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BACK ON THE RIVERBANK

Goosander, River Ribble at Ribchester - an approachable bird with no primaries

AFTER A LITTLE EGRET WHILST FEEDING THE DUCKS WITH ALEXANDER YESTERDAY I decided to resume my series of riverbank walks along the Ribble at Ribchester. There were more birds around than I was expecting and although the egret did not reappear I did manage a Common Whitethroat in Himalayan Balsam (it is useful for something after all!) opposite Balderstone Hall, a kingfisher, four linnets, nuthatch, a couple of buzzards and a Goosander. Butterflies included two Speckled Woods. I had also been listening to 'The Jam at the BBC' album recently, which has a live version of 'Tales from the Riverbank'. I like to get away from it all there.

House Sparrow - Ribchester still has several small flocks of these lovely little birds!

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PENDLE TIME

Northern Wheatear, Pendle Hill summit

AUTUMN MIGRATION IS WELL UNDERWAY now on Pendle Hill. A handful of wheatears have appeared along the dry stone walls and on the gritstone cairns at the summit. Swallows hawked for insects over the rough pasture and Meadow Pipits have formed flocks. The most unusual sighting of the day, however, was a Common Chiffchaff that was singing in the plantation at Pendleside Farm. I also heard a Willow Warbler singing in the car park at Two Jays this week so they are also obviously on the move. A couple of Red Grouse called from the heather area towards Ogden Clough, three or four skylarks flushed from the rough grass and a female kestrel flew over the summit. There were also around 10 Peacock butterflies around the summit area today, I often wonder why they are up here with not a scrap of their caterpillar's food plant (common nettle) in sight. I hope to do a few hikes up Pendle before I go down under next month.

Pendle Hill summit trig point looking north into North Yorkshire

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GOLDEN ADDER

Adder (or Common Viper) - an unusual variant female, Bowland

I HAVEN'T SEEN AN ADDER WITH A PATTERN LIKE THIS BEFORE, is what most people I have spoken to say about this beautiful creature, which is currently living wild on the Bowland Fells. A female with a much faded dark pattern along its spine and a generally more golden colour. Young adders show the usual distinctive bracken-mimic pattern from a very early stage so this is obviously a 'morph' rather than a 'phase'. Any comments would be welcome. This lovely snake was also fairly docile and allowed a little coaxing into position. I don't pick them up but am not averse to getting them to look in the right direction for a while before I leave them alone to get on with their business.

Adder (or Common Viper) - a more typically-marked female

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ON THE PAVEMENT

Grayling, Silverdale

I LOVE SPENDING TIME ON THE LIMESTONE PAVEMENT in midsummer. It is one of our most unique and special habitats and is home to some sought-after butterflies and plants. Although I didn't manage to see a High Brown Fritillary today, which is very worrying, there were lots of Dark Green and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries around as well as Grayling and Northern Brown Argus. Other butterflies included Large and Small Skippers, Ringlet, Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell but there were generally far fewer butterflies on the wing than usual for this time of year. Dark-red Helleborines were over by around one week, Lady's Slippers much longer but Broad-leaved Helleborines were about a week away from opening. Angular Solomon's Seal was also well over and Tutsan in fruit now. Nevertheless is was lovely to be amongst them all again, even though the light was so harsh with barely a cloud in the sky. Birds included a Tawny Owl being harassed by a small gathering of blackbirds and dragonflies, a female Black-tailed Skimmer on the pavement and a couple of wandering Brown Hawkers.

A lush stand of Herb Paris, ancient woodland indicator

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