Friday 4 July 2008

Adult Little & Meds new in but no Red-veined Darters

Heysham Obs
North Harbour Wall 0920-1020 hrs
Wheatear juv at end of mound.
Mediterranean Gull 2nd S harbour entrance
Black Guillemot outside harbour entrance, then sat on wooden jetty
Sandwich Tern 1 'out'
Shelduck 6 'out'
Mute Swan 2 'across' from direction of Walney

Red Nab
Mediterranean Gull adult at roost with BHG's
Little Gull - adult sat on the sea next to Red Nab at high tide [no sign of 1st S birds]
Kittiwake - 1st S harbour wall/stage 2 outfall

Middleton IE
Two singing Grasshopper Warbler and one young bird ringed [also 7 juvenile Sedge Warbler ringed, but again a bit windy]

Insects
NO Red-veined Darter seen during a lengthy search by an experienced observer on the model boat pond in conditions which should have produced them. The only caveat is that it was slightly later in the day than optimum & a fraction windy. It looks, however, as thought the male seen the other day was an isolated occurrence of an insect which has moved on. 8-10 Black-tailed Skimmer were seen. Perhaps relevant has been the daily presence of Pied Wagtail and Jackdaw feeding on teneral dragonflies etc. along the favoured waters edge.

Elsewhere
Hobby L. Moss 2nd July, chasing Sand Martin. No Crossbill seen/heard in Thrushgill plantation but Quail in "Hindburndale" this afternoon, providing the first Lancashire sighting in 55 years for one observer! This mobile bird was not present in the evening. 2-3 Short=eared Owls around Botton Head/Silly Lane this evening