Med fest starts

Heysham Obs
There are going to be a lot of Med Gulls in the next few weeks.  Many will be bearing rings with some returning birds.  Please could you let me know if you have read any and sent them off, otherwise please pass to me (PMrsh123@aol.com) and I'll inform you of the details.  Thanks

Red Nab incoming tide
Med Gull - 4 x Ad, 2 x 3CY, 3 x 2CY - one of adults legs not visible but all the rest seemed to be unringed - unusual

More gulls on the sands towards Middleton were too far away

Early morning at Middleton

Heysham Obs
The only tangible sighting of interest was a Green Woodpecker which crossed the site about 0700hrs, calling twice before heading inland


The CES ringing included good numbers of young Blackcap for here (7 ringed) and a few phylloscs but disappointingly low numbers of Sedge Warbler with only one juvenile seen/caught


Two Grasshopper Warbler were reeling but nowhere near the ringing area


Moths
A Toadflax Pug was early for this species at this regular site

Sunday 22nd June: Swallow roost kicks off

Heysham Obs
An evening visit to Middleton revealed up to 30-40 Swallows roosting in the main reed bed and the pair of Little Ringed Plover still looking after at least one young.  A brief glimpse of a large owl spp in flight suggested Tawny

Saturday 21st June: Gulls building up

Heysham Obs
Red Nab
Med Gull - 4 unringed 2CY
Common Gull - 62CY
Curlew - 59
Little Egret - 1
First juv Black-headed Gull

Lesser Whitethroat singing Ocean Edge entrance (been quiet recently)

Mullein

Caterpillars are out in force at the Middleton site

Mullein

Small Tortoishell



Peacock

Mullein caterpillar twitch

Heysham obs
At least one and prob two typically mobile hummingbird hawk moth at the mullein larvae site at the Middleton bottle dump. Still 15 larvae

Also breeding pr little ringed plover

Silky Wainscot

Heysham Obs
A rare sighting in the office trap was a Silky Wainscot - this has been found in small numbers in recent years in Heysham NR wetlands and also Middleton.  Two Garden Tiger from an overnight actinic at Middleton were nice

Todays photos from Middleton Nature reserve

Amazing moth record just outside area

Heysham Obs
A small moth taken in a light trap literally yards to the north of our northern recording boundary has proved to be Waved Carpet - a scarce and threatened species which was never on the radar for this area.  Its close relative, Welsh Wave is very familiar to us fell-edge trappers but even that would be well outside its comfort zone at coastal sites, despite planted rowans

Middleton came up with the goods this evening with 15 Mullein larvae being located by Justine

Birds included:
Med Gull - a single 2CY on the sea off Ocean Edge
Tree Sparrow - one heard by the feeder early am
Greenfinch - 21 caught at the feeder, mainly juvenile males

Moth trap
Bordered Sallow was nice and a few new for the year including Common Emerald and Dark Arches

 Waved Carpet (thanks John)

Mullein larva (thanks Justine)

CES minimum

Heysham Obs
The Middleton CES was quite interesting but unfortunately had to be curtailed for the last 25 minutes due to work in south-west Cumbria and a realisation I hadn't factored in the full driving time in relation to tide height

The main interest was negative - I am obviously familiar with the song and various calls of Grasshopper and Sedge Warbler but saw and heard zero in 2.5 hours.  I hope this is not a repeat of the 2012 mass breeding failure and rapid departure.  Reed Warblers, on the other hand were quite noisy mobile and a few unringed males were caught along with a retrap of the Leighton Moss-ringed bird from earlier this summer - obviously breeding here.  Estimated at least 9 singing males

One unringed capture and two mobile and short-stay singing birds suggested that some Willow Warblers were already on the move

Other sightings included a singing Skylark and at least two audible Pheasants.......... 

Moths
A very brief check of the trap saw Small Clouded |Brindle of minor interest

Secondhand report

Heysham Obs
A report of a red darter spp on the model boat pond this late morning but too windy when I arrived early afternoon (couple per swan-feeder!).  Please can we have more info?

6 4-spotted Chaser and a male Emperor on 'fence' pond

6 Burnet Companion on a short wander Heysham NR and two Red Admiral seen late pm around the orange buddleia

Moth trap not switched on