BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND.............BEGGING YOUNG COMMON TERN CONDER POOL AUGUST 2024 PETE WOODRUFF

Tuesday, 16 August 2016

The Last Push.

Probably my last visit up Clougha Pike this year, though I may just squeeze in one more before the end.


Stonechats. Gary Jones on Facebook

There was a little reward for the slog up here yesterday, with the sight of 3 Stonechat which were seen as a lone female on Clougha, and a male and single young on the top of Birk Bank, despite my hanging around a while I found no others with these two, though time and determination may well have uncovered more of a family group gone to ground.

I was well satisfied with the other 22 rewards - this is upland birding remember - with 11 Meadow Pipit, 4 Wheatear, 3 Red Grouse, 2 Raven went honking over, changing direction a couple of times, before flying east to soar over Clougha summit. Raptors seen, a Sparrowhawk, and about five Kestrel sightings were maybe all of the same bird. Butterflies were, 5 Red Admiral, 4 Painted Lady, 4 Peacock, and singles of Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown.


Common Darter. Birk Bank 15 August. Pete Woodruff.

I looked over the bog on the way to Clougha, and called back five hours later on the way back down. In perfect sunny, hot, and very calm conditions both visits, I found up to 8 Common Darter including a pair in tandem ovipositing....


Black Darter. Birk Bank 15 August. Pete Woodruff.

....a male Black Darter....


Black Darter (female). Pete Woodruff.

....and what I think is a female Black Darter seen briefly on the board-walk in the small and poor quality picture above.

Thanks for the Stonechats Gary, much appreciated. 

1 comment:

  1. Hi Pete!! I love Stonechat.. I´m photographing a lot of on these days.. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete