A Bowland Plod.

Another brilliant day on Thursday had me in Bowland to give Marshaw - Tower Lodge a decent four hours of plodding with a purpose and 25 species noted.

Soon out of the motor I found at least 6 Redpoll through the gate to the Hawthornthwaite track, also 2 Common Sandpiper on the Marshaw Wyre and a Wheatear in the area. On the way to Tower Lodge, 3 Grey Wagtail, 3 Mistle Thrush, a Goldcrest, and Nuthatch. 

Pied Flycatcher Martin Jump

Eight Willow Warbler included some seen in the Tower Lodge area where I found 3 Pied Flycatcher seen as two male and a female, I reckon almost certainly two pairs here this year. A Peacock was the only butterfly seen, and my visits negative was no Dipper seen on the Marshaw Wyre.    

A walk half way up the west side of Hawthornthwaite gave me just one female Stonechat, but interestingly at least 16 Sand Martin appear to be showing an interest as a small colony here this year. Also of note, 7 Meadow Pipit, 3 Red Grouse, and 2 Wren, a Kestrel was the only raptor I saw all day.

Comma Warren Baker  

A brief visit on the way back to Lancaster to Stoops Bridge at Abbeystead, gave me a singing male Blackcap, a Nuthatch, Song Thrush, and a Comma butterfly.

THE YANKY DANDY!

Pied-billed Grebe. Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery

A Pied-billed Grebe was found from the Lower Hide at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve at Silverdale in Lancashire yesterday afternoon and was last reported still showing in the evening at 8.30pm. This is an excellent record to follow the one found at Dockacres Gravel Pit 18 years ago in May 1997, this bird stayed 16 days....I remember it well.   

Thanks to Martin Jump and Warren Baker for the photography, also to Martin Lofgren for the MEGA and header images, excellent and much appreciated.