Bowland....Negatives And Positives.

Negatives.

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

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

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

Positives.

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

Spotted Flycatcher. Pete Woodruff.

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

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

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

Butterflies.

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

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

Garden Interest.

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

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

Light Brown Apple Moth. Pete Woodruff.

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

From The Archives.

Wall Brown. Pete Woodruff.

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

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

Pleasing Rewards Around The Local!

The best counts I came up with on Conder Pool Thursday was 10 Common Tern, but the peak count here to date has been fifteen. My best count was of 13 Avocet, but I suspect there may be double that number and the breeding stats are encouraging.

Also present 3 Greenshank and 3 Little Ringed Plover, though two pairs are reported breeding, with one pair having already suffered a first brood lost. In the creeks, 42 Black-tailed Godwit seen.

The Cockersand wander was a pleasant and rewarding experience.  

As I set off, no sooner had I passed Bank Houses, a Sedge Warbler was in full song hidden in the hedgerow, a second Sedge Warbler was at Slack Lane, 4 Stock Dove were in a field with up to 70 Carrion Crow and a Buzzard over. 

At the junction of Moss/Slack Lane, I saw a passerine fly out of the field to the vegetation along the ditch, it was soon followed by a second bird to be revealed as a male and female Whinchat. I was reminded of a good year in 2022, when I had records of three Whinchat sightings, two at Cockersand on 26 April and 3 May, and a male at Harrisend on 29 April.

As I arrived at Lighthouse Cottage, 3 Whimbrel were on the shore opposite Crook Cottage, and a pair of Eider were drifting on the tide. At Plover Scar, 2 Sandwich Tern were lingering around the lighthouse, occasionally plunge diving and completely submerged for several seconds.

On Plover Scar at high tide, 220 Dunlin, 15 Oystercatcher, and 4 Ringed Plover. As I approached the abbey, a Wheatear was on the kissing-gate. In the 30 minutes along the coastal path between Lighthouse Cottage and Cockersand CP, I must have seen up to 40 Large White butterflies, with 2 Peacock and Orange Tip.

Picture Gallery.

I'm in receipt of two excellent action photographs from regular visitors to B2B which warrant publicity.

Common Tern. Howard Stockdale.

Howard activated the shutter with split timing to achieve the terns in conflict about who can claim the best corner on which to perch on the raft on Conder Pool.

Mallard vs Avocet. Martin Jump.

Martins image of the Avocet in an attack on the Mallard with ducklings, also needed precision to freeze the action between the wader and the duck.

Scalloped Hazel. Ian Mitchell.

Ian's image is of a variable moth species which can range from brown to almost black, it is fairly common throughout the British Isles.

Giant House Spider. Pete Woodruff.

And I discovered a Giant House Spider Eratigena atrica in the greenhouse.

Third Time Lucky!

With the good company of Steve Graham, I made my third circuit of the surrounding area of Birk Bank in three weeks, with the perspective two pairs of eyes are better than one.

At the top end of the numbers scale and with song in our ears throughout, at least 50 Willow Warbler was impressive, whilst at the bottom of the scale, 3 Meadow Pipit was to say the least unimpressive, but only added to my list of 18 Meadow Pipit seen in 5 visits to Bowland during the month of April.

Two Cuckoo were heard, one sounded to be around Baines Cragg, the other on the top of Birk Bank, an area where the Cuckoo is annual.  

Throughout the walk between Rigg Lane and Cragg Wood, Bullfinch heard in the car Park and the area around Rushy Lea, I've seen Bullfinch before at both these areas. Other birds seen/heard to reaching Cragg Wood, 6 Blackcap were singing males, a Chiffchaff, 3 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Robin, and Wren, a Buzzard overhead was the only raptor of the day.

At Cragg Wood, a Garden Warbler singing on territory - 100% volume needed to hear the bird in the video - was almost certainly the early bird I found here on 9 April. Also noted here, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch and Swallow.

Along the lower path below Birk Bank, just the one Red Grouse, and 3 Stonechat were seen as a pair and male, having my records to read, possibly 2 pairs of Stonechat breeding this year below Birk Bank, future visits might confirm that.

Butterflies.

A small number of uncounted Orange Tip and Small/Large White, 4 Specked Wood, 3 Green-veined White, 3 Green Hairstreak, and 2 Peacock.

Damselfly.

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Seven Large Red Damselfly were all seen on Bilberry from the path to the bog.

On leaving Birk Bank bog, the day ended with the scarce sighting of a Slow Worm as it disappeared in the undergrowth.

Thanks to Ian Mitchell for his excellent image of the Large Red Damselfly.

Birk Bank And Miscellany

Willow Warbler. Pete Woodruff.

A whizz around the Birk Bank area on Thursday produced another good number of 18 Willow Warbler, and the miserable count of a lone Meadow Pipit. Best of the rest, a Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff, with a male Stonechat, 3 Red Grouse and 3 Wren to note. 

Butterflies. 

A decent show of 10 Orange Tip including two seen as a pair with a couple of intruders trying to get in on the act

Also up to 30 Small/Large White seen, 6 Green Hairstreak, 2 Green-veined White and a Peacock, with a few White-tailed Bumblebee seen.

Mini-Beasts.

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

I can often come across the Green Tiger Beetle on the moors in Bowland, they lie in wait for an unsuspecting insect to come by and pounce on, and the little mobsters can fly too.

Pompilid. Pete Woodruff.

A member of the Pompilidae family, this is a formidable Spider-hunting Wasp.

Birk Bank Bog.

The Large Red Damselfly is always the first of the season and commonest species to be seen in our recording area, and should be found during the second half of April, but despite paying two visits to Birk Bank Bog today, one before my whizz-around and again after it, there wasn't a single Large Red Damselflies to be seen.

I took a series of photographs at the bog today, these two examples show this excellent location, which currently doesn't appear to be the best place for dragonflies in my opinion.

 

Although there is plenty of acidic water along the left hand side of the bog, and maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but worth noting, this is home to a scarce dragonfly, that of the Keeled Skimmer, first found here 10 years ago in August 2015 by Steve Graham, and seen here by myself every year since. It is also the site where I had sightings of 7 Golden-ringed Dragonfly on four dates last year, including a female observed ovipositing.....Only time will tell if any of this will happen again this year.

The Header.

Howard Stockdale has previously submitted to me, three of the same Spotted Redshank taken since 1 April. Paul Ellis took one 3 days ago on 24 April, it shows a near full moult into breeding plumage which will have been completed over 4 weeks.....Amazing stuff.

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the excellent Spotted Redshank header image. 

Wilfred The Cuckoo.

Wilfred has arrived back in the UK. He is the first of the tagged Cuckoos to have done so, he is back on his breeding grounds within the Broads National Park near Worlingham Marshes where he was tagged in early June last year, clearly highlighting just how site-faithful these Cuckoos really are.

Welcome back Wilfred, I think you are one amazing bird!

Edit.

FIVE SWIFT OVER FAIRFIELD WEST OF LANCASTER CITY CENTRE THIS EVENING 8.56PM.

CUCKOO BIRK BANK 20 APRIL.

Stamp Collecting!

Little Ringed Plover at Conder Green, and Wheatear at Cockersand saved a pretty dull birding day yesterday, and being we're closing in on the merry month of May, more birds were missing than seen. Not a single warbler heard let alone seen, save 2 Swallow, not another hirundine. At Conder Green, no Common Tern, no Common Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, and no Greenshank. 

Ahhhh well, it all brings into play my motto....Not what you will see, but rather what you might, the element of surprise never fails to delight....No surprises today. 

On Conder Pool it was good to make contact with 4 Little Ringed Plover seen as 2 pairs, and good to see at least 20 Avocet, with a good count of nests according to info from the excellent management and monitoring work by the Howard and Ian duo....Sounded to me like Avocet breeding records on Conder Pool were hopefully being made.

At Cockersand, though it was pleasant to hear the Skylark in flight song heralding the summer, the circuit turned out to be the road to nowhere....

Shelduck. Pete Woodruff.

....but 28 Shelduck were settled in the field, and up to 60 Carrion Crow were in a adjacent field, and hey'up, things are looking up, 'cos there are 4 Wheatear on the marsh in front of Lighthouse Cottage. As I left Cockersand, a lone Swallow was around Bank House, and another lone Swallow was on wires at Gardners Farm on Moss Lane.

I'm considering taking up stamp collecting!

Terns and Gulls.

A Common Tern was reported to have been on Conder Pool 14 April and not subsequentially seen again, but Howard Stockdale informs me, a Common Tern was present 6 days later on 20 April and is featured in my header. Howard also tells of a pair of Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool, one of which was marked and was observed mating giving evidence of a male.

The history of this gull is confidential, and I have no permit to publish too many details on B2B, but I do know that it was ringed in the Netherlands as a chick, the bird is 10 years old and has been sighted only 7 times in the 10 years, 4 x in Lancashire, once in Cumbria, and has visited Ireland x 2.

Moths & Waders.

A couple of birder/photographers who keep in touch with me and B2B, have had some remarkably good fortune with moth and wader encounters recently which demand to be featured here.

Ian Mitchell.

Ian has been in Bowland multiple times recently, and has had some amazing encounters, not least of which he has seen multiple Emperor Moths on a visit to the moors....

Emperor Moth Female. Ian Mitchell.

....and came across a female which was soon accompanied by several males....

 

 

....and had the double bonus of observing mating and achieved some excellent video footage....I personally turned a sickly green with envy at this news and the brilliant video.

Ian also attended the recent meeting for monitoring moths at Potts Corner, the result of which was a count of up to 50 Belted Beauty. 

Belted Beauty Male. Ian Mitchell.

Seen as one of the rarest moths in the UK, it was only first discovered on the coast north of Sunderland Point 50 years ago in 1975.

Belted Beauty Female. Steve Palmer.

The Belted Beauty is noted for its ability to survive against all the odds on the open saltmarsh, the male rarely flies, the female is wingless, and is often referred to as looking like a large hairy Wood-louse. I'm grateful to Steve palmer who was in touch to give me permission to publish his image of the female Belted Beauty.

Martin Jump.

Martin has been staking out on the coast at dawn for several days and has made some excellent discoveries and achieved some brilliant images.

Spoonbill In Flight. Martin Jump.

An excellent in flight shot of the Spoonbill at sunrise.

Spoonbill. Martin Jump.

And an even more excellent shot with perfect timing, and a Stickleback for breakfast, note the detail focusing on the eye of the fish.

Lapwing. Martin Jump.

Martins image of the Lapwing, like it's in the leading role of the Swan Lake Ballet. The pose of the bird, and the photography to capture it are classic.

Avocet. Martin Jump. 

Martin has also had some good fortune with the Avocets. This one was ringed as a chick on Conder Pool 2021 by Ian Hartley and shows the bird to have wandered across the English Channel for a winter break in France in November 2023....I'm grateful to Ian Hartley for securing the history for me.

Ring number	EW87052
Colour code	6L
ringed as chick	Conder Green, Lancs, UK. 53.993N 02.829W	18/06/2021	Ian Hartley
sighting	Morecambe Pool, Leighton Moss, Lancs, UK. 54.154N 02.805W	22/07/2021	Richard du Feu
sighting	Wolferton mudflats, near Wolferton, Norfolk, UK. 52.845N 00.439E	17/07/2022	Bernard Siddle and Carole Davis
photo	Frampton Marsh, Lincs, UK. 52.929N 00.020E	17/08/2022	Toby Carter
sighting	Frampton Marsh, Lincs, UK. 52.929N 00.020E	18/08/2022	Bernard Siddle and Carole Davis
photo	London Wetland Centre, Barnes, London, UK. 51.479N 00.231W	16/03/2023	ggwildlife via twitter
sighting	Conder Green, Lancs, UK. 53.993N 02.829W	09/04/2023	Howard Stockdale
sighting	Conder Green, Lancs, UK. 53.993N 02.829W	09/04/2023	Ian Hartley
sighting	Conder Green, Lancs, UK. 53.993N 02.829W	10/04/2023	Howard Stockdale
sighting	Réserve Naturelle des Marais de Séné, Séné, France. 47.616N 02.712W	20/11/2023	François Hémery
photo	Newton Marsh, Freckleton, Lancs, UK. 53.756N 02.828W	25/03/2025	Paul Ellis
Sighting	Conder Green, Lancs, UK. 53.993N 02.829W	28/03/2025	Ian Hartley
photo	Newton Marsh, Freckleton, Lancs, UK. 53.756N 02.828W	04/04/2025	Martin Jump per Pete Woodruff

Avocet. Martin Jump.

EY98060 N1  24/05/15 KCL Seal Sands, Teesmouth (SALINE), Stockton-on-Tees

W/B R/Y O 3  Sighted (R) 13/06/15 AS Seal Sands, Teesmouth (LONP), Stockton-on-Tees (20 days)

O 3 Sighted 25.07.15 Newbiggin, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (137km WSW 62 days)

O 3 Sighted  19.06.16 Hesketh Out Marsh, Ribble Estuary, Lancashire (149km SW, 392 days)

O 3 Sighted 01.06.17 Hesketh Out Marsh, Ribble Estuary, Lancashire (149km SW, 739 days)

O 3 Sighted 27.03.19 Hesketh Out Marsh, Ribble Estuary, Lancashire

O 3 Sighted 22.04.19 Newton Marsh, Lancashire

O 3 Sighted? Newton Marsh, Lancashire

O 3 Sighted 22.08.23 Colne River, Essex

O 3 Sighted 17.02.24 Colne River, Essex

O 3 Sighted 24.04.24 Newton Marsh, Lancashire

Sighted 27.08.24 Killingholme Haven, Lincs

Sighted 11.09.24 Killingholme Haven, Lincs

Sighted 25.03.25 Newton Marsh, Lancashire

Sighted 05.04.25 Newton Marsh, Lancashire

I'm grateful to Chris Brown for sending me the history of this bird, and for permitting me to publish on B2B.

Black-tailed Godwit.

The bird Martin found plays a leading role in the story to save the Black-tailed Godwit in the 21^st century.

Black-tailed Godwit 13 April. Martin Jump.

After an absence of more than a century, the limosa subspecies of Black-tailed Godwit returned to breed in England in the 1930s, reaching a peak of 65 breeding pairs on the Ouse Washes in the early 1970s. However, a series of spring floods saw numbers halved by the late 1980s, and now the majority of the population is found at the Nene Washes, where just 42 pairs were recorded in 2016.

The Header.

Howard Stockdale sent me three images of the Conder Green Spotted Redshank, they show the result of plumage transformation over 3 weeks since 1 April. This bird will have completed the moult into full breeding plumage before the week is out.

Early Garden Bird!

Four hours on a circuit of the Birk Bank area which had one or two nice surprises, not least of which was a Garden Warbler, the bird sang just once, but briefly obliged close by me in the tree. This is an early bird, the earliest Garden Warbler in Lancashire being 14 years ago on 6 April 2011, three days earlier than this bird on 9 April 2025.

I first went to check out the bog at Birk Bank in the hope perhaps the decent weather we've had the past two weeks, would have encouraged some early Large Red Damselflies out but hadn't.

Looking North Birk Bank Boardwalk. Pete Woodruff.

We will have to wait and see any results the new boardwalk will have had, but in a conversation with someone from the estate, I was encouraged by being told the welfare of the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary had played a major part in the project.

Stonechat Male. Pete Woodruff.

I counted at least 22 Willow Warbler on the circuit today, 2 Buzzard were over the bog soaring together, and 3 Greylag flew north over here. I soon came across 3 Stonechat, seen as a pair and lone male singing atop a distant tree.

More totals were, 4 Robin, with some coming in two's, 2 Red Grouse, 2 Wren, 2 Blackbird, and 2 Chaffinch, a Pied Wagtail, Nuthatch, Chiffchaff, and my first Swallow was overhead.

Meadow Pipit. Pete Woodruff.

A Meadow Pipit seen was surprisingly the only one.

Bee-fly. Pete Woodruff.

Insects seen were 2 Bee-fly, and my first of the year Red-tailed Bumblebee, also at least one Buff-tailed Bumblebee and White-tailed Bumblebee. Butterflies seen....4 Peacock, 3 Small White, 2 Large White, and a Green-veined White.

Coal Tit. Pete Woodruff.

With Pied Flycatchers reported at 4/5 locations in Cumbria, I had a look in at the Tower Lodge area to see if the Pied Flycatchers had arrived there with no success, but I did find a pair of Coal Tit checking out a nest box....Well there's a surprise, I had no idea the Coal Tit ever took to the nest box?

At Hawthornthwaite, 3 Wheatear and 4 Stonechat seen, it's my belief that there are possibly 3 pairs of Stonechat currently on territory here. 

In Cumbria, hatchlings in the nest yesterday 12 April, first egg date estimated at 24 March....John Callion

Ring Ouzel. Ian Mitchell.

Also in Bowland this week, I found a pretty smart male Mountain Blackbird. 

And Finally...

It was good to see a few butterflies around Birk Bank this week, and 3 Speckled Wood in the garden.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for allowing his excellent SEO in Bowland to be my header image.  

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!