You would have been forgiven for using the word 'dead' to describe the scene on Conder Pool when you stepped onto the viewing platform yesterday, but 18 Little Grebe and a Greenshank there made it alive....just!
In the creeks, a Common Sandpiper made it another day nearer to being the wintering bird, 42 Teal noted, and 24 Goldfinch were flighty over the marsh. It was noticeable that no Swallow were around Conder Green Farm, and no House Martin at River Winds.
On the Lune Estuary at low tide, with numbers fluctuating each visit, my best estimate today was of 750 Golden Plover. Other notes included 142 Curlew, 17 Snipe, 11 Greenshank, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Ringed Plover, an adult Spotted Redshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, and a Great-crested Grebe.
Thanks to Richard for the Guillemot header image, seen on the Wyre Estuary last Thursday.
Greenshank & Redshank feeding in a low tide channel on the Lune Estuary.
The Migrant Hawker.
The Migrant Hawker was first recorded in Lancashire as recent as just over 30 years ago in 1988 at Heysham/Middleton and Mere Sands Wood, then no more were seen until 6 years later when two were seen on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Aintree in 1994. It was another 2 years before the earliest indication of breeding was of a female ovipositing at Mere Sands Wood in 1996.
The Migrant Hawker is an essentially late summer/early autumn species, records peak in the first half of September, double-figure counts are frequently made, the largest being 13 years ago when there was 67 at Middleton NR in September 2006.
So my double-figure count on Thursday 19 September 2019 wasn't all that significant after all, but it remains in my records book as the second largest count, 54 individuals in a mile long stretch of the Lancaster Canal in under a one hour period, and something I thought I was imagining.
Ref: Steve White and Philip H. Smith. (2015). The Dragonflies of Lancashire and North Merseyside.
In the creeks, a Common Sandpiper made it another day nearer to being the wintering bird, 42 Teal noted, and 24 Goldfinch were flighty over the marsh. It was noticeable that no Swallow were around Conder Green Farm, and no House Martin at River Winds.
On the Lune Estuary at low tide, with numbers fluctuating each visit, my best estimate today was of 750 Golden Plover. Other notes included 142 Curlew, 17 Snipe, 11 Greenshank, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Ringed Plover, an adult Spotted Redshank, adult Mediterranean Gull, and a Great-crested Grebe.
Thanks to Richard for the Guillemot header image, seen on the Wyre Estuary last Thursday.
Greenshank & Redshank feeding in a low tide channel on the Lune Estuary.
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The Migrant Hawker.
The Migrant Hawker was first recorded in Lancashire as recent as just over 30 years ago in 1988 at Heysham/Middleton and Mere Sands Wood, then no more were seen until 6 years later when two were seen on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Aintree in 1994. It was another 2 years before the earliest indication of breeding was of a female ovipositing at Mere Sands Wood in 1996.
The Migrant Hawker is an essentially late summer/early autumn species, records peak in the first half of September, double-figure counts are frequently made, the largest being 13 years ago when there was 67 at Middleton NR in September 2006.
So my double-figure count on Thursday 19 September 2019 wasn't all that significant after all, but it remains in my records book as the second largest count, 54 individuals in a mile long stretch of the Lancaster Canal in under a one hour period, and something I thought I was imagining.
Ref: Steve White and Philip H. Smith. (2015). The Dragonflies of Lancashire and North Merseyside.
That's a good number to see Pete. They seem to have had a good year up there.
ReplyDeleteA bit of a WOW sighting Marc....For me anyway.
ReplyDeleteYour post has got me thinking about my own recent sighting again, Pete, and I reckon that that assemblage of Migrant Hawkers was the largest collection of dragonflies I've EVER seen in a small area, regardless of species! It's good to know that at least some invertebrates are having a good year. The challenge is now to get them ALL on the road to recovery! Best wishes - - - Richard
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