Mixed Feelings In Bowland!

For starters, my visit to Bowland wouldn't have happened had I known how strong the wind was going to be, a bit of a howler to be honest, and took the edge of what was otherwise a beautiful sunny day. For whatever reason, it turned out to be the wrong day and the wrong time. N'er mind, in the end, a couple of bird species made my day....End of whinge!

Hawthornthwaite.

On Hawthornthwaite, 4 Stonechat seen as 2 pairs started the day on a positive note, 2 Wheatear helped the day along too. It's always good to find birds on territory as opposed to finding them on passage along the coast. Ian Mitchell accompanied me on this trip and he managed the summit, result was a combined count of 24 Meadow Pipit. Also noted in the little black book, a lone Red Grouse, 2 Wren, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Greylag, and no more than 6 Sand Martin were along Catshaw Grieve.

Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge.

If I go through the negatives first, there were some disappointments about the  trundle from Marshaw through to Trough Bridge. Not a single Common Sandpiper seen, and no Willow Warbler heard let alone seen. On the brighter and more positive side, a Dipper and 4 Grey Wagtail were seen along the Marshaw Wyre.

Pied Flycatcher Bowland 29 April. Ian Mitchell.

The positives reached a peak when 3 Pied Flycatcher were found, always a better experience seeing these birds tree nesting as opposed to purpose built nest boxes, my records read probably two breeding pairs here today....I'm convinced my next visit to this area of Bowland in a couple of weeks, will produce a much better all round result, and certainly more flycatcher species seen.

Birk Bank.

Large Red Damselfly female colour form typica. Ian Mitchell.

 

The hope of some shelter from the wind was wishful thinking, a look in on the bog at Birk Bank, at least gave a Large Red Damselfly. Now we are into May, things will pick up on the dragon front.

I met Steve Ed at Birk Bank, he was photographing some bees I had seen a little earlier. One of the bees was a Lathbury's Nomada Bee.

Nomada lathburiana Steve Ed

This Nomada is a cleptoparasite of the Ashy Mining-Bee, its only host in Britain.

Andrena cineraria Steve Ed

The Ashy Mining-Bee is one of the most robust and distinctive mining bees in Lancashire. I love the ashy-grey appearance and the shiny black abdomen of one of my favourite bees.

Miscellany. 

On the way along the path to the bog at Birk Bank, a Slow Worn seemed to be making little progress on the dry path, until it reached the grass.

Five Greylag goslings were making their way toward us, eventually reaching the boardwalk, then wandered off through a field...No adult birds in sight!

Pond Skater. Ian Mitchell.

Ian got this excellent image of the appropriately named Pond Skater with its ability to skate on water.

The Header.

Martin Jump's header of the Lapwing has no immediate connection with this post, but I love pictures with a difference and this one fits perfectly into that category....Excellent and thanks to Martin.

Four Probable's In Bowland!

Probable: Something that is true and is likely to happen, but not certain.

Based on my observations in the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge area 7 May/2 June equaling 10 hours. I have collated what my records read as probable breeding records in the area. 

Pied Flycatcher.

There are three breeding pairs of Pied Flycatcher in the area this year, all in nest boxes, with one box seeming to have been vacated and young fledged....Well they did fledge on Springwatch!

One of those million to one chances, when a Pied Flycatcher came on to the fence to perch next to a Swallow with food for young, the flycatcher bears a metal ring on its left leg.

Spotted Flycatcher.

I found just one pair of Spotted Flycatcher on this visit, but in fact there are 4 pairs. This is a record to which I have to add this note....Barry Dyson was in the area the day before me on Sunday 1 June, and reports three pairs of Spotted Flycatcher and a Dipper seen....So now the records read, 4 pairs of Spotted Flycatcher, and a Dipper feeding young on the Marshaw Wyre.

Thanks to Barry for getting in touch with me and for these records, they are much appreciated. 

Common Sandpiper.

I recorded 4 pairs of breeding Common Sandpiper, with one pair having young at one location, out of sight and adults alarm calling.

Grey Wagtail.

Grey Wagtail. Pete Woodruff.

I'm convinced there are no more than 3 pairs of breeding Grey Wagtail on the Marshaw Wyre. Last year I had a peak count of 10 Grey Wagtail here in mid-June.

Crossbill.

Following my 16 Crossbill seen west of Tower Lodge on 7 May, Andrew Cornall found 5 adult and 7 juvenile Crossbill today 2 June at Trough Bridge. 

Thanks to Andrew for this excellent record.

House Martin/Dipper.

There are no House Martin at Tower Lodge again as was the case last year, and with the Marshaw Wyre barely out of my sight throughout both visits, it was good to see it in good flow once again. However, as opposed to Barry Dyson's record, I found no Dipper throughout the 10 hours spent in the area.

The Runners Up.

I counted just 16 species during my visit on Monday, the ones to note being....c.50 Sand Martin up and down the Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw, 5 Mistle Thrush, just 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Treecreeper, 3 Wren, a Coal Tit feeding young, and a Cuckoo heard at the east end of the woodland strip above Tower Lodge, where the Swallow are nesting in a shed in the compound.

 

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

I was a little surprised to see a Large Red Damselfly come to rest at my feet behind the plantation at Marshaw. The camera auto focused on the vegetation rather than the damselfly, but good enough for the record.

....And The Pied Flycatchers Tale.

I spent the traditional 5 hour on my trek around the Tower Lodge area and came away with a mix of good and bad feelings. 

But the day started out in good style, when 2 minutes after I arrived at Marshaw I picked up three birds in a line in flight which soon disappeared from view, but two returned over my head a minute later, then one of the two returned another minute later. A lot of 'cu-coo' calls heard throughout this several minutes spectacle which I regarded as some sort of dispute. This sighting resulted in my recording 5 Cuckoo on the day, but it has to be a possibility the two heard later were from the three seen earlier in the day though 1/2 mile away.

On the Marshaw Wyre, 6 Common Sandpiper seen, including two young having soon gained independence and able to fend for themselves.

According to my observations, probably three breeding pairs of Common Sandpiper here this year, also a decent count of 10 Grey Wagtail, and just the one Dipper. A Song Thrush was behind Tower Lodge, where 2 Siskin were noted.

One of the downside of things today was, there are No House Martin at Tower Lodge, though I'm aware that Swallows and House Martins didn't arrive back in the country in their normal numbers during May. So perhaps summer isn't here yet....Not too difficult to believe given the inclement weather.

I found my first 4 Spotted Flycatcher seen as 2 pairs, and the 6 Pied Flycatcher seen, which brings me to the bad feelings....

The Pied Flycatchers Tale.

On a day that was nothing like I expected or was forecast, by the time I left for Lancaster, I had spent the day here in cloud at little more than 11°C and no sunlight.

Although the 6 Pied Flycatcher I found where seen as three pairs within a distance of 80 metres, with two pairs frantically attending nests, and one male seen to take out an insect in flight, in itself an excellent sighting, but I think this area may have suffered the same fate as one in Cumbria.

I was in touch with John Callion a ringer of note in Cumbria. John has been dismayed at the high levels of mortality in some of the Pied Flycatcher nests. A few have had full broods dead, others part broods, sometimes just an individual. The persistent winds have been the result of reduced numbers of invertibrates available resulting in the high level of failure. I note ringers in Durham have had similar findings.

On my visit to Bowland this week, I didn't experience any dead birds in nests like John did, but with the possibility of up to eight breeding pairs here this year, two pairs this time not previously seen, and no activity seen today through 15 nest boxes. I think this area may have suffered the same failure as those in Cumbria.

With all this negativity behind us, and as a self confessed Stonechat nerd, I found it heartening that JC has recently had four pairs of Stonechat, all with healthy full broods of five....Alleluia! 

The Header.

Although obligingly posed, it's a pity the Spotted Flycatcher was on barbed wire for some pictures....N'er mind, you can't win'em all! 

The Up's And Down's of Bowland.

A fairly good day in Bowland on Tuesday, which produced some notable positives and a few negatives, including I have yet to find my first Spotted Flycatcher here.

The most positive news being, as I found 4 Pied Flycatcher in the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge area - one of which was at a natural nest hole - my records now read, there is a distinct possibility that there are currently 10 breeding pairs of Pied Flycatcher at two Bowland sites, both of which I have visited twice....To be continued.

Dipper Marshaw 21 May

Having kept the Marshaw Wyre in my sights for most of the walk, other breeders here today were a Dipper up and down the stream with food in its bill.

Grey Wagtail Female Marshaw Wyre 21 May

I had a better result than my last visit on 9 May, when I found 9 Grey Wagtail today with food collecting individuals seen. On the downside, I connected with just one Common Sandpiper, but I'm convinced two pairs here this year. A Siskin was in the same view as the sandpiper on the Wyre at Marshaw, from where I heard a distant Cuckoo, probably the Tower Lodge bird which I never heard again throughout my 4 hours here.

More evidence was Curlew individuals calling, an indication of probably 6 breeding pairs. A singing male Blackcap was around the Tower Lodge area, with 2 Mistle Thrush as opposed to nine on my last visit, also 2 Treecreeper seen.

Stonechat Hawthornthwaite 21 May 

A relatively brief visit to Hawthorthwaite was rewarded by a nice pair of Stonechat, with at  least 14 Meadow Pipit and 3 Red Grouse to note.

Sand/House Martin.

My records were going to read none over and around Catshaw Greave on Hawthornthwaite today, but I did eventually see 3 Sand Martin as I arrived back at the car. But I've yet to see them this year at the Cam Brow site.

After two visits, the House Martin remains absent from Tower Lodge, and I note just one bird seen 25 May last year. I have seen none to date at River Winds and the Railway Crossing Cottage at Conder Green. 

Back To Bowland.

My first visit of the year to the Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge trail, came with something of a surprise and a shock thrown in for good measure, and by the time I had completed my 5 hour mini-marathon, I had counted 14 nest boxes which have been erected over the length of c.2 miles between Marshaw and beyond Trough Bridge. 

In my opinion 14 nest boxes is one thing, but some placed in locations like the one illustrated above in one of the many lay-by's along this stretch is another thing.

But I reminded myself that this is the kind of crap I photographed in this AONB which I'm almost certain to find again during the summer months....Here's hoping it isn't under a tree with a nest box nailed to it.  

I found 4 Pied Flycatcher, three male all singing around nest boxes, and a female. Eight Mistle Thrush, a surprisingly low count of only 6 Willow Warbler, at least 8 Siskin were moving restlessly through the tree examining the cones.

Breeding Mistle Thrush At Marshaw. Howard Stockdale.

With 16 Mistle Thrush seen in three visits to Bowland recently, this one with obvious evidence of breeding, I am getting the feeling they are doing well here this year. 

Common Sandpiper Marshaw Wyre. Howard Stockdale.

On the Marshaw Wyre, 4 Common Sandpiper were seen as two pairs, a Dipper flew upstream, and 4 Grey Wagtail.

There was no sign of any House Martin having returned to Tower Lodge as yet, but as I walked up the track from the lodge to the moors, a Cuckoo was heard along the treeline beyond the plantation. 

The days five star award goes to the Woodcock, stood quietly on the wall behind the lodge, giving me another chance in a million to follow Tuesdays thrush duo.

When I arrived back home, our first 3 Swift of the summer were over the house. Thanks to KT for this excellent record. I also have a report that a healthy number of Swift have arrived, with some around nest boxes at property in Fairfield thanks to a member of the Woodruff clan. 

Stonechat.

Stonechat Hawthornthwaite. Ian Mitchell.

Really pleased to have received some much appreciated Bowland records on 10 May....

Trough Bridge area, a pair and male Stonechat per Andrew Cornall

Hawthornthwaite Fell, 7 Stonechat per Simon Hawtin.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for his images of Mistle Thrush and Common Sandpiper at Marshaw, and to Ian Mitchell for the Hawthornthwaite Stonechat.

More Probable/Possible in Bowland!

Ring Ouzel Bowland. Ian Mitchell.

A bit of double checking in Bowland again this week, when amongst other things, I managed a trek half way up Hawthornthwaite Fell with scant reward, to assemble a bit more of a comprehensive list to exceed what is usually the norm for me.

The number of waders presumably there to breed was pitiful, with no more than six birds seen in 2 hours, 4 Lapwing, a single Curlew and an Oystercatcher. There was a build up of 6 Sand Martin around the bank on Catshaw Greave, and 8 Wheatear were seen, one of which was taking a wash and brush up in Cam Brook.

There was a better count of 18 Meadow Pipit compared to eight on my last visit 24 April, 2 Wren, a pair of Mistle Thrush were something of a surprise, 3 Red Grouse, male Reed Bunting, and a Wood Pigeon, 2 Kestrel and a Buzzard. I saw just one male Stonechat, almost certainly one of the two 24 April birds, and I never really expect my first House Martin of the year was going to be seen flying east over a fell in Bowland. 

Grey Wagtail Bowland. Howard Stockdale.

A Grey Wagtail on Cam Brook, and at Cam Brow I heard a Cuckoo to the east which soon flew over the road to the woodlands west of here, also a Willow Warbler in song, and a Red Admiral.

Dipper Bowland. Martin Jump.

Calling in at Abbeystead, a Dipper was seen flying upstream on the Marshaw Wyre, and 2 Orange Tip butterflies seen. But the excellent news is, that I gathered more evidence to add to my previous claim which now reads, the probability of 5 Pied Flycatcher breeding pairs. 

A brief look in on the bog at Birk Bank hopefully for a Large Red Damselfly was fruitless despite the warm sunny May day, but a single Green Hairstreak and a small colony of Ashy Mining Bee were of note. A Cuckoo heard distant was probably around the Ottergear Bridge area.

My take on these two Ashy Mining Bees, is that they were a mating pair until the male dislodged!....Other theories welcome.

I'm grateful to Ian, Howard, and Martin, who by coincidence sent me images on the same day, and all taken in Bowland....They are much appreciated.  

Hit & Miss!

More misses that hits on my latest visit to Bowland, which causes more than a little disappointment. But the day started off in good style when I found a Spotted Flycatcher in the small dense and dark plantation at Marshaw, which is where I had also found a male Pied Flycatcher on 25 May, but that bird decided not to hang around there, and hasn't been seen since.

In a list of priority birds around the Tower Lodge area, I found these hard to come by today....

Pied Flycatcher.

I concluded these birds had already dispersed, so no activity around the nest boxes, with the exception of one which was being attended by both adults. But with some combined records from Andrew Cornall and John & Kath Darbyshire, the conclusion was, 4 pairs of Pied Flycatcher have bred here this year.

Watch for the young putting in a brief appearance at the nest hole in the video.

Spotted Flycatcher.

It was by far my worst ever productive visit to this area, having only located the one bird in the planation at Marshaw, and none seen thereafter. But again, the combined records indicate that up to 5 breeding pairs are currently present in the area this year.

Common Sandpiper.

With 5 Common Sandpiper seen today - including an adult calling to a juvenile seen at Marshaw - and others known to be present, I'm confident to record there are up to 5 breeding pairs along the length of the Marshaw Wyre Marshaw - Trough Bridge.

Grey Wagtail.

The best count of my three visits here, was of 8 Grey Wagtail with no idea of breeding successes to date.

Dipper.

Big disappointment with no sightings today, but my records read, possibly 3 pairs have bred here this year. And the question is, are there any 2nd broods to come?

House Martin.

The House Martin breeds at Tower Lodge annually, but there's bad news from here this year. Although I observed a single bird here on 25 May, there are No House Martin breeding here this year....That's nothing short of a disaster in my book.

Best Of The Rest.

There are good numbers of Sand Martin around the Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw, including up to four nest holes active in the bank upstream from the green bridge. Not much 'noise' from the Willow Warbler, but two gave excellent views, and I had single of Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, and a female Mallard with 4 duckling on the Marshaw Wyre.

The paucity of butterflies continues, with 2 Red Admiral, and one Small Heath seen.

Claim To Fame.

As far as I'm concerned, Ian Mitchell has a justifiable claim to fame, in that not only has he recently found one, but two Bilberry Bumblebee, one on the lower path at Birk Bank, and his latest one at the summit of Clougha burrowing its way underground.

I have to subscribe to Coolcut Video Editing to remove the watermark in the video. 

Maiden's Blush. Ian Mitchell.

Add to this, Ian found a Maiden's Blush in his overnight moth trap, being only the 3rd record for V60....Great stuff, keep up the good work Ian.

Thanks to Martin Jump for his dramatic and excellent image of the Buzzard being attacked by three Lapwing and an Avocet.    

An Interesting Trawl.

A very interesting visit to Bowland and the birds of Marshaw - Tower Lodge - Trough Bridge.

My sightings for the day started with a Siskin I found drinking in the Marshaw Wyre by the plantation at Marshaw, from where I saw a pair of Lesser Redpoll and a few Sand Martin of which just one individual was seen to enter a nest hole in the bank upstream from the green bridge.

Birds seen on or around the length of the Marshaw Wyre, where my main interest was with sightings of 3 Dipper at three locations, one of which I reckon had a nest nearby, and was behaving with a small fish like it was food for young. I counted 6 Grey Wagtail with no evidence of breeding or young, also 5 Common Sandpiper with young hopefully to be seen in the coming weeks.

Three pair of Pied Flycatcher are occupying three nest boxes. This male was singing around the box, which I was able to stalk to close range with trees for cover....Pity about the wind pollution in the footage, the bird was singing nicely.

It took four hours for me to find Spotted Flycatcher, two were seen as a pair which eventually took off to see two other birds off which I strongly suspected to be two more flycatchers. If they were, there are only 4 Spotted Flycatcher here this year.

The supporting cast was, 4 Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush, Long Tailed Tit, and 3 Dunnock. A clattering of 38 Jackdaw flew west, and 10 Willow Warbler were mostly heard, though one gave excellent close views, and in a short watch at Tower Lodge, I saw just one House Martin which eventually entered a nest. 

A Curlew gained maximum height at the top of a dead tree to advertise its territory....Don't recall ever hearing this call by the Curlew.

Banded Demoiselle.

Banded Demoiselle Garstang 27 May. Pete Woodruff.

A saunter along the Lancaster Canal and River Wyre at Garstang, resulted in finding 6 Banded Demoiselle. 

Ian Mitchell sent me an interesting image of a Large Red Damselfly at rest on an exuvia. Along with some comments from an expert, and given it was seen on an acidic bog, I'm suggesting this is the larva case of a Four Spotted Chaser.

Ian struggled to get this image of a Little Emerald being uncooperative amongst the Bilberry. There was an emergence of this moth, of which I also saw c.12 on my last visit to Birk Bank 22 May.

Edit.

Worthy of the edit, this Painted Lady was on Sandylands at Morecambe this afternoon. A rapid flier and strong migrant, they are expected to arrive in Britain in June, this is my first in May.....Make my day!

Good Day In Bowland.

In the good company of Martin Jump, we had an interesting day in Bowland with a little learning and some discoveries to boot.

A walk along the path by the 1/4 mile long plantation strip at Catshaw, produced up to 8 Willow Warbler, 4 Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Robin, Kestrel, and a Coal Tit probably nesting in a wall cavity. As I drove away from here, a Wheatear flew across my path.

On Hawthornthwaite, Saturdays 5 Stonechat seen again, with further proof of breeding when a female was seen carrying food. Two Raven overhead were mobbed by a Curlew, of which three pairs are probable breeders here. Conversely, I've seen not a single Lapwing here in two recent visits. A Ring Ouzel frustrated by being heard in song but not located when falling silent. Martin succeeded in collecting numbers from the Sand Martin colony, and came up with 34 nest holes - not all occupied - and c.12 birds in flight.

We called at Marshaw for Martin to check out some breeding Dipper he is monitoring. The visit resulted in finding the first and never recorded Coal Tit breeding in a nest box, even more intriguing was a male Pied Flycatcher on an adjacent branch, looking as confused as I was, it had earlier been singing. Also noted here, a Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and 2 Treecreeper.

All in all, an interesting day.

Conder Pool.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the update and the quartet of images of 'beauties' on Conder Pool, two of which are....

Common Tern On The New Raft Conder Pool 17 May. Howard Stockdale.

1st summer Mediterranean Gull/1st Summer Common Gull Conder Pool 17 May. Howard Stockdale.

I'm also grateful to Ian Mitchell for his image of the colour ringed Common Tern having returned to Conder Pool for its 3rd year.

Common Tern Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.

Bowland Calls!

Brilliant day Thursday, somewhat spoilt by a strong and chilly east wind which drowned out lots of birdsong, and blew into my face for 3 hours before turning my back on it for the return leg. But it was good to lock up the motor and give the area a good going over.

Marshaw - Tower Lodge - Trough Bridge.

The biggest surprise this visit, was a Spotted Flycatcher seen briefly on a roadside fence post about 1/2 mile east of the cattle grid at Marshaw. 

The earliest Spotted Flycatcher in our recording area was 14 May with no year given in our local annual report. Some Spotted Flycatcher dates worth noting, one was at Beckermet north of Sellafield on 19 April. The earliest ever date in Cumbria was 24 April 1983, the median date being 2 May, whilst the first in Lancashire 2021 was on 1 May, the earliest ever being 14 April 2015....Looks like the 1983 bird in Cumbria has been dethroned! 

I located 2 Pied Flycatcher, both singing males, one at each end of the compound at Tower Lodge. In my 5 hours I found just one Dipper in flight upstream from the green bridge on the Hawthornthwaite track. I saw 3 Common Sandpiper on the Marshaw Wyre, from where a very disappointing result was of just one pair of Grey Wagtail. Hopefully more to come, but with breeding usually beginning late April, maybe that's just my wishful thinking, but I left few stones unturned on the Marshaw Wyre today.  

The 15 Willow Warbler were all heard above the wind whistling through the trees, I reckon possibly twice this number here today. Others included in my notes, the lovely Song Thrush was appropriately in full song, at least 3 Mistle Thrush, 3 Coal Tit, and a Goldcrest. A smart male Siskin hanging from an Alder twig, was good compensation for my failing miserably whilst searching for Crossbill. 

One or two Sand Martin were flighting around this bank, I may have seen birds entering the only two nest holes that looked anything like they may be excavated and occupied in what looks like a very solid and stony bank. There's nothing new in recording just 24 species in 5 hours at this upland location in Bowland, and the only butterfly seen was a Peacock over the stream.

Stoops Bridge.

It was unfortunate that I got into a conversation with someone soon after I arrived here, unfortunate because I consequently ran out of time, but did see a male Pied Flycatcher - five here I'm told including a ringed bird - saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Nuthatch and Chiffchaff.

Stonechat.

I was pleased to have news of the first ringable Stonechat chicks found in Cumbria 21 April, this gives the first egg date of 27 March. With chicks needing to be around six days old, the previous earliest record of a brood available for ringing was 7 April. Conversely, a backward spring delays ringing to the end of the first week in May, a gap of 4 weeks....What a difference a month makes!

Breaking News.

The first brood of the year, five Stonechat chicks ringed this morning at Dean Moor, Cumbria. 

I'd like to express my thanks to John Callion for being in touch with this Stonechat data, also for info on the Spotted Flycatcher in Cumbria. 

Common Tern.

News about 2 Common Tern on Conder Pool yesterday made my day big time.

Common Tern Conder Pool 22 April. Howard Stockdale.

This record means the Common Tern has arrived on Conder Pool 2 days earlier than the past two years on 24 April, and now takes pride of place as the earliest arrival date. 

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the much appreciated heads up and 'snapshot' image. Also thanks to Martin Jump for the excellent header image of the Pied Flycatcher at Tower Lodge.

Raptor Persecution UK.

If you would like to click the link to RPUK in my right sidebar, currently you will find some interesting reading. Even if you have no regard at all for Chris Packham, and I doubt that is the case, or you read the Daily Mail. Either way you can see what crap the Daily Mail and Twitter - including an anonymous user with just 50 followers- really are.    

Bowland Mid-April!

Grey clouds and a cold wind in the face, made Monday in Bowland feel more mid-April than June, how the breeding birds are coping in these prolonged cold and windy conditions is beyond me.

This Pied Flycatcher male took me by surprise, not expecting to find it on the Marshaw Wyre about 1/4 mile upstream from Marshaw, and not a nest box in sight. Try to spot the bird whizzing downstream, its a Common Sandpiper.

Twenty three species in 5 hours is about the average around this area in my book, these included 5 Pied Flycatcher, seen as four male and a female, with no young seen from nest boxes presumably already dispersed. But a nice little nest hole I found in an Oak, being attended by a male, much more attractive and pleasing, as opposed to seeing these birds at wooden boxes branded FOBMG. 

With 4 Spotted Flycatcher seen, this year is already a disappointing one for the species, with the area being a stronghold for the flycatcher in the past. My last visit here 17 May gave hope that there could be three pairs of Spotted Flycatcher here this year.

Conclusions according to my observations....There has been five pairs of Pied Flycatcher, and two pairs of Spotted Flycatcher in 2022 in the area around Marshaw-Tower Lodge-Trough Bridge.

Away from the flycatchers, at least 10 Common Sandpiper seen, up to 50 Sand Martin were hawking around the Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw, and upstream to Trough Bridge, I noted 12 Grey Wagtail including young seen. I heard just 6 Willow Warbler and saw 3 Wren, also 3 Robin included a downy young being fed, Great Tit with young, a singing male Blackcap behind Tower Lodge, where House Martin have nests under the eaves, 6 Mistle Thrush, a Treecreeper, and 8 pairs of Curlew.

Two birds vied for star of the show, with this juvenile Dipper on the Marshaw Wyre, and a male Redstart around the plantation at Marshaw, which I spotted through the windscreen as I munched my sausage rolls and a brew for lunch.

My definition of a nice lunch break....Sausage rolls in company with a stunning male Redstart!

....And The Sunday Brents

Bowland Best Bits. 

Confined to barracks this past week, but I managed to keep myself occupied, including stitching some footage together to create a compilation of a few of the best bits to come out of Bowland in the past twelve months.

 

The Marshaw Wyre at Marshaw

Grey Wagtail towards Tower Lodge on the Marshaw Wyre

Common Sandpiper at Marshaw on the Marshaw Wyre

Catshaw Grieve falling down Hawthornthwaite Fell

Wheatear on Hawthornthwaite Fell

Barn Owl hunting the foot and surrounds of Hawthornthwaite 

Dipper at Stoops Bridge, Abbeystead

..........................................................................

Brent Geese.

View Full Screen

A walk along the promenade Sandylands to Heysham gave excellent views of 58 Brent Geese.

View Full Screen

Unfortunately there was much disturbance from the 'walkies fraternity' but my delight in seeing them overrode my annoyance. 

......................................................................... 

Aberrations in Dragonflies.

Migrant Hawker. Pete Woodruff.

Taken on the Lancaster Canal at Conder Green in September 2021, despite viewing this image of the male Migrant Hawker several times, I've not noticed until recently, it has blue markings missing on S4.

Southern Hawker. Copyright John & Carol Hurd.

I was given a link to another aberration, this male Southern Hawker has a blown headlight.

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.

Riverine Bonanza.

The day started with Steve guiding me to one of his favourite haunts in Halton, to view the River Lune below Forgebank where we enjoyed stunning scenery and marvel at an extraordinary riverine bonanza. 

In the space of 45 minutes and in no more than 100 metres along the riverside from one viewpoint, we saw up to 20 Grey Wagtail, 4 Kingfisher, and 3 Dipper. Also 3 Grey Heron, a Goosander, and a juvenile Shelduck which seemed a little out of context to us both. 

It was always going to be a shot in the dark when we paid a visit to Lord's Lot, and it certainly did end up 'in the dark'. But it was at least to be a recce for future reference for where the bog is here. During our search at Lord's Lot Wood, we recorded at least 12 Speckled Wood, 2 Nuthatch, and a Buzzard and Raven overhead.

So now, it's back to the drawing board in our quest to find Lord's Lot Bog.....Meanwhile, on my way back to Lancaster, I decided to take a look in at another bog, perhaps I might get lucky and find a September Golden-ringed Dragonfly at Birk Bank....Wishful thinking!

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But there was a bit of activity on the bog again, which resulted in one of my now becoming repetitive dragonfly video's, with up to 14 Common Darter, including pairs coupled and ovipositing, also 2 Black Darter seen. Bringing up the rear, a Common Lizard, a Jay, and a flock of around 20 Goldfinch in flight between the treetops.