Wow...

Heysham Obs
Ad summer Bonapartes Gull found early evening & showing well on/either side Heysham 2 outfall.  Thanks to David Talbot

More pics tomorrow..........

Much better weather today - flat light, no skin-burning sun, no heat-haze - perfect for gull watching with just enough wind to 'organise' the flocks at the same angle

Med Gull - 4 2CY (the German bird not seen), 3 3CY and at least 5 adults.  One of the 3CY has a below tarsus metal ring which should be 'gettable' via a pic and blow-up.  Three others have metal rings above the tarsus which are a real pain to do anything with when you are looking 'down' on the birds from the seawall and tarsal feathering covering half the ring.

Moths in SD36V
Be good to have a bio-blitz on here - the only dry land in SD36 - just the right size to comprehensively survey as per Eric Greenwood and the late Jennifer Newton with respect to the flora. Indeed, the flora could do with re-surveying as there have been quite a few recent changes, notably an influx of stabilising sand and associated flora.  The composition of the modest catch in an actinic was just like a segment from e.g. Walney Island with White-line Dart dominating

All these were new 10km square records!:   Lime-speck Pug (5), Garden Tiger, Agapeta hamana, White-line Dart (20), Shoulder-striped Wainscot (2), Rustic (2), Uncertain (1), Crambus perlella (6), Crambus pascuella, Clay, Bryotropha affinis and another micro still to look at.

Bonaparte's Gull!

Heysham Obs
Yesterdays sightings
Yesterday morning, Jean Roberts went to check the gulls on the outfalls with the aim of finding an "about time" Bonaparte's Gull amongst the hordes.  No Bonaparte's Gull but a valuable reading of the green-ringed 2CY Med:

AKRS
Ringed: Pionierinsel, Germany, 53 35N 9.36 E  Nestling      16/6/12
Seen Heysham outfalls: 13/7/13 and presumably this several times over the previous fortnight

Then in the evening, Ian Walker had the presence of mind to photograph a small gull in very poor late afternoon light as it roosted, partially obscured, on Red Nab at 1630hrs.  Initially thought to be a Little Gull, close perusal of the single photograph led to the observer to realise the identity:

Todays sightings
Mediterranean Gull - 6 adult, possibly 7, 3CY and 2CY
No sign of the Bonaparte's Gull on afternoon tide..............but please keep looking.  There is a long history of birds coming and going from here and other local roosts/feeding areas at this time of year.  Prime sites to check are Cocker's Dyke, Bank End and Glasson

Med read

About 520 Black-headed Gulls on the outfalls (220 on H1 and 300 on H2) at low tide.  Med Gulls were hanging out in the usual area on the mud between H1 outfall and the wooden jetty, a 2S with a metal ring below the knee on the right leg and a 2S with a metal ring above the knee on the left leg and a green Darvic below the knee on the right leg bearing the letter AKRS.  The latter is a German-ringed bird.

Later on at high tide what was thought to be a summer-plumaged adult Little Gull  roosted at Red Nab.............but check tomorrow's posting!.

Moths of note:
Middleton:
Northern Eggar

Heysham Nature Reserve:
Peach Blossom - notable for its prettiness!

J R.

Least Minor sensation

Heysham Obs

Recent Middleton moth trapping
Following the decent actinic catch the previous night (Silver Hook and Silky Wainscot), a sheet and light session was carried out the following night by John G (night of 9th/10th).   This produced a small minor spp which, in the light of day seems to be Least Minor in pretty perfect condition!

There is absolutely no chance that this has been accidentally transported from the hotspot near Leighton Moss - none were retained from there by John and the car was parked miles away! Pics soon.

The sheet and light session was plagued by flies of various sorts of which a pic might be available soon if it can be transferred from a mobile!

Outfalls/Red Nab
A major test of the 'new' eye saw 3CY and ad Med Gulls identified in the shimmering hordes on Red Nab.  Must do better.  Ad unringed below tarsus, 3CY legs not seen

Moths
Green Oak Tortrix was an unusual visitor - this might have come in my car from Millhouses but not aware of any passengers!  Agriphila selasella paid a visit from the local saltmarshes

Tuesday 9th July at Middleton Nature reserve.
Mother and Cygnets doing well.
Young Wagtails out and about. Emperor Dragonfly and Dab chicks, Burnet Moths

Misbehaving gulls and warblers filtering through

Heysham Obs
It was same again as Ian and Gavin on Red Nab on the incoming tide but the green darvic-ringed 2CY Med was too distant and the 3CY wouldn't show its legs to see if it was last winter's returning bird

Ian and Gav's pics of what were the same birds today.  Thanks for these.  Anyone doing a moult score?!

Red Nab just before high tide
Med Gull - single green-ringed 2CY, 3CY & adult
Kittiwake - just one 2CY located

Middleton NR early morning ringing and observation
25 warblers were caught and only two were already ringed!  This is despite a CES visit to the same area three days ago.  There were no Sedge Warbler retraps, just single Whitethroat and Reed Warbler.  So we really should be covering this site every day during the current movement-prompting high pressure

Odds and ends at Middleton included
Tufted Duck - 3 males and female on model boat pond
Sand Martin - juv over model boat pond
Lesser Redpoll - two seen early morning
Swift - 5 south
House Martin - 3 south
Swallow - c30 - seemed to be all blogging

Moths
A really good catch in the Middleton central marsh actinic including Silver Hook, 2 Silky Wainscot, 14 Drinker, Cyclamen Tortrix, Blackneck and topped by 16 Map-winged Swift.  The office trap held a Gothic.

Wanted: someone with two good eyes to read 2CY Med darvic!

Heysham Obs
The haemorrhaged right eye still causing trouble - doesn't like the heat.  Some Med pics from Gavin and Ian - from yesterday -  thanks for these

Otherwise a bit of ringing produced a trickle of Willow Warbler,  Whitethroat and finches and a surprising unringed brood-patched Great-spotted Woodpecker.  Moth trap included Fan-foot, Common Emerald and 4 Double Dart

Whoops............. the laptop wont load the pics up - not a good week for computer problems.  Sort them out tomorrow.

Redstart surprise

Heysham Obs
A small amount of ringing by the office produced a few new warblers and a major surprise in the form of a spotty juvenile Common Redstart.  The nearest breeding site is at least 15km as far as I am aware and implicitly this is by some way the earliest autumn record here.  However a brood was ringed on 26th May in Hindburndale, well before any of the other box-nesting Blue/Great Tit/Pied Flycatcher, and implicitly it was not as late arriving this spring as some other migrants

Outfalls/ocean edge beach in the heat haze
Med Gull - 2 ads, two 2CY, one 3CY
Kittiwake - 2 2CY

Moths
Getting better! White-line Dart, Muslin Footman, Dotted Clay and Common Emerald new for the year

Autumn time for Sedge Warblers

Heysham Obs
Middleton NR
As suggested by visits to clear the mist net rides, many of the "1J" Sedge Warblers ringed on the last visit at the end of June have simply moved on and only 5 new Sedge were ringed this morning.  Reed Warblers are giving cause for concern elsewhere.  Only a small population here but the impression this spring is of a protracted arrival of a handful of singing males not receiving any response from absent females and moving on.  Is this the pattern elsewhere?

7 Jackdaws may seem unremarkable but they are not common here!
Pr Gadwall flying about and at least 2 intermittently singing Grasshopper Warbler early on

Moths
Actinics at Middleton produced a few Drinker and the first Smoky Wainscot of the year. The new bulb in the office trap is doing ok species-wise, but not pulling the numbers in.  Highlighted by Shaded Pug (2), Black-neck, Pale-shouldered Brocade and especially Millar.  Straw Dot and Yellow Shell were new for the year and 3 Double Dart the norm for this top site for this species

Dragonflies
YESTERDAY late afternoon saw 5 x Black-tailed Skimmer and two Emperor on the model boat pond but no darter spp.

Moths to the fore

THURSDAY 4th July & Friday 5th July
An overnight actinic at Middleton NR confirmed Justine's findings about a week ago, confirming this site as a national 'hotspot' for seriously declining Double Dart - it was again the commonest moth with 5.  Others included Small Clouded Brindle and the first Drinker of the year

The 'enforced' use of a small purple light in the office toilet trap (no two pin 160s left (has anyone got one or two?) and screw threads have been deemed unsafe) produced a moderately reasonable species list but again no numbers.  Highlighted by single Double Dart, Golden Rod and Wormwood Pugs and a late worn Dog's Tooth.  The first Rustic and Small Fan-footed Waves of the year appeared

Ringing saw a steady stream of Blue/Great Tits and Green/Gold/Chaffinches at the feeder