Quality If Not Quantity.

Hard to know where to begin with notes from a richly rewarding circuit of Birk Bank and surrounding area, with at least three sightings of stand out quality.

Bombus monticola.  

It really does have to start with a bumblebee that has always been uncommon in Lancashire, and one that I yearned to find and was eventually fortunate to do so, it was the sight of the enigmatic Bilberry Bumblebee. 

The footage is a combination of mine and Ian Mitchell's. I have yet to ID the plant the Bilberry Bumblebee was on in the first section of the video, but in the second, the food plant was Bird's-foot Trefoil, with a Cuckoo calling in the distance.

Cuckoo.

Soon after I crossed Ottergear Bridge, one of 2 Cuckoo seen/heard today, flew by me and promptly landed atop of a tree, it was pursued and mobbed by a Tree Pipit which put the Cuckoo to flight....I saw neither of these birds again.

Birk Bank Bog.

In the video, of 2 Keeled Skimmer male seen, this is the one with the black mark on the left side of the abdomen previously seen on 5 June. Each time the second male came on the scene, it was immediately chased off, and returned to precisely the same spot on the same perch every time it moved off. Replies to my query about the mark, two experts agreed that it is the result of a scratch against undergrowth, or more likely caused during mating. 

Also on the bog, at least 6 Four-spotted Chaser and a good number of Large Red Damselfly with many coupled, also at least 20 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Butterflies were in the unbelievably low bracket again, with just 2 Speckled Wood in my book today.

And The Rest....

Five singing male Blackcap, a Garden Warbler by Gragg Wood, also in this area, an adult Song Thrush was accompanied by a juvenile, and the expected and ever present Willow Warbler singing in good number.

Scorched Wing. Pete Woodruff.

When I found this moth, I instantly thought it had burns to its wings. Imagine my surprise to learn it's a Scorched Wing....Never heard if it, another first for me.

Saturday 10 June.

Fifteen minutes on the bank of the River Wyre downstream from St Michaels produced at least 50 Banded Demoiselle. Also good views of a male Blackcap, a Whitethroat, and 6 Speckled Wood....Great stuff. 

And Finally....

Andrew Cornall reports to me, 3 Keeled Skimmer at Birk Bank on Friday, including pairing and egg laying. This is the peak count to date of Keeled Skimmer at Birk Bank bog. 

Also Friday, Ian Mitchell's image of the Keeled Skimmers, clearly shows the cause of damage to the males abdomen during mating.

Thanks to Andrew Cornall and Ian Mitchell along with many others, for continuing to keep in touch with me, usually overloaded with interesting records and images. 

Also some excellent news from Steve Graham, when he reported a male Keeled Skimmer around the runnel at Ottergear Bridge 5 June. And Pat Waring who reported 2 Common Sandpiper chicks at Marshaw 4 June.

I'm also grateful to Martin Jump for his excellent Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary header, and for his good company this week.

A Lune Circuit.

A most enjoyable circuit of the River Lune, Halton - Crook O'Lune - Halton, in the good company of Steve Graham.

There is a good colony of House Martin, with at least 20 nests at one location in Halton where we started our walk. At least 5 Common Sandpiper were on the river, with Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail including one young being fed, and a Little Egret at the weir. As the walk progressed, 4 Song Thrush, a few Sand Martin, and 2 Blackcap. Another surprise was, just 2 Willow Warbler heard in song throughout the 2.5 hour circuit, a Swift was in view briefly over the Crook O'Lune as we made our turning for the return.

Another first for me, was a Treecreeper creeping up the tree as they do, it eventually gave good views sunbathing with wings spread in the fork of a tree. Chiffchaff heard, and Goldcrest seen, and on arrival back at Halton, a singing Garden Warbler.    

Find of the day was in the odonata camp, with a Banded Demoiselle above the river on the return leg.

I was privileged to be invited for refreshments at Steve's before continuing our day with a visit to Birk Bank primarily for dragonflies. On the garden pond, a pair of Broad-bodied Chaser included the female egg laying, several Azure Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.

Keeled Skimmer.

If you're fortunate enough to find pairing Keeled Skimmers, you've got to try to get some footage haven't you! 

In the video you hear Steve explaining to me, of the two males we saw, it's the one with the 'scratch' that is paired with the difficult to see female, but its wings can be seen below the males abdomen.

At Birk Bank, 3 Keeled Skimmer, also at least 8 Four-spotted Chaser with Large Red Damselflies and 14 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. On the bird scene, a Cuckoo heard, Raven over Clougha, and a singing Blackcap, and as we made a move to leave, a Roe Deer was at the back of the bog.

Regarding the paired Large Red Damselflies which landed of Steve's shirt, I can only suppose the lower individual is either a female variant, the variation relates to age, or the female may have been egg laying under water which has led to her tail segments being worn....Just thoughts.  

A rewarding day, the enjoyment of which was only dampened by the paucity of butterflies, the total count of which came to a staggeringly low count of 22 of just 3 species, 9 Common Blue, 7 Speckled Wood, and 6 Orange Tip, and included a walk through the beautiful Hermitage Field Community Meadow at the Crook O'Lune where unbelievably we saw not a single butterfly.

Bilberry Bumblebee.

 

Ian Mitchell sent me a short video of his record of the Bilberry Bumblebee at Birk Bank. Although the bee was difficult to keep up with, there's the bonus of a Cuckoo calling in the background....Great stuff, great record, well done Ian.

Odonata....Game On!

Also a few birds and even fewer butterflies.

Best of the day on Friday, was my finding 5 Banded Demoiselle, the first being upstream from the A588 road bridge at Conder Green, the next one I saw flying purposefully east over the marsh from the coastal path towards Glasson Dock, this one took me by surprise, in unsuitable habitat over a salt marsh. My next were three along the canal between Glasson and The Mill at Conder Green.

I took a look over Conder Pool, where I made no serious counts, but noted up to 6 Common Tern sitting, four on the new pontoon, and two on islands. I noted a Pied Wagtail is nesting underneath the new pontoon. Four Avocet chicks, two of which appeared to be well grown, and at least out of the danger zone from gulls and herons. I picked up three sightings of Little Ringed Plover well separated by time.

There are now a large number of Black Headed Gull young on the islands, probably totaling three figures, with up to 33 in the video on the smallest island to the right of the viewing platform. House Martin and Swallow kept returning to the pool to collect mud with little if any success, the water level on the pool has dramatically fallen through the dry spell which looks set to continue.

Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

Setting off on a circuit Conder Green - Glasson Dock - Canal - Conder Green. A Reed Bunting and 2 Chiffchaff, before arriving at the brilliant Saltcote Pond, where 3 Broad-bodied Chaser were seen. A male was constantly and aggressively in flight to control the pond, and included a pair coupled in flight and eventually oviposititng, also an Emperor Dragonfly, and good numbers of Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Along the length of the canal Glasson - Conder Green. Dragonflies seen, 3 Emperor Dragonfly and another large number probably in excess of 60 Common Blue Damselfly. Birds noted, 3 Reed Warbler and 2 Sedge Warbler.

Large Skipper. Pete Woodruff. 

Butterfly numbers were pitifully low with just 2 Large Skipper, 2 Orange Tip, and a Peacock seen.

Keeled Skimmer. Pete Woodruff.

I have it on good authority, a male Keeled Skimmer was on Birk Bank bog yesterday. An early date for the skimmer here, perhaps mid-June was more to be expected, but given the conditions we are having, perhaps - with the exception of the Black Darter - all the dragons will now be on the wing.

Thanks to Marc heath for the stunning image of the equally stunning Banded Demoiselle.

A Decent Day Around Birk Bank.

The weather is settled now, and with warm sunny days in the forecast for the foreseeable future, I was off to see if the conditions were good enough to bring out the dragonflies on and over the bog at Birk Bank, they were being recorded everywhere else it seems.

Four Spotted Chaser Ovipositing. Pete Woodruff.

Although virtually impossible for accuracy, I found at least 30 Four Spotted Chaser, seen at long range at the east end of the bog viewed from the boardwalk, also a similar number of c.30 Large Red Damselfly, and an excellent count of 10 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, whilst recalling Steve Graham had recorded 51 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary here in June 2021. Also noted at and around the bog area, 2 Green Hairstreak, a single Common Blue, a Small Heath, and Common Lizard. 

Common Lizard. Pete Woodruff.

On a wander around, a Broad Bodied Chaser took me by surprise over the runnels at the west side of Ottergear bridge.

Red Grouse Young. Pete Woodruff.

A young Red Grouse crossed the path ahead of me, it was reacting to the call of a female with at least three other young eventually seen scurrying off. Birds were incredibly sparse, with the exception of at least 20 Willow Warbler mostly heard, a Cuckoo heard to call several times, a Garden Warbler gave great views as it checked out the gorse around Cragg Wood, a Tree Pipit parachuted onto a tree on Littledale Road, and a Song Thrush was on Rigg Lane.

Bilberry Bumblebee.

Ian Mitchell had the good fortune to find a Bilberry Bumblebee on Bird's-foot Trefoil at Birk Bank on Wednesday, an excellent record. 

The Bombus monticola has always been an uncommon species in Lancashire, more or less confined to northern and western parts of the UK, and almost entirely restricted to upland areas in Lancashire.

Bilberry Bumblebee. Ian Mitchell.

I also saw the red tail of a bumblebee at Birk Bank on Tuesday, but failed to keep up with the creature before disappearing from view. Based on Ian's sighting the day following my visit, I have noted a 'possible' Bilberry Bumblebee in my records.

An Interesting Trawl.

A very interesting visit to Bowland and the birds of Marshaw - Tower Lodge - Trough Bridge.

My sightings for the day started with a Siskin I found drinking in the Marshaw Wyre by the plantation at Marshaw, from where I saw a pair of Lesser Redpoll and a few Sand Martin of which just one individual was seen to enter a nest hole in the bank upstream from the green bridge.

Birds seen on or around the length of the Marshaw Wyre, where my main interest was with sightings of 3 Dipper at three locations, one of which I reckon had a nest nearby, and was behaving with a small fish like it was food for young. I counted 6 Grey Wagtail with no evidence of breeding or young, also 5 Common Sandpiper with young hopefully to be seen in the coming weeks.

Three pair of Pied Flycatcher are occupying three nest boxes. This male was singing around the box, which I was able to stalk to close range with trees for cover....Pity about the wind pollution in the footage, the bird was singing nicely.

It took four hours for me to find Spotted Flycatcher, two were seen as a pair which eventually took off to see two other birds off which I strongly suspected to be two more flycatchers. If they were, there are only 4 Spotted Flycatcher here this year.

The supporting cast was, 4 Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush, Long Tailed Tit, and 3 Dunnock. A clattering of 38 Jackdaw flew west, and 10 Willow Warbler were mostly heard, though one gave excellent close views, and in a short watch at Tower Lodge, I saw just one House Martin which eventually entered a nest. 

A Curlew gained maximum height at the top of a dead tree to advertise its territory....Don't recall ever hearing this call by the Curlew.

Banded Demoiselle.

Banded Demoiselle Garstang 27 May. Pete Woodruff.

A saunter along the Lancaster Canal and River Wyre at Garstang, resulted in finding 6 Banded Demoiselle. 

Ian Mitchell sent me an interesting image of a Large Red Damselfly at rest on an exuvia. Along with some comments from an expert, and given it was seen on an acidic bog, I'm suggesting this is the larva case of a Four Spotted Chaser.

Ian struggled to get this image of a Little Emerald being uncooperative amongst the Bilberry. There was an emergence of this moth, of which I also saw c.12 on my last visit to Birk Bank 22 May.

Edit.

Worthy of the edit, this Painted Lady was on Sandylands at Morecambe this afternoon. A rapid flier and strong migrant, they are expected to arrive in Britain in June, this is my first in May.....Make my day!

Plan A The Pool....Plan B The Bog!

A little keen for some closer detail whilst checking Conder Pool on Monday, then switching to Plan B for a visit to Birk Bank to see if there was any odonata on offer....All of this whilst giving the new camera a test run. 

Avocet.

All alone and living a life of danger for a while yet

I made a count of at least 14 adult and 6 young, and also spotted the yellow flag 63 bird, which I saw later sitting on the near island to the right of the viewing platform.

Common Tern.

Common Tern Conder Pool 22 May

Fourteen seen, including a pair copulating, also four sitting including the colour ringed bird, which I would guess is a female as it is generally regarded to be the female that incubates, also one bird bearing a metal ring on its right leg.

Little Ringed Plover.

Three seen, with one sitting and shooting off the nest at one point to see off a Black-headed Gull.

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 22 May

Also on Conder Pool, a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull, a Common Sandpiper, a pair of Redshank which may be breeding here, and a lone Tree Sparrow in the hedge. In the creeks, 42 Black-tailed Godwit of note, they were accompanied by 2 Dunlin. On the circuit, a Whitethroat was my first this year, 2 Swift were over, and up to 8 House Martin were around River Winds with one seen to enter under the eaves.

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Having spent an enjoyable 3 hours at Conder Green, instead of the planned Cockersand visit, I decided to switch to Plan B and paid a visit to Birk Bank to find 18 Large Red Damselfly including 6 paired. Just up the track from the boardwalk over the bog, I found a Garden Warbler, and saw 3 Raven and a Kestrel in the air over lower Clougha.

Bull Beck.

Last Saturday, 4 Garden Warbler, a singing male Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler heard, and on the River Lune here, 4 Common Sandpiper were seen.

There was a serious case of disturbance here, when I saw a family group of eight pitched up and picnicking above the bank of the river where a strong colony of birds breed here annually. I estimated up to 100 Sand Martin were constantly on the wing in the hour I sent here, not to mention the length of time these people stayed....I have since appropriately reported my concerns about this incident.

As ever, I am grateful to Ian Mitchell for his image of the Common Tern on Conder Pool with the offering of a fish for its mate. 

All About The Wood Warbler.

Recently privy to some excellent news about a bird in a Bowland woodland, I went off post - haste to see. The only down side of this little tale was, restricted by privacy I failed to see the bird, but did enjoy hearing it singing its highly distinctive and accelerating sharp notes ending with a pulsating trill sounding like a spinning coin on a marble slab....Magic!

This is quite amazing stuff, here we have history repeating itself for me, as it was in this very same woodland that I found a Wood Warbler 27 years ago on 1 May 1996 in the company of my mentor John Leedal. In fact it was on this first sighting that I had good reason to suspect there were two birds here, a suspicion confirmed on 14 June, when I was fortunate to see young being fed at the nest on the ground.

But this brilliant record didn't end here, the species returned to this woodland for four consecutive years....10 May 1997 - 3 May 1998 - 16 May 1999 and 21 May 2000....Then history repeated itself here 23 years later on 3 May 2023, albeit briefly as I'm reliably informed the bird has not been seen since.

Whilst searching for these records I dug up my Wood Warbler sightings at 16 locations, including 2 birds at two sites at Botton 31 May 1997, 2 birds at Ellterwater 26 June 1999, and 4 birds at Bolton Abbey 29 May 2000. 

The status of the Wood Warbler in our area doesn't go beyond an uncommon and decreasing migrant breeder, with no breeding records published. A search through 10 years of records to 2021, shows a sample of the all time scarcity - now verging on rarity - of this stunning phylloscopus.

2015 Only four records of the species. 

2017 Three records.

2018 Three records.

2019 Just two records, a passage migrant at Heysham, one Tower Lodge 16 May.

2020 Two migrants and one upland record.

2021 Two migrants and one bird in woodland at Lowgill.

Thanks to Paul Ellis for his excellent image of a Wood Warbler at Fluke Hall in late April 2022.

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Conder Pool.

Many Thanks to Ian Mitchell who achieved some excellent images from Conder Pool on Friday. 

So far so good for these two Avocet youngsters....

And this pair of Common Tern behaving with an intention to breed.

Good Day In Bowland.

In the good company of Martin Jump, we had an interesting day in Bowland with a little learning and some discoveries to boot.

A walk along the path by the 1/4 mile long plantation strip at Catshaw, produced up to 8 Willow Warbler, 4 Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Robin, Kestrel, and a Coal Tit probably nesting in a wall cavity. As I drove away from here, a Wheatear flew across my path.

On Hawthornthwaite, Saturdays 5 Stonechat seen again, with further proof of breeding when a female was seen carrying food. Two Raven overhead were mobbed by a Curlew, of which three pairs are probable breeders here. Conversely, I've seen not a single Lapwing here in two recent visits. A Ring Ouzel frustrated by being heard in song but not located when falling silent. Martin succeeded in collecting numbers from the Sand Martin colony, and came up with 34 nest holes - not all occupied - and c.12 birds in flight.

We called at Marshaw for Martin to check out some breeding Dipper he is monitoring. The visit resulted in finding the first and never recorded Coal Tit breeding in a nest box, even more intriguing was a male Pied Flycatcher on an adjacent branch, looking as confused as I was, it had earlier been singing. Also noted here, a Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and 2 Treecreeper.

All in all, an interesting day.

Conder Pool.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the update and the quartet of images of 'beauties' on Conder Pool, two of which are....

Common Tern On The New Raft Conder Pool 17 May. Howard Stockdale.

1st summer Mediterranean Gull/1st Summer Common Gull Conder Pool 17 May. Howard Stockdale.

I'm also grateful to Ian Mitchell for his image of the colour ringed Common Tern having returned to Conder Pool for its 3rd year.

Common Tern Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.

Lost And Found.

The title not quite appropriate, but if you do decide to read on I think you'll get the gist of it.

My first visit to Harrisend since 7 April, needed a little determination to find 5 Stonechat, which means my records read 'a probable 3 breeding pairs on Harrisend 13 May'. Just 9 Meadow Pipit seen, compared to at least 34 on Harrisend 29 April last year, puts the species in my 'lost' section of the title.

Lesser Redpoll. Pete Woodruff.

The rubbish pik - my Sony camera died recently - was overtaken by the excitement of an opportunity for a grab shot of one of the 3 Redpoll seen. Also in the low number category was 4 Willow Warbler, with 2 Wren, a Reed Bunting, and a Raven overhead. A few Large White and a lone Peacock were the only butterflies seen. Also noted, a Red-tailed Bumblebee, and at Grisedale Bridge, I found 2 Stonechat female, and heard a Cuckoo in the area around Nicky Nook, annual here.

On Hawthornthwaite, I made a count of 5 Stonechat, this means another 'probable 3 breeding pairs' in my records. I made a count of 12 Meadow Pipit which seemed to correspond better than Harrisend with last year count of 10 seen on 29 April. Two Wheatear seen, and a Kestrel was in the centre between 2 Buzzard all hovering in a line above the ridge within a few metres of each other. A Cuckoo called, heard around the plantation to the west.

Sand Martin Cam Brow. Howard Stockdale.

I have to note, whilst the Sand Martin colony continue to thrive around the brook on Hawthornthwaite. With thanks to Howard Stockdale who reported 30 Sand Martin to me recently, I have doubts about the success of any at the bank on Cam Brook. Despite the notice 'Sand Martins breeding here' a family with two car loads of ten were enjoying their picnic at the site, including paddling in the stream, whilst the adults enjoyed the delights of throwing stones into the brook below the bank....Nice!!  

Local News.

In Lancaster Cemetery, a Bullfinch pair seen on Monday 1 May. This is the first breeding season record for the little black book here. Also as last year, the breeding Nuthatch found in the cemetery Cypress again, must keep tabs on these two records, in particular the Bullfinch.

I don't feel at liberty for too much detail, but the Avocet on Conder Pool have lift off for the breeding season, with chicks having put in a appearance. The Common Tern are looking determined for their ninth year, with a pair having taken a liking to the new raft, and one colour ringed bird returning to the pool for its third year.

The issue around the eradication of the Hen Harrier aside. For an insight to the kind of cruelty inflicted on our wildlife, I would urge you to....PLEASE READ THIS 

Fill Your Boots!

Rigg Lane - Littledale Road - Birk Bank - Rigg Lane.

A good day for a wander on the circuit. I was looking forward to the visit, and would have been even more so had I have know what was in store.

In little more than one hour, and having walked just 1.5 miles I clocked up 6 Garden Warbler, four being along Rigg Lane, the other two either side of the track by Cragg Wood and Cragg Cottage. When I arrived back at the car park on Rigg Lane, one was singing in sixth gear as I enjoyed a butty and a cuppa. Well, what more could a birder wish for, lunch and serenaded by a Garden Warbler....Don't look for it in the video, 'cos it ain't in there.

A Blackbird with two young on Littledale Road was excellent, 3 Stonechat were along the track towards Ottergear Bridge, seen as a pair and a female seen after crossing the bridge. A Cuckoo, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler all heard, and a Song Thrush in the car park.

Butterflies seen were only just into double figures, the best of which was 3 Green Hairstreak, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Green-veined White, Large White and Orange Tip.

Oak Eggar Caterpillar. Pete Woodruff. 

The Oak Egger caterpillar found, will hopefully become one of our largest and fastest-flying moths....but not if the Cuckoo finds it first. 

Bees noted, Red-tailed Bumblebee, White-tailed Bumblebee, and a Common Carder-Bee. From the path towards the bog, 3 Large Red Damselfly appeared to be freshly emerged, and were my first of the year.

Conder Pool.

Uncounted, but probably a double figure number of Avocet with some sitting. I saw just one Common Tern and Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover sitting, 2 Greenshank, best bird was a 1st summer Little Gull in and patrolling the creeks.

Cockersand.

I reckon the Lapwing are having the best breeding season ever at Cockersand, with no farming activity seen for several weeks to my knowledge, and not a tractor in sight. With little effort on my part, in just a couple of fields I saw at least 20 chicks and probably missed seeing double that figure. Pick of the rest was, 6 Wheatear, 3 Sedge Warbler, and a pair of Reed Bunting.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the header image of the brilliant Little Gull.

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I appreciate being given the news of a male Ring Ouzel seen in Bowland yesterday, also 3 Stonechat and a 'few' Green Hairstreak. Another piece of info I found on the Butterfly Conservation Lancashire Branch Sightings, was of 5 Dingy Skipper on the top of Birk Bank on Tuesday 2 May....Interesting!