A day where the primary objective was dragonflies turned out to be just as good for birds.

We started at Priory Meadow in Penwortham, famed for its dragonflies. I’ll probably come back and write about them later. While the sun was hiding, however, we headed into the woods for a walk, where we quickly saw both grey and red squirrels.

The last part of the walk passed through a meadow at the edge of the woods wher, in addition to smashing views of insects, a single dead tree was infested with interesting birds. A pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers was the initial draw, but they were soon joined by a Treecreeper. That might show up as a Life Tick on this post depending on decisions I mage about this blog; it’s certainly the first I’ve seen in a good 30 years or so, since one at Mere Sands Wood, and I was extremely pleased to see it. A remarkable number of Long-tailed Tits were present, as well as a Bullfinch and something else I wasn’t sure about. Nearby were Song Thrushes, and once again a call that with hindsight I now think may have been a Green Woodpecker but I can’t tick that.

In the afternoon and early evening we passed through the fields near Howick Cross for a walk along the south bank of the Ribble. I was unable to pick out any Arctic Terns amongst the Commons feeding up and down the river, but the latter are so easy on the eye it was hardly a disappointing experience. Other highlights were a pair of Common Sandpipers skimming across the river, and a Grey Wagtail feeding on the flies around the carcass of a cow that hasd had washed up. Four or five herons were present, some juvenile, and plenty of Lapwings and Oystercatchers at the edge of the water.

Finally to Hesketh Out Marsh for the last light, where Whitethroats were in abundance in the hedges, and Brown Hares dotted the fields. There were plenty of Little Egrets around, and a couple of times I thought I’d spotted a Big Egret, but couldn’t be entirely sure at long range. Painted Ladies were flitting around, alighting to soak up the evening sun. The most remarkable thing, however, was the Herons, of which there were a dozen or more, with shockingly vicious fights breaking out. I don’t know if they actually try to kill one another, but there was a lot of holding under water and stabbing going on. More striking still was the response of the other birds on the marsh; Oystercatchers and Lapwings were shrieking with all the force their lungs could muster, Redshank fluting with gusto, and Avocets flying around and divebombing the combatants, whether in an attempt to break things up or in the spirit of joining in. Wild times.