BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND..RUFF CONDER POOL PETE WOODRUFF
Showing posts with label Redshank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Redshank. Show all posts

Sunday, 6 September 2026

Think It's Called Twitching!

My latest visit to Conder Pool was rewarded by another first, when at least 2,500 Redshank were  present, including up to 100 in the creeks. This record puts an end to the 2,000 Redshank seen here on 7 August. 

Also, 14 Ruff, 6 Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin, 2 Snipe. and 15 Little Grebe. A pair of Shoveler always create some interest on Conder Pool for their scarcity, and 4 Wigeon are the early winter returners.

Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

At Saltcote Pond, it was a surprise to find a Common Hawker again, it was patrolling in a cool, windy and gloomy 18 °   flying low and investigating the pool. The male is known to be very active, even in overcast conditions.

The Cockersand Dip!

At Cockersand, I failed to find a couple of target species - I think it's called twitching - but noted up to 450 Dunlin and 12o Ringed Plover, also 4 Turnstone one of which retained some of its smart breeding plumage.

Mediterranean Gull Conder Pool 25 June 2025. Pete Woodruff.

Checking a group of 12 Black-headed Gull off Lighthouse Cottage, I found 4 Mediterranean Gull with them, they were all males in winter garb, and nothing like as smart as the black-hooded ones I saw on Conder Pool 25 June 2025. Also off here, 4 Eider.

Interest In The Garden.

There was interest in the garden yesterday, when I found a Garden Spider with prey. 

I think what we see is a Sphaerophoria sp of hoverfly, of which there are 11 confirmed species in Britain, and not easy to ID. 


Todays unfortunate find was in the jaws of a Garden Spider.

Garden Spider With Prey. Pete Woodruff.

Eventually the head was separated from its body which hung from a thread of the spiders web.

Another interest was in the form of the 8th Hummingbird-hawkmoth in as many weeks in the garden.


The moth performed perfectly for several minutes, nectaring on Salvia in the garden.

Green Shieldbug. Pete Woodruff.

And finally another first for me, an appropriately named nymph Green Shieldbug. 

Sunday, 9 August 2026

Pool, Pond, and Bog.

Conder Pool.

Conder Pool never fails on the interest front, and didn't fail me again on Friday. I'm never involved in survey work and todays counts are estimates, though never too far from accurate. 

At least 2,100 Redshank was by far the best count ever for Conder Pool. Other waders here today, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 12 Dunlin and 8 Black-tailed Godwit, and after six attempts, I arrived at a count of 10 Little Grebe.

The terns were busy and all over the place, but eventually my count was of 31 Common Tern, seen as 24 adult, and 7 young including one near fledging. Also a new one for the pool, was a colour marked Common Tern, with a dark bill and white forehead, it was a juvenile moulting to 1st winter plumage.

Butterflies seen, a Gatekeeper and Painted Lady

Saltcote Pond.

Common Darter. Pete Woodruff.

A great little pond but a bit quiet today, an Emperor Dragonfly persistently attacked 2 Brown Hawker every time they came close, also 3 Common Darter, 5 Common Blue Damselflyand a Blue-tailed Damselfly. Quite busy with butterflies, 6 Painted Lady, 5 Common Blue, and a Meadow Brown.

Birk Bank.

Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

When I arrived at the bog, the sight of it slowly drying out was a bit concerning.

Birk Bank Bog. Pete Woodruff.

Though the ditch were the old boardwalk was, and the haunt favoured by the Golden Ringed Dragonfly, is still looking good.

Keeled Skimmer. Pete Woodruff.

My visit here today was an all male day with two exceptions, and it was good to find 5 Keeled Skimmer, they were seeing off anything that came close.

Keeled Skimmer Female. Pete Woodruff. 

With the two exceptions, one of which was an old female Keeled Skimmer which was obliging and basking in the sun on the boardwalk.

Common Darter Female. Pete Woodruff.

The other exception was an old female Common Darter, which was also basking on the boardwalk.

An Emperor Dragonfly was patrolling the edges of the bog during all my time here, while a Common Hawker was behaving in the same manner, flying low over the water and investigating the edges of the acidic bog, but without showing the aggression of the Emperor.

Common/Black Darter. Pete Woodruff.

Also seen, 5 Common Darter and 3 Black Darter were all male. I saw just three butterfly, 2 Speckled Wood and a Painted Lady.

Erratum....Dictionary definition, done quickly with little attention to detail.

The Keeled Skimmer female featured above, is in fact a Black-tailed Skimmer of the same sex and age....Whoooops!

Sunday, 2 August 2026

Waders And Wagtails.

But first some news about the Conder Pool Common Terns, including some behaviour by an adult Common Tern towards a chick, and some other behavioral traits I've never observed before.

In the video below, the adult tern perched at the far left hand of the raft, suddenly pounces on the chick and appears to stab at it with its bill before it escapes and runs off. 
 

 

I made the following trimmed video at half speed where the aggression by the adult is more obvious.


This attack by the adult tern isn't the only odd behavior surrounding these birds. I met Ian Hartley who gave me some news about young chicks gone missing and some dead which he had removed from the raft earlier. This prompts the suspected cause to be starvation, or in the case of those missing from the raft, a Barn Owl which daily hunts Conder Pool, and has done for some time now.

There has been a lot of mayhem in the colony recently, with chicks fighting each other and various adults over fish. In one incident, the 'wrong' chick grabbed a fish and the adult snatched it back and flew off before the chick could spit it out. There's been some chick mortality recently, perhaps because of all the competition over food coming in. Some good news to follow all this, is that 16 Common Tern chicks were still alive as at Friday, so we can hopefully expect they can all make it from here on.

For providing me with the news about the state of play and the update regarding the Common Terns, I'm very grateful to Ian Hartley. 

Conder Pool.
  
I'm recording 34 Common Tern on Conder Pool Wednesday 29 July, seen as 24 adult and 16 chicks/young. Also here, in excess of 1,000 Redshank, 21 Greenshank, 14 Common Sandpiper, 7 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Egret, and I made a count of 12 Little Grebe, this seems to be an early build up in winter numbers so early at the end of July. 

Bank End.

I had messaged Andrew (Wagtail) Cornell earlier to ask if he was at Bank End, and arranged to meet up with him around 1.00pm. It was a pleasant meeting with Andrew, and resulted in my seeing 6 Yellow Wagtail off Bank End Farm.

And Finally....

Some lovely bees, butterflies, moths and hovers in the garden recently, and an uninvited and unwanted gate crasher....All images Pete Woodruff.

Common Carder Bee

Comma

Silver Y

Volucella zonaria

The Volucella zonaria is a Hornet Mimic Hoverfly, migratory from the Mediterranean, and is the largest hoverfly to be found in the UK. 

NOT TODAY THANK YOU!

Sunday, 15 March 2026

Kwik Fix.

Conder Pool.

This years peak count on Conder Pool thus far, was of 22 Avocet on Friday 6 March. As always, I am grateful for the contact, record, and header image to Howard Stockdale.

My latest visit to Conder Pool was thwarted by a blinding sun turning the pool into a silver river, and the birds into silhouettes.

Back-tailed Godwit Conder Pool 26 February 2024. Pete Woodruff.

This could have been the view if conditions had been better, I reckon there was up to 1,000 Black-tailed Godwit on the island today. I also made no attempt to count the birds, but noted just 2 Avocet and 6 Shoveler. Worth noting, an all time peak count for Conder Pool, was of 25 Shoveler recorded on Saturday 7 March....Paul Ellis FBC 

Lune Estuary.

Time was restricted for me on Wednesday, but a brief visit to the River Lune at Glasson had me find 17 Avocet, probably the same seventeen birds as those seen here Tuesday 3 March, otherwise an amazing coincidence. The c.2,500 Black-tailed Godwit were also probably the same as those seen here Tuesday 3 March.


Although this scene might suggest otherwise, it was relatively quiet about one hour before high tide, the numbers of waders feeding along the shoreline were low, with a few Redshank, Dunlin, Knot, and Black-tailed Godwit all stabbing for their share of invertibrates as the tide flowed in. Also noted at least 650 Wigeon and 3 Red-breasted Merganser

Mediterranean Gulls Lune Estuary 11 March Pete Woodruff.

A little distant, but a nice image for the record, 2 Mediterranean Gull adult were drifting upstream on the incoming tide.

It was a Kwik Fix, but as always a pleasant one for me.

Birk Bank Bog.

Palmate Newt June 2024. Maurice Wilby.

Some interest from the bog have included finding a Palmate Newt last year. Thanks to Maurice for his record shot of a creature I've yet to see on the bog at Birk Bank.

Toad 4 March. Ian Mitchell. 

Thanks to Ian for his excellent image of the Toad. Like the Palmate Newt, Toads are another amphibian I have yet to find on the bog at Birk Bank.

Toad Spawn. Ian Mitchell.

A week after 3 Toads were found, Ian saw that they had spawned on 11 March.

News from Conder Pool.

Tern Raft Conder Pool....FBC

Covers were fitted to the rafts yesterday 14 March. As was the case last year, the plan is to remove them when the Common Terns arrive back on Conder Pool, hopefully to breed for their 12th year, which I'm predicting will be within a week commencing 20 April. If they don't arrive during that time frame....the milky bars are on me!

Common Tern Conder Pool 2025. Pete Woodruff.

Early Spring'ers.

Willow Warbler Leighton Moss 14 March....LDBWS WhatsApp. Earlier by 5 days in 2024 on 19 March.

Little Ringed Plover River Wyre Fylde 14 march....FBC WhatsApp. Earlier by 5 days in 2024 on 19 March.

Sand Martin 85 at Pine Lake 15 March....LDBWS WhatsApp. Earliest record in Lancashire 35 years ago on 24 February 1990.

Common Quaker. Ian Mitchell.

Ian had a Common Quaker in his trap 14 March. Common as its name implies, but non the less beautiful for that.  

Sunday, 18 January 2026

We Have Lift Off!

It was 17 days since my last spell of birding, and my first session for 2026....Lift Off!

I suppose lots of visitors to Conder Pool, wouldn't know the drake Shoveler and Pintail present today, were both at best only occasional here, but I note 5 Shoveler were recorded here last Thursday, and I reckon this is an all time best count of the species on Conder Pool. My last Shoveler here, was a pair last year on 23 February 2025, and my last Pintail was a drake 24 November 2025. Also noted today, 9 Redshank, 8 Tufted Duck, and 2 Little Grebe.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson, I found my first Goldeneye of the winter and was a drake. I've seen no previous records of Goldeneye this winter around the Lune Estuary, but low end double figures at Aldcliffe.

 
A smart drake Goosander was close in with the Wigeon, and thinking I may not get any more opportunities for piks today, I grabbed a video. A pair of Red-breasted Merganser were diving by the Conder mouth, seen as a species at best irregular here, my last were a pair seen on the estuary 3 years ago on 13 January 2023. Also of note, 550 Black-tailed Godwit, a lone Bar-tailed Godwit, and 52 Knot.

At the south end of Jeremy Lane, a splendid 2,500 Black-tailed Godwit, with single figures of Curlew and Dunlin, and up to 60 Redshank in the field opposite.

Stonechat Cockersand 14 January. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersand, a pair of Stonechat were on the spoil heaps, presumably the same pair seen on my last visit here 29 December. Off Slack Lane, 8 Whooper Swan were the only ones at Cockersand. I think the bulk of swans seem to have pitched up in fields at Cockerham/Braides where the 2 Bewick's Swans also seem to be currently residing.

Breaking News.

Bewick's Swans Cockersand 21 December. Ian Walker.

It was great to see the news that 4 Bewick's Swans were found this morning at Lower Thurnham, begging the question....are there 6 Bewick's Swans in the recording area now?

Thanks to Ian Walker for his excellent image of the stunning Bewick's Swans. 

The Header.

Couldn't resist this one....Long time no see a Stonechat header image on B2B, but Dave Mudd delivered the goods when he got this excellent shot of the pair at Cockersand recently. Not unique, but I reckon Dave or anyone else will achieve an image of two Stonechat so close together in the frame any time soon.    

Sunday, 2 November 2025

Around The Block....Again!

Tufted Duck. Pete Woodruff.

With just four species present on Thursday, Conder Pool seems to be loosing its grip at the top of the league table, but 21 Tufted Duck gave the feeling that all is not yet lost. Also 4 Goosander came into view from behind an island, 3 Little Grebe, a lone Redshank, and a Kestrel was hovering over the Stork Inn.

Calling in on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, if there was anything to call spectacular here, it was the sight of at least 2,000 Lapwing on the north side below Colloway Marsh. Also of note, a small group of c.70 waders were predominantly Knot and a 'few' Black-tailed Godwit. Up to 250 Wigeon were along the shoreline upstream to the Conder mouth.

In the field at Clarksons Farm, my notes read up to 200 Whooper Swan, in fact AC who I met later, told me he'd made an earlier count of 196 Whooper Swan.


Third time lucky....Having finally caught up with a female chat at Cockersand, I found a pair of Stonechat today on the marsh by the Caravan Park. Also to note, a large raft of at least 2,000 Wigeon were strung out along the length from Plover Scar to the Cocker Estuary.

As I set off on the circuit a small bird came out of the hedge, flew across the road and into the hedge opposite. It started a call which I'm not acquainted with, so I pointed the camera towards the hedge to get a recording.

Dunnock Cockersand 30 October. Pete Woodruff.

I did see the bird eventually whilst recording and found it to be a Dunnock, interestingly it's call was responded to by another Dunnock somewhere close by.
 
Best with full volume

So what's going on here, communication between 2 Dunnock at the end of October!

As I approached the junction of Moss Lane/Slack Lane, I spotted a raptor zipping at barely 1m above the stubble. I picked the bird up in my bino's and watched it come to land on a mound by a small flood, its was a stunning male Merlin

Wednesday, 29 October 2025

Monday's Mooch.

English Dictionary definition...To walk and do things slowly without much purpose....The latter 'wmp' definitely not true when I'm birding!

Conder Pool lost another place in the 'Hotspot' league table on Monday, with the exception of the nice to see again pair of Stonechat and 6 Goosander, there was an unbelievable nine other birds present, 4 Wigeon, 3 Little Grebe, a Redshank and a Carrion Crow. Nothing spectacular on the Lune Estuary at Glasson either, but a lone Greenshank by the Conder mouth was good.

Whooper Swan 25 October 2024. Pete Woodruff.

In fields at Clarkson's Farm, up to 120 Whooper Swan were early signs that they have returned to winter at Cockersand, where some waders had taken to the fields, with at least 350 Curlew equal to last Wednesdays count, and up to 320 Golden Plover, with 62 Back-tailed Godwit over>south. Six Stock Dove and 2 Skylark seen, with a Sparrowhawk from the CP over the marsh in its 'flap-flap-glide' hunting mode, also seen was last weeks male Stonechat which seems to be alone.

Beauty And The Beast. Pete Woodruff.

Struggling for pictures this time, so filled the gap with one over the fields at Cockersand. The power station at Heysham with the hint of a rainbow overhead.

Mottled Umber. Pete Woodruff.

The female of this moth is wingless and variable, and I was surprised to find the Mottled Umber on the white-washed wall at Lighthouse Cottage. 

Little Grebe.

Perusing through a 2024 annual report, I came across a couple of interesting records, one of which lists several sites where breeding Little Grebe occurred, and includes Conder Green which surely can't possibly include Conder Pool, albeit up to 20+can be seen here during the summer months. A short distance on the River Conder upstream from the A588 road bridge, soon turns right, out of sight and inaccessible. I know of nowhere that Conder Green could support breeding Little Grebe....Mmmm! 

Thanks to Paul Ellis for the Greenshank header, striding out at Conder Green. 

Sunday, 26 October 2025

New In Around The Estuary.

It was good to find three winter records on my visit to the estuary and surroundings this week. 

Starting at Conder Pool, where I found a little more activity than I did on my last visit here Friday 17 October. Finding little more than 60 birds of 9 species, it didn't look very much like the birding hotspot of the North of England, with 15 Black-headed Gull, 13 Redshank, 12 Greylag, 10 Teal, 5 Little Grebe, 3 Pink-footed Geese, a Kestrel hovering overhead, the Robin singing in the hedgerow again, and the Kingfisher putting in an appearance on its perch by the sluice.

Female Stonechat. Ana Minguez.

Bird/s of the day, a pair of Stonechat seen in the rough to the left of the viewing screen. The first of my wintering records, and a good excuse for posting the second of Ana's 'Spanish' Stonechat to add a bit of class and colour to the blog.

In the field at Clarksons Farm, 5 Whooper Swan were the first to arrive back at Cockersand and my second winter record of the day. As I set off on the circuit, I caught a 2sec glimpse of a raptor out of the gate at Bank House Farm and out of sight the other side of the road. I have tentatively recorded this as a Merlin as opposed to Sparrowhawk, though I prefer to see a Merlin recorded at Cockersand again soon for any certainty.

Linnet.

The 100+Linnet flock were seen again for the third time. Worth noting, the 2024 Lancashire Bird Report reads, thirteen 10km squares recorded flocks in excess of 100 at some point in the winter period. It is pleasing to know that a location in our recording area plays a part in that record. 

Curlew.

Another decent record was that of at least 350 Curlew in fields around Abbey Farm. This is another species regarded as being in big trouble nationally, and a declining breeding bird in Lancashire.

Canada Geese. Pete Woodruff.

To be honest, there was little else of any note at Cockersand today, in fact in desperation and to break the monotony, I counted and photographed 14 Canada Geese south of the abbey, and in not very attractive surroundings.

Snow Bunting.

There was no Snow Bunting to be seen at Cockersand in my last two visits, but one reported yesterday by the footpath behind Bank House Farm. This sighting confirmed my prediction to a punter on Facebook on Friday, that a Snow Bunting at Cockersand would be the next record to follow the one currently at Fluke Hall.

Many thanks to Martin Jump for the header image of the Fylde Coast Snow Bunting. 

And Finally.

There's a real need to get some publicity out about the regular disturbance to roosting waders on Plover Scar.

On three consecutive visits here, two of which were to check the high tide wader roost, I've found the area deserted. On the first of the three visits, multiple mutts were out on the scar, exercising, unleashed, and running riot.


On the second visit, there was activity out at the lighthouse....


....and on Wednesday, a lone figure was out on Plover Scar where there was probably several hundred waders flushed by this person whilst roosting there.

In my post on 12 October I mentioned....'I had met someone in authority at Cockersand, and in conversation we discussed at length the problem of trespassing and causing disturbance on Plover Scar, during which I asked if, bearing in mind the area is a SSSI, it was possible to make an application for the erection of signs to try to halt the disturbance of birds at an important roosting site'....A month later, despite having given this person in authority my name and e-mail address, and with a promise to get back to me, I've heard nothing....Perhaps best get in touch with the authority at the top!

Sunday, 19 October 2025

Friday 17 October.

I suspected some kind of recent disturbance had caused me to think, the best one word description for Conder Pool was dire. With the exception of c.120 Black-headed Gull, the best on offer was 7 birds, being a lone Redshank, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Mute Swan, a Robin was singing -  as they do all year round - in the hedgerow, with 3 Little Grebe bringing up the rear. 

The grebes seem to be moving away from Conder Pool earlier this year, according to my records they move to the creeks and on to the Lune Estuary early January, this autumn it seems they are deserting at least 8 weeks earlier. But as I made the move to leave the pool, things certainly took a turn for the better. Looking toward the creeks, I picked up a couple of small waders to see they were Curlew Sandpiper.


At the first cursory glance I prefer to rule out Dunlin, the sandpiper being more elegant and gangly. But on this occasion one bird started to preen, briefly showing its striking white rump and doing the elimination for me.


At Cockersand, I was pleased to find my first pair of wintering Stonechat here, they were in and around the dyke opposite the junction of Moss/Slack Lane. AC had already found two Stonechat last Monday 13 October, his birds were around the Bulrush dyke behind Lighthouse Cottage, I reckon mine were the same pair relocated slightly to the south.

Thanks to Ana for the stunning male 'Spanish' Stonechat

I managed the circuit to find 100+Linnet flighty around the fields off Slack Lane, the same flock here as those seen 22 September. Also a count of 6 Long-tailed Tit, with Song Thrush, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Great Tit, 2 Kestrel, and 38 Curlew were in a field north side of Abbey Farm. Two small skeins totaling 100 Pink-footed Geese were over Plover Scar>south.

Short and sweet again!   

Sunday, 12 October 2025

The Pool Strikes Again!

It was another whizz around on Wednesday for me....Don't like whizz arounds, not proper birding in my book.

But none of this matters, when I arrived at Conder Pool I was greeted by the wonderful sight of 18 Whooper Swan, an even better surprise was that the ratio was 50/50, 9 adult and 9 juvenile/2nd winter.

Although the status of the Whooper Swan is of a common winter visitor in Lancashire, it also appears to be declining in the county, though not as dramatic as the Bewick's Swan, which is that of an uncommon and declining winter visitor.

The Whooper Swan aside, Conder Pool was no better than mundane, with no more than 44 birds noted in a stock taking exercise, 21 Canada Geese, 11 Redshank, 5 Little Grebe3 Wigeon, 2 Mute Swan, a Little Egret, and a Kestrel hovering over the pool border.

Short and Sweet....Whooper Sweet!

Rock Pipit Cockersand 10 February 2016. Pete Woodruff.

At Cockersand, in 20 minutes stood by the motor, I counted 10 Rock Pipit driven off the marsh by the incoming tide, with at least 22 Snipe suffering the same disturbance over the same period.

Plover Scar.

Plover Scar on the Lune Estuary, with the lighthouse and Black Combe in the western Lakes in the background is a pleasant scene.


But two consecutive visits to check the high tide for roosting waders have had to be aborted, the first one on account of someone exercising ten dogs. I eventually spoke to this person - politely of course - and explained the significance of the area for roosting birds, and asked if it was possible they could avoid the area in future. I was pleased to hear an understanding, and an agreement to what I had asked.

The second incident was of two fishermen out on the scar, this time I was unable to make contact, but by coincidence at the same time, met someone in authority who had been inspecting the collapsed storm damaged areas along the headland at Cockersand. In conversation we discussed at length the problem of trespassing and disturbance on Plover Scar, during which I asked if, bearing in mind the area is a SSSI, it was possible to make an application for the erection of signs to try to halt the disturbance of birds at an important roosting site.

The disappointing end to this tale is, having given this person in authority my name and e-mail address, two weeks later I've heard nothing since!

Sunday, 31 August 2025

Conder Pool & Birk Bank.

Conder Pool 27 August.

Having landed at least two first records this week - four in my book - Conder Pool has earned the recognition of one of Lancashire's birding hot spots. This weeks header for B2B bears testament to that claim with a grand total of 46 Little Egret, seen on Conder Pool early Wednesday morning as an all time best count. On the same day, a Little Stint was on Conder Pool.

Little Stint Conder Pool. Tom Parkinson.

The second of four first records in my book at least, I don't recall a Little Stint on Conder Pool before.

Wednesday was a good day, and 31 Greenshank was certainly an all time best count here, and represents first record No 3....All this and more, whilst I was waiting to get my motor fixed 😝

Conder Pool 28 August.

I put in a couple of hours on Thursday to join Mark, a birder I respect, and who is as keen and dedicated as anyone I know for accuracy of the count. During my stay, Mark probably counted through the species a dozen times to come up with a result of 19 Ruff....Yet another all time best count No 4 for Conder Pool. 


There's a Black-tailed Godwit in the video, it thinks it's a Ruff!

Green Sandpiper Conder Pool 28 August. Pete Woodruff.

Other notes on Conder Pool for the little black book, a Green Sandpiper, was seen in pursuit around the pool of a Common Sandpiper, 420 Redshank were accompanied by 22 Greenshank, 4 Snipe, and 15 Little Grebe.


As soon as I set the camera for a video, the Green Sandpiper shot off and disappeared behind an island.

A Whimbrel was in the creeks and was another first in my book at Conder Green. As with the Little Stint on Conder Pool, I don't recall seeing a Whimbrel in the creeks before.

Birk Bank 25 August.

I connected with just three species of dragonflies today, but observed some interesting behavior. Five Keeled Skimmer were seen as two pairs in tandem and a lone female, all the females were noted to be 'old'. It was interesting that a male never let the female out of its sight, following its every move, and hovering around the female whilst she was egg laying and seeing off any other dragon that approached it.

Five Black Darter were seen as 2 pairs in tandem and a lone male. It was fascinating to watch the pair thrashing quite violently whilst egg laying.


The third species seen were 6 Common Darter, they were all males.

And Finally.

More pictures from my inbox....
  
Small Red-eyed Damselfly. Martin Jump.

Martin continues with his luck to find the Small Red-eyed Damselfly, and to achieve excellent results in his images.

Wasp With Green Bottle Prey. Martin Jump.

It's a one word comment here from me....WOW!

Red Admiral. Ian Mitchell.

Buff Ermine. Ian Mitchell.

Ian progresses with his success of butterflies and moths in flight.

Small Tortoiseshell. Pete Woodruff.

And we continue to get some nice butterflies and bumblebees in the garden.

Red-tailed Bumblebee. Pete Woodruff.