Med-fest continues and possible/probable Bonaparte's sighting

Heysham Obs
A rather frustrating morning as a small adult gull with white underwings and "quite a bit of summer head plumage"was located on the seaward end of Heysham one outfall on the incoming tide in association with adult Little Gull, at least one Med and Black-headed Gulls.  Unfortunately I was originally going to check from the north harbour wall which would have given the requisite views, but changed my mind and went to Ocean Edge -  a bit distant from Ocean Edge grass to be absolutely sure.    Any other birders around? Unfortunately, instead of switching to Heysham 2 as the tide came in, it flew along the tideline until lost, when it may have joined the wake of the incoming IOM ferry.  Had to move the car, increasing scope shake and couldnt locate.

Putative Bonaparte's Gull - see above - this sighting will not be claimed unless subsequently confirmed
Med Gull - 21 early morning at low tide, including a new darvic ring (white LC6).  This observer was concentrating on reading ring numbers, not searching for the Bonaparte's Gull.  11 adult, 2 3CY, 3 2CY and 5 juvs.  2P96 and AKRS also present.
Little Gull - ad seaward end of Heysham one outfall at least lunchtime, then fed on the sea between the two outfalls
Sandwich Tern - one

Saturday 10th August

Heysham Obs
Nothing startling in the moth trap for National Moth Night top compare with the Black Arches in the Millhouses trap!

Middleton NR
Marsh Harrier
What must have been this species was quartering the western marsh for about a minute late afternoon. Thanks for the info.
Swallow - only 40 or so in the roost late evening
Peregrine - juvenile

Juvenile Med influx

Heysham Obs 
A funny morning as regards coverage as had set several moth traps last night on the basis of the reasonable first half of the night for the national moth nights sequence (and not so clever two subsequent nights). However, it was a bit breezy this morning when I rescued the north harbour wall actinic! Just had enough time to scope the outer end of Heysham one outfall from the north wall, but unfortunately any further coverage was far too late in the tide cycle to be certain if the Bonaparte's Gull had put in one of its rather intermittent appearances

North harbour wall/Heysham one outfall Med Gull - A flock of gulls on the water off Heysham one proved to be 16 juv and 2 2CY & one 3CY Med! A further two adults were seen on the later check, giving at least 21 for the day

Moths Two traps in the recording area. The north wall trap held 12 Lime-speck Pug and 14 White Line Dart, plus a few generalists including new 10km square records in the form of Rosy Rustic and Lesser Yellow Underwing! The office trap was busy and highlighted by Agriphila latestria at this regular site and a couple of Bordered Beauty......plus a Dot Moth (rare here!)

No Bonaparte's Gull

Heysham Obs
Looking down the seawall towards the outfalls, there seemed to be reasonable coverage this morning on the incoming tide, although a 'dread' on Red Nab shifted a lot of gulls to the south before they had been really checked

Med Gull - 2 ads, 2 juvs, 1 3CY, 2 2CY
Little Gull - ad

Office area
Lesser Whitethroat - 5 ringed
Otherwise one Whitethroat and two Willow Warblers, a Robin and a few Greenfinches

Moths
Crescent in the toilet trap a very good record.  Small Wainscot new for the year, otherwise an unremarkable catch with Straw Underwing now very much taking a bow until another year and usurped in the numbers stakes by Six-striped Rustic, Flounced Rustic and Dotted Clay plus the usual hordes of Shaded Broad Bar

Wednesday 7th August

Heysham Obs
Sorry still having problems accessing this site for updates on my home computer - managed to get the HTML to work last night but it wouldn't 'allow' spacing.  I'll try fiddling about again with it tonight

Outfalls area
No sign of the Bonaparte's Gull today but observers appeared to be searching rather too near to high tide - priobably best before 1000hrs. Similarly, only three Med Gulls reported on the latter stages of the incoming tide

Middleton NR
A decent catch of Swallows yesterday evening at Middleton with the roost increasing to at least 400. Also there seemed to be rather a lot of Sedge Warblers around after all the local birds had seemingly departed - quite a lot of contact-calling around the place. Despite a clear night, the CES this morning also saw a sprinkling of new Sedge Warblers with low double-figures of new birds as was also the case with Whitethroat. Just 4-5 Willow Warblers caught - all but one moulting/moult complete adults. 95% of the 'new birds' were warblers with not a single tit species caught - the flocks are just not passing through here and there seems to be a particular dearth of Long-tailed Tits at the moment

Moths
..saw Bordered Beauty and Oblique Carpet of note in the Middleton actinics

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