Positively Mediterranean

The Mediterranean theme continues and includes the weather now as well. Today's Med Gulls included:
1 x Juv
3 x adults
1 x 2CY
If there were any others the heat haze hid them.

Middleton NR
A male Yellow Wagtail flew over heading east.
A Grey Wagtail seems to be in residence
13 Swifts flew south
3 Grasshopper Warblers were singing.
House Martins over the site may have been local birds feeding rather than birds on the move.

Moths of note at Middleton NR
Silver Y - first of the year
Bordered Beauty

First juv Meds

Heysham Obs


Outfalls/Red Nab
Med Gull - 5 x ad/3CY, 2 x 2CY, 2 x 1CY
Little Egret - 2
Whimbrel - at least one

300 Swallows in Middleton roost

Bordered Beauty best of the moths

As you were but a few extra moths

Heysham Obs
Five Meds on the late incoming tide this lunchtime

The moth trap was the fifth checked this morning and it was one too many with the sun obviously sending a fair wadge out of the window.  The egg packing held a few bits and bobs with the main surprise being an early Least Yellow Underwing plus relatively scarce species here including Dark Spectacle

High tide paucity

Heysham Obs
Didn't have to write anything down, memory-wise for the Heysham WeBS today - 25 Oystercatchers on the dog-disturbed heliport and three Cormorants on the wooden jetty.............plus 4 Meds (3 x Ad 1 x 3CY) and 275 Black-headed Gulls remaining on the tide around the outfalls/Red Nab






Slender Pug in the moth trap

No obvious Med Increase

Heysham Obs
Should get back to normal in the next few days with postings.  Rather like the participants at the angling match on the north harbour wall on Saturday night (winner one crab?!), the sea has been in the doldrums - far too warm and calm and any gulls on the outfalls subject to dreadful heat-haze during quick scans from Ocean Edge.  Much better coverage today by Mark and Ian:

Whimbrel - 2 adults
Med Gull - 4-5 ads (one green-ringed), one 3CY, 4 2CY

Moths
Bordered Beauty a welcome new for the year but a big sign of autumn!
A session on the north harbour wall provided nothing new with a handful of White-line Dart, Cabbage Moth, Crambus perlella, Heart and Dart, Straw Underwing, Dark Arches, Large Yellow Underwing and Phyticodes maritima/saxicola - both have been recorded here but need genitalia examining

Bits and bobs from last few days

Heysham Obs
Saturday 12th
c20 Swift south Middleton

Friday 11th
Swallow roost - 75 plus a Sand Martin
6 Meds but again checked too late in tide (5 x ad/3CY)

Thursday 10th
to be added

Heysham CES

Heysham Obs
Dunnocks have been featuring strongly recently and we have ringed 30 juvs and 11 (new) adults so far this year plus numerous retraps of other local birds.  This is far more than usual.  No problem getting used to/forgetting to put B rings on!

A few young Chiffchaff around this morning and odds and ends of other young warblers of presumably local origin

Heysham Obs

Birds today included a very early Grey Wagtail at Middleton, 3 Little Egrets at Red Nab and four (2 x 2CY, 2 x Ad) Meds on the dropping tide.  At least three different Grasshopper Warbler singing Middleton.  Ringing at Middleton included 15 unringed Sedge Warbler

 

Thanks for the pics Janet: male Emperor, imm male Common Darter, Cinnabar larva, then some nice easy birds!

 

Moths in the trap included Dingy Shears.  Moths on the north harbour wall included Swallow-tailed Moth (new for 10k square), Agapeta zoegana and lots of White-line Dart and Lime-speck Pug



 

 

 

Todays offerings from the Middleton site.

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Evening at Middleton

Heysham Obs

Grasshopper Warbler - four singing males
Swallow - c100 in roost which took place very early as a dark cloud appeared

Moth trap fairly full but nothing better than Dingy Footman and an unfamiliar small brown micro which will be checked out.  Watch this space.

Med check

Heysham Obs
The final National Moth Night night was a dreadful cold affair after a roller-coaster with the previous two nights - these two were brilliant providing you did exactly what you were asked to do and set a trap in sheltered woodland.  Even managed a bit of sheet and lighting near my house (one hour, 30 spp, including a local mega - Dingy Shell) on the Friday night until the rain started to seep through the dense canopy.  A real shame for any event organisation and therein lies the problem.  Do you put all your eggs in one basket and tie yourself to an event or do you (perhaps selfishly) stay flexible and therefore able to play the weather conditions as best possible?    I always remember a similarly freezing cold night in upper Roeburndale at the end of May which produced lots of enthusiastic kids and parents, who assumed a "nice day" would mean a good night for moths.  Result: a few early midges and Daddy Long Legs, one geometer flying past and NO other moths before boredom quickly set in.

The Heysham toilet trap held Wormwood Pug this morning which added a new species to the list for the three nights in this area. 

Outfalls/Red Nab
Med Gull - 4 ads (including 2P96), one 3CY, 4 2CY and another birder reported a green-ringed bird which was additional