Friday 31 May 2024

Another Little Gull

A NE wind switched to NW late afternoon. A dry day, but the sun was generally hazy.

South shore (Malcolm)
Just a walk along the sea wall mid morning on the ebbing tide.
Little Gull 1 second calendar year
Initially, resting on the mud between the outflows. Some distance out,
but clearly a different bird than the one photographed by Martin (see yesterday's post)

This clip shows the location (and just happens to have the Sea Cat in the background).

It then went to feed at the seaward end of No.1 outflow, and was still feeding there 20 minutes later.

Rock Pipit 2 - one each on sea wall and Red Nab. No sign of the lighthouse birds.
Linnet 2 - clearly a pair.
Female and male Linnet halfway along sea wall 

The female dropped down and started to gather fine nesting material, looks like dog hairs.


Middleton Nature Reserve 
It was quite warm in the afternoon but the sun was hazy and there wasn't a great deal of insect activity.
Janet managed this Emperor - first record this year

The only dragonflies I saw (Malcolm) were Four-spotted Chaser and Broad-bodied Chaser.
Female Broad-bodied Chaser

Male Broad-bodied chaser

Lots of Silver Y and Burnet Companion
Burnet Companion showing underwing 

Burnet Companion



Plenty of Common Blue butterflies, these are all female

The warblers were not singing so frequently today, at one point I thought I would complete my visit without hearing a Cetti's warbler - but eventually I heard four.
All the other regular warblers were also heard: Willow, Reed, Sedge, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Common and Lesser Whitethroat.

Reed Bunting 1 male singing

The female Mute is still sitting with male in attendance. 8 Mallard, 2 Male Gadwall, 4 Coot, 2 Moorhen.
I think this lone chick on the fence pond, could be a Gadwall (Malcolm)

You can just make out mum calling it (quack!) in the background.