Along The Canal And On The Bog!

Conder Green- Galgate.

Based on my experience with the 'early'ish' Banded Demoiselle at Bull Beck last Monday, I decided to do the canal walk Conder Green-Galgate which is where I found 16 Banded Demoiselle on a section of the canal on 14 August last year.

But there was no repeat surprise this time, as I found just 4 Banded Demoiselle, seen as three male and a female, all singletons at three locations along the towpath. Other odonata sightings were a little sparse, with 5 Common Blue, 3 Large Red, 2 Blue-tailed Damselfly, and 3 Common Darter male.

Butterflies were also sparse, with 6 Orange Tip, 2 Green-veined White, and a Peacock seen. Birds finding their way into the little black book, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush, and a female Mallard with 12 ducklings. I saw just a lone Swallow in the 3 hours on the towpath....Where are all the Swallows!

Birk Bank.

On Friday, it was a must that I visit the bog to see if there was any life there. I wasn't disappointed, but neither was I ecstatic about what I saw. There was no more than 3 species of dragonflies, with a total of 20 individuals seen.

Broad-bodied Chaser. Pete Woodruff.

There was plenty of activity amongst 4 Broad-bodied Chaser including a female, at least 6 Four-spotted Chaser, and 10 Large Red Damselfly. Butterflies seen, 6 Small Heath, 2 Green Hairstreak, and a Common Heath moth.

Green Hairstreak. Pete Woodruff.

Common Heath. Pete Woodruff.

Birds seen, the Willow Warbler has quietened down now they are busy with established territory and breeding, with 18 males heard, 4 Linnet, 2 Mistle Thrush, a Buzzard over, and a male Stonechat on guard duty around a nest site.

Red-legged Shieldbug. Pete Woodruff.

I was pleased to find this Pentatoma rufipes nymph. Following its next moult, it will become a large brown Shieldbug charecterised by its distinctly red legs. It was in the shade on an Oak Tree, hence the dark picture.

Birk Bank Bog.

I remain unimpressed by the current state of the bog which - to make matters worse - is heading towards drought conditions.

This photograph shows the only water on the bog which will become little more than a damp area in the coming weeks until it rains. The area to the left corner of the boardwalk, is where Keeled Skimmer could be seen patrolling the runnels which are no longer there, and where I watched a Golden-ringed Dragonfly ovipositing last year. As I see it, I don't think we will be seeing any results from the efforts by that dragonfly.

This is the view across the center of the bog. From this viewpoint I observed an Emperor Dragonfly over a pool on several ocassions last year. You can see, that ramblers have created a path over what was the bog, as a shortcut to join the track to Clougha.

Worth Noting....The Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator is not generally known to be found on upland habitat in Bowland, but I have had records accepted at Hawthornthwaite and Birk Bank in 2024. 

Birk Bank And Miscellany

Willow Warbler. Pete Woodruff.

A whizz around the Birk Bank area on Thursday produced another good number of 18 Willow Warbler, and the miserable count of a lone Meadow Pipit. Best of the rest, a Garden Warbler and Chiffchaff, with a male Stonechat, 3 Red Grouse and 3 Wren to note. 

Butterflies. 

A decent show of 10 Orange Tip including two seen as a pair with a couple of intruders trying to get in on the act

Also up to 30 Small/Large White seen, 6 Green Hairstreak, 2 Green-veined White and a Peacock, with a few White-tailed Bumblebee seen.

Mini-Beasts.

Green Tiger Beetle. Pete Woodruff.

I can often come across the Green Tiger Beetle on the moors in Bowland, they lie in wait for an unsuspecting insect to come by and pounce on, and the little mobsters can fly too.

Pompilid. Pete Woodruff.

A member of the Pompilidae family, this is a formidable Spider-hunting Wasp.

Birk Bank Bog.

The Large Red Damselfly is always the first of the season and commonest species to be seen in our recording area, and should be found during the second half of April, but despite paying two visits to Birk Bank Bog today, one before my whizz-around and again after it, there wasn't a single Large Red Damselflies to be seen.

I took a series of photographs at the bog today, these two examples show this excellent location, which currently doesn't appear to be the best place for dragonflies in my opinion.

 

Although there is plenty of acidic water along the left hand side of the bog, and maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but worth noting, this is home to a scarce dragonfly, that of the Keeled Skimmer, first found here 10 years ago in August 2015 by Steve Graham, and seen here by myself every year since. It is also the site where I had sightings of 7 Golden-ringed Dragonfly on four dates last year, including a female observed ovipositing.....Only time will tell if any of this will happen again this year.

The Header.

Howard Stockdale has previously submitted to me, three of the same Spotted Redshank taken since 1 April. Paul Ellis took one 3 days ago on 24 April, it shows a near full moult into breeding plumage which will have been completed over 4 weeks.....Amazing stuff.

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the excellent Spotted Redshank header image. 

Wilfred The Cuckoo.

Wilfred has arrived back in the UK. He is the first of the tagged Cuckoos to have done so, he is back on his breeding grounds within the Broads National Park near Worlingham Marshes where he was tagged in early June last year, clearly highlighting just how site-faithful these Cuckoos really are.

Welcome back Wilfred, I think you are one amazing bird!

Edit.

FIVE SWIFT OVER FAIRFIELD WEST OF LANCASTER CITY CENTRE THIS EVENING 8.56PM.

CUCKOO BIRK BANK 20 APRIL.

A Decent Day Around Birk Bank.

The weather is settled now, and with warm sunny days in the forecast for the foreseeable future, I was off to see if the conditions were good enough to bring out the dragonflies on and over the bog at Birk Bank, they were being recorded everywhere else it seems.

Four Spotted Chaser Ovipositing. Pete Woodruff.

Although virtually impossible for accuracy, I found at least 30 Four Spotted Chaser, seen at long range at the east end of the bog viewed from the boardwalk, also a similar number of c.30 Large Red Damselfly, and an excellent count of 10 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, whilst recalling Steve Graham had recorded 51 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary here in June 2021. Also noted at and around the bog area, 2 Green Hairstreak, a single Common Blue, a Small Heath, and Common Lizard. 

Common Lizard. Pete Woodruff.

On a wander around, a Broad Bodied Chaser took me by surprise over the runnels at the west side of Ottergear bridge.

Red Grouse Young. Pete Woodruff.

A young Red Grouse crossed the path ahead of me, it was reacting to the call of a female with at least three other young eventually seen scurrying off. Birds were incredibly sparse, with the exception of at least 20 Willow Warbler mostly heard, a Cuckoo heard to call several times, a Garden Warbler gave great views as it checked out the gorse around Cragg Wood, a Tree Pipit parachuted onto a tree on Littledale Road, and a Song Thrush was on Rigg Lane.

Bilberry Bumblebee.

Ian Mitchell had the good fortune to find a Bilberry Bumblebee on Bird's-foot Trefoil at Birk Bank on Wednesday, an excellent record. 

The Bombus monticola has always been an uncommon species in Lancashire, more or less confined to northern and western parts of the UK, and almost entirely restricted to upland areas in Lancashire.

Bilberry Bumblebee. Ian Mitchell.

I also saw the red tail of a bumblebee at Birk Bank on Tuesday, but failed to keep up with the creature before disappearing from view. Based on Ian's sighting the day following my visit, I have noted a 'possible' Bilberry Bumblebee in my records.

Woodland Therapy.

I have given over my header to Geraldine Stockdale, to feature the excellent image of the Skylark....Thank you Geraldine, this is much appreciated. 

I was in the good company of Ian on Thursday, and gained a couple of hours therapy in Holme Wood, albeit from a birding point of view, the theme of the day seemed to be 'that's another one that got away', with lots of movement seen in and around the fully leaved canopy, but ended in birds disappearing from view.

But the air was full of woodland birdsong, including multiple Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, and Blackcap a male of which gave good if brief views.

Willow Warbler Grisedale Brook. Pete Woodruff.

I reckon this Willow Warbler escaped the talons of a Sparrowhawk, which flew like a rocket within a few metres of me at waist level, and disappeared into the depths of the gorse bush. I took this photo of the Willow Warbler about 10 seconds later, when it went to perch atop of the gorse.  

A Cuckoo called unseen, but sounded to come from the moorland edge east of Grisedale Bridge.

  

On the way back to Lancaster, we called in to Birk Bank, to find Red Grouse with at least 9 chicks. And at the bog, with the weather being reasonable, there was a mass emergence and 12 Large Red Damselflies were seen as six pairs coupled, also a Green Hairstreak and Holly Blue seen.

Birding....Never fails to produce at least a little interest and lots of therapy.

A Summary Of Conder News.

The latest on Conder Pool, is that the Little Ringed Plovers are a chick down from four to three. There have also been Avocet losses, but the site has been very productive so far, with 11 chicks on Conder Pool, and at least 7 on the River Conder, making a healthy number of 18 chicks in total so far to date.

Good 'Start' To A Good Day!

Friday got off to a good start for me, when, enroute to Harrisend for end of April chats. I found a pair of Redstart, obviously breeding in the trunk of an Ash....Watch this space.

In the tree next to the Ash, a pair of Lesser Redpoll, with a Mistle Thrush close by. 

Andrena cineraria Pete Woodruff.

A small aggregation of Ashy Mining Bee were on the dry sandy path, from where I found them emerged from their burrows. A robust and distinctive mining-bee, unlike any other species in Lancashire with its ashy-grey appearance.

On to Harrisend where I found 6 Stonechat, seen as a pair and four male. Whilst I gave all the male birds a few minutes to see any females, I can't record as such, but I reckon there are five breeding pairs on Harrisend to date.

But better was to come, following one at Cockersand last Tuesday, I came across another stunning male Whinchat which was still around the same fence post on my return two hours later....A bit of Harrisend magic this time.

A Cuckoo was calling frequently whilst I was on Harrisend, it was in the Nicky Nook area, from where I hear the bird near annually. Also noted here, 34 Meadow Pipit, 4 Willow Warbler, 3 Wren, a pair of Linnet, a single Red Grouse, and 2 Buzzard soaring overhead with periods of interaction. Butterflies seen, 3 Peacock and 2 Green Hairstreak. 

On Hawthornthwaite, I found 3 Stonechat, a pair and a lone female. Also, at least 20 Sand Martin flighting around Catshaw Grieve, 16 Greylag flew low and east, 12 Meadow Pipit, 2 Wren, 2 Red Grouse, and 2 Buzzard. Butterflies, 4 Peacock, and a Brown Hare seen.

Garden Siskins.

A pair of Siskin enjoying the offerings of our feeder.

No aplogise for the repeat in my header, at least a slightly better pik than the Cockersand Whinchat.

News From The Pool.

Avocet colour flagged 6V, is one of last years back on Conder Pool. 

   

This Sunday morning, 5 Common Tern were on Conder Pool, with this pair displaying. If I was this female tern, I would be well pleased with this excellent offering.

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for images and updates on this excellent news for Conder Pool.

After The Fall, And Four Nice Chats

As the result of a fall in perfect conditions, in the four hours around the Birk Bank area, I recorded at least 22 Willow Warbler most heard only,  Otherwise, a lone Chiffchaff, 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Buzzard soaring and mewing, and 2 Dunnock in the car park on Rigg Lane.

It was good to get myself back on the top of Birk Bank again on Thursday to find 4 Stonechat. A little early in the season to get the full picture of breeding birds here, but if I get myself back up at the end of April, the picture will be more convincing.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee on flowering Bilberry. Pete Woodruff.

I saw a few Buff-tailed Bumblebee, and also saw White-tailed Bumblebee, the taxonomy of which is complex and the subject of ongoing research. The label Bombus lucorum is used to include two other species, B.magnus and B.cryptarum, and are treated as 'aggregate' species....Add to this, much more science of interest....But I'm out of my comfort zone now!

Green Hairstreak. Pete Woodruff.

Other insect interest was 5 Green Hairstreak seen.

Up the path from the car park, I was confronted by a rogue Red Grouse, the second of its kind, with one behaving in the same manner was seen several times a couple of years ago in this area. They are aggressive, and the last one actually flew at me on one occasion. I reckon neither of these birds can fly any distance if at all, and behave for some reason in a retarded manner.

Bilberry Bumblebee. Copyright David Whitaker.

It would have been great to have found my Birk Bank Buff-tailed Bumblebee was a Bilberry Bumblebee like David Whitaker did. With the help I've had from some experts, I may decide to take on the quest to hunt them down in Bowland. 

I'm grateful to Ian Mitchell for being in touch with the moth in his trap recently.

Blossom Underwing. Ian Mitchell.

A scarce moth, not common anywhere, found locally in the south and Wales, and infrequently seen in NW England. Its name is given by the pink-tinged hindwings distinguishing it from most other species. Nice one Ian, many thanks.  

7 Up....Again!

....and another pik in the amateur bracket by yours truly.

Stonechat Birk Bank 5 May. Pete Woodruff.

Following on from the seven chats on Harrisend 30 April, I found another 7 Stonechat on my latest visit to Birk Bank, they were seen as three pair, the seventh bird a male I regarded as a lone individual independent from the six.

Also seen on this enjoyable if mostly cloudy and cold upland safari, 10 Willow Warbler were seen as an abundant, ever present, and most vocal of our summer warblers, 5 Wren, and 4 Meadow Pipit. Then they came in two's, Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, and Red Grouse, one of which was a female, something of a scarcity in my records despite seeing numbers like 40+ males on visits around Clougha over the years. Raptors seen, 2 Kestrel together, and a Buzzard which showed off its ariel skills hanging and hovering on the wind. I also saw a single Green Hairstreak and a Brown Hare.

Conder Green.

Common Tern Conder Pool. Howard Stockdale.

The absence of livestock on Conder Pool seems to have greatly contributed to an excellent six breeding pairs of Avocet to date, with one nest set to hatch in the coming days, also a pair of Common Tern observed with pairing behaviour as the image above illustrates. A pair of Mediterranean Gull were also seen on the pool behaving in a similar manner, though these were immature birds.

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The Bar-tailed Godwits are at best irregular at Conder Green in my records.

I'm grateful to Howard Stockdale and Ian Hartley in sending me this info and records, and to Howard for the image and clip.  

Birk Bank.

A pleasant spring day for upland birding, with one or two good rewards and three decent butterfly records.

Not the most attractive of woodlands at the start of the path to Clougha, but by the time I got here 20 minutes from the car park on Rigg Lane, I had seen/heard 10 of the 22 Willow Warbler on the day.

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Finding 5 Stonechat on Birk Bank today, including two seen as a pair. I reckon possibly four breeding pairs here to date. One lone male seen, had the largest white wing patches and neck collar I've ever seen. I really need to get back up here again to try for an image of this 'unusual' Stonechat.

My other notes include, 2 Green Woodpecker, one around the area of Rigg Plantation, the other at Gibson Wood. Also, 5 Red Grouse, 4 Wren, 3 Mistle Thrush, surprisingly only 2 Meadow Pipit, one of which I watched take off to take out a small white moth on the wing flycatcher style. Raptors seen, 2 Buzzard, and a Kestrel.

Butterflies.

Green Hairstreak. Pete Woodruff.

I made casual records of 12 Green Hairstreak, no doubt many more to be found here today if my focus had been on them. Also, 9 Peacock, and an Orange Tip.

Particularly with dragonfly larva in mind, I definitely didn't like the look of this pair of Mallard on the bog at Birk Bank. Despite throwing a few small missiles to flush them, they remained unmoved. 

Rare & Scarce. 

A Brimstone was rare, and the first ever in our garden, and a scarce here male Orange Tip also seen.

Thirteen Months Later.

The last time I was on Clougha was 4 April 2017. There was a time when I would never had thought I'd be saying it was over 13 months since I last went up Clougha, and I had to search my records to see I never checked out the area last year for breeding Stonechat after the April visit. But yesterdays evidence suggests I missed nothing, as I came away empty handed after a three hour survey, and it looks like a second successive year of no Stonechat on Clougha....All a bit depressing.

It was 2hrs 45minutes after I left the car park on Rigg Lane that I found the first of 3 Stonechat on Birk Bank, a male at the west end, and a pair at the east end, so I reckon 2 pairs on here today.

Red Grouse Clougha 15 May. Pete Woodruff.

Fourteen species noted in six hours on Clougha/Birk Bank included, a lone Red Grouse which was the only one seen, and took me 1hr 30 minutes to find, 14 Meadow Pipit was a low count comparable to the recent equally low counts of 19 on Hawthornthwaite (West), and 11 on Hawthornthwaite (East) 18 April, and only 11 seen on Harrisend 8 May. Two singing Garden Warbler were seen as the best birds of the day, 13 Willow Warbler, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Tree Pipit, and a lone male Linnet. Raptors seen, 5 Buzzard, and 2 Kestrel one of which flew by me with small prey in it's talons.

Green Hairstreak Clougha 15 May. Pete Woodruff.

Butterflies seen, a lone Green Hairstreak, surely more, perhaps I wasn't trying, 7 Orange Tip including a male in pursuit of a female on the wing, probably up to 80 Large White, and a similar number of up to 80 Latticed Heath moths seen....Two visits to Birk Bank bog six hours apart saw it lifeless. 

Return to Bowland....again!

And what a good idea that was too, you just have to keep on plugging away at these locations to come up with the sightings/records and maybe find the ones you missed the last time around. 

Broad-bodied Chaser. Brian Rafferty

No appropriate photographs of birds but an excellent one for the top of the post of the female Broad-bodied Chaser thanks to BR, plus an excellent butterfly below and moth further down thanks to LG....all helps to add a little colour to Birds2blog.

Green Hairstreak. Linda Gilhespy.

I gave another 4.5 hours between Marshaw - Trough Bridge again today and started in fine style with 6 Crossbills over which came on to a conifer staying long enough for me to find two of them to be juveniles before they were off again. I found only 7 Spotted Flycatchers today but remain convinced of at least ten - I reckon more - in the area this year. One of today's sightings was that of a bird I could see clearly sitting on the nest, a pleasurable sight bearing in mind this is a species in serious decline. This observation didn't actually take the prize today, that was awarded to the male Pied Flycatcher feeding a recently fledged young bird. I also found a female Pied Flycatcher a quarter of a mile from the Oak tree in which the pair nested and am confident this bird was the female from that site on a wander. It was good to find 2 Lesser Redpoll, the only disappointment being they were both singletons. Another excellent record was that of 6 Redstart and 8 Grey Wagtail seen. I saw just 6 Willow Warblers which was a reminder of just how much harder this species is to find once they've 'shut up'. Also noted, a Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, and just one Common Sandpiper.

Common Heath. Linda Gilhespy   

I called in at Stoops Bridge in Abbeystead on the way home to find it very still and very silent save a Chiffchaff heard.

I have an uncomfortable feeling it may be next Monday before I get out birding again....Oh Dear!

Before and after....

....the KP discovery.

Whitethroat. Pete Woodruff

I was with JB yesterday and before the discovery of the Kentish Plover at Cockersands we had gone to Conder Green where at least 3 House Martins had returned to River Winds, a single Swift over, and a singing Garden Warbler and Whitethroat were at the picnic area, the latter I even managed one of my almost acceptable photographs. In the creeks it was good to see a Greenshank here still, also a Spotted Redshank appears to have almost completed its amazing and unique transformation to black breeding plumage. 

Whimbrel. John Bateman



At Cockersands up to 15 Whimbrel, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit in stunning summer plumage, as were 2 Knot, a solitary Grey Plover, c.330 Oystercatcher, c.180 Dunlin, c.50 Ringed Plover, and 4 Eider by the lighthouse. Small birds of note, a Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Dunnock....The rest was after the KP find and was the continuation of what JB and I had planned for today at the off, but be warned....

If you're proposing any upland birding/walking take note of the sign in the pic above which - if you're prepared to stand by the regulations - will bar you from any open access area in the forest of Bowland until it rains for who knows how long they want it to....this'll be a blow to the Ring Ouzel listers. With hindsight it was an unwise decision to go into Bowland when I already knew the way was thus barred at the entrance to the access track up Clougha/Birk Bank. But I did end up hearing a singing Pied Flycatcher just up from Trough Bridge opposite the track on to Winfold Fell, and also noted a 'classic' White Wagtail on the stream by the cattle grid at Marshaw with one or two Green Hairstreak also of note, otherwise the visit was a damp squid.

Bluebells at Abbeystead. Pete Woodruff.

The Bluebell show is excellent at the moment but there was a big disappointment at Stoops Bridge in Abbeystead where the Pied Flycatchers don't appear to have returned, perhaps we can hope for some late arrivals. A Garden Warbler and Blackcap were both in full voice and competing for songster of the year award....great stuff!

In my book today was a monumental one and including all the above....Long Live Cockersands.

Butterfly Diversion.



Brimstone. Steven Cheshire

On Monday I found 5 Brimstone butterflies which - believe it or not - is an all time record for me, not being a butterfly hunter the only ones I see are those encountered on my birding days and the Brimstone has always been a species which has escaped me, though I do have some quite good butterfly records over the years, like the 100+ number of Painted Lady from the Allan Hide path a Leighton Moss a few years ago now, the other memorable count of this species was made during the mega influx in 2009 when I counted 149 on Clougha/Birk Bank on 30 May, another two excellent records  - void of searching my records - were both of the Clouded Yellow seen in numbers in the mid-teens in different years at Cockersands and along the coastal path from Fluke Hall towards Cockers Dyke. In Britain, any bright yellow butterfly seen in early spring is likely to be the male the Brimstone butterfly, the female may catch you off guard and think it's a 'white'....one did me for a moment on Monday. It is a common belief that the Brimstone was once known as the 'butter-coloured fly' a description which gave rise to the word 'butterfly'.

Red Admiral. Linda

A brilliant photograph of the Red Admiral showing to excellent effect the pattern of this beautiful butterfly's under-wing. The Red Admiral at rest is unmistakable, with its red and black wings outspread, it is a strong migrant and may appear anywhere in Europe, it moves north in the spring from its breeding grounds in the south, but few - if any - survive the northern winter.

Green Hairstreak. Linda   

The Green Hairstreak is the butterfly I usually find on my upland birding days during April-June in places like Clougha and Birk Bank though it occurs in a wide range of habitats, if this creature lands on the greenery of any of its many suitable food-plants it is then perfectly camouflaged and easily overlooked.

I'D SOONER BE BIRDING!....but thanks for the photographs to fill the gap Steven/Linda.