North-westerly negatives

Heysham Obs
No reports of the Bonaparte's Gull today as far as I am aware and it certainly did not partake in the usual high tide sequence involving bathing and roosting on Red Nab before being forced off by the tide

Red Nab area lunchtime
Med Gull - at least 14 but only one juv seen.  This has happened before when the wind has gone round to the north-west - is this because it stifles a procession of different birds moving through or were they all round the harbour mouth which wasn't checked?  6 2CY, 2 3CY (one with metal ring below knee), 4 adult, one juv
Little Gull - one 'immature'.  Didn't see it very well (or at all in flight) to note the moult sequence, but presumably 3CY getting rid of the final age-specific outer primaries, not advanced 2CY.  No sign of the usual moulting adult.
Whimbrel - at least one
Bar-tailed Godwit - juvenile - early?

Office nets
A trickle of warblers during the morning with 6 Whitethroat and two Willow Warbler ringed.  Good year for Whitethroat with over 120 ringed so far

Moths
Silver Y invasion with 40 in the trap.  No show-stoppers with the 'usual' agriphila latistria perhaps the best

Migrant insects and Bonaparte's Gull

Heysham Obs

Office area
Painted Lady on the buddleia and Rush Veneer in the trap along with Oblique Carpet and Brown China Mark of minor note

Tree Pipit - 2 singletons south - no other obvious vis but up to 20 House Martin at one point

Outfalls/Red Nab/Ocean Edge shore
Med Gull - at least 15 (6 2CY, 5 juv, 1 3CY, 4 adult)
Little Gull - not seen very well but either an advanced 2CY to 3CY or a 3CY - probably the same as the other day.  No sign of the adult which can be very erratic, especially during calmer weather
Bonaparte's Gull - showing on Red Nab, then flew south but could only find little gull on mudflats

Bonaparte's Gull

Heysham Obs
Apologies to birders this late morning for "sitting" on the Bonaparte's Gull as it was on the sea off the southern end of Ocean Edge.  I was oblivious to people on the seawall as I have a vehicle pass for the caravan site and my birding this morning was 10 minutes here and there amongst lots of other things.  I also forgot my mobile phone and missed a reasonable pic as a result.  I also assumed anyone dowwn there would have seen it. I certainly didn't expect the gulls to clear off to the south but there were some people splashing around on the water's edge 

It was on the sea off Ocean Edge with Black-headed Gulls late morning before presumably heading off towards Middleton. Might be worth checking Glasson Basin during these high tides.........

At least 5 juv Meds, 4 2CY Meds and 3 adult meds around but didn't see the Little Gull

Moths 
A plague of Old Lady!  Yet another individual last night along with a good variety, but nothing unexpected except perhaps Poplar Hawk Moth which is very late

Middleton Nature reserve yesterday. 20th August.

Common Darter

Coot

Heron and Brown Hawker.

Look who's here again...

Red Nab WEDNESDAY
Bonaparte's Gull
Little Gull  - 3CY - sorry presumptuous over the report being the long-staying adult - thanks for clarifying Colin
Mediterranean Gull - 17 (8 juvs, 5 x 2CY, 4 ads)
Sandwich Tern
plus the usual Oycs, Redshank, Curlew and a couple of summer plumaged Turnstone

Moths
TWO Old Lady!  Also Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Bonaparte's Gull Again

A very quick check 0810-0820 saw the Bonaparte's Gull in a small cluster of gulls on the mudflats just south of Heysham 2 outfall

At 0930 it was on the pager as being on Red Nab along with the ad Little Gull and at least 10 Meds

At 1000 I returned and it was too late for Red Nab with all but a few Meds left amongst dwindling BHG numbers, including the one we darvic-ringed this spring = 2P96

A CES ringing session at Middleton provided a sprinkling of warblers including Sedge, Reed, Willow, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat, with Stock Dove also seen.

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.