Gull lift off

................loads of seagulls in a dreadful heat-haze.  Saw a couple of adult Meds in flight, but the rest impossible in the short time available.  Needs someone with really good pair of eyes to grill this lot on incoming tide - the numbers were equivalent to last year at this time

Middleton NR
c250 Swallows in the roost tonight but they roosted in the central marsh and only 20 or so were ringed in the western marsh.  Two Grasshopper Warlers at least around and Grey Wagtail again heard around the sewage works

Sorry getting a bit scrappy with postings

Heysham Obs

Fen Wainscot in the office trap this morning

Sunday
At least 6 Med Gulls red nab/outfalls in very brief visit

Saturday
Late afternoon check saw about 13 Meds including 2 x 2CY, 1 x 1CY and including 2P96 and the elusive as regards reading it green -ringed bird

I am having difficulty using a scope for any length of time at the moment which is one reason why the gull counts have been very patchy.  New glasses may help resolve some issues but there are long-standing right eye problems and I "cannot"! use a scope with left eye.

18th July Leps day

Heysham Obs
...............Not just this evening with a dozen Netted Carpet and an unexpected Beautiful Carpet at a local site.  The moth trap held the first Silver Hook for the reserve (population at Middleton) and a Dark-green Fritillary flew through late afternoon - a not quite annual visitor

At least 7 adult/3CY, 2 2 CY and 2 1CY Meds Red Nab/off Ocean Edge with one of the juvs looking very young 

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