Bonaparte's Gull shows well

Weather: N, calm, 19C, bright
Heysham Obs
A trawl via gate 38 for about 30 mins saw some excellent views of the Bonaparte's Gull as it frequented the incoming tideline just south of Stage 2, then flew and landed on the mud off Red Nab.  It was very easy to pick out in 'flat light' with the darker grey mantle/folded wings and the head still retaining an obvious dark slate grey tone comprising the rear two-thirds of the crown, despite a considerable 'whitish face' (0920-0950 - then had to return to office).  3 Meds casually noted but most of short time available spent searching for/watching Bonaparte's.

Ringing by the office revealed a small passage of Whitethroat and Willow Warbler with 6 new Whitethroat fairly notable.

Moths revealed a horde of noctuids but very few weak fliers after yesterdays 'moth trashing' weather.  Sallow and Square Spot Rustic new for the year

Awash

Heysham Obs
The early morning check of the outfalls revealed fewer than usual gulls as they must surely have been hitting wet fields as often happens during the winter months

Med. Gull -  6, mainly on Red Nab (3 2CY, 2 juv, 1 ad)
Arctic Tern - ad Red Nab

Moths
The only flicker of interest was that Flounced Rustic overtook Straw Underwing in the abundance stakes

Bonaparte's Gull appears to go missing

Heysham Obs
The Bonaparte's Gull was not seen today unless evening rain observers struck lucky

20 Med Gulls were present this morning (thanks Stuart)

Bonaparte's Gull yet again

Heysham Obs
The elusive Bonaparte's Gull reappeared on Red Nab at about 1100hrs, possibly having earlier been on the Lune/Sunderland area (no distance flying over land).  At least three juv Meds and a Common Sandpiper & Whimbrel, but no feedback on Little Gull or indeed any large Med totals - they seem to have decreased, as usual, this last few days

Middleton NR saw the family of Gadwall with four large young, 7 Tufted Duck, but a complete dearth of warblers as has been apparent for most of the last ten days

In contrast, topping up the feeders revealed 4 Whitethroat and 3 Willow Warbler around the mist net ride, reminding that it is indeed August and time to be on the move

Moths included a Fen Wainscot and Pale Mottled Willow in the office trap but (thankfully!) smaller numbers than yesterday.  Malcolm's order of abundance for butterflies on a Middleton NR/coastal walk as follows:

Small white

Meadow brown

Small skipper

Gatekeeper

Small heath

Peacock 

Red Admiral

Moths and Bonaparte's Gull

Heysham Obs
Too many moths at the moment - a 0530 start at various traps and they still 'ate' into work-time, despite the only obvious explanation for a high speed nil return, relatively drained battery and moved egg boxes in the north harbour wall actinic being that someone has already checked it.  Hope the stuff is entered on MapMate!.  The office trap could not be checked until 1100hrs and there were c480 moths of 62 species therein

Outfalls
Feedback from visiting birders and a brief visit to Red Nab:
Mediterranean Gull - 5 juvs, 2 ads, 2 3CY (including the winter resident 2P96) and 3-4 2CY
Bonaparte's Gull - rather elusive by all accounts but on Heysham 2 outfall about lunchtime
Whimbrel - 4

Moths
Lots but nothing really special with the rarest by Heysham standards being Purple Thorn and Cabbage Moth!  The first Rosy Rustic and Canary Shouldered Thorn of the year

Butterflies
The office buddleia is producing with an emergence of Peacock today totalling 5, plus Red Admiral, Brimstone

Sat Navs and Bonaparte's Gull

Please don't use your sat nav - the postcode on one of the information services takes you straight into a reactor!  Please follow the instructions as per parking by the tall mast just before Ocean Edge caravan park and then accessing the shore via the nature park.  See map below

Bonaparte's Gull seen again today

Loads of butterflies, including a Holly Blue near the office

More Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull still present late morning at least

Moths comprised 290 individuals  58 species!  5 Dingy Shears notable - commonest moth as usual at this time of year (but virtually absent in the rest of NW England) = Straw Underwing with 56

An actinic set in the central marsh at Middleton NR produced Bordered Beauty and 2 Bulrush Wainscot as well as 4 Eudonia pallid

Middleton Nature reserve mid morning.

Bonapartes and Little Gulls still present but cannot access the main text

 Tuesday 30th July.

  A great day for butterflies,
moths, Hawkers and Sparrow hawks.
On the Heysham Nature reserve.

Bonaparte's Gull performs well

Heysham Obs
The Bonaparte's Gull was on the seaward end of Heysham one outfall, as viewed from the north harbour wall at 0915hrs and at 1050hrs reported on the pager as 'being on the outfalls'

Afternoon update:  Bonaparte's, at least 20 Meds and ad Little Gull Heysham 2 outfall on incoming tide

Moths
Just about managed to keep the actinic upright out of the wind on the north harbour wall sandworks with one or two new species for the square including Eupoecilia angustana and a nice comparison with two Cochylis atricapitana.  Three Silver Y and a Diamond Back were the migrant interest

Dog walking area, Painted Lady Butterfly

Little Gull back

Heysham Obs
Mark visited this morning with the intention of ring-reading Med Gulls.  However this proved difficult due to the wind but Mark presented me with nine he read on 21/7, including three 'new' metal-ring reads.  Excellent and that makes 13 ringed birds read this year.  No sign, as yet, though of the Czech-ringed veteran this 'autumn'.  Mark did not have time to search for the Bonaparte's Gull but the/an adult Little Gull was present and the Bonaparte's Gull materialised nearer high tide

Camille made contact this morning and R13E:

Ringed: Oye Plage, Pas de Calais, France, 50 59N 2 03E     nestling                15/6/09
Seen: Le Portal, Pas de Calais                                                                          20/9/09
Seen: Piriac sur mer, Loire Atlantique, 47 23N 2 33W                               7/2-18/2/10
Seen: Polder de Sebastopol, Vendee 46 56N 2 09W                                  21-27/4/11            
Seen: Heysham outfalls                                                                                       3/8/11
Seen Heysham outfalls                                                                                      22/7/13

.....................and metal-ringed E929362:

Ringed: Total,  Antwerp, Belgium, 51 15N 4 19E                                               17/5/11

Seen: Heysham outfalls                                                                                  21-22/7/13 

Thanks for these, Gavin, Mark, Pete and others

Outfalls
Med Gull - 7 ad, 2 2nd CY, 3 3rd CY, two juv
Little Gull - adult summer early morning at least
Bonaparte's Gull - adult outfalls at least just after lunch

Moths
The north wall actinic survived the rain and latterly wind to produce a good catch with the following new for the 10k square: Tawny Shears, Silver Y (!), Cochylis dubitana, Agapeta zoegana, Antler, Rosy Minor, Bright-line Brown eye.  White Line Darts only reached 56!