Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper taken today for comparison. Thanks Janet. I dont think I saw a single butterfly!
Heysham Obs
Med Gull - two adults following a freight ferry out of port
Middleton NR 0600-0930hrs
Not a great deal this morning although:
Grasshopper Warbler - two singing males but no juvs ringed
Reed Warbler - three singing males, including one in the central marsh still
Meadow Pipit - one SE
House Martin - 2 SE
Swallow - just 7 SE
Ringing produced 5 new Sedge Warbler, 3 new Willow Warbler, 3 new Swallow and single new Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting & Chiffchaff plus a few odds and ends of sedentary species & retraps.
Moths
Another reasonable catch in the optimum westerly airflow saw the first ever Blood Vein allowing itself to be identified before disappearing out of the window. Orange Swift & Agriphila latistria were new for the year and the catch included Dingy Footman & Barred Rivulet
The observatory was set up in 1980. It involves ringing,'vis mig' counts (including seabirds) and general monitoring in the Heysham Nature reserve/power stations/harbour area. The statutory moth trap is in place and also a daily log for butterflies, dragonflies etc. We share an office, kindly provided by EDF Energy, with the County Wildlife Trust. This is located next to the Nature Reserve car park. Do call in. Please leave sightings in the letterbox, ESPECIALLY 'fly-by' seabirds.