Hardly Exciting!

Harrisend Stonechat Records 2022.

24 March 6 birds, 2xpairs, female, male

29 April 6 birds, pair, 4xmale

21 June 3 birds, 2xmale, female

1 Sept  male and female, a pair?

Only my fourth visit to Harrisend this year - too much chasing dragonflies - produced just 2 Stonechat found at the top of the ridge, a male and probably a female as opposed to a juvenile too distant to ID. This was just about as disappointing as it could have been, because a) just four visits is a positively depressing number, b) I have had no hard evidence of breeding here this year, though I would suggest four pairs have done so.

During this visit to Harrisend, I was surrounded by hyrundines the entire time spent there, at least 100 birds at one point, the large majority were House Martins with Swallows in the air hawking. In the end, I reckon 1,000 hyrundines were over Harrisend during the 3 hours there. Up to 10 Meadow Pipit, and similar 10 Linnet. Butterflies seen, 3 Red Admiral, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, and a Small Copper.

I decided to call in at Birk Bank to check for dragonfly left-overs to find a Common Hawker - barely 2mm in total length smaller than the Emperor Dragonfly - patrolling the rear of the bog, also 4 Black Darter males, 2 Red Admiral, and a Small Copper.

Conder Update.

With much thanks to Howard Stockdale, it was a pleasure and most rewarding for me to receive some illustrated news from Conder Green. 

Avocet Conder Green. Howard Stockdale.

The last three of Avocet young fledged earlier this week, some of the birds on Conder Pool have been colour marked again this year.

Juvenile Common Tern Conder Pool. Howard Stockdale.

All the terns had departed the Lune Estuary by the time I got to visit last Tuesday 30 August, but it gave me great pleasure to see this colour marked bird on Conder Pool courtesy of Howard.

I'm expecting a good haul of Migrant Hawkers before September is out....Here's hoping!