First Greenshank of the 'autumn'

Heysham Obs
Red Nab/outfalls/Ocean Edge incoming tide
Greenshank - adult in the saltmarsh creek
Grey Plover - 9 on the tideline
Dunlin - 3 on the tideline
Med Gull - 3 original 2CY plus a large and small adult
Arctic Tern - 2 adults
Kittiwake - usual 2CY

Middleton NR
Not a single Sedge Warbler seen or heard during mist net ride clearance.  Therefore perhaps the key species in terms of numbers out of the equation as regards positive local breeding bird CES data.  Hopefully the CES visit tomorrow will not be watching paint dry even if the weather allows it to take place.  Fortunately, the last visit was reasonable with bits and pieces of mainly non-wetland species keeping it ticking over

Insects
A poor catch in the hut trap as there was a bit of east in the wind.  Common Emerald was the only geometrid at an overnight sheet/light at Middleton and quite a few Map-winged Swift at one of the few lowland sites where this species is common

Yellow Shell at Middleton NR this afternoon.  Thanks Janet 

The weather clobbers the more exposed roof-nesting seagulls

Heysham Obs
Better timing for the incoming tide Red Nab check.  Gulls at all angles with some half-hidden behind rocks in the light winds and took five sweeps to be as certain as possible there were:

Red Nab/outfalls
Med Gull - 4 x 2CY, the new bird being large with a black 'dollop' of a mask, and a small adult.  None ringed
Kittiwake - 2CY
Black-headed Gull - 270 (five juvs - first I've noticed this year here)
Common Gull - 19
Common Sandpiper - 1
Grey Plover = 16 along tideline south of Ocean Edge


Gull nest/brood count on 12/6/12
Fisher's Roof north side:
Herring Gull - 6 on nests;
Lessers - 15 on nests plus 3 broods of 2 juvs, and 3 broods of 1 juv
Great BB Gull - 1 brood of 2 juvs
Gull nest/brood count on 2/7/12
Fisher's Roof north side:
Herring Gull - 1 on nest plus 1 brood of 2 juvs ;
Lessers 1 on nest plus 2 broods of 3 juvs and 1 brood of 2 juvs.
Fisher's Roof south side:
Herring Gulls - 2 broods of 1juv, 1 brood of 2 juvs, 1 brood of 3 juvs;
Lessers - 2 broods of 2 juvs
Centrica:
Herring Gull - 1 on nest plus 1 brood of 1 juv;
Lessers 1 brood of 2 juvs
? Roof (flat-roofed building at port):
Herring Gull - 1 brood of 1 juv, 1 brood of 2 juvs
Middleton/Heysham Business Park:
Herring Gull - 2 broods of 1 juv;
Lessers - 3 broods of  3 juvs, 13 broods of  2 juvs and  9 broods of 1 juv
Ocean Edge Caravan site - to be added

Moths
A really good catch at last with the highlight being a Shark, a formerly regular species around here but scarce these days.  Rarer still here was Currant Pug and 'firsts of the year' included Wormwood Pug and Large Fruit Tree Tortrix

A significant influx of Silver Y in this rather muggy weather at the moment and (top) a rather "in between seasons" Treble Bar - usually double-brooded in spring/autumn - presumably a late emergence in the poor weather.  Thanks Janet

Bit of a shortage of Ragwort this year and getting hammered by Cinnabar caterpillar.  Quite a lot of moth larvae use ragwort e.g. Eucosma campoliliana as well as it being a useful nectar source for all sorts of insects.  Thanks Janet 

2CY Med trio still present

Heysham Obs

Red Nab area
A little too late in relation to the incoming tide height

Med Gull - the three 2CY still present and none of them are ringed (no ads seen this morning)
Kittiwake - 2CY

Moths
A small catch included the second Blackneck of the year and a single Silver Y

Moth hoodoo broken at last

Heysham Obs
Another unsettled morning prompted a short seawatch and outfalls check (thanks Mark for some of this stuff)

Sea 0830-0915ish on and off
Gannet - 3 (one close)
Manx Shearwater - at least 3, possibly 5

Outfalls/Red Nab
Med Gull - 2 adults and the black-headed 2CY (definitely unringed), but no sign of the other two 2CY seen yesterday, one of which was the 'regular' bird
Arctic Tern - 2 adults, but drifted offshore as tide came in
Kittiwake - 2CY

Moths
At last, a Figure of 80 whilst I checked the trap!  I've only seen one of this near-annual-at-Heysham before.  It doesn't register at my regular sites in Hindburndale/Roeburndale and area.  The other feature with the moths was a minor emergence of fresh individuals this morning and these comprised Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Clay and Heart and Dart.  SSW and Clay usually only overlap as worn 'back-end' and newly-emerged respectively - an indication that the weather has seriously disrupted some emergence times this year.  

Influx of Meds and Silver Y

Heysham Obs
Red Nab area
A very quick check revealed:
Med Gull -  FOUR: 1 x 2CY with mask, one x 2CY with an almost black head, 1 x 2CY with small amount of black on rear crown, 1 x Ad.  Either sitting or in flight so legs not seen re-rings - anyone time to check?
Kittiwake - 2CY

Reserve
Day-time moth trawl revealed:
Silver Y - 13
Burnet Companion - 2 tatty ones (both in SD4060)
Latticed Heath - 1
Small China Mark - 7

Highlight of a rather poor overnight catch checked rather too late was a late Shaded Pug

Plenty of Nettle Tap moth around the reserve where the taller vegetation can be found alongside the paths (including nettles!).  Thanks Janet

Two Gannets, a Silver Y and a Med Gull

...........just about sums up the morning.  The Gannets were just before the IOM ferry - sub-ad and 2CY, the Silver Y was in the moth trap (along with a most unremarkable collection) and the 1st summer moulting to second winter Med was on the mud by the outfalls and seen on one leg at least to be unringed

Later in the afternoon Red Nab held:
Arctic Tern - adult - first for ages!
Kittiwake - 2CY

Small China Mark moth in the wetland area at Heysham NR today - the most regular of this group of moths at Heysham.  Thanks Janet

Decent moth catch and a Med Gull

Heysham Obs
Outfalls/Red Nab
An early morning check on the dropping tide saw the distinctive 1st summer moulting to 2nd W Med Gull flying around Heysham 2 outfall

Moths
The first Blackneck of the year and singles of Broad-barred White and Double Dart highlighted.  Others included Eucosma campoliliana and the first Clay of the year

At least one is surviving

Heysham Obs
The gloom and doom over wetland birds and breeding success was contradicted in one instance by Janet's pic taken today:

Confession time: forgot to check the gulls on the outfalls, and this after mentioning the rejuvenation of Heysham One outfall - not good enough!

Insects
Once you can find them, Four-spotted Chasers are quite obliging as the weather has semi-torpified them of late.  Still have not seen an Emperor this year or indeed Black-tailed Skimmer which should be showing anytime now in a 'normal' year

The moth trap was quite productive but no show-stoppers, other than perhaps a late Shaded Pug.  Smoky Wainscot made its first appearance of the year and I think Buff Arches and Peach Blossom were also new for the year.  Should be even better tonight - at the moment it looks the first decent 'summer moth night' and the chance of the biggest haul in a local trap since March, or was it February at Millhouses!!

Thanks to Janet for today's pics (both taken today)

Early migrants or wanderers

Yellow Shell at Middleton this morning. Thanks Janet

Heysham Obs

Pretty decent early morning conditions allowed both the Heysham and Middleton CES to progress.  I havn't the capture details to hand but Middleton suggested an extremely poor first breeding attempt for 'wetland species' which presumably found it a little too wet.  No Common Whitethroat or Reed Bunting were caught and just the one juvenile Sedge Warbler!  An apparently aimlessly wandering, intermittently singing, Grasshopper Warbler was eventually caught and represented the only encounter with this species.  This time last year saw good numbers of juveniles of all four of these species.   Miscellany included lots of young Wrens in the Heysham nets, a Blue Tit caught at Middleton which was ringed as a 2012 nestling on nearby Heysham Nature Reserve and further evidence that Reed Warblers are present in record numbers this year at Middleton, albeit only adults as yet.  Miscellaneous sightings included the following rather unseasonal observations:

Lesser Redpoll - one south over HNR at 1130hrs
Siskin - three separate well-spaced birds south over Middleton
Rook - two adults north over both Heysham and Middleton, harassed by the local Carrion Crows
Teal - one Middleton  

Moth Catches Still in Low Numbers

Heysham


Moths
Low numbers of a dozen common species in the Hut Trap last night including Bright line Brown Eye and Light Arches.

ajd