The Damp Squid.

A visit to Harrisend Fell then on to Hawthornthwaite, turned out to be something of a damp squid, but as with any birding, not without interest including a first.

It was a bitter disappointment that I struggled to find just one pair of Stonechat at Harrisend, 7 Red Grouse, and a Magpie calling and flying purposefully south across the fellside below the ridge, in itself something unusual and a first 'Moorland Magpie' for me. On Hawthornthwaite, just 18 Red Grouse seen. 

Stonechat Behavior....I had been on Harrisend 1.5 hour, and was on the return leg before I found the pair of Stonechat providing me with a first record. 

The male was atop of a gorse bush, the classic view of an upland Stonechat. The bird soon took to the wing and was seen to be in pursuit of a female, flight was fast and direct until the female changed direction, then soon went to perch, followed by the male going to perch close by her. This was soon followed by the female taking off again, with the male in hot pursuit to repeat a similar pattern, the pair going to perch again.

Having spent 15 minutes watching this pair of Stonechat, during which time this behaviour was repeated at least ten times, covering quite a large area of about 100 square meters, before I left them to it.

I was in touch with John Callion about the Stonechat observations at Harrisend on Tuesday, and he asked if I had any evidence of a third bird involved, in which case the male was seeing off an intruder. In fact I saw no other bird throughout my observations.

In our correspondence, John passed on to me some pretty impressive records, one of which was c.130 nestling Stonechats ringed this year. John added a footnote to this, within 10 miles of his house approx 40 nestlings were colour ringed this year, at least six of the broods successfully fledged, yet no colours on any of the six wintering pairs close to him have been seen....Fascinating.

The other equally impressive record from John, was of 74 Wood Warblers - 13 adult and 61 nestling - colour ringed in the Borrowdale Valley this year....Need to get myself into Cumbria next year.  

In The Garden....A Goldcrest graced our plum tree and conifer yesterday morning.

The counter on B2B reached a viewing count of 2167 views for one post recently. To each and everyone, my little Robin friend 'Bob' and I would like to wish you....

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS   

Keeping Up Appearances!

In my attempt against mental instability and my world of diminishing birding. I was off armed with bino's round my neck and camera in pocket, and went for a wander through the Lancaster Cemetery and Williamson Park, from where there was excellent if slightly misty views from the Ashton Memorial over the north side of Lancaster to the distant Lakeland mountains over Morecambe Bay.

This turned out to be another excellent idea, if only because I found a stunning male Bullfinch in the cemetery. This is my second record of Bullfinch at this location, I found five here on 30 October 2014. These represent the only two records of Bullfinch seen in Lancaster Cemetery east of Lancaster at SD 491619  

I will be keeping an eye on this, although 7 years between my sightings, I now reckon the Bullfinch is resident in this area in which to my knowledge no-one does any birding and I only visit occasionally, but that's going to change, and I need to find them here in the summer months. 

Some thoughtful bird lover has put four feeders up in the cemetery which had attracted a mix of up to 20 Blue Tit and Great Tit, a Nuthatch and Robin soon joined them as I watched. Also seen in the cemetery, at least 8 Long-tailed Tit and a Treecreeper. Other notes on the wander, 2 Jay one of which was seen of in aerial combat by 2 Magpie. 

Eight Rooks were in the rookery by the entrance to Williamson Park, they were quite noisy and you would have thought it was at the start of the breeding season in March by their behaviour.

Good numbers of birds at the feeders in Williamson Park, including Blue Tit, Great Tit, and Coal Tit, 3 Dunnock, and 2 Robin. Fourteen Black-headed Gull were accompanied by Mallard on the pond. I liked the reflections of the surrounding landscape in the video.

All in all, an enjoyable couple of therapeutic hours on Friday.

Another Ten Days Later.

Three Of A Kind!

Another bit of decent birding around the Lune Estuary again for the third time in a row yesterday.

The male Green-winged Teal which has recently become a member of the local Anus crecca gang which was up to 80 strong today on Conder Pool. It wasn't very obliging in poor light, distant, and asleep, the vertical white bar at the side of the breast appeared quite indistinct in the head on view in the video. Wildfowl of note, 62 Wigeon and a drake Goosander. A Little Grebe was the only bird seen in the creeks. Maybe this was the same Little Grebe I saw an hour later at the Conder mouth.

Notes from the River Lune at Glasson, with no apologies for comfortable rounded figures, at least 3,000 Lapwing, 120 Curlew, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, 50 Golden Plover, uncounted Redshank and Dunlin, and a lone Snipe. Also of note, 350 Wigeon, and a drake Goosander. On the canal basin, 3 Goldeneye drakes.

At Cockersand, a mix of 50 Redwing and 30 Fieldfare, and 3 Tree Sparrow in a hedgerow. On the circuit, a large swathe of waders in the air off Crook Farm included up to 400 Black-tailed Godwit, at least 2,500 Starling were marauding the fields, and the winter resident herd of at least 180 Whooper Swan keep changing location and included six off Slack Lane today.

As I got back towards the caravan park, a Snow Bunting was on the coastal path opposite the brick tower, from where I saw 28 Twite in flight and undecided where to land. The resident wintering pair of Stonechat spent their time making sorties, some the results of which according to AC, they catch hairy caterpillars, something I have yet to see for myself.

No Grand Finale this time....But as ever, a good time was had by all.  

Ten Days Later.

Where to go on Thursday....I juggled with one or two of my favourite birding sites, in the end the estuary magnet got a hold and off I went to Conder Green.

On Conder Pool, a Kingfisher was the star attraction, it landed briefly on the outflow where I'd wager it does a few times on a daily basis. I counted 68 Wigeon, 4 Goosander, and 2 Little Grebe, another was in the creeks. Three drake Goldeneye were my first of the winter on the canal basin at Glasson Dock.

Ten days after my visit to Cockersand 22 November, c.180 Whooper Swan have relocated to other fields, including up to 120 west of Gardner's Farm. On a wander, 12 Greenfinch, 8 Blackbird, a Song Thrush, at least 300 Golden Plover south of the abbey, and probably as many as 20 Skylark hidden in stubble off Slack Lane. 

The Grand Finale.

There was another grand finale for me again at Cockersand, though this time I left too early for the sunset.

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The Barn Owl performed impeccably for several minutes as it hunted over the fields north of the caravan park.

Stonechat Cockersand. Pete Woodruff.

The pair of Stonechat also put on a show for me again in the long grasses. But today, a bonus awaited me as I drove towards the gate to Abbey Farm.

Short-eared Owl Brian Rafferty

To make the grand finale complete, a Short-eared Owl was in front of me within 50 metres initially, but soon worked away from me as it hunted the inland fields and eventually disappeared east from view. 

Thanks to Brian Rafferty for the excellent image of the stunning Short-eared Owl. It perfectly mirrored what I saw through the windscreen at close range on Thursday afternoon. Putting this image up represents a huge thank you for the kind of photography he allowed me to use on B2B for many years. I sincerely hope he can resume some normality in 2022, and I can then continue to use his work again....I wish you all the best on your road to recovery Brian.

And Finally.

A second helping of the stunning sunset at Cockersand on Monday 22 November. Set to music, not necessarily the best choice, but as an experiment it's at least OK until I find something more appropriate.

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Cockersand....Best & Brilliant.

On a lovely sunny, cold, and calm day, Cockersand was at its best and brilliant on Monday, and produced a nice little trio to add to some other good things.

But I first called in at Conder Green to note 2 Kingfisher in flight down the creeks, one in pursuit of the other, before doing a U turn to fly back upstream and out of sight. On Conder Pool I counted 46 Wigeon, 7 Snipe, and a lone Little Grebe. Interesting, that the Conder Pool winter population has rapidly fallen in number this year, since the all time peak count of 32 Little Grebe recorded here 25 September, and numbers usually remain in decent double figures here until after the turn of the year.

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A circuit of Cockersand is always on the cards as a traditional thing for me, as is the case for most other locations I visit on my birding sorties. Today was no exception, and with the conditions, Cockersand was perfect for some birding.

In fields north behind the caravan park, up to 180 Whooper Swan including 28 off Slack Lane. As I wandered along the road, 13 Blackbird counted, 3 Greenfinch, and a Reed Bunting, and as I rounded the corner at Lighthouse Cottage to head south back to the Caravan Park, a male Merlin shot across my path and flew along the shoreline to Crook Cottage before turning inland and out of view. Almost certainly the same male Merlin I found here 8 October.

I counted 135 Wigeon drifting on the sea, in a line from Plover Scar upstream and out of view towards Glasson. 

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I got this clip of the Whooper Swans south of the abbey, looking east with the Bowland Fells and Hawthornthwaite in the background, whilst c.300 Golden Plover shot over my head to the shore, and from here I saw the only Brown Hare of the day, seen racing through the field.

When I got back to the caravan park it was to my delight I found a pair of Stonechat amongst the tall grasses above the shingle. Whilst stalking the chats to try for a pik, a visiting birder from Skipton - who I had met earlier along the headland - called that he had seen an owl that had gone to ground distant over the fields behind Lower Bank Houses. A Buzzard and Carrion Crow had gone down in the same area seemingly curious as to what was going on with the owl. We had to wait a while for the bird to reappear and take to the wing flying towards us, it was a Barn Owl....Thanks Duncan, nice one.

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I was at Cockersand until 4.00pm as the sun was setting, a pair of Stonechat and a Barn Owl was the prefect end for me. If it's a little therapeutic birding you're after, I recommend Cockersand....Be there.  

At 8°C a Small Tortoiseshell was in our garden briefly yesterday. 

Top Ten On Harrisend.

Weatherwise the day started well on Thursday, but by midday it turned cloudy eventually becoming drizzle for a spell in the afternoon with a cold wind, not the day I had hoped for.

But the inclement weather didn't succeed in putting the damper on my visit to Harrisend. By the time I took this photograph of the view toward Clougha almost hidden in the murk, I had found a perfect 10 Stonechat looking set to winter here.

I love this image of the stunning male Stonechat, it takes me back to the moment where and when I found the bird isolated on the remains of the old lone Hawthorn.

This male Stonechat was amongst the gorse where there was another surprise find, in and out of the gorse was a Coal Tit. Unexpected, I never thought I'd find a Coal Tit on moorland, being a woodland bird, preferring conifers particularly spruce, also a regular garden visitor. Just 2 Red Grouse seen, with no Raven or Buzzard seen, as opposed to a mix of 6/8) seen here 6 October.

I came across this Dusky Puffball Lycoperdon nigrescens on Harrisend. This fungi rarely occurs in large number, is found in acid coniferous woodland and on heathland, and is regarded as suspect and inedible. 

A comparatively short visit to Hawthornthwaite had me finding 14 Red Grouse, and a Wren skulking amongst the heather.

Thinking I was going to draw another blank as I had on 6 October, I was five minutes away from the end of the visit, when I came across a pair of Stonechat, the male being in the short 30sec footage above.

Garden Birds and Moths.

I was grateful as ever that Mike and Ian were in touch with news and images from their respective Lancaster gardens recently.

Brambling Male. Mike Atkinson.

Sparrowhawk Juvenile. Mike Atkinson.

Feathered Thorn. Ian Mitchell.

Merveille du Jour....Wonder Of The Day.

Merveille du Jour. Ian Mitchell.

One of the most beautiful of UK moths, with a brilliant name to match.

Thanks to Bob Bushell for his excellent header image of the Redwing.

After The Break!

On a lovely wall to wall sunny day on Thursday, there was nothing more I wanted to do, than to get to do a 3 mile circuit Rigg Lane-Birk Bank-Cragg Wood-Littledale Road-Rigg Lane. There was half a chance of me finding the last Common Darter around the bog, and maybe some winter thrush to be seen.

Well, two visits to Birk Bank Bog, one at the start of the walk, and one at the end, proved my first hope wasn't to be, with not a darter in sight. But as I was leaving the boardwalk, the sound of a loud chattering 'schack-schack-schack' filled the skies above me, and by the time I ended the walk 3 hours later, I had seen the arrival and roaming around a wide area, of at least 365 Fieldfare. Flocks were seen several times in 3 hours estimated at 200/100/60/5 

Mostly seen distant and in flight, the Fieldfare were accompanied by a few noticeably smaller Redwing, this flock were mobile west of Cragg Wood later in the afternoon at 3.00pm.

Couldn't resist a picture of the Robin by the lane to Rushy Lee.

Robin Rushy Lee. Pete Woodruff.

Seeing none today, I heard just one Red Grouse, 3 Raven drifted overhead as did a Kestrel which I saw twice later hovering in hunting mode, and as I wandered along Rigg Lane a small group of Long-tailed Tit were working through the trees.

A brief glimpse of a butterfly in silhouette around the top of this tree on Rigg Lane would have had me thinking Purple Hairstreak had it been mid-summer, presumably a Red Admiral seen.

Epilogue.

It's been almost a month since my last post on B2B, and nearly the same length of time since I last escaped for some birding. On both counts that's the biggest gap since I started this blog 13 years ago on 15 November 2008 Here

I'm hoping to successfully address some issues to avoid any continuation of this situation which may take a while. Meanwhile, 300+Fieldfare around Birk Bank on Thursday certainly helped me on the way to that goal....Watch this space!

Better Late Than Never!

 A bit behind with the blogging, but I do keep trying....honest!

The Lune Estuary.

My latest visit at Glasson, produced notables of, an Avocet, 38 Snipe, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Greenshank, 3 Goosander, and an adult Mediterranean Gull. To my shame, I failed to take notes on the Redshank, Dunlin, and Lapwing, but note I've yet to find the first returning Golden Plover anywhere.

With Plover Scar near submerged beneath the high tide, a circuit of Cockersand was waderless, but I found 4 Wheatear along the headland, where I saw 2 Small Tortoiseshell by the abbey, and heard Skylark in the stubble but saw just one in the air, 32 seen here 23 Sept. 

I had a trio of raptors at Cockersand in the space of 10 mins, when a Buzzard flew from the east towards Abbey Farm, followed by a male Merlin, followed by a Kestrel, both flying in the same direction as the Buzzard. As I returned to the motor, a Raven came down outside the entrance to the Caravan Park.

Dragonflies.

I walked the 2.75 mile length of the canal towpath - Glasson to Galgate - on Monday, to find 10 Migrant Hawker. Birds noted, 2 Jay in flight together, a Kestrel and a skein of 52 Pink-footed Geese >south.

Migrant Hawker 11 Oct 2021 View Full Screen

With two previous treks along the same canal route 15/20 September, this brings the total to 100 Migrant Hawker seen in 27 days.

Heysham Raven.

Raven Sunny Slopes Heysham 10 Oct. Pete Woodruff.

With KT on Sunday, we were entertained by the aerobatics and antics of a Raven, including collecting a twig, to drop it and collect it again.

Garden Butterflies.

A Brimstone flew through on Friday, with 2 Small Tortoiseshell also of note.

Birding Upland Magic.

Perfect weather for some time on Harrisend to find 6 Stonechat, it being early October looking like they're set to winter there, with relations already having left for the coast or maybe further afield to southern Europe or the northern Africa coast.

At least a total of 8 Raven seen, coming into view over the ridge then dropping back down out of view for much of the 3 hours I spent here, it was impossible to say whether I was seeing the same birds all the time. Their behaviour is interpreted as playful, with impressive aerobatics, and very entertaining from a human perspective.

Also several sightings of at least 6 Buzzard with five together at one point, making it difficult to know if six was the total.

In this video, having made a few attempts at some footage, it's difficult to know if they are all 7 Raven in the frame, with Buzzards occasionally in company with them during the visit....View the 40sec video Full Screen and take the test!

Runners up on Harrisend, 8 Red Grouse, 2 Wren, a lone Meadow Pipit, and Kestrel. A butterfly flying fast and purposefully south, was almost certainly a Red Admiral.

My visit to Hawthornthwaite turned out to be with little purpose, with no Stonechat seen. But 20 Red Grouse, included 18 in a Red Arrows style fly past.

I couldn't resist another repeat short video of the water falling down Catshaw Grieve, with the 'Ring Ouzel' Oak in the background showing signs of slowly turning toward autumn gold.

Notes from the history book.

Precisely one day earlier than this year, on my visit to Hawthornthwaite Fell 5 October 2020,  I saw a 1st winter Ring Ouzel, 9 Stonechat, and 40 Red Grouse, which included a flight of 35 birds together.

Garden News.

In my absence....A 'late' Brimstone was through the garden on Friday, courtesy of the Woodruff's. 

Report 2020.

The Lancashire Bird Report 2020 was through the letterbox on Thursday. A welcome sight, something of interest for me to read, and a large-format publication with comprehensive accounts of the birds of Lancashire in 2020, accompanied by pages of excellent images by some of the best local wildlife photographers around.

Cover Image Gary Waddington

I soon found myself at page 125, where there was a full page coverage of the Stonechat, listed as 'Fairly common, increasing breeding bird in upland and coastal areas; fairly common passage migrant and winter visitor'.

There was over 1,200 reports of the Stonechat, and the reporting rate on BirdTrack showed it was reported across Lancashire and North Merseyside more frequently in most months than the same month in any of the past 10 years. It was good to read examples like, 'the total West Pennine Moors SSSI population is probably now approaching 100 pairs, the species is now widespread and common in many moorland edge/fringe habitats, in-bye and some moorland habitats'. 

With the exception of two breeding records within the LDBWS area at the Langden and Hareden Valley's, there was no other mention of, passage, territorial, breeding, or wintering records in the LDBWS recording area. Perhaps not too surprising, when you take into account a year of the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in a drastic reduction of coverage, and my personal inability to cover some of our upland areas, most notably in what was once the stronghold of Clougha/Birk Bank.

My only three Stonechat breeding records in 2020 were....

Hareden 1 June 11 birds including juveniles

Hawthorthwaite 24 July pair with a juvenile

Caton Moor 26 August 18 birds including juveniles

Stonechat Caton Moor 26 August 2020. Pete Woodruff.

This record was seen as an autumn movement by these birds, they were observed in no more than a mile along and around a wall above the length of a track above the wind turbines on Caton Moor.   

Dragonflies in Lancashire 2020.

With my developing interest in Odonata, two records were of note, the recent colonist Keeled Skimmer, failed to move beyond Birk Bank Bog in 2020, and as usual very few reports of the Golden-ringed Dragonfly were received in 2020. 

Note....According to my records, I think these two reports will read differently in 2021!

Vagrant Emperor Heysham Harbour 9 November 2020. Kevin Eaves.

Other interesting reading in the report....The first confirmed sighting of Hairy Dragonfly, was of a male at Lunt Meadows in May 2020. A Lesser Emperor was at Birkdale in August, and 2 Vagrant Emperor, the first of which was a male at Little Thornton on 3 November, and the second six days later at Heysham Harbour on 9 November, was also a male. The Small Red-eyed Damselfly continued to spread in 2020, being found at several new sites around Liverpool, and the Large Red-eyed Damselflies remained confined to their two historic Merseyside sites at Eccleston in St Helens and Aintree. As a continental migrant, the Red-veined Darter is now expected annually in Lancashire, where the majority of records came from the Sefton Coast between Crosby and Ainsdale.

I'm grateful to Dave Bickerton and Steve White for permitting me to use material in the Lancashire Bird Report 2020. Also thanks to Richard and Kevin for their respective images, both permitted and much appreciated.

Winter Visitors.

Up to 100 Pink-footed Geese >SW over Bowerham Friday afternoon courtesy of KT. Also I note 6 Whooper Swan at Nateby Saturday, courtesy of FBC.    

Around The Estuary.

When I found 4 Mediterranean Gull on Thursday, I was singing the praises of Conder Pool again as it continues to collect impressive records and Nectar Points for me. These records now include 32 Little Grebe, found yesterday 25 September (Ian Hartley LDBWS).

Four Med Gull Conder Pool 23 Sept 2021 

After doing the rounds, I had called back there on my way back to Lancaster to see if I had missed anything first time round, something of a custom if mine which often pays dividends as it did today. 

Adult & 2nd Summer Med Gull Conder Pool June 2019

Thursdays four gulls joined three previous records on Conder Pool, including these two beauties. The 2nd summer bird was ringed 2 years earlier in the Czech Republic 2017 Red ZHF3. 

The gulls were accompanied by a decent line-up, with a juvenile Ruff, 6 Greenshank, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Snipe, 12 Redshank, 22 Black-headed Gull, a Goosander, and 18 Little Grebe.

Five of the six Greenshank, all but the one legged one decided to depart as I got the camera on to them.

 

Greenshank Conder Pool 23 Sept 2021

Noted on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, rounded figures of waders, 2,000 Lapwing, 450 Redshank, 50 Dunlin, and 80 Wigeon, also 10 Greenshank and 22 Little Egret counted, a drake Red-Breasted Merganser, 2 Eider, and a Raven overhead honking as it went.

A circuit of Cockersand was a bit like a trip into the void, including Plover Scar deserted at high tide. But as I approached the Lighthouse Cottage, I saw at least 300 Wood Pigeon take flight out of the field, and watched 32 Skylark do the same. I hoped the pigeons had changed fields, but it was deserted when I got there, and was a good example of the void I had experienced at Cockersand today....But the return visit to Conder Pool buried all this. 

Excellent Hawker Haul Part 2.

Another excellent count of 47 Migrant Hawker along the canal towpath Conder Green - Galgate on Monday. I came within seconds of getting a picture of a pair coupled in the reeds, but they flew off. This brings the total to 90 Migrant Hawker in two visits along two sections of the canal for 3.5 miles.

Migrant Hawker Female. Pete Woodruff.

Also seen on the walk, 13 Common Darter including pairs, 9 Brown Hawker, and an Emperor Dragonfly male.

Brown Hawker. Pete Woodruff.

Not known for settling readily, this Brown Hawker did so for me, but for whatever reason, looked worn out, and with wing damage.

Birds seen along the way, 3 Grey Wagtail, a Jay and Nuthatch, up to 12 Long-tailed Tit working through the trees, a Buzzard mewing overhead, and a Little Egret came out of a ditch and flew off. Butterflies, 11 Speckled Wood and 2 Red Admiral.

Around dusk yesterday evening, a moth was on the Verbena as seen from our patio window. I dashed outside to find it was a Silver Y, and had my first attempt at night time photography with my Sony DSC-HX90V, and was reasonably pleased with some half decent results....

Coming to land

Taking nectar

We have lift off

And Finally....

I couldn't fail to note a new all time highest count of 27 Little Grebe on Conder Pool 19 September (FBC). 

Excellent Hawker Haul.

Any days birding is a good day, but not for the first time, this one developed into excellent.

I was in the good company of Steve again, and a visit to the Lune Estuary started with a look in on Conder Pool where I counted 18 Little Grebe. I know of nowhere in or out of our area, where the species can be found in such number. I note 25 Little Grebe reported 8 September (LDBWS), a number seen as an all time peak count on Conder Pool.

Also seen on Conder Pool, one of 2 Kingfisher - the second seen upstream of the A588 road bridge - and a Goosander hauled out on the far bank. In the creeks, half dozen Redshank flew in accompanied by a Ruff, also a Greenshank and Snipe. Later, a Sparrowhawk was seen attacking a passerine over the marsh. 

Noting the last one reported on 7 October 2019, at least 2 House Martin, one of which appeared to approach a nest at River Winds....Presumably a practice run for 2022, though the breeding season is often prolonged through autumn, and I recorded a movement of up to 150 House Martin with Swallows at Conder Green on 25 September 2019.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, an Avocet in a low tide pool by the Conder mouth, 4 Greenshank, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, and 12 Wigeon were seen as an early sign of the approaching winter.

Videos best viewed Full Screen. 

Along the canal from Glasson Dock - Conder Green, this was the first of 43 Migrant Hawker seen in 1.5 mile along the towpath. The record is eleven less than my count of 54 Migrant Hawker along the same canal towpath 19 September 2019.

Migrant Hawker. Pete Woodruff. 

Also seen, 10 Brown Hawker, 5 Common Darter, and 2 Common Blue Damselflies.

Butterflies seen around the Lune Estuary, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Speckled Wood, 2 Small White, 2 Comma, 2 Red Admiral, and a Common Blue.

Enroute back to Caton to drop off Steve, we called in at Birk Bank, to find the bog near deserted, save 3 Black Darter, and 2 Common Darter.

Garden Happenings.

Entirely black, with its light red tail, a smart Red-tailed Bumblebee was on the Verbena in our garden yesterday. The queens and workers are marked identically, but there is a large size difference. The queens are amongst the largest of British species, they are also unique in any British species, overwintering in north-facing banks, often in woodlands or woodland edge. The bee is said to have a fondness for yellow flowers, but not today in the garden.

These two young sibling Woodpigeons also put in an appearance as a first for our garden.

I'm grateful to Steve for the header image of the increasingly rare High Brown Fritillary taken near Hutton Roof.

The Sunday Post!

I had another pleasant visit to the Birk Bank area this week before the weather broke. The wandering wasn't without at least a couple of surprises.

Up to 22 Common Darter were over the bog, with four pairs copulating and ovipositing, also 3 Black Darter were all males, I've yet to find a female here.

It's quite amazing to see the behaviour of these small darters. I don't have the equipment for close up stuff, but I managed to keep these two in the centre of the frame most of the time, though it's a bit hard work keeping up with'em.

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Black Darter Male. Pete Woodruff.

Gaining a bit of elevation off the track to Ottergear Bridge, I was able to look down and see 5 Stonechat amongst and atop of the bracken east of the car park at Rigg Lane, they were seen as a family party of two adults and three juveniles, also a Willow Warbler and later a Chiffchaff seen.

Toad Ottergear Bridge 7 Sept. Pete Woodruff.

I nearly trod on the Toad on the track just west of Ottergear Bridge.

Whenever I arrive at this spot at Birk Bank, I'm often reminded of the only young Cuckoo I ever saw 15 years ago in 2006 - I've never seen one since - it was on the wall being fed by a Meadow Pipit which was dwarfed by the size of the monster Cuckoo. 

Juvenile Cuckoo Birk Bank July 2006. Pete Woodruff.

As I paused at the ford by Cragg Wood, a dragonfly was flighting around for a few minutes refusing to settle, but hovered momentarily, long enough to be identified as a Common Hawker. Approaching the car park off Rigg Lane, 4 Spotted Flycatcher were off passage and flycatching. These four birds follow my first ever seen at this location, 11 years ago 26 August 2010.

Butterflies seen over 4 hours, flat calm and in 24 degrees, the miserable result was 16 Large White, 4 Speckled Wood, 2 Red Admiral, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, and a Small Copper. 

Fungus Finds....

The Blusher Amanita rubescens was found in Lord's Lot woods.

Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria found off Rigg Lane.

I've recently found these two Amanita specimens, both of which have unknown quantities of the poison muscarine in them. The Panther Cap is a close relation and is another Amanita, easily confused with others of the same genus, and is on the list of the UK's most deadliest fungi.

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I was pleased to hear from Steve Graham, to say he had paid another visit to Gait Barrows on Tuesday, and found a female Brown Hairstreak laying eggs. Steve told me of his surprise to make this find, he had considered the short flight season for the species had ended, this one is beginning to fade on the underwing. He was also surprised about this record, in that it was found at the southern end of the reserve away from the core area in the north.

Thanks to Steve for the header image of the Brown Hairstreak, and for the egg laying video.

More Gripping Stuff.

It was a new experience for me to see at least 20 Grey Wagtail on Wednesday last week, obviously some autumn movement on the River Lune at Halton...Gripping stuff! 

The videos are best viewed Full Screen....Hopefully.

This is a particularly beautifully section of the river, and on Friday I made the effort to get back there, but I found a reduction in numbers today, with 10 Grey Wagtail being half of the twenty seen on Wednesday.

Of 3 Kingfisher seen, two sightings were the same male seen each time in this video, obligingly it returned to the boulders on the opposite side and gave good views, including on one occasion ejecting a pellet before flying off, then giving a small fish a bash against the rocks before swallowing it head first. 

I enjoyed myself with the camera today, and the Goosander entertained me snorkeling and diving for small fry, and later preening.

 

The Grey Stalker.

Three Dipper seen Wednesday failed to show this time, but it was another pleasant couple of hours, spent in equally pleasant surroundings and an itchy video finger!

Pyrausta purpuralis. Pete Woodruff.

I'm sticking with Pyrausta purpuralis on this moth, although it can be confused with P.aurata, it was in the garden yesterday, the species has now visited us four times over the past year or two.

The header image of the Kingfisher is a frame saved from a video, it came close to being rejected by the quality control department, but despite its 'fuzziness' it just scraped through.