A Change Of Fieldcraft Perhaps.

Ruff. Jan Larsson @ Vingspann 

Yesterday started quite good actually, a Ruff was good enough for me in the creeks at Conder Green, and 13 Little Grebe on Conder Pool were an increase of three on the last count in my book. On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, up to 560 Golden Plover were my best count so far this winter, and 10 Little Egret noted.

OK....I wasn't at Cockersands - or Glasson Dock for that matter - at the best time of the day for coastal birding - a change of fieldcraft is overdue - the 10.40m tide was at it's height at 12.45pm, but an hour prior to and at the high tide Plover Scar was completely deserted and that's definitely not good. Along the headland I found 4 Wheatear, and a solitary Meadow Pipit, 10 Tree Sparrow were around Abbey Farm, c.60 Golden Plover went over SW, and the Kestrel seen. A Buzzard soared overhead before landing in a stubble field, I often see this/a Buzzard in the Cockersands/Thurnham area, I have no idea were it/they reside, or maybe even breed somewhere around here.

Butterflies.

I did no strict counting, but saw at least 30 Red Admiral, equally as many Small Tortoiseshell, a Painted Lady, and up to 60 Silver Y moths, all at Cockersands.

Raven. Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery 

Yesterday a lone Raven was soaring over Bowerham in Lancaster.

Thanks to Jan/Martin for their much appreciated and excellent photographs.

Another Sunday, Another Twitch.

Following on from the Wryneck twitch at Lytham St Annes on Sunday 13 September, KT and I decided on another twitch and paid a visit to Heysham where we had excellent views of the moulting adult White-winged Black Tern. The bird was watched patrolling the Stage 2 outfall with other gulls where it used endless amounts of energy for in excess of 45 minutes on the lookout and constant dipping for food.....The bird is still at Heysham again today.

Adult Little Gull. Martin Lofgren @ Wild Bird Gallery  

Walking along the seawall, the staying adult Little Gull gave us a flyby towards Red Nab where it went down to join 9 Mediterranean Gull, seen as five adult, and four 2nd winter birds. Out into the bay, a small skein of 35 Pink-footed Geese flew west and low over the sea.

A most enjoyable and rewarding couple of hours birding on a brilliant Sunday afternoon, with thanks to Martin for the winter adult Little Gull image.

With luck I may be able to do some birding again tomorrow.

The Early Bird.

I was the early bird on Friday and at Conder Green by 7.30am - and that's early for me these days - to find the 10 Little Grebe still intact on Conder Pool with c.30 Black-headed Gull for company and little else of note. In the creeks, an adult Spotted Redshank and Greenshank, with a juvenile Ruff in the Conder channel downstream from the iron bridge.

Migrant Hawker Marc Heath 

Three dragonflies were on the Conder upstream from the A588 road bridge, but too far off for any chance of ID, but a male Migrant Hawker was on the coastal path, it settled but my chances of a pic were thwarted by a man who passed me and put the dragonfly to flight just as I was about to press the shutter....Shuks! 

By the time I got to the Lune Estuary the tide had pushed most of the waders to the south side giving me an opportunity to note at least 350 Redshank with just a few Dunlin in view from the bowling green, 2 Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank were on the tideline, but best at mid-distance were 2 Little Stint both juveniles. Eight Little Egret were together, and up to 200 Goldfinch were flighty over the marsh, nothing unusual for the time of year and location for this regular occurrence, but a spectacle all the same. I also had two sightings of Sparrowhawk here.

Little Egret with Oystercatchers. Pete Woodruff.

This was one of 2 Little Egret on Plover Scar at Cockersands at near high tide which was otherwise quiet again for species if not for the count of c.175 Oystercatcher, 70 Redshank, and 8 Turnstone. A 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull showing good strong black wing-tip markings was off the lighthouse cottage, and at least 40 Skylark seen, with a Wheatear by the abbey ruins. A lone Swallow flying south was the only one seen in 8 hours birding today. Off Moss Lane I estimated 180 Curlew in a field by Gardners Farm.    

Sparrowhawk. Pete Woodruff.

I got closer to this Sparrowhawk at Cockersands than any other I've ever seen, I was able to stalk the bird to within a few metres and managed a few shots, the best of which just about shows a half decent result.

White-winged Black Tern. 

White-winged Black Tern Colin Davies  

At 8.52am yesterday morning, I was grateful for a text message telling me of a moulting adult White-winged Black Tern at Heysham, the last I heard was that the bird was still present at 5.30pm. 

Thanks to Marc Heath for the Migrant Hawker, much appreciated. I'm also grateful to Colin Davies for giving me permission to copy his images of the Heysham White-winged Black Tern.

The YBW's Are Coming.

Yellow-browed Warbler. Stuart Piner.

According to the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory website NRBO.Co.UK I just looked at, the peak count of Yellow-browed Warbler (YBW) there this week has been in excess of thirty birds, so perhaps a YBW could well be on it's way to a bush on the coast near you anytime soon. In 1985 there was an amazing influx of the YBW into this country with in excess of 600 known individuals. I did a snoop around for one on Tuesday....But after all these years, I'm afraid I've still to find my first. 

The YBW has a huge breeding range across Siberia where it is one of the commonest birds, it is also the commonest Siberian vagrant to Western Europe, it winters in Nepal, southern China, and Southeast Asia, though birds have been found in winter in small numbers in the UK, some of which have been known to survive until the following spring. Reports of YBW's have been made at coastal sites in spring, presumably individuals that have overwintered elsewhere in SW Europe or further afield. Some suggestions are, that a new migration pattern might evolve, if some of the birds that winter in SW Europe return to breeding grounds in W Asia a population of westwards-migrating birds could arise.

But what happens when the YBW leaves Britain is a complete mystery and the truth is, until it is established that an unknown wintering area has been discovered, it seems likely that the vast majority of YBW's which turn up in Britain each year in autumn, leave to continue their migration south-westwards, only to perish in the Atlantic Ocean. 

The first record of YBW in Britain was in Northumberland 1838, the bird was initially thought to be a Pallas's Warbler and it wasn't until 25 years later that the mistake was corrected in 1863.

Thanks to SP for the image of an excellent record of the Yellow-browed Warbler he found at Cockersands 2 October 2013.  

I'd sooner be birding!....and in the next thirty minutes I'm hoping to be doing just that.

And a good time was had by all!

I hadn't seen the bird at Conder Green on my last two visits here, but the Common Sandpiper was on Conder Pool again yesterday, almost certainly the bird set to winter here again this year, though at the end of September 2014 two birds were still here. I also made the count of 10 Little Grebe, they were on the pool in this number on the same date last year and had been so since the first day of the month. 

Spotted Redshank with Redshank. Howard Stockdale.

An adult Spotted Redshank was with 2 Greenshank in the creeks, and a traditional wander round the circuit had a Grey Wagtail below the A588 road bridge, with a Whitethroat, c.40 Goldfinch, a Robin and Blue Tit along the way. The scarcest bird in my book and good to see here today was the Song Thrush, one species of 52 on the Red List and in serious decline.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, 2 Ruff, a Greenshank and a solitary Black-tailed Godwit were the notable waders, with c.60 Wigeon seen. With the exception of several hundred Lapwing, the numbers of Redshank, Dunlin, and Golden Plover were remarkably low and probably not much above 200 in total.

Whitethroat. Howard Stockdale.

A snoop around some farmland hedges at Cockersands produced no more than a Whitethroat and a Robin. The walk along the headland was pleasant, though the brisk cool north west breeze took the edge off it, but turned up 3 Wheatear, a flock of c.60 Linnet held 2 Tree Sparrow, and the local female Kestrel was again around the lighthouse cottage area when I arrived here, and still in the same area 2 hours later when I left....And a good time was had by all!

Garden Wildlife. 

Red Admiral butterflies have been visiting our garden over the past couple of weeks, also the Speckled Wood on ocassions. 

Thanks to Howard for the excellent images in this post, they are much appreciated.

Green's At Conder Green....

....and other colours around the Lune Estuary.

The first two birds I saw at Conder Green on Friday were a Green Sandpiper - which was still there Saturday - and a Greenshank both in the creeks. Another decent record was of 9 Little Grebe on Conder Pool, on the increase and just short of the magic ten, a Reed Bunting, c.25 Goldfinch, and House Martins still around the Cafe d' Lune were my notes for the circuit.

Ruff With Redshank. Conder Green. Pete Woodruff.

I made a return visit to Conder Green on my way back to Lancaster to find a Ruff and an adult Spotted Redshank both in the creeks and another return visit paid off.

Waders estimated and to note on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, at least 2,000 Lapwing, 350 Redshank, 150 Golden Plover, with 5 Ringed Plover being the most notable, also 12 Little Egret. 

Wheatear. Ana Minguez @ NATURANAFOTOS

Plover Scar produced just 17 waders at high tide, 12 Dunlin, 4 Redshank, and a solitary Knot. Along the headland 7 Wheatear, four of which were around the abbey ruins, 12 Greenfinch were around Slack Lane, and the Kestrel again, a Painted Lady seen just as I was about to leave.

The Victoria Inn. 

The Victoria Inn. Glasson Dock. Pete Woodruff.

I was quite shocked to hear The Victoria Inn at Glasson Dock is to close it's doors for good this weekend according to a man on the front line who I spoke to who knows about these things. A nice place for a drink and a good meal, but obviously not enough customers. This follows on from the closing of the The Caribou - which is on the far left of this photograph - a few years ago....All very sad I reckon. 

Thanks to Dan Haywood for the header image of the Whinchat he found recently, and to Ana for the Wheatear....Excellent and much appreciated. 

Nice One!

Sanderling. David Cookson @ D C Images 

When I arrived at Plover Scar yesterday the number of waders present at high tide stood at a paltry eight birds, being 6 Dunlin and 2 Turnstone, but just five minutes later the number had risen to sixteen when 8 Sanderling flew in as a nice mid-September record for me and for Cockersands.

  

Wheatear. Pete Woodruff.

Other notes at Cockersands, up to 170 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 45 Herring Gull, and 18 Black-headed Gull were off the scar, 3 Wheatear on the headland, 6 Tree Sparrow around Bank Houses, and the local Kestrel seen again. 

Little Stint. Jan Larsson @ Vingspann 

Thanks to Fylde birder AC and his reliable and recently regular text messages to me, I eventually had decent if distant views of the juvenile Little Stint off Bank End Farm, and a Sparrowhawk which had taken out a Starling came to land close by to proceed with it's meal. On the wander back from here I saw c.60 Linnet. 

Little of any significance on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, but a Spotted Redshank with Redshank was hoovering up along the tide-line, c.65 Wigeon and a Great-crested Grebe noted, and a Peregrine Falcon was surveying the landscape on Colloway Marsh.

A Conder Green where I started the day at near high tide, a Spotted Redshank and Greenshank seen, with 8 Little Grebe and a Great-crested Grebe of note on Conder Pool. I saw 3 House Martin around Cafe d' Lune still, but had no evidence of any approach towards any nests, and at least 50 Goldfinch were flighty over the marsh.

Thanks to DC/JL for their excellent photographs. 

Waiting For Godot!

If it's supposed to be the migration season I've not found much of it yet and I'm still waiting, even the Spotted Redshank escaped me yesterday.

Common Sandpiper. Phillip Tomkinson @ Wildsnaps  

But Conder Green had a little buzz about it, and it was good to see 3 Greenshank in the creeks, with a Common Sandpiper having me beginning to think this is the bird going to winter here. Conder Pool had last Fridays 8 Little Grebe seen again, with the Kingfisher obliging and taking a dive to catch a decent sized small fry to give it a bashing on a stone before swallowing it. A Great-crested Grebe has made a return visit to the pool, the lone drake Wigeon noted, and several Swallows were feeding and taking on water with their amazing in flight scoop. 

Two Great-crested Grebe were on the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, seen as something of a mega count here in my book, 10 Little Egret counted as were 40 Wigeon. Estimated waders in view from the bowling green, 230 Dunlin and 150 Redshank. 

Kestrel. Pete Woodruff.

OK, so I know I'm not going to do any bush bashing for migrants if I cling to the coast from Crook Farm to Bank End, but that's what I did and this Kestrel was at the Lighthouse Cottage on my outward journey, and was still around on my return four hours later, 6 Greenfinch were on telephone wires here too.

Plover Scar at high tide held the grand total of 11 waders, clearly showing how hit and miss for numbers/species these locations really are, but a Common Sandpiper was a nice and by no means common sight on here, also a solitary Knot, 3 Dunlin, and 6 Turnstone made up the eleven, a Red-breasted Merganser had the sea to itself off the scar.

Four Wheatear were along the headland, with a Wren seen en-route to Bank End where I saw c.60 Linnet, and at least 40 Pied Wagtail two of which were obviously White Wagtail. Roosting waders included, 150 Redshank, 6 Knot, and 3 Dunlin.

Butterflies noted, 8 Red Admiral and at least 30 Small Tortoiseshell, with a few Silver Y moth seen.

Let's twitch again!

Wryneck. Antonio Puigg @ Pasión por las aves 

I was quite pleased when KT agreed we should take a trip to Lytham on Sunday to see the Wryneck. We had brief views at 2.30pm when we then went into town for a bite to eat, to return and eventually have excellent prolonged views of the bird again at 5.10pm.

Thanks to Phillip and Antonio for the images....Excellent.

....And The Butterflies Came Too.

By the time I got out to Conder Green on Friday the tide was high at 11.15am, and so I left the area under water until later in the day when the tide had fallen.

Whinchat. Warren Baker @ Pittswoodpatch

I went on to Cockersands where it was excellent that I found a Whinchat on a fence post south of the abbey as I walked along the headland where I found 5 Wheatear, c.55 Linnet, a few Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit, up to 50 Wigeon were off Plover Scar. At and around Bank Houses, at least 60 Tree Sparrow, 3 Great Tit, Goldfinch and a Wren seen, a male Sparrowhawk moved everything in sight here, 15 Greenfinch were along Slack Lane.  

On Jeremy Lane en-route for Conder Green, 3 Snipe went over flying inland, and at Conder Green an adult Spotted Redshank was seen as a different bird than the adult I saw here last Monday, also a Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, and 3 Little Egret all in the creeks. On Conder Pool, 8 Little Grebe sees the species on the increase, with a Kingfisher perched quietly on a stone just in view behind 'Tern Island'.

Butterflies.  

Red Admiral. Pete Woodruff.

All my butterflies were at Cockersands, with at least 15 Red Admiral seen, 14 Small Tortoiseshell were counted on thistles in Bank Houses horse paddock with at least as many again seen elsewhere, 2 Painted Lady, and a Green-veined White. I noted 24 Silver Y moth seen with many more no doubt missed. 

Butterflies in our garden recently have been a Red Admiral  - photograph above - and 3 Painted Lady.

The Wall Brown.

Wall Brown. Pete Woodruff.

One butterfly I've not seen this year yet is the Wall Brown, which gets its name from the characteristic behaviour of resting with wings open on any bare surface, like this one I found appropriately on a wall at Cockersands one day some time ago.

This species was once found throughout England, Wales, Ireland and parts of Scotland. Today is a very different picture, with the species suffering severe declines over recent decades. It is now confined to primarily-coastal regions but has been lost from many sites in the UK, and time is running out for me to find one in 2015.

Thanks to Warren for the Whinchat, and to Paul for the header Wryneck, found earlier in the week at Lytham St Annes and still there yesterday.

Over The Hill!

On the perfect day another overdue visit, this time on Clougha Pike and Birk Bank where my last one was 15 June.

Clougha Pike. Pete Woodruff.

I left the motor in Rigg Lane car Park on Tuesday at 10.30am, and returned at 4.30pm having logged 16 species, which I suppose is no more than could be expected at an upland location like Clougha in September, though I was disappointed in not seeing a single raptor, especially the Buzzard and the kestrel.

An estimated 45 Goldfinch flew off and over Rigg Lane car park, five hours later I saw another similar number of Goldfinch on thistles up to a mile away from the first sighting....the same I wondered. Long hard searching had me find just one pair of Stonechat, interestingly these were in an area I never saw the species before despite in excess of 15 years up here. I was distracted from watching these two for any length of time to see if any young were around, by a bird flying to a wall to find to my pleasure it was a stunning male Whinchat.

Whinchat Brian Rafferty 

Six Red Grouse was a disappointing low count, and I kept seeing small waves of Swallow and House Martin over. The other 10 species as they went into the note book, none of which reached a double figure number....

Chaffinch

Robin

Wren

Long-tailed Tit

Great Tit 

Coal Tit

Greylag

Pheasant

Meadow Pipit

Carrion Crow

Butterflies.

I saw 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Peacock, 3 Large White, and just one Small Copper. 

   

Common Darter. Birk Bank 8 Sept. Pete Woodruff.

This mature male Common Darter landed on the footpath close to Birk Bank bog, and was the only dragonfly I saw all day, it is an abundant species and may be one of the last on the wing in the UK, it can be found well into November and even December on occasions.

Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Amazing isn't it....Despite the otherwise low level of quality and quantity today, a pair of Stonechat and a male Whinchat guaranteed me the satisfaction I get from birding. But on this occasion I was hoping for some surprises with the Stonechats on Clougha, but the bird has still not returned to this former stronghold despite the five years since the harsh winter of 2009/10. With a pair and two young seen on my last visit on 15 June, just this one pair have bred on Clougha in 2015, and Birk Bank remains deserted.

The Bus That Never Came....

....I waited for ages then two came at once. 

Spotted Redshank Arkive 

Yesterday I finally found the Spotted Redshank at Conder Green, actually there was two, a juvenile was downstream from the railway bridge, and an adult in the creeks....well worth the wait. Also in the creeks 3 Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and Snipe. On Conder Pool, 5 Little Grebe, the resident drake Wigeon, Swallows feeding with some scooping up water, and a single House Martin. A Robin in song, and a Wren were by the viewing platform.

The Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock had little to inspire, but up to 180 Golden Plover, c.25 Wigeon, and 18 Little Egret noted. On Jeremy Lane, 12 Goldfinch, a Peacock and a 'few' Small Tortoiseshell. 

Wheatear. Ana Minguez @ Naturanafotos

At Cockersands, 3 Wheatear, 10 Tree Sparrow, 9 Greenfinch, and 2 Meadow Pipit. I counted 12 Small Tortoiseshell in view on thistles in Bank Houses horse paddock. 

In the fourteen hours I had the pager switched on, I think the RBA service said it all in relation to reports for yesterday from the entire County of Lancashire, when the total number of messages amounted to just three for the whole day, this equated to the paucity of my bird sightings on the same day. 

Thanks to Roger Tidman and Ana Minguez for the images.

To The Hills.

With a visit to Harrisend well overdue - the last one on 23 June - I decided to get myself up there on Friday.

Stonechat. Howard Stockdale.

As it turned out a good decision, in three hours skirting the fell I found 8 Stonechat, they were seen as two pairs both with two young showing, possibly more young at both sightings given time observing them, but an excellent result. 

Also, of the other nine species seen, raptors were represented by 6 Buzzard and a lone Kestrel, game birds, 11 Red Grouse, and the others, 7 Meadow Pipit, 2 Dunnock, 2 Wren, a Robin, Blue Tit, and a lone Swallow over.

Butterflies on Harrisend, a Painted Lady, 7 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Peacock, and 2 Small Copper. 

Heather On Hawthornthwaite. Pete Woodruff.

The Heather was looking good on the fells too...'clik the pik' it looks even better. 

On Hawthornthwaite I found a pair of Stonechat with one young seen, and although I spent just one hour here I saw 7 Red Grouse, 2 Meadow Pipit, and a hovering Kestrel. As I approached Marshaw c.40 Goldfinch exploded off the thistles.

Although I've made only two visits to Harrisend and Hawthornthwaite Fells during the breeding season this year, I'm confident that only two pairs have bred on Harrisend, and one pair on Hawthornthwaite in the areas covered in 2015. Next year I must get back into the routine of regular coverage of the fells to survey the Stonechats which I've neglected since they disappeared during the severe winter weather of 2009-10 which took it's toll on these upland birds, and in the case of Clougha/Birk Bank have to date made little or no significant return.

Thanks to Richard for the header image of Black-throated Divers, and to Howard for yet another excellent shot of the Stonechat gem.

Thursday's Birds.

Apologies for yet another title lacking originality.

Grass Cutting. Pete Woodruff.

Members of the FDL - Farmers Defence League -  can relax, the pic isn't there to criticise what the farmer's up to, but to illustrate the grass cutting at Cockersands on Thursday which attracted at least 300 Swallows over the field feeding on the insect bonanza.

Whimbrel. Pete Woodruff.

The Whimbrel - in the poor quality pic above - and 3 Brown Hare were in the same grass cut field when I returned there later in the afternoon. 

I watched a Wheatear flying a foot above the water, the bird appeared to be heading west out to sea towards Pilling. Later 16 Canada Geese came in off the sea and flew inland, and a Great Crested Grebe was off Plover Scar which was disappointingly completely void of birds at high tide.

Merlin/Kestrel. Stuart Piner.

Earlier the same day at Cockersands, SP had excellent views of a Merlin and Kestrel in ariel conflict and took full advantage of the situation with the camera to achieve some excellent results.

On Jeremy Lane, 12 Goldfinch and 4 Small Tortoiseshell, and at Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary, a Mediterranean Gull was with c.250 mainly Black-headed Gull, 13 Little Egret counted, c.250 Golden Plover, with 6 Wigeon a sign of the approaching winter.

Best bird a Conder Green was a juvenile Ruff in the creeks, with 2 Common Sandpiper, c.40 Redshank, with a similar number of 40 Teal noted. 

Little Grebe. Bob Bushell @ Birdsfod

On Conder Pool, an increase by one with 5 Little Grebe seen today, this is the peak count since I found two had returned to the pool on 28 July. Last years figures in excess of today's count for Little Grebe on Conder Pool were....7 on 26 August, and 10 on 1 September.

Thanks to BB for his brilliant 'walking on water' Little Grebe.

Tuesday's Birds.

 

Wot No Pics!

No bird pics, but there's a moth to fill the post at the foot of the page.

Conder Green coughed up nothing new for me on Tuesday, but my notes included 3 Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, and a single Black-tailed Godwit which has previously been regularly seen in the creeks here as an observation I can never understand with the species usually seen as gregarious. Conder Pool was almost deserted with just the one Little Grebe and drake Wigeon seen.

On the Lune Estuary, though they returned to Cockersands recently, c.200 Golden Plover at Glasson Dock were my first autumn birds here, a similar number of Redshank were feeding close by from the bowling green, with c.1,000 Lapwing being a minimum estimate, 12 Little Egret was today's count.

Plover Scar at Cockersands was another deserted area an hour before high tide with little more than 12 Dunlin and 5 Ringed Plover seen. Along the headland I noted 2 Wheatear, and up to 20 Linnet. A good number of Swallow were over the barley field by lighthouse cottage, and the only butterfly I saw was a Red Admiral.

An hour around the farmland at Lower Thurnham, although I rarely record such sightings, a small passerine on an out of range fence post was seen as a 'possible' Stonechat, with 4 Wheatear, a Stock Dove, and a Buzzard over.

My birding hasn't progressed very much from routine lately, but....there's a good time coming.

The Moth.  

Shaded Broad-bar. Pete Woodruff.

I took this photograph of the Shaded Broad-bar moth in July 2013. The species has one generation which is widespread and fairly common throughout Britain, the larvae feed on Vetch and Clover, the adults flying in July and August.