Monday 16 July 2007

Grayling and Gatekeeper new for the year on Heysham NR

Heysham Obs

Wooden jetty/harbour area
Black Guillemot still on territory including both birds disappearing into the hole at one stage! If one of them is a first summer (see pic posted yesterday), it should not be indulging in breeding behaviour (per Jean Roberts per BWP)

NO sign of either Shag

Outfalls/Red Nab
Single Whimbrel and the sometimes elusive moulting 1st S Kittiwake

Butterflies
Two Grayling and two Gatekeeper casually recorded during management work on the nature reserve/landscape strip areas today. This is a strong colony of Grayling which really needs further numeration. Anyone interested in a 'one-off' walk-over of the BE non-operational land later in the month as the best habitat is here & outside the census routes? Gatekeeper seem to be taking off at last after many years of ones and twos. Small Skipper and Meadow Brown abundant and a single second brood Common Blue and Small Copper seen

Moths
A reasonable catch included a Herald, a species which seems to behave like a Peacock butterfly with a very lengthy hibernation

Herald. Thanks Reuben.

Elsewhere
The Lune Estuary/north Fylde received quite a bit of coverage over the tide with: Ruff briefly near Crook Farm, TWO adult Yellow-legged Gull together off Basil Point, 4 Mediterranean Gull at the Bank End high tide roost (3 ad, 1 1st S), one ad Med Gull near Basil Point. On the Allen/EM Pools: Two Pectoral Sandpiper still present until just after midday at least but were, at the very least, elusive in the afternoon. They were not at this time on Warton flood or Hare Tarn. The 'flood' held two adult summer Spoonbill (what has happened to the imm?) and TWO Little Egrets, one of which may have been a new arrival. The Cockersands Corn Bunting was not heard but two barley fields were confirmed! The local Eagle Owls received very dismissive treatment in the latest Birding World i.e. right at the bottom of the escapes section.