Missing In Action!

Mostly missing for me around the Lune Estuary yesterday, disappointingly so....Should have gone to Specsavers! 

Little Grebe Conder Pool. Ian Mitchell.

A quick scan resulted with a count of 18 Little Grebe on Conder Pool, catching small fry like there's no tomorrow....nothing 'missing' there then. Also on the pool, a female Shoveler, interesting in itself as the species is no more than irregular here. Four Wigeon were the only other birds of note, and a Goosander in the creeks, decided to make a move and flew to the canal.

On the Lune Estuary, my best count to date of up to 600 Golden Plover, lined up on the shore below Colloway Marsh. Otherwise of note, 166 Curlew and 68 Black-tailed Godwit. I managed to pick out 3 Mediterranean Gull amongst the hordes of other mainly distant gulls.

Although as always, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Cockersand, the only notes I came away with from here were, 6 Skylark over in a move from one field to the next, and 16 Tree Sparrow at Bank Houses. 

Tree Sparrow.

Yesterdays record represented my first record at Cockersand in nearly 12 months, when I found a lone Tree Sparrow at Bank Houses on 1 December 2022, the previous record being 3 Tree Sparrow - again at Bank Houses - 12 months earlier on 14 December 2021. In my records that represents a decline of the Tree Sparrow at Cockersand.

Golden Plover.

Albeit early in the winter season, yesterdays 600 Golden Plover at Glasson is my best to date and a good record. We will have to see what happens next this winter, but in 2022 Golden Plover records in Lancashire were disappointing, my peak count was of 1,500 at Braides on 11 October 2022, and as far as I'm aware, this number wasn't exceeded anywhere else that year on the Lune Estuary. 

Important to note, the Golden Plover is scarce on the UU Bowland Estate, and no breeding was confirmed in 2022....Lancashire Bird Report 2022    

Filling A Developing Hole!

Not totally related to the rubbish weather but mainly so, there's another hole developing on Birds2blog, so I thought it best to fill it in before it gets any bigger. 

By coincidence I have been sent two rather interesting and intriguing images recording two recent events, one of which was on Conder Pool, and one south in Gloucestershire.

Kingfisher Conder Pool. Howard Stockdale.

 

Taking this shot recently on Conder Pool, Howard sent it to me to do a little reading about the lunch in the Kingfishers bill which was identified as a Common Prawn Palaemonen serratus, a species of shrimp found in the Atlantic Ocean from Denmark to Mauritania, and in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea.

P. serratus is one of several commercially important species of prawns in the UK. Fisheries are operated on a very local scale, and many of these Common Prawns are live exported to markets in Southern Europe. This one expired in the bill of a Kingfisher on Conder Pool in Lancashire....Thanks for the image Howard.

Crab Spider/Blue-tailed Damselfly. Nick Hughes.

So named because its long front legs are arranged in crab-like fashion, and it can run sideways. Nick said about the Crab Spider Misumena vatia....'This Blue-tailed Damselfly landing on top of a Crab Spider and not getting grabbed was my favourite nature shot of the year. I had just focused on the spider who was set to grab prey and the subject of the shot, when the damselfly landed, it escaped the clutches of the spider and lived to fly another day'....Chance in a million Nick, thanks for the image.

Thanks to Martin Jump for helping B2B out of the hole with his header image of a Ringed Plover ahead of two Dunlin coming in to land to join the high tide roost on Plover Scar. 

I'd Sooner Be Birding!

Another Estuary Mix!

A day with mixed feelings, but I'll keep the whingeing about flooded pools, anglers and canoeists to myself and just get on with the story. 

I think there's more than meets the eye to the fact the raft has partially sunk in the flood at Conder Pool....We'll just have to wait and see what happens next!

But 3 Black-tailed Godwit and a dozing Ruff seem to have found some solid ground, and the Canada Geese, Greylag, and a few farmyard geese, appear to be enjoying the situation. In the creeks, 2 Ruff and a Greenshank.

These two canoeists about to launch and enjoy their pursuit, managed to disturb a few hundred waders on the Lune Estuary, but further upstream up to 2,350 waders were unperturbed by them, with estimates of 1,550 Lapwing, 400 Black-tailed Godwit, 220 Redshank, 150 knot, and 32 Snipe seen.

An hour up to and including the high tide at Plover Scar, to be honest didn't produced one or two species I hoped for, but it was a magical experience to stand and watch the tide slowly pushing in excess of 600 waders towards me, including 430 Dunlin, up to 95 Ringed Plover, and 80 Turnstone, with 25 Eider and a Great-crested Grebe off the scar. A Wheatear and hovering Kestrel were around the Lighthouse Cottage parking area.

High Tide Plover Scar. Pete Woodruff. 

Red Admiral And Black Tern.

Red Admiral On Rhododendron. Pete Woodruff. 

At least 10 Red Admiral still being seen in the first days of October, with a total of up to ten seen in Williamson's Park, Lancaster Cemetery, and in our garden.

Black Tern Heysham 30 September. Mike Robinson.

Mike paid a visit to Heysham and achieved this excellent image of one of the juveniles present here for 13 days, but I understand have now departed....Thanks Mike, much appreciated.  

Quiet On The Western Front.

Albeit short on time, birds, and consequently no piks for the post, this is going to be brief and straight to the point....  

Monday was a decent day, the weather being mostly sunny and warm when sheltered from the wind. 

On Conder Pool, a Merlin juvenile/female flew through putting everything to flight, including 7 Greenshank and 2 Ruff. The count of 22 Little Grebe is my all time best count, though I note 32 Little Grebe seen on Conder Pool by something of a coincidence on precisely the same date of 25 September 2021, as reported in The Birds of Lancaster & District, a record I would suggest not likely be beaten anytime soon. 

On the circuit, 2 Common Sandpiper, one in the creeks, one in the channel downstream from the railway bridge, a charm of c.50 Goldfinch were flighty over the marsh, and 3 Red Admiral were on Ivy from the coastal path.

On the Lune Estuary from the bowling green, relatively low numbers of waders and nothing spectacular, 132 Curlew noted, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, and a lone Knot were the odd ones out. A wander along the canal towpath Glasson - Conder Green was the road to nowhere for dragonflies, but a lone Migrant Hawker was on Saltcote Pond in shelter from the wind.

Hawker With Lunch!

I decided on a search for something to add a little interest to the post, and found this excellent image of a dragonfly with prey....Thanks Ian. 

Mature Male Brown Hawker. Ian Mitchell.

The header pik gives some exposure to the beauty of Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Hills.

More Pleasantries Around The Estuary.

Although I had to sit out a 30 minute downpour as I was about to set off on my traditional circuit of Conder Green following a check of Conder Pool, the pilgrimage around the Lune Estuary was rewarded by at least one decent wader, and a personal all time odonata record.

With 8 Greenshank seen on Conder Pool, it's obvious they are remaining faithful to the site, not unusual as they can be recorded here throughout the winter, whilst they wave goodbye to their brothers and sisters as they migrate west of Africa. Also on the pool, a Common Sandpiper, 13 Little Grebe, and a Collared Dove not being a regular here, 2 Raven were calling overhead.

My initial plan was Cockersand next, but with an ominous looking sky, that idea was quickly kicked into touch. So it was an hour spent at the bowling green, to watch the tide rise and push a nice juvenile Curlew Sandpiper into closer views, surrounded by good numbers of Redshank, Dunlin, Lapwing, and 5 Black-tailed Godwit. Also, in company with a few hundred gulls, I picked out an adult and 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull.

The day bucked up nicely, breezy and sunny, and a wander along the canal towpath Glasson Dock - Conder Green, rewarded me with another eleven hawkers including four pairs in cop. This count sent my record through the roof, to put a grand total of 206 Migrant Hawker seen since my first over the River Conder at Cragg Wood 8 August.

House Sparrow.

During the week, I watched four groups of up to 60 House Sparrow flying to disappear into a wild rose bush on Sandylands Promenade towards Heysham. 

Gone Fishing Part 2.

Enquires about the legality of fishing off Plover Scar are ongoing. Meanwhile, as an explanation as to why these two 'completely ruined my birding' and caused serious disturbance to the waders on the day. My header image and two others sent to me, clearly show the reason why this was the case.

Little Stint Plover Scar. Howard Stockdale.

Sanderling Plover Scar. Howard Stockdale.

The images show a Curlew Sandpiper in the header, a Little Stint, and my favourite wader the Sanderling, all three of which I was hoping I might connect with on the day, but was thwarted by the anglers. 

I'm grateful to Howard Stockdale for this trio of excellent images. 

Gone Fishing!

I was struggling for a header image this time, so decided to give some publicity to the fishing duo - that's me being diplomatic for a change - who completely ruined my birding, and more importantly were responsible for disturbance to hundreds of waders which use the dry land on Plover Scar each and every day to rest and escape the tide. I watched dozens of flocks flying in towards Plover Scar to roost on Friday, only to have to divert elsewhere because of the action by these two who were fishing on and from a SSSI location on the Lune Estuary....Think there may be some laws being broken here!

But none of this fazed the smart 1st winter Little Gull which sat on the sea, accompanied by a mix of at least 600 predominantly Black-headed Gull and many other large gulls off Lighthouse Cottage....No Little Gull, and just a fraction of the gulls in the short video.

Also seen here at Cockersand, 12 Wheatear, 46 Eider, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Stock Dove and a small flock of 15 Linnet.

Curlew Sandpiper. Brian Rafferty.

A couple of hours after high tide, I called in at the Lune Estuary at Glasson, to find a lone juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, with a few Dunlin and larger numbers of Redshank and Lapwing. On a stretch of the canal Glasson - Conder Green, I found 7 Migrant Hawker, and at Conder Pool saw 4 Greenshank, 10 Redshank, 2 Ruff, and after a few counts arrived at 18 Little Grebe. Geese seen, 16 Canada Geese and 4 Greylag. As I was about to leave Conder Pool, a Tree Sparrow came onto the sluice.

I was struggling for pictures for the post, so grateful to Brian Rafferty for his excellent Curlew Sandpiper moulting into breeding plumage at the opposite end of the season to my juvenile bird on the Lune Estuary on Friday.    

Hawker Spectacular.

When I stepped on to the canal towpath at Glasson Dock to walk the 3 mile length to Galgate, although I had a similar experience in September last year, I never really expected the spectacle that was about to unfold.

Although the weather conditions were perfect, for the first half mile I was beginning to think I had chosen the wrong day, I was seeing little if anything of what I was out to find today. But then the situation began to change, things were picking up, and I was seeing the odd dragon or two. By the time I reached Galgate 3 miles and 3 hours after the start at Glasson Dock, I had logged an impressive 112 Migrant Hawker, including 4 pairs on the wing and copulating. Other odonata seen, 24 Common Darter, and 3 Brown Hawker. Butterflies encountered were, 14 Large White and 8 Speckled Wood.

Red Admiral On Ivy. Pete Woodruff.

When I arrived at Galgate, another pleasant surprise came in the form of 44 Red Admiral counted on and around the Ivy before I came off the canal by the marina.

Birds of note, 2 Raven came 'honking' overhead, and a Grey Wagtail was by the lock at the canal junction.

Migrant Hawker.

Since the first sighting on 8 August, my count has totaled 188 Migrant Hawker to date, and with 18 seen last year on 28 September around the Conder/Glasson area, who knows where this years will end.

Garden Birds.

In recent days, 15 Long-tailed Tit came in procession through the garden, 5 Blue Tit and a Coal Tit formed a nice little flock, and up to 8 Red Admiral visited the Plum Tree.   

Trying To Keep Positive About Birk Bank.

It's not my intention to be too negative about my experience around Birk Bank this past week, just to be realistic and record what wildlife wasn't seen as equally important as what was seen. But to be honest, the saving grace about the day was that I found one dragonfly species I was hoping for, a bit of an improvement in butterfly numbers, and later saw two chats I was hoping for too.

The Dragonflies.

Black Darter Male

With two visits to the bog three hours apart, it was a struggle to eventually find a nice Black Darter male, seen as a late emerging species during August. 

Common Darter Male

But this was only one of a pitiful three dragonfly sightings over two hours on the boardwalk, the others being an adult male and immature male Common Darter.

 Common Darter Immature Male. Birk Bank Bog 6 August. Pete Woodruff.

The last Keeled Skimmer I saw at Birk Bank was on 8 August, and I've seen nor heard of any reports from here since....Something of a concern regarding this years bog Keeled Skimmer colony.

Another downside regarding this years Birk Bank Keeled Skimmer, despite seeing them in recent years around the damp areas and runnels on the west side of Ottergear Bridge, I haven't found them here this year.

The Butterflies.

At least the butterflies made an attempt at showing themselves, with 6 Red Admiral, 4 Speckled Wood, 2 Small Copper, and a Painted Lady was only my third this year.

The Birds.

Other than a few sightings of Wood Pigeon flighting here and there, I recorded 2 Buzzard soaring together with their evocative mewing call, and 2 Stonechat, which in itself was interesting because they were both male within a few metres of each other and appearing amicable. I don't ever recall seeing two male Stonechat in close company with each other.

Green Woodpecker.

Searching through my records, I found my last sighting of Green Woodpecker was at Birk Bank 2 years ago in April 2021, I also found one in Gibson Wood on the same day. Previous to these two records, I found a Green Woodpecker also at Birk Bank in July 2020....I think I'm overdue seeing a Green Woodpecker!

Pool And Scar.

 
Conder Pool 4 September. Pete Woodruff.

With the recent high tides approaching near 10m, Conder Pool once again resembles a lake, and with the summer breeders having now departed, 10 Greenshank found a roost from the Lune Estuary, 2 Common Sandpiper, and a double figure number of uncounted Little Grebe, were joined by a sure sign of winters approach, with a vanguard of 2 Wigeon putting in an appearance.

A surprise was on Corricks Lane, where I saw several House Martin, one of which entered a nest at River Winds, where I had established no breeders here earlier this year. House Martin were also around the ex-cafe, where I also saw one to enter a nest hole.

Having dusted of my twitchers hat, I made haste to catch the rising tide at Cockersand, to join five birders at Plover Scar in the hope of finding some goodies.

With the sun in my monitor, I was supposed to point the camera at a Curlew Sandpiper which five pair of eyes took an hour to find. I missed the target and ended up with a few of the c.250 Dunlin and 150 Ringed Plover in the frame. The only other waders here were no more than 8 Turnstone.

As I left Cockersand, I saw a female Marsh Harrier quartering the fields....And a good time was had by all! 

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.