All About The Skimmers!

Well not really all about the skimmers, but that's where we start....

It was a pleasure to be accompanied by Steve Graham at Birk Bank on Tuesday when we discovered a record breaking number of an odonata species discovered here only 11 years ago in August 2015 by Steve. This record was second only to the one found at Grindleton Forest Pond in August 2013 by Allen Holmes, it being the first Keeled Skimmer for the County of Lancashire.

Keeled Skimmer Male Birk Bank 23 June. Pete Woodruff.

The result of a pleasant and interesting 2 hours around the bog at Birk Bank produced a record breaking 12 Keeled Skimmer, including two pairs in cop, and two egg laying females.

Keeled Skimmer Copulating Birk Bank 23 June. Pete Woodruff.

I counted myself fortunate to have achieved a half decent image of the copulating pair of Keeled Skimmer, as I couldn't see them for sunlight on my camera monitor....Point and shoot=success this time!

A close second to the Keeled Skimmers was an Emperor Dragonfly, viewed in the mid-distance from the footpath. Also from this viewpoint, a 'few' Four-spotted Chaser seen.

When Steve Graham found the first Keeled Skimmer at Birk Bank back in August 2015, he had said, quote....'perhaps colonisation is finally underway'....Well the evidence today proved you was spot on there Steve.

Azure Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Two Azure Damselfly were separated from Common Blue when they eventually settled, also Large Red Damselfly and Broad-bodied Chaser.

Large Skipper. Pete Woodruff.

Butterflies were at best a little thin, but 6 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary seen but not photographed, 2 Ringlet, 2 Painted Lady, a Large Skipper, and Small Tortoiseshell.

Birds were represented by singing Garden Warbler, Blackcap, and Willow Warbler....Well where would we be without the Willow Warbler!

Bull Beck.

One positive and a negative for a wander along the footpath at Bull Beck earlier in the week.

Spotted Flycatcher. Paul Ellis.

The positive was a pleasant surprise to find Spotted Flycatcher, with a nest and two adult birds seen, one with food in it's bill.

Bull Beck River Lune Sandbank. Pete Woodruff.

I don't recall checking last year, but the one time thriving Sand Martin colony at Bull Beck is deserted, non-existent, and  todays negative.

Feature....Here's an issue which should have been featured on B2B many times over, but this one is up to date, 149 Hen Harriers have gone missing in the UK since 2018, most of them on or close to grouse moors.

Hen Harrier. Simon Hawtin.

For anyone who still wants to pretend that the grouse shooting industry isn’t responsible for the systematic extermination of Hen Harriers on grouse moors across the UK. The latest catalogue of crime that suggests otherwise is Here 

Thanks to Paul Ellis and Simon Hawtin for their images, and to Ian Mitchell for his header moth. The V-Pug is fairly common throughout England, but actually scarcer in Northern England.

Other Peoples Birds To The Fore!

Invasion.

There has been an unprecedented invasion of some species into our area in recent days, and if I'm going to keep a website with local birding interests, then this certainly has to be documented on Birds2blog.

Ringed Plover Plover Scar 19 May. Howard Stockdale.

Howard Stockdale must have thought he was hallucinating when he found c.1,200 Ringed Plover on Plover Scar 19 May. I know of no previous records of RP in such number on Plover Scar. The record of 160 Ringed Plover on the River Lune at Glasson, is also unprecedented in my book. Many Thanks to Howard for the record and image. 

Sanderling Heysham 23 May. Malcolm Downham.

If I'd have been at Heysham on 23 May, I certainly would have thought I was hallucinating at the sight of at least 500 Sanderling on Heysham skeer. As far as I am concerned, a record of historical proportions. Many Thanks to Malcolm for the record and image.... Heysham Bird Obs

 

Curlew Sandpiper Rossall Point 24 May. Jonathan.

Brilliant find west of Rossall Coastguard Tower, a Curlew Sandpiper advancing into breeding plumage. For permitting the record and image of this stunning bird onto B2B, Many Thanks to Jonathan.... Fylde Bird Club

Spotted Flycatcher Fluke Hall 22 May. Paul Ellis.

There has also been a large influx of flycatcher into the area recently, with up to 33 Spotted Flycatcher on the morning of 22 May, and still coming through today FBC WhatsApp....Many Thanks to Paul for the image.

Foulshaw Moss.

In company with Ian Mitchell, we managed a pleasant couple of hours around Foulshaw Moss, with nothing seen to called unexpected, and on a date too early for dragonflies, though one or two damselflies were seen, being Large Red/Blue Tailed/Common Blue Damselfly.

Of course we were able to view the two Osprey nests through the haze, and other birds to note, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, and Reed Warbler, with just one moth seen, a Common Heath. The butterfly had to be the highlight of the visit, with at least 6 Brimstone seen.

Garden Magic.

It was our treat of the year when the Goldfinch family turned up in the garden for lunch yesterday.

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.

Mainly Dragons....

....but with some bees, a few notable butterflies, some chats, and a few other birds.

Grisedale Brook.

Grisedale Brook. Pete Woodruff.

Along the classic acidic upland stream that is Grisedale Brook, I spent a couple of hours looking for, but only finding one Golden-ringed Dragonfly, it was seen briefly flying upstream from Holme Wood, and despite waiting several minutes for its return, it failed to do so.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly Grisedale Bridge July 2022. Pete Woodruff.

Something of a disappointment today, in that I found just the one compared to 12 Golden-ringed Dragonfly here 2 years ago on 14 June 2023. 

Bird sightings were a bit sparse, but at least it was good to see a male Stonechat. Otherwise, a Willow Warbler, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Goldfinch seen. A Buzzard was overhead mobbed by Carrion Crows. Butterflies were a Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell, with 3 Red Admiral and 2 Small Heath.

Hawthornthwaite.

Bombus monticola Hawthornthwaite 18 June. Pete Woodruff.

I was pleased to find a Bilberry Bumblebee on Hawthornthwaite on Friday. Last year I found 5 Bilberry Bumblebee 2 days later than this one on 20 June 2024 at Birk Bank.

Bombus sylvestris Hawthorthwaite 18 June. Pete Woodruff. 

The Bilberry Bumblebee was accompanied on the same patch of Clover, by what I believe to be a Forest Cuckoo Bee. Strange, because its name seems to indicate other than moorland, but this is a bee that can be found in a variety of other habitats too. I was of course also pleased to find 4 Stonechat which were seen as two breeding pairs alarm calling and behaving like they had young around, also 2 Painted Lady seen.

Birk Bank Bog.

Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

It was good to find the bog now replenished and holding water, there are distant pools around the middle, and certainly more water along the side of the boardwalk than I saw on my visit a month ago on 16 May, and where most of the action was on Friday.

Even more of a delight was finding 4 Keeled Skimmer, they were eventually seen as coupled pairs. Also present, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser. With Large Red, Blue-tailed, and Azure Damselfly.

Keeled Skimmer Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

Butterflies seen, 6 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Red Admiral, and Small Tortoiseshell.

The Lancaster Orchids.

Southern Marsh Orchid. Pete Woodruff.

Brilliant to find up to 100 spikes of Southern Marsh Orchid again this year. Also in the area, 25 Common Spotted Orchid, and a decent count of 6 Ringlet butterfly.

Purple Hairstreak.

Purple Hairstreak. Ian Mitchell.

Steve Graham found 2 Purple Hairstreak atop of an Oak on Wednesday 18 June, and claims them to have been 3 weeks earlier than he expected, and his earliest ever record.

Wool Carder Bee. 

Wool Carder Bee Haslam Park 18 June. Martin Jump.

The Wool Carder Bee was rare up to the 1990's when the first records came from Heysham and Hornby in 1992/93. Until this time, this bee wasn't common anywhere in GB, but has spread to Scotland considerably since, where there are records which were confined to the south east 20 years ago.

Excellent find in Preston. Well done and congratulations Martin. 

The Header.

The excellent image of two adult and a 2nd summer Mediterranean Gull on Conder Pool certainly qualified for the header image. Thanks to Howard Stockdale.

And Finally.

Common Tern Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.

Just as I was about to publish this post, in my inbox up pops another excellent image of a Common Tern. In the message, Ian Mitchell says....'it looks like this Common Tern has bagged itself a good sized Sand Eel'....Can't disagree with that, and many thanks for sending it to me, much appreciated Ian. 

Winmarleigh Moss.

Something of an adventure in the week on a visit to Winmarleigh Moss with Steve Graham.

For starters you have to find somewhere to park, as the Lancashire Wildlife Trust website says....'no parking near the site'....is a bit of an understatement I reckon. But we overcome the parking problem and set off for the adventure on to this huge 90 hectare site which has difficult access due to numerous drains and tussock vegetation requiring care to be taken over this the best lowland raised peat bog in the region. However, you can safely transect along the bank by Crawleys Dyke.

Raptors seen, 2 Buzzard, 2 Marsh Harrier, and a Kestrel. At least 4 Stonechat seen, with a pair behaving like they had hidden young, a few Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit, with a Willow Warbler in a small wooded area, and a Corn Bunting.

Five species of dragonfly were seen, with Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Large Red Damselfly.

Steve's top target at Winmarleigh Moss was a butterfly species, but the visit was a disappointing one in this regard as we saw just 2 Large Heath, perhaps a tad too early, but 2 Large Skipper was a little compensation, and a Speckled Wood was the only other butterfly seen from just three species.

Butterfly Conservation.

Five butterflies seen on a hot sunny day at a 90 hectare site with perfect habitat in June, brings me to note....2024 was one of the worst years on record for UK butterflies. For the first time ever, more than half of our butterflies species are in long term decline, and notably with 85% of the population living in urban areas.

This causes Butterfly Conservation to ask....Will you help us to raise £20,000 to begin one our most ambitious Wild Spaces projects yet....Glasgow Wild Spaces   

Summary.

In my opinion, you would need to spend several hours at Winmarleigh Moss, and even then would only scratch the surface and probably miss finding lots of what's on offer here if you was going to do justice to it. Personally, after a couple of hours walking along Crawleys Dyke, and humping optics - binoculars, telescope, and tripod - weighing 6kg, was a bit much!

Pilling Lane Ends.

Calling in at Pilling Lane Ends, there was clear evidence of the decline of butterflies as mentioned earlier, when we saw just 5 Meadow Brown and a Common Blue, a little more encouraging was 5 Small Skipper....I think Steve might have done better than this!

But feelings were good when we saw a large number of spikes of Orchid. Steve sent photographs off to an expert in the field, to arrive at the ID of a mix of Southern Marsh Orchid and Northern/Hybrid Marsh Orchid.

White-tailed Bumblebee.

This White-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lucorum was found lethargic on the garden bench, it spread its wings a couple of times but was unable to take off. I gave it sugar and water on a saucer to drink, but it remained motionless for a while and I feared it was dead. For an hour or more I kept checking regularly, but the next time it was gone. 

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.

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. 

Third Time Lucky!

With the good company of Steve Graham, I made my third circuit of the surrounding area of Birk Bank in three weeks, with the perspective two pairs of eyes are better than one.

At the top end of the numbers scale and with song in our ears throughout, at least 50 Willow Warbler was impressive, whilst at the bottom of the scale, 3 Meadow Pipit was to say the least unimpressive, but only added to my list of 18 Meadow Pipit seen in 5 visits to Bowland during the month of April.

Two Cuckoo were heard, one sounded to be around Baines Cragg, the other on the top of Birk Bank, an area where the Cuckoo is annual.  

Throughout the walk between Rigg Lane and Cragg Wood, Bullfinch heard in the car Park and the area around Rushy Lea, I've seen Bullfinch before at both these areas. Other birds seen/heard to reaching Cragg Wood, 6 Blackcap were singing males, a Chiffchaff, 3 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, Stock Dove, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Robin, and Wren, a Buzzard overhead was the only raptor of the day.

At Cragg Wood, a Garden Warbler singing on territory - 100% volume needed to hear the bird in the video - was almost certainly the early bird I found here on 9 April. Also noted here, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch and Swallow.

Along the lower path below Birk Bank, just the one Red Grouse, and 3 Stonechat were seen as a pair and male, having my records to read, possibly 2 pairs of Stonechat breeding this year below Birk Bank, future visits might confirm that.

Butterflies.

A small number of uncounted Orange Tip and Small/Large White, 4 Specked Wood, 3 Green-veined White, 3 Green Hairstreak, and 2 Peacock.

Damselfly.

Large Red Damselfly. Pete Woodruff.

Seven Large Red Damselfly were all seen on Bilberry from the path to the bog.

On leaving Birk Bank bog, the day ended with the scarce sighting of a Slow Worm as it disappeared in the undergrowth.

Thanks to Ian Mitchell for his excellent image of the Large Red Damselfly.

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.