Plenty of Meds but no interesting smaller gulls over the high tide

Heysham Obs
Observers perhaps a fraction too late today and had to contend with a high incoming tide and the early receding tide. Not the best.

Med Gull - four adult, 7 juvs and 4 2CY
Whimbrel - at least two
Wheatear - one heliport area

Moths
Bulrush Wainscot in the trap and Red Underwing sitting on the container

Incoming tide Bonaparte's but tide too high for the latecomers

Heysham Obs
Apologies for the broken record but don't turn up here at high tide if it is going to almost cover Red Nab, as this morning with a wind surge.  Avoid high tide on spring tides and make sure you time your visit on 'spring' tides for the period about 3.5hrs before and one hour before. The dropping tide on spring tides is also useless as the birds are spread far and wide across the mudflats and only return to the outfalls in dribs and drabs.  On neap tides, Red Nab will retain the birds but the light on an afternoon neap tide during sunlight can be awful so best get up and cover the early morning.

Outfalls early morning
Little Gull - adult Red Nab 1000ish
Bonaparte's Gull - Heysham one outfall briefly then Red Nab 0810-0830 at least, when the observer left (but then pushed off by tide and very few gulls left by high tide)
Med Gull - at least 12 on the later stages of the incoming tide (7 juvs) - many of the birds will be on the sands to the south of Ocean Edge by this time

Quality time with gulls in decent light at last

Heysham Obs
No it is not a 'nice day' when it is calm, the sun is shining and you are trying to watch gulls as has been the case rather a lot recently.  Gulls at all angles and all tones of grey depending on the angle of the sun.  Today was perfect with side-on gulls in flat light on Red Nab

The Bonaparte's was located very easily compared to previous occasions when it has been sleeping with the masses.  The grey nape is beginning to be evident and the head pattern now consists of a dark slate grey/black 'ring' running from chin to chin via the rear crown where it broadens slightly.  The crown itself is lightly peppered.

Not so easy were 2CY Meds!  They seemed to appear out of the woodwork when there was a slight dread and rearrangement of gulls - so easy to overlook at this time of year when even the bill seems 'nondescript' = helpful for sorting from still recognisable 3CY with unmoulted outer primaries

Red Nab/Ocean Edge foreshore & scans of the outfalls
Bonaparte's Gull - sitting on Red Nab & showing very well.  No flight views so not able to judge the state of wing moult
Med Gull - at least 30! minima of 11 juvs, 12 2CY, one 3CY, 4 adult-types.  "Our" 2P96 seen and at least one of the presumed German 2CY, but most of them were at rest not showing the legs
No sign Little Gull or any terns
Whimbrel - 2

Moths
Old Lady the star

Friday 16th August. LBBG seen at Heysham Nature reserve with just one metal ring on it's leg.

   Also a Common Darters and a Brown Hawker,  on the dog walking areas of the reserve.
Photos by Janet Packham.

A trickle of warblers

Heysham Obs
Work and mist-netting by the office saw no chance of checking the outfalls & no feedback from any visiting birders

Office area
Four Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a juv Reed Warbler ringed

Moths
A decent catch included Tawny-speckled Pug and Y scabrella

More later..............

A few Whitethroat and Willow Warbler around the office but the most dramatic feature of the ringing was a juvenile female Sparrowhawk, presumably from the nest on the reserve.  More later from e.g. the outfalls hopefully

Moths
Meal Moth and a pristine Bordered Sallow were unexpected

Monday Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull seen on Heysham 2 outfall at rest on the railings then flying about for 5 minutes 1320-1325.  It appeared to have just 3 old primaries - easiest to see on the underwing views with the clear-cut black trailing edge but it always remained in 'mid stream' on the outfalls, not joining the close melee.  It then flew towards Heysham one outfall but the three of us were unable to relocate on the incoming tide (no time to check through the gulls in detail on Red Nab)

Also 4 x juv, 3 x 2CY, 1 x 3CY Meds - not the best time of the tide for these.  No obvious sign of the Little Gull or any terns, despite the stiff onshore wind

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!)