By Way Of A Change!

The saying goes....A change is as good as a rest, and with a decent day and an hour or so free time, I was off to Leighton Moss for my first visit there in 5 years, since August 2018.

First port of call was the Eric Morecambe Hide. With the glare of the sun in your face, not the best choice, coupled with birds often in the distance of the far floods. The better choice would have been to view from the Crag viewpoint, from where most of the sightings have been made recently.

But the sun in your eyes didn't put into silhouette 5 Spoonbill, a Cattle Egret, and 15 Little Egret, all seen mid-distance. Also at least 500 Black-tailed Godwit solved the glare of the sun problem, when they took to the wing over the far flood, also a Greenshank put in an appearance before quickly disappearing from view.

I then decided the Causeway Hide was my next stop, from where I soon picked out 2 Great White Egret on the distant bare branches of a dead tree, and 30 minutes later picked out an Osprey in the same dead tree tearing a large fish to pieces for lunch.    

Several Migrant Hawker seen at Leighton Moss today, this one obligingly hovering in front of the window of the Causeway Hide, also a Kingfisher came twice to perch on a post close by.

With just a half hour left to spare, I gave the remaining time to Lillian's Hide - God forbid - but was truly amazed to find it void of Bearded Tit and Bittern hunters, so had the place to myself for a while, to see another Great White Egret putting in an appearance.

Black-headed Gull. Pete Woodruff.

 

In my experience, gull's are generally a much neglected species, but this one shows how attractive these birds are, and was one of around 60 Black-headed Gull from Lillian's Hide today. 

The North Corner From Lillian's Hide. Pete Woodruff.

The only other notes I made from Lillian's Hide, where of at least 70 Gadwall and 2 Little Grebe.

Saturday 2 September.

Migrant Hawker. Pete Woodruff.

A pleasant wander along the Lancaster Canal north from Garstang, yielded up to 20 Migrant Hawker, 9 Brown Hawker and 2 Blue Tailed Damselfly.  

Steam Days And Birding!

With the breeding Common Tern and Avocet all departed, and just 6 Greenshank to be seen, Conder Pool took on a look of desolation, but the count of 17 Little Grebe turned the pool into a mid-winter feel. 

In 15 minutes looking from the viewing screen, I counted 10 Migrant Hawker passing, and saw 2 Red Admiral. I think the property on Corrick's Lane is now holiday accommodation and not the cafe it once was, 6 House Martin were around with a nest still active there.

Common Darter Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

 

On Saltcote Pond, a few Common Darter included a female seen oviposting over open water, also a few Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselfly. Along the canal towpath Glasson - Conder Green, a low count of 8 Migrant Hawker, I think September will change that to something bigger and better, 6 Specked Wood seen.

Pity the birds were distant, but the footage is evidence of an adult Common Tern on the Lune Estuary at Glasson, a juvenile was hovering and plunge diving, and 24 Little Egret seen.

Sunday 27 August.

On the sea defences and shore, 6 Wheatear seen along the Sandylands promenade. 

Picture Gallery.

Having recently received several excellent images, I wanted to show some respect to three of the many authors who continually keep me supplied with news and illustrations of 'what's on' in our area and beyond.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly Haslem Park. Martin Jump.

Black Tern Glasson Dock. Howard Stockdale.

Black Darter Foulshaw. Ian Mitchell.

Thanks to Martin Jump, Howard Stockdale, Ian Mitchell....Much Appreciated.

The happy days in another life came to mind as I pondered for a header pik, when I was a fireman for good old British Railways and dinosaurs ruled the world. I have Peter Guy to thank for the image of the beautiful beast called the Duchess of Sutherland.

The Emerald Pond.

Privileged to receive an invite to visit a friends garden in rural Lancashire last week. I was pleased to accept the invite, and in doing so was able to share some quite amazing discoveries made mainly centered around what I have decided to call the Emerald Pond.

On 16 August I received a text message to tell me of a damselfly to visit the pond. This message triggered my interest in seeing the planning and hard labour needed to create what has rapidly become a haven for wildlife.

Emerald Damselfly 20 August Emerald Pond. Pete Woodruff.

Last Sunday I was able to see for myself a brilliant female Emerald Damselfly on Emerald Pond. This is a damselfly absent from much of the Fylde and North Lancashire, essentially absent from the whole of Bowland, but turns up in a rural garden a few miles out of Lancaster and commences egg laying on Soft Rush....WOW!

A short and shaky video of the female Emerald Damselfly, including some odd abdomen waving behaviour. 

A female Southern Hawker also graced the pond, and was seen ovipositing. Later, a male appeared on the scene, and appeared to be going to patrol the pond for evermore, making no contact with the female. A few Common Darter were present including pairs in tandem.

Southern Hawker Male. Pete Woodruff.

The best of my efforts at in flight photography! 

Butterflies to be enjoyed during the visit, 8 Red Admiral all pristine and freshly emerged, 2 Small Copper, Peacock, Comma, and Holly Blue. 

This was an excellent and interesting 2 hours spent on a pleasant Sunday afternoon in an amazing garden with an amazing pond and wild meadow which just gets better....you have to wonder what next? 

Regular updates from Emerald Pond and its surroundings since the first week in July.... 

7 July Barn Owl

15 July Golden-ringed Dragonfly

16 August Kingfisher

23 August Brown Hawker

23 August Emerald Damselfly a second female

25 August Painted Lady

Good Rewards Around The Estuary.

Yellow Wagtail.

The Yellow Wagtail no longer breeds in our LDBWS recording area of Lancashire, and any evidence of breeding attempts is largely restricted to the south of the River Ribble, and the nearest site for breeding Yellow Wagtail to the north as far as I'm aware of, is in South Cumbria. That taken into account, Andrew Cornall dedicates the entire month of August to monitor the Yellow Wagtail on autumn passage moving south through Bank End, his peak count in 2022 was 14 on the 15 August.

On Monday, I first shot off to Bank End to immediately find 3 Yellow Wagtail amongst the sheep, seen as a female and two juvenile. 

Next stop Conder Pool, to find 10 Greenshank accompanied by 2 Ruff, also a Common Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Stock Dove, and a Kingfisher which came briefly to perch on the sluice. If you really need to see a Kingfisher, patience and a little time gives you a 75% chance of seeing one, especially during the winter months.

As I was about to leave Conder Pool, things began to 'hot up' when Andrew Cornall pulled up to tell me a goodie had been found just down the road on the Canal Basin at Glasson Dock. I hot footed it there to find an adult Black Tern in winter plumage. It was great to watch the tern with its lazy flight, hawking and dipping down to the surface to take insects.

From the canal basin, I crossed the road to view the Lune Estuary from the bowling green to find 8 Common Tern, including 2 juvenile one of which was fed by an adult which had been seen hovering and plunge diving. Following good numbers seen on the estuary recently, I counted at least 10 Mediterranean Gull in view distant, certainly there was more hunkered down, with 3 Back-tailed Godwit to note.

American Golden Plover With Lapwing Glasson Marsh 21 August. Copyright Paul Slade.

Bodie Hill was the next stop, the Golden Plovers had started to create a pattern, seemingly moving from Cockersand in the morning, and relocating to Glasson Marsh to roost over the high tide, from where a smart adult American Golden Plover had joined the small group of up to 60 Golden Plover.

Thanks to Paul Slade for his image of the AGP, much appreciated. Also thanks to Ian Mitchell for his header image of the Canary-shouldered Thorn. The connection to B2B and this post, being its beautiful yellow colours to match the Yellow Wagtail.  

Conder Pool And Some Legwork.

Conder Pool.

A pool that never fails to deliver some interest great or small. I made a total of four visits there this week between a couple of wanders along the canal towpath, and made another good count of 18 Greenshank, along with 80 Redshank, all of which were accompanied by 2 Ruff, also a Common Sandpiper and 10 Little Grebe seen. 

I eventually saw 6 Common Tern adult, three of which on one occasion were all flighting around with fish in their bills, one eventually went down out of sight. It's obvious there is at least one juvenile still being fed out of sight behind the island, but with three adult birds in the air together, and all with a meal in the bill it's anyone's guess....but I know a couple of people who probably know different!

Saltcote Pond.

A few Common Darter including a pair in tandem, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and a lone Brown Hawker constantly on patrol.

Canal Towpath.

Lancaster Canal. Pete Woodruff. 

Obviously not at their peak numbers yet, but along this 3 mile section of the canal between Glasson-Galgate, 12 Migrant Hawker, were often seen hawking along and above the hedgerow, but with frequent hovering lower down. At least 30 Brown Hawker were seen, with tobacco body and amber wings it's the easiest of all the dragonflies to identify. Best surprise was a female Banded Demoiselle, not really expected to be seen in mid-August. Three Common Tern flew over the canal from the south towards Conder Pool, several small groups of Swallow flying south, and a Buzzard was overhead at Galgate.

Butterflies.

On a day with perfect sunny and warm conditions, with just 4 Speckled Wood, 3 Small Copper, and 3 Gatekeeper seen, butterflies continue to be at an all time low in my book.

On my way back to Lancaster, there was a movement of c.20 House Martin over Ashton Road.

The Warbler!

This bird was calling from the canal towpath in the Conder Green area.

 

I decided to make a video for a recording to give me time to asses what I heard. With the habitat the bird was calling from looking good, I concluded it was the alarm call of a Whitethroat.....Thanks to Steve for his contribution here, and for agreeing with me. 

Aqueduct Pond.

Aqueduct Bridge Lancaster. Copyright Johnathon Price.

There's a small pool/pond or whatever anyone might want to call it, it hasn't got a name as yet, it's below and in the shadow of the Aqueduct Bridge which takes the Lancaster Canal over the River Lune. For the sake of my own records, I have decided to name it Aqueduct Pond, who knows the name might stick like Conder Pool did all those years ago. 

Aqueduct Pond is quietly notorious as a rare site in our area to find the Emerald Damselfly, a still-water species, not recorded on any rivers or canals, and only scarcely on small streams. By coincidence, it wasn't until I looked through my records, that I discovered I had paid my first ever visit to this pool last year on the same date of 10 August 2022.

Emerald Damselfly Aqueduct Pond 10 Aug Pete Woodruff.

The image above of the male Emerald Damselfly barely reaches moderate level. Excuses are, it was some distance away and so small, but there's more to see in this image than in the video below, but both are acceptable as records of this brilliant little damselfly.

Also on the pond, 2 Southern Hawker female came to oviposit on vegetation at the side of the pool, they were still there 20 minutes later when I left the site. 

An unmistakable large and gaudy hawker, its dark body inlaid with bright nuggets of apple-green. The Southern Hawker female is my second most favourite dragonfly standing behind the Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Two Brown Hawker were seen, one of which was also ovipositing, and a few Common Darter were all male.

I had a pleasant stroll back to Lancaster via the canal towpath, to find another female Southern Hawker, and by the time I reached Lancaster I had counted 12 Brown Hawker, a lone male Common Darter, and 8 Speckled Wood.

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A is for Avocet....T is for Tern!

There's a little tragedy surrounding this tale about an error I made in my post of 6 August, when I made the claim that an Avocet nest was out of sight and still active on Conder Pool. In fact it was a Common Tern nest on a small rock pile at the west end of the pool. The nest held a chick which subsequently perished at the hands of a spring tide which submerged the nest and drowned the chick.

There was more bad news from Conder Pool, when I hear of road kills of 'a good few' Avocet chicks as the parent birds guide them to a richer and better food source in the River Conder, but are flattened by some of the muppets who speed along the busy B5290. 

But in the end there is some positive and joyful news from Conder Pool in 2023....Figures show there was a 36% success rate of fledged Avocet this year, compared to 13% success in 2022. 

Mainly Dragons....

....and some extraordinary young birds....Well I think so anyway!

When I arrived at the River Conder by Cragg Wood yesterday, my eyes were drawn to the tree tops where I saw at least 20 Migrant Hawker milling around overhead in one view through my binoculars. I've never witnessed a movement of Migrant Hawkers like this before, albeit small in number,  it was another rewarding first for me.

Migrant Hawker. Pete Woodruff.

On the wander back for a return visit to the bog at Birk Bank, I saw another 6 Migrant Hawker, including this immature male hanging on the Mountain Ash. 

It was another disappointing day at the bog, in the two visits three hours apart, I struggled to find 2 Keeled Skimmer male, one seeing the other off, and 2 Keeled Skimmer female hanging on Bog Asphodel, a single Golden-ringed Dragonfly, and a male Common Darter. 

Common Lizard. Pete Woodruff.

The 10 Common Lizard I saw within 20 metres along the boardwalk, gave the impression they are thriving here.

Whinchat.

Whinchat Juvenile. Copyright Paul Slade.

On Monday 7 August, a young Whinchat was found on the Fylde coast. I find it amazing that a Whinchat barely a week fledged and still showing its gape, could fly from its natal site in the uplands of Bowland, to find itself at least 20 miles away at Cockers Dyke.

Wheatear.

Wheatear Juvenile. Copyright Paul Ellis.

But then you could say the same about this young Wheatear found on 16 July at Bank End.

I'm grateful to Paul Slade and Paul Ellis for the use of their images of two remarkable young birds.

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It's time to put some excitement and spruce up B2B with some juicy controversy, and 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, here’s the latest catalogue of crime that suggests otherwise....READ THIS

Back In Business!.

I was back in business when the weather finally improved this week, and there was plenty of action on Conder Pool when I paid my first visit there following a gap of 11 days, to find the pontoon deserted of the 9 Common Tern chicks I had seen on 23 July. Amazing to think the progress they made in under a fortnight, to fledge and scatter around the pool.

The Common Tern has had the best year to date on Conder Pool in 2023, and my guess is that at least 15 birds have made it to fledging this year. Today I made an estimate count of 15 Common Tern adult and several juvenile, probably with as many out of sight as there was in view. 

I saw just one adult Avocet accompanied by a juvenile, but understand there is a nest out of view and still active. Up to 350 Redshank, c.20 Dunlin, and a Ruff were lined up at the back of the pool with an impressive count of 18 Greenshank. Just one Common Sandpiper seen, 9 Little Grebe, 2 Stock Dove, and a Collared Dove. 

I caught a glimpse of 2 Kingfisher flying together as they whizzed across the pool. A Sparrowhawk was patrolling high above the pool, and a few House Martin were around the now defunct cafe on Corricks Lane with one nest still active. 

Saltcote Pond.

In my last post, I made a comment that Saltcote Pond was an attractive little waterbody, but on a wander from Glasson Dock and back to Conder Green today, I looked in and was disappointed to find some badly timed management having been carried out....The Keep Britain Tidy gang had been at work.

Hopefully all the dragonflies will have now bred, maybe my concern was unnecessary, but it wasn't a pretty sight.

Along the canal towpath, 8 Brown Hawker were the only dragonflies encountered. Butterflies verged on abysmal, with 2 Comma, 2 Gatekeeper, 2 Meadow Brown, and a Speckled Wood.    

I paid two visits to Conder Pool, one before and one after the high tide, it took me 2 hours for 3 Little Ringed Plover juvenile to show, which actually made my day when they did. There was a bonus attached to the sighting, through a conversation with Ian Hartley, I am aware of 2 juveniles being seen here recently, and I agree with the opinion, that this third juvenile is a visitor to Conder Pool from elsewhere probably on the Lune Estuary.

Food For Thought!

Camera's had been in place on the Conder Pool raft to monitor fish species being brought in for the broods as research for the RSPB. Sprats were the main fish with smaller numbers of Sand Eel and the odd fresh water fish such as Roach and small Pike, probably taken from the canal where I had recently seen the terns up and down the length of the canal Glasson - Conder Green.

An excellent image of an adult Common Tern bringing in food for the chicks stood in line to get to the front of the queue with anticipation....It's my turn next please!

Thanks to Howard Stockdale for the info and camera footage. Also for the header image of one of two of this years Little Ringed Plover.

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And Finally.

Southern Hawker. Ian Stephenson.

A dragonfly came to rest on a window box at a house in Brookhouse yesterday. Identified as a Southern Hawker female, and photographed on a Smartphone, with thanks to Ian for alerting me and sending me the image.

Turned Out Nice Again!

A decent day on Monday, brought about a re-run of my day on 17 July, plus a wander along the canal towpath Glasson-Conder Green.

On Conder Pool, my count was of 20 Common Tern which were seen as 7 adult, 4 fledged juvenile, and 9 chicks of variable size on the pontoon. I saw 3 Avocet adult and 2 juvenile, 14 Greenshank were lined up at the back of the pool with 27 Redshank, a lone adult a Little Ringed Plover, and a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull was hunkered down roosting at the back of the pool.

Setting off on my wanderings, I was reminded that the House Martin have failed to nest at River Winds this year, but six House Martin were seen around what was Cafe d'Lune now closed, with two nests active.

Saltcote Pond. Pete Woodruff.

Saltcote Pond is an attractive little waterbody, and a pair of Emperor Dragonfly obliged me today, the male patrolling whilst the female was ovipositing alone, the only Anax to do so without the male, the abdominal colour becoming obscured through oviposting is clearly shown in this footage. Also seen, 3 Common Blue Damselfly, and a Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Along the canal towpath, several sightings of Common Tern adults searching for fish, and good numbers of Swallow seen, a Reed Warbler burst into song, Goldfinch were on thistles including juvenile birds, a lone Tree Sparrow came onto the path, and a Wren seen. Dragonflies, 7 Brown Hawker, and an Emperor Dragonfly.

Butterflies seen, 19 Gatekeeper, 8 on the canal and 11 from the viewing screen at Conder Pool, 12 Large White, 5 Speckled Wood, 4 Green-veined White, 2 Red Admiral, Peacock, Common Blue, and a Silver Y moth.

Conder Pool Terns.

One adult Common Tern seems to have been sitting on the nest forever, it was still there when I arrived on Monday and had been on three previous visits. Someone made a comment that it was rather late to still be on a nest at the end of July, but it's worth noting, the first ever Common Terns to come to Conder Pool, didn't arrive until 14 July 2014. This pair of terns successfully raised two birds which I followed through until I last saw them on the Lune Estuary on 12 September. I had previously watched the adults on the estuary, and my notes read that I observed a Common Tern on 9 September making 22 dives to catch a total of 18 fish.

Avocet CJ.

This bird fledged on Conder Pool 22 June 2023, interestingly it was sighted at Blacktoft Sands on Humberside a month later on 23 July. I'm grateful to Howard Stockdale for his continuing contribution with info and images.

Wrong Time Wrong Day....Again!

My third visit in three weeks to Birk Bank, proved conclusively that I'm out of luck when it comes to getting it right regarding the weather. 

Leaving home on Thursday, I was encouraged with some sun and the hope of improvement as the day progressed, but little more than 15 minutes later, on arrival at Birk Bank the grey clouds rolled in, and the wind was no better than chilly. I reckoned I was on a loser again, and with no improvement in the weather, for the whole time spent here I was proved right.

The yellow flowers of the Bog Asphodel have now turned to their orange fruiting colour.

Birk Bank Bog 20 July. Pete Woodruff.

I paid two visits three hours apart to the bog, and given the poor conditions, considered myself fortunate to find one male Keeled Skimmer, a male Common Darter, and the surprising bonus of a Golden-ringed Dragonfly. 

One Keeled Skimmer is the total over the three visits here, and I can only assume the weather conditions are responsible, blistering heat for three weeks, followed by wet and windy for three more weeks, can't be good news for Odonata.

Although Birk Bank didn't look anything like it should do on 20 July, I made a three hour trek around the area. Three Stonechat were seen as a lone female and later on the west side of Ottergear Bridge a pair. A Jay was something of a surprise, 2 Buzzard and 3 Raven were overhead, and a hovering Kestrel were as good as it got. 

On the day before I was at Birk Bank, Ian Mitchell had better luck than me, when he found Purple Hairstreak again in the Oaks by Ottergear Bridge. 

Purple Hairstreak Birk Bank 19 July. Ian Mitchell.

Wherever there are Oak, the Purple Hairstreak can be found mainly in the canopy. In some areas in the south, even one Oak tree can support a colony, though they can be easily be overlooked when searching for their food source of honeydew. The better chance of seeing this butterfly is in the evening of warm summer days.

Birk Bank Bog.  

Out of interest, Ian made a couple of pH water tests on the bog at Birk Bank, and found both samples returned a score of 6. I was as surprised as Ian by the reading, thinking it would be more than 'slightly acidic'. Water in the home is regarded as fit for drinking at a score of between 6.5 and 8.5!