A sunny day with a west breeze. The temperature increasing throughout the day, reaching 24°C by evening.
Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet
Gannet 1 in the bottom car park! Me and another guy moved it by herding it to a safer area so it didn't get run over.
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| This is Steve from Wolfwood wildlife rescue who came to capture it |
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| He was going to release it on the sea, to give it chance He said he's had a few these in the last couple of weeks he thinks because of the windy weather we've had. Poppy the Springador was being very good |
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| Not often I get a close up of a Gannet. |
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| Later, this shot of its release was posted on Facebook |
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| Swallows over the main pond |
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| Swallow and House Martin |
Also patrolling the main pond. Emperor and Brown Hawker
South shore - Malcolm 15:30 - 16:30
I set out from the saltmarsh to check the birds on Red Nab as the tide came in. Things didn't bode well, there were already a group of gulls sat on the mud out from the saltmarsh.
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| Gulls, including an adult Mediterranean gull out from the saltmarsh |
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| Sure enough, as I approached Red Nab something lifted everything |
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| Many landed on the mud, but they drifted back to Red Nab |
Mediterranean gulls at least 16
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| This is the same red ringed 2nd calendar year Med that I couldn't quite read the third character of yesterday. The scheme narrowed it down to one of three birds all ringed near Székesfehérvár Hungary last year. A 3cy Med behind |
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| Today's shots showed the third character to be an 8. So a more detailed history will be provided soon |
On Sunday, I had seen an orange flagged Oystercatcher but couldn't make out the code. Today I managed to relocate that as well!
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| 117 - Details awaited |
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| There ended up being just a small group of gulls, including 9 Meds, just below the sea wall. But it wasn't long before they moved on too. I didn't see what flushed them, but juvenile Peregrines are the main suspects |
In the Nature park
Red Admiral 1
Painted Lady 1
Ringlet 3
Large Skipper 1
There are lots of Buddleia flowering now. If migrant butterflies start coming in towards the end of the week many could top up on the Buddleia before moving on. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth would be nice too.
