Migration morning in the mist and cloud... and a new plume

Heysham Obs

Yet another new plume moth for Heysham NR with a name more like a dinosaur:  Hellinsia osteodactylus (thanks John)

Bit of an early calorie burner this morning with a rather birdless and windier-than-forecast (what a surprise!) session at Middleton being terminated in favour of an obvious landfall of Whitethroat and Willow warbler around Heysham office............also enabling the multitask of work, moth trap check and ringing

Middleton NR 0600-0730
Green Sandpiper - first of the autumn flushed from the central marsh
Grasshopper Warbler - juvenile ringed (26th of the year)

Heysham office area
Whitethroat - at least 15, including two in the buddleia under the moth trap
Willow Warbler - 5-10
Lesser Whitethroat - 2+
Sedge Warbler - adult ringed ('out of habitat') by the office

A young Dunnock discovers chain-link fencing (thanks Janet)

Outfalls/Red Nab

More arrivals:

Med Gull - 3 x juv, 2-3 x ad, 3CY

Little Gull - 2CY & adult summer

Whimbrel - 6

Oops!  Cant be everywhere at once - yesterdays posting from walney

19th July 2011 – overcast WNW2/3/4OffshoreEarly morning observations (0600-0800) were led by 2 Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skua and a Great Skua all moving out of Morecambe Bay

Moth trap

Biggest catch of the year with a few oddities and firsts for the year.  Four more Pediasia aridella were found along with an unseasonal Common Emerald and 'routine' year ticks such as T. advenella, Least Yellow Underwing, Dun-bar, Cloaked Minor, Bordered Beauty.  Notable for its obscurity was Metzneria lappella.  5 Dingy Footman was a record catch for here

Cinnabar larvae near Ocean Edge - this species has been scarce in the moth trap with removal of some of the ragwort in that area necessary so the hay in the surrounding grassland can be baled as 'uncontaminated' (thanks Janet)