periods on the Salvia.

The Hummingbird Hawk-moth was first found in Crosby 1857, it has been annual in Lancashire since 1998, often in double figures with occasional large influxes occurring, 309 were recorded in 2006.

Convolvulus Hawk-moth. Ian Mitchell.

Ian Mitchell has shared with me an image of a stunning large Convolvulus Hawk-moth at rest on his garden wall. 

As a migrant visitor to the UK, the Convolvulus Hawk-moth was first found at Chat Moss in 1841. Since then up to 150 records of the moth have been in Lancashire.

Pleasantly Quiet.

There were 9 Spotted Redshank with Greenshank on Conder Pool 27 September, and the header image is perfect as my introduction to this weeks post on B2B. Thanks to Paul Ellis for this amazing image of record numbers for Conder Pool. 

I missed the good stuff again on Conder Pool, with recent records being, 35 Greenshank, and 9 Spotted Redshank, both all time peak counts.

Conder Pool.

When I arrived at Conder Pool on Thursday, I was pleased to be able to count 22 Greenshank and 4 Spotted Redshank.

Although there was just the 26 waders to note, it was good that a lone Bar-tailed Godwit was feeding in front of the screen, at best an irregular visitor to Conder Pool, and not a bird I have ever seen here beyond single figures.

Lune Estuary.

At the estuary on the rising tide, 8 Golden Plover were seen as the vanguards of returning winter birds. Also 190 Curlew was a decent count for the end of September, 550 Lapwing, 220 Redshank, 85 Greylag, and 45 Wigeon completed the picture.

Saltcote Pond.

At the pond, 4 Migrant Hawker, a pair of Common Darter in cop, and a Clouded Yellow butterfly.

Hawker Down.

Whilst at Saltcote Pond, I observed some interesting behavior by three of the Migrant Hawkers, an incident which ended badly for one of the males. I watched a pair in cop for several minutes, they were flying around erratically until they eventually separated, at which point a second male started an attack on the other. I have no idea which of the males ended up in the drink, but it started to swim frantically, then stopped before swimming again.

 

I watched this desperate attempt to reach some vegetation to emerge from the pond which was impeded by the fact that it kept changing direction.

Migrant Hawker Saltcote Pond 1 October. Pete Woodruff.

I left the site feeling helpless, having had to watch this unfortunate creatures desperate attempt to escape from drowning....an experience I hope to never witness ever again. 

Hummingbird Hawk-moth. 

The regular HBHM to our garden broke its own record on Saturday 3 October, paying its 28th visit in the past 2 months, this time it was around the Honeysuckle when I spotted it....Truly amazing stuff! 

Hummingbird Hawk-moth on Salvia 20 September

I reckon any HBHM seen into October, is outside its flight period by the end of September, but interestingly, it is recorded to have occasionally survived mild winters in southern Britain. 

Error.

I'm working on the size of my header image which is in the wrong resolution.

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. 

Tuned In And Turned On!

A good turn out in the week at and around Conder Pool, when I was joined by Ian Hartley who added an extra pair of eyes and expertise to a mini bird-fest which developed there. 

A Curlew Sandpiper juvenile was the star of the show, it was roosting at high tide in the creeks, off passage and enroute to it's African wintering grounds, it eventually moved on to Conder Pool, where it obliged close in for some footage, and to feed a while.

Ian picked up a Marsh Harrier high over the estuary, then later briefly over fields behind Conder Green Farm. Back on Conder Pool, two soon became 3 Spotted Redshank at the back of the pool, where I found 2 Common Sandpiper, a Snipe, and two eventually became 5 Ruff. I'm convinced there were more than the 12 Little Grebe I recorded, they were scattered all over the pool and diving constantly, 

A Wheatear was briefly on the edge of an island, 6 Wigeon seen, and a pair of Shoveler that I had seen here last week. Away from the pool again, a skein of up to 130 Pink-footed Geese were overhead >south, were the first of the winter, and a flock of c.50 Goldfinch came down on to the marsh thistles. I've seen flocks reaching three figures of Goldfinch here in the past.

I was grateful to Ian Hartley, not only for his company during a good session of birding, but also for passing on the figures that the Conder Pool Common Tern colony had 21 young fledged this year. In addition to that good news, a pair of Gadwall had 6 young to successfully fledge, another first record for Conder Pool .

 

Black-necked Grebe Juvenile. Copy Permitted.

Both these excellent records join a long line for Conder Pool, and brings to remember my own earlier record of a Black-necked Grebe which I found 18 years ago on 1 September 2008, it was a juvenile and hung around for 17 days last seen 18 September. 

Saltcote Pond.

The Common Hawker I found here on 24 August was probably the same one I saw again today, also 5 Common Darter including a pair egg laying, and a Speckled Wood butterfly. On the canal towpath, 5 Migrant Hawker seen.

Birk Bank.

Birk Bank Bog 9 September. Pete Woodruff.

The bog is looking good again after the drought, with water draining out and into the ditch.

Black Darter Birk Bank 9 September. Pete Woodruff.

A little activity today, with 6 Black Darter including a pair egg laying.

I had no idea they had separated until I processed the film....

Seven Common Darter, were all male, and I was pleased to have seen another Common Lizard again today. A Buzzard was overhead, and 2 Speckled Wood seen.

Jump To It!

Hot on the heels of his finding a Hummingbird Hawk Moth, and actually achieving an amazing image of the moth egg laying, Martin Jump struck gold again - green actually but doesn't sound as good as gold - when he discovered a first for Haslam Park in Preston on 5 September.

Willow Emerald Damselfly. Copyright Martin Jump.

Thanks for keeping me up to date on this one, and for the image for publication on B2B....Much appreciated and congratulations Martin.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth visited the garden again this morning, it is the 10th moth to do so in the past few weeks. Todays moth visited the Salvia in our garden for the third consecutive day, clearly showing evidence of traplining.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Martin Jump.

The Hummingbird Hawk-moth is a species that is 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. This behaviour by the moth is also shared by bees and butterflies. 

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.

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!

On And Around Conder Pool.

Conder Pool 5 April.

I refuse to make too many negative comments about the current state of play regarding the Black-headed Gulls vs Common Terns, but I was in the company of Howard Stockdale, he gave me his take on what the coming weeks holds for the terns and his predictions that it's a case of 'all's well that ends well'....Time will tell!

The Tern Raft Conder Pool 5 May. Pete Woodruff.

According to my observations on Monday, the Black-headed Gulls have taken over the tern raft on Conder Pool, and the two terns on the rails left in the picture above, are looking pretty much peed-off about it all. 

I would say there are at least 24 pairs of gulls are breeding there this year.

But the positives kicked in when I saw a pair of terns definitely looking like they were intent on moving in on the island behind the raft. One of these birds bears a ring on the left leg, and another tern on the pool was also ringed. Both these Common Terns were bred and ringed by Ian Hartley at Conder Pool.

Mediterranean Gull. Howard Stockdale.

Birds on Conder Pool on Monday, 2 Mediterranean Gull both 2nd winter, and in addition to my estimate of up to 200 Black-headed Gull, I noted 6 Common Tern, and 29 Avocet.

The Little Ringed Plover put in a brief appearance for a photo opportunity for me before disappearing out of the frame.

In the creeks, 2 Greenshank were with 2 Black-tailed Godwit - one of each in the video - and the Spotted Redshank which is now in full black and spotted breeding plumage.  

Cockersand.

Across The Bay. Pete Woodruff.

Looking to Black Combe on the western edge of Morecambe Bay, I was attracted to the cloud formation and view across the bay. I soon spotted a bird on the left side of the red buoy.

 

It was a Common Tern, it called as two other terns flew towards it and on into the estuary. A few minutes later and close by, I was treated to the spectacle of watching another Common Tern plunge diving.

Over a 500 metre stretch of roadside reeds along Moss Lane, I heard 5 Sedge Warbler. Butterflies seen, my first Painted Lady, a Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined White.

Wednesday 22 April.

Four more first migrants for me on Wednesday all seen at Cockersand, with a trickle of 12 Swallow through, and on one occasion accompanied by a single House Martin. A Sedge Warbler was singing in the hedgerow, and 4 Whimbrel on the shore.

A Shoveler pair were in the wide ditch at the junction of Moss/Slack Lane. I've seen the Shoveler here in previous years. Three Skylark seen, one in flight song, two flew off a fence post in front of me, A Linnet was in song by the caravan park, and 72 Black-tailed Godwit were feeding on the tideline. I saw just two butterflies, a Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.

Up to 12 Lapwing were on territory in the stubble field behind Lighthouse Cottage, one bird drew my attention alarm calling, and as I looked over the gate it soon became apparent why....

On Conder Pool, I made a peak count of 28 Avocet including two in the creeks, where the near summer plumage Spotted Redshank was with a Greenshank. Also of note, 2 Little Ringed Plover, with 54 Black-tailed Godwit and a similar number of Knot still here.

I was more than grateful to receive a message to tell me of the arrival of the Common Tern on Conder Pool Thursday 23 April. This date is 3 days later than last year 20 April 2025....Thanks to Pete Crooks for the info and for adding that John Wood had found 2 Common Tern before he had seen one later in the afternoon. 

River Lune At Glasson. Pete Woodruff. 

At low tide, the estuary resembled a desert save the channel, where 14 Eider were diving, a decent count for the location.

Friday 24 April.

Cuckoo. Marc Heath.

The highlight of a circuit of Birk Bank has to be the 2 Cuckoo heard, one in the Birk Bank area east of the bog, the second to the east of Cragg Wood. Thanks to Marc Heath who found a Cuckoo at Bishopstone on 11 April, seen as an early bird and scarce too in this area of Kent.

There was some excellent birds to run a close second to the Cuckoos, with a good count of 42 Willow Warbler, then marked as seen in the little black book, Blackcap pair, 2 Treecreeper including one sunbathing at the base of a tree, a Wren and Robin, 6 Redpoll, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Swallow, a Coal Tit, 2 Garden Warbler, Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Linnet, 2 Meadow Pipit, and 3 Stonechat which were seen as a pair and a male which was probably standing guard over a nest site, and so almost certainly making 2 pairs of Stonechat. Raptors seen were, a Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

Other than the birds....A quite surprising number of 14 Green Tiger Beetle, 2 Common Lizard, neither of which were associated with Birk Bank bog, in fact one was at Ottergear Bridge. Butterflies seen, 12 Orange Tip, 4 Green Hairstreak, 2 Peacock, a Speckled Wood and Small Tortoiseshell.

Target of the day was to find some early damsels, 3 Large Red Damselfly were seen as a male and 2 teneral.

Garden Bees.

The bees in our garden started to emerge from the Bee House this week. 

Red Mason Bees. Pete Woodruff.

It's a joy to watch the antics of the Red&Blue Mason Bees in and out of the holes in good number. 

Blue Mason Bees. Pete Woodruff.