I'm a bit late with this one but if you've not seen this news yet I thought you may like to read about the 'very nice' Mr Jeffrey Lendrum via the link below. Personally I think a year for every ten thousand pound he was going to make from this exercise would have been far more appropriate, and the Peregrine Falcon and many other species of wildlife would have become much safer with this mans 'change of address' for a few years. The Egg Man
This year looks set to become one of the worst ones with regard to our butterflies and it will be interesting to see the Annual Report in due course.
Painted Lady.
I've only found three Painted Lady butterflies this summer so far, two at Cockersands on 7 June, and one in the churchyard at Christ Church, Abbeystead. I've also and only seen one other report on the LDBWS website.
Gatekeeper.
I've only found one Gatekeeper at Fluke Hall on 10 August, and my first Small Copper on Hawthornthwaite Fell yesterday 19 August.
Small Tortoiseshell.
And not had all that many sightings of the Small Tortoiseshell....All the pics are credited to yours truly none of which is a photograph of this years butterflies.
An amazing record of at least 73 Little Egrets was achieved at Leighton Moss on the evening of 17 August, this number topples the previous record of 63 which didn't occur until October in 2009. I've long claimed something in excess of 100 Little Egrets along the coastline from Knott End to Leighton Moss, Grange-over-Sands. I reckon today the number is probably more like 200 birds.
An amazing record of at least 73 Little Egrets was achieved at Leighton Moss on the evening of 17 August, this number topples the previous record of 63 which didn't occur until October in 2009. I've long claimed something in excess of 100 Little Egrets along the coastline from Knott End to Leighton Moss, Grange-over-Sands. I reckon today the number is probably more like 200 birds.
A Mixed ear for butterflies Pete, as here on my patch I had an exceptional year for them.
ReplyDeleteNot certain about the Little Egrets, Pete. Do you know of another roost besides Ashton Hall & Leighton? I would go for 100-120ish on the basis of known roost sites
ReplyDeleteRegards
Pete
PS easiest to post via anonymous for some reason
Two interesting contributions here.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the 'exceptional year' info in your neck of the woods Warren. I've not seen any negative comments re the butterfly situation up here in our area, but based on my own experiences....drastic is one word which comes to mind.
Not keen on putting a name to the roost of the Pilling Marsh - and area - birds on here Pete though pretty obvious, but if I'm wrong about the 'obvious' they roost at Ashton Hall then do they?
Sorry Pete - I cant follow the last paragraph does this mean you dont want a roost named or dont know where they roost? If the former,do you mean Preesall Pits or a site nearer Pilling (they used to roost Fluke Hall but unless I'm wrong, I dont think they do now). Best to watch them in the evening - the known roosts in the north have very big catchment areas and I think the Bank End area ones, at least, roost at Ashton Hall. Time to pay a visit to the Ashton Hall roost, I guess - I covered it once a month last winter period. There is a comprehensive report on them, written by John Wilson, in the forthcoming LDBWS report which I've seen in my role as printer liason/final stage editor. However, the situation in the Pilling area was deemed uncertain.
ReplyDeleteProbably being a little too cautious about the Pilling Marsh area LE roost Pete which you 'think' is no longer the case at Fluke Hall, in which case....where do the 'good' numbers down the coast from Bank End roost?
ReplyDeleteI'd love to establish how accurate my 200 estimate.
Getting into a morass of incomprehension/misunderstanding here Pete. I'll forward you John's article in advance of the LDBWS report next month (which it is in)
ReplyDelete