Birding The Fast Lane!

I could only allow myself three hours birding time on Friday which would be taken up around the Lune Estuary, at Conder Green, Glasson Dock, and Cockersand, where the sole purpose was to be on Plover Scar an hour before the high tide. But in the end I only needed a couple of hours, as I arrived at the car park at Lighthouse Cottage I could see a mutt-lover and his two hounds out on the scar which thwarted my birding plans for Cockersand....Mutt-bound and birdless! 

Conder Pool saw 65 Redshank, 5 Little Grebe, and 3 Cormorant, all of which did a disappearing act at the sight of a patrolling Sparrowhawk. On the circuit, 8 Common Sandpiper were in the creeks and down the channel, the House Martins are still around Cafe d' Lune and River Winds with nests still active. A Red Admiral and Gatekeeper were seen on the coastal path.

On the Lune Estuary, 3 Common Tern adult and a Whimbrel, with c.450 Redshank and 3 Dunlin feeding on the tideline to the Conder mouth, and Great-crested Grebe noted.

Common Tern.

Common Terns around the Lune Estuary and on Conder Pool have created a mix of interest of late.

Three juvenile Common Tern on the Lune Estuary July 2015. Pete Woodruff.

The three young had dispersed from Conder Pool soon after fledging and have been nowhere to be seen since, despite in previous years the juveniles have been found on the estuary as viewed from the bowling green at Glasson Dock and at Cockersand, two adults have been observed twice recently engaging in what appeared to be pairing behaviour on the Conder Pool pontoon, from where six adult were reported on 9 July. 

Tuesday Notables.

In my last post I made a note about behaviour between the 2 adult Common Tern on Conder Pool, with loud vocals and wing drooping by one of the birds. On Tuesday I saw a Common Tern return to the pontoon with a fish which it promptly gave to the other bird which was begging....Very interesting.

Also on Conder Pool, at least 30 Black-tailed Godwit in view with others behind the island no doubt. A female Tufted Duck had seven ducklings in tow, hope they have better luck on their side than the Avocets did. In the creeks, 3 Greenshank, 7 Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, and a good number of feeding Swallow over.

Sanderling With Dunlin. Plover Scar 25 July. Pete Woodruff.

On Plover Scar, it was good to find 5 Sanderling roosting with up to 250 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plover, and a lone Golden Plover. A Kestrel was hovering over Moss Lane, long time no see Kestrel here.

I had been to Heysham earlier in the day on Tuesday to find 8 Mediterranean Gull on Red Nab, all of which were adult save one 2nd summer/near adult. 

Meal Moth.

Meal Moth. Pete Woodruff.

Another stray in the house, unusual in that the Meal Moth isn't usually found far from it's chosen habitat of stored grain on which the larvae feed. At rest this one is showing it's characteristic tip of the abdomen curved at a right-angle to the body, it has damage/wear to it's wings, particular bad to the right.

Butterfly Conservation.

Coastal Path. Fluke Hall to Knott End. Pete Woodruff.

Black and White, taken some years ago, and not effective in showing colour to some excellent butterfly habitat, but illustrates the coastal location well.

Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar On Ragwort. Pete Woodruff.

Butterfly Conservation went out the window again on Tuesday, the day after I had found in excess of 200 specimens of butterfly and an abundance of Ragwort, including at least 60 Gatekeeper, large numbers of Cinnabar moth caterpillars, and endless numbers of other insects, all attacked/destroyed at the wrong time in the season on a walk along the coastal path from Fluke Hall to Cockers Dyke on the Fylde coast. I also met Barry who had done the same walk ahead of me and extended the walk towards Knott End to find even more butterflies than I did, he'll be delighted to read this post I'm sure.

Meeting John at Conder Green yesterday, I asked him where he'd been before coming to Conder Green, he said he had walked along the same path as I had done the day before, and told me the bank along the landward side of the path had been mowed down probably all the way to Knott End from Fluke Hall, in which case something like 4 miles at least. 

This isn't the first time this has happened, and it had also been mowed down at Pilling Lane Ends on a previous year I had visited the site, and probably is every year for all I know at all these excellent butterfly locations.

All this is down to some pencil pushing clown in a council office somewhere, signing pieces of paper headed 'Jobs To Do' and either not applying all the qualifications he would have needed to have been engaged to do the job, or maybe not even have to have any qualification at all.

I intend to make enquiries about all this, meanwhile....FUCK! 

Where Are All The Butterflies?

Yesterday started cloudy and looked like it might rain as the tide was flowing, but in fact it made a nice sunny day just after noon with no more than a light breeze.

Greenshank/Oystercatcher. Pete Woodruff.

The 2 Common Tern adult were on the pontoon, there was some interesting behaviour on show, almost as if some courtship taking place, with vocals and wing drooping. Waders of note, up to 100 Lapwing present again, 6 Common Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, and an Oystercatcher pair with young, 3 Cormorant were taking small fry like there was no tomorrow, 2 Little Grebe and 7 Tufted Duck. 

On the Lune Estuary, 2 Mediterranean Gull adult, and 2 Common Tern adult fishing.

Where are all the butterflies?

A trip down the A588 to Fluke Hall for a wander along the coastal path to Cockers Dyke produced evidence that in excess of 200 of 'em were along here, with the bulk attracted to the Ragwort, including at least 120 Large White, 60 Gatekeeper, 6 Small Copper, 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Red Admiral, 3 Meadow Brown, and a Green-veined White.

Gatekeeper/Cinnabar Caterpillar On Ragwort. Pete Woodruff.

....and where are all the birds?    

Well, around 110 of 'em were at Cockers Dyke, with at least 70 Knot and 40 Grey Plover noted here, and at Fluke Hall c.60 Tree Sparrow seen.

Tern on the Lune Estuary.

A tern species was on the Lune Estuary yesterday, noticeably smaller than the Black-headed Gulls it was 'standing around' with on the mud on the far side of the river, too distant and too soon lost to view to try to get to grips with ID. In my view it was too far advanced into 1st-winter plumage to be one of the Conder Pool juvenile, certainly no 'gingery' look about the upperparts, no dark carpal bar seen, but with black hood and white forehead.

Perhaps Arctic Tern, but on size alone, I'm not prepared to rule out Little Tern....The one that got away!

Five Days Later.

On Thursday, five days since my last visit to Conder Green, it seems the juvenile Common Tern have already dispersed, the whole party of two adult and three juvenile were all present on my last visit on Friday 14 July, but I've not found young anywhere here or on the Lune Estuary from Glasson to Cockersand. 

Two Common Tern adult were on Conder Pool, with a count of up to 150 Lapwing noted. I saw just 2 Little Grebe on the pool today, with a drop in number to 8 Common Sandpiper in the creeks with 2 Greenshank and 5 Little Egret.

On the Lune Estuary at Glasson Dock, 3 Mediterranean Gull were seen as an adult and two 2nd summer, 2 Common Tern adult fishing here were probably the Conder birds. An estimated 350 Dunlin and 250 Redshank were feeding on the tideline from the bowling green to the Conder mouth, and I counted 17 Little Egret here.

At Cockersand, there was an interesting count of at least 90 House Sparrow, I don't recall the last time I saw anything like a flock of this size of the House Sparrow, they were feeding in a barley field north of Bank Houses where I saw a small group of Goldfinch five of which were juvenile, and a Whitethroat feeding a young bird, also a few Tree Sparrow seen. A Sparrowhawk was in flight below a hedgeline, with just one of the two summering Whooper Swan seen.

Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his brilliant GND header image.

Cover Crop.

The cover crop at Crook Farm Cockersand in the cross-column image below the header, is being maintained by this farming family who I respect and know well, and who I spoke with recently to be told of government subsidies having been withdrawn. 

Wildlife needs farmers like this, but not the people in government like this....The photograph was taken in August 2016.

Back Up the Hill!

The weather on Monday was perfect for another trip into Bowland, and an update on Hawthornthwaite Fell produced a whacking 10 Stonechat. Well it had to be 'whacking' as I don't find that many Stonechat anywhere these days, though with two broods from two pairs that I had seen a month ago on 18 June you obviously can, today's sighting was seen as a male, two female, and seven juvenile.

The next best sighting on Hawthornthwaite was a Peregrine Falcon which I appropriately reported. The bird was mobbed several times by one of two Kestrel in the air at the time, a Buzzard had been seen earlier, and a lone Raven was over. Also of note, 11 Meadow Pipit, 4 Wren, and 2 Grey Wagtail were on Hawthornthwaite Greave where at least 20 Sand Martin were flying up and down.

I found only 17 species in a four hour trawl between Marshaw and Trough Bridge. House Martin were active at nests at the farmhouse at Well Brook Farm, and there are also two active House Martin nests at Tower Lodge, 2 Spotted Flycatcher were seen in the area, and 12 Chaffinch were of note, 11 Grey Wagtail were along the length of the Marshaw Wyre, 6 Robin seen one of which was a juvenile, 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Coal Tit were all young, 2 Goldfinch, a Willow Warbler, Wren, Blackbird, and a Great-spotted Woodpecker. 

The Peregrine Falcon.

Peregrine Falcon Brian Rafferty 

Up to 6 years ago the Peregrine Falcon was a common sight throughout the Forest of Bowland, and there were successful nesting pairs in most seasons. In 2010 numbers of pairs in Bowland began to decline drastically, the cause - as with the Hen Harrier - a campaign of relentless persecution. In 2016, 99% of territories were abandoned resulting from the unprecedented collapse of an entire regional Peregrine Falcon population. 

Hence my surprise and delight that I observed Monday's bird over Hawthornthwaite Fell, to be told first hand that it could well have been related to a successful breeding pair in Bowland this year, from which four young have fledged. Excellent news, only dampened by bearing in mind at least 16 territories of the 18 from the 99% decline, still remain unoccupied. 

The Short-eared Owl.

Short-eared Owl Martin Jump 

Having been a good vole year, it has been an equally good year for Short-eared Owl in Bowland according to a reliable informant. To be honest, I find this difficult to understand as the species comes under the same persecution regime as any other raptor on this estate and any other Red Grouse moorland. 

Thanks to Brian and Martin, who both know how much I appreciate being able to publish their excellent images on Birds2blog.

Green To Red.

Two hours on Friday at Conder Green/Glasson Dock, and another two at Heysham Red Nab, was mainly dominated by gulls. At Glasson Dock, I spoke to a birder from Gloucestershire and made the comment, looking without optics, you would get the impression that the Lune Estuary from this viewpoint was void of any birdlife, an area where thousands of waders can be seen in the winter months. 

Well it wasn't exactly crawling today, and what birds were present were mainly camouflaged by the weed covered stones they were on at low tide, but by the time this birder came to talk to me, I had found 4 Mediterranean Gull in a group, distant and hunkered down on the weedy stones, all black hooded with 2 Black-headed Gull. Eventually two took to the wing to reveal both adult, the other two remained resting and were both 2nd summer/adult. I couldn't help but wonder if these were the same Saltcote Brow  four I'd seen on 10 July, a single Black-tailed Godwit was the only other note I made. 

The Common Tern family of five were present on Conder Pool, with a bump up in the number of 5 Little Grebe, these are early returning birds to Conder Pool this year, the first I saw here in 2016 were two on 25 July. In the creeks and channel,15 Common Sandpiper seen, and Greenshank calling in flight towards the estuary.

It's as well there was a decent gull roost on Red Nab at Heysham, as the outfalls held only c.150 Black-headed Gull at Stage 1, and 25 at Stage 2. I found 9 Mediterranean Gull, seen as 6 adult, two 2nd summer, and a 1st summer. These birds were found on my first visit to Red Nab three hours before high tide, on my second visit an hour before high tide, from a distance I saw the mutt brigade clearing out the gulls save maybe fifty left by the time I got there, one of which was a remaining adult Mediterranean Gull with a few Black-headed Gull.

Thanks to Peter Rhind for the excellent header image. His juvenile Wheatear had already found its way to Cockers Dyke on the Fylde coast on 11 July. The Wheatear has a prolonged autumn migration period, and can be seen until November in some years, the latest Lancashire record being 17 November 2011. 

WOT NO PIKS....AGAIN!  

Skimmers, Chats, And Some Others.

Perfect weather on Wednesday to take a look at the landscape on Birk Bank and Harrisend Fell on the fringes of Bowland....Of course I had a couple of targets. 

Keeled Skimmer . Birk Bank Bog 12 July. Pete Woodruff

I had an excellent hour on the board-walk at Birk Bank, during which time I connected with 3 male Keeled Skimmer around the bog, the perfect follow-on to my finding a male here on 22 July last year. The bog wasn't exactly alive with dragonflies, but I did also see 4 Four-spotted Chaser, at least one Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and a Meadow Brown.

Some searching across the top of Birk Bank was also well rewarded by my finding 6 Stonechat, they were seen as a pair, and a male with two juvenile on view, I'd like to think maybe three more young were keeping their heads down to make up a full brood, whilst I was watching these, another Stonechat flew in some distance behind them. A low count of 4 Meadow Pipit and a Willow Warbler in a Rowan were the only other birds noted.

Stonechat adult male/juvenile Gary Jones

On Harrisend, I was pleased to find 4 Stonechat, these were seen as two single males, a female, and further on the fell a lone juvenile, a particularly mobile individual that I saw five times on the outward and return walk, and moving considerable distances every time. The 12 Meadow Pipit seen were a better sample than the four seen on Birk Bank, 3 Redpoll flew off from the lone Hawthorn, 3 Reed Bunting, a male Linnet, and a male Blackbird seen. Raptors were, a Buzzard and Kestrel, and the butterflies, 14 Large White and 2 Small Heath.

Thanks to Gary for the adult male and juvenile Stonechat images.

The Moth.

Elephant Hawkmoth. Julie Wareing.

Julie sent me this grab shot - albeit the underside - of the Elephant Hawkmoth which strayed into her house recently. An impressive and colourful moth, known to have a liking of visiting Honeysuckle at dusk, it's foodplants are Willowherbs and Bedstraws, and also garden Fuchsias. 

Interestingly, Julie has since told me in an e-mail....'All that you said about the certain plants they like are all in my garden'.         

Butterfly Highlight.

Ringlet. Pete Woodruff.

Highlight for me on Monday was the Ringlet I found at Aldcliffe, very unexpected and probably a first for the area. The only other Ringlets I've ever seen aside from the one at Latterbarrow recently, have been at Witherslack were I saw twenty on 9 July 2015.

I had only gone to Aldcliffe for the last hour for a quick whizz round, and in the warm and sheltered cutting near Stodday I found a little selection of other butterflies, including 3 Comma, 2 Red Admiral, 2 Meadow Brown, and a Speckled Wood.

On a circuit along the high path and return via the lower, 4 Chiffchaff were heard, 2 Whitethroat seen, with a Sedge Warbler singing full throttle, a few Swift were over, but more notable was a movement probably of up to a three figure of House Martin. I counted 205 Greylag in a field, with two unreadable orange collared birds.

In the Glasson area I found 5 Mediterranean Gull, a visit to the Lune Estuary coincided with the near high tide, but I was rewarded with good views of a 2nd summer bird, and in the field at the junction by Saltcote Brow, 4 birds were all hunkered down in the grass, all except one were 2nd summer/adult with full black hoods, but the one seen as an all white-winged adult with 52 Black-headed Gull.

Ringed Plover. Pete Woodruff.

There was little more than 85 waders on Plover Scar at high tide, c.50 Golden Plover, 25 Dunlin, and 10 Ringed Plover, with 15 Linnet dropping in. Butterflies seen, 6 Small Tortoiseshell, and 2 Meadow Brown. 

Looks like the Ringed Plover image escaped the quality control check!!

Notes From Conder Green.

Common Tern Conder Pool. Pete Woodruff.

Interesting and coincidentally, I took this photograph of these three juvenile Common Tern twelve months ago to the day, on 11 July 2016.

There was a little extra interest at Conder Green yesterday, and it was good to see all three juvenile Common Tern which have soon learned the skills of fishing for themselves, and were hovering and dipping to take small fry out of Conder Pool. 

There was some interesting behaviour between two adult Common Tern, whilst one of the young had gone back into the pontoon which was guarded by an adult, another adult came in and dropped into the pontoon and was soon joined inside by the guarding bird which was obviously one of the parent birds, some serious loud and aggressive vocals, with necks stretched, heads up and drooped wings were on display when the visitor was violently stabbed at twice putting the bird to the wing and away, I reckon this bird was an intruder and not one of the Conder Pool family.

There was a huge and unprecedented raft of at least 550 adult and various aged immature gulls on Conder Pool yesterday, predominantly Lesser Black-backed Gull, with Herring Gull.

Also 2 Little Grebe on Conder Pool....is this an early start to the winter build up on here. Also, although the number didn't reach the peak of last Fridays 26, I counted 19 Common Sandpiper on the circuit yesterday.