Swift exit?

Heysham Nature Reserve

A bit of vis already (07:00-08:30):
Siskin - 11 - not sure of direction as difficult to see but 4 of them appeared to go NE
Swift - 19 south

Red Nab
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 12
Herring Gull - 4
Common Gull - 7
Black-headed Gull - 206 (only 4 juvs seen)
Mediterranean Gull - 8 (4 x ad, 2 x 3CY, 2 x 2CY)
Oystercatcher - 335
Curlew - 106

Outfalls
Mediterranean Gull - 2 (1 x ad, 1 x 2CY)
Black-headed Gull - 655 (only 4 juvs seen) These birds were in addition to the ones on Red Nab.
Comon Gull - 10

South Harbour Wall
Ringed Plover - 1

A mixed day

Heysham Obs
First of all very sad news.  Ian Kinley has passed away and south Cumbria loses a really nice and helpful person who was always there to sort out records from the Kent Estuary and area for the Cumbrian part of the LDBWS recording area.  I have known Ian for many years and he has always been a cheerful and friendly person.  I will miss him.  Pete.

Secondly the circus act has started - the hatching of the Mute Swan chicks on Middleton

The rest of the day saw an outfalls check which was too late and just saw an incomplete count of 6 Med Gulls (3 x Ad, 1 x 3CY, 2 x 2CY) in the remaining gulls on Red Nab

The moth trap was also checked rather late as a blazing hot sun was streaming through the window and even a Buff Ermine was flying about as the check was made.  Miller was the best - not annual here - Blackneck was new for the year and there was a decent variety including a late Shaded Pug 

More Meds

Heysham Obs
Red Nab produced the goods at high tide after being surprisingly poor yesterday.  It does seem that the main influx of gulls yesterday was on the dropping afternoon tide and this was reflected and added to at high tide today

Red Nab/Ocean Edge foreshore high tide
Common Gull - 197
Black-headed Gull - 520
Med Gull - 6 ads, 2 3CY (one darvic-ringed, probably green), at least 5 2CY
Little Gull - 3CY
Curlew - 42
Oystercatcher - 320

Butterfly Census
Opening their account were four Meadow Brown and a single Narrow-bordered five spot Burnet, just about to close its account was a very tatty Peacock.  No sign of any Burnet Companion or Mother Shipton or any Brimstone

Moths
No major surprises but another couple of Heart and Club.  However, a definite Pammene aurana was seen in the NE corner after being reminded by the sheet that a probable was seen on last weeks butterfly census in the same area.  It was sat on a hogweed leaf as was last week's insect

Landbirds
Singing Reed and Sedge Warbler in HNR marsh and a nice collection of birds in the office mist net ride in the afternoon including 2 x family parties of Common Whitethroat and a family party of Willow Warbler - so some birds have bred successfully albeit seemingly with low brood sizes

Thorough outfalls coverage

Heysham Obs
Good coverage by Ian Walker in flat light this morning before the weather went pear-shaped and the sun came out.  Thanks Ian.

Outfalls area
Little Gull - 3CY showing all the time
Sandwich Tern - one on Red Nab after the tide
Med Gull - 5 adults, 1 3CY, 6 2CY, many of these coming on to Heysham 2 outfall as the tide dropped
Common Gull - one with red darvic - please look out for - its unread
Lesser Black-backed Gull - very quick response with this one:

  FH21382            N      10    Ringed          22/11/08  SGD  Stoke Orchard Landfill Site, Gloucestershire. 51.56N 02.06W
            S          12         Sighted 28/06/15    IW    Heysham outfall, Lancashire (238 km, NNW, 6 yrs 218days

Moths
Really good catch but nothing of any real interest other than yet more Heart and Club (3) and a few years ticks such as Peach Blossom, Light Arches.  Best was Sallow Kitten & Small China Mark and most surprising were single Rustic Shoulder Knot and Scalloped Hazel - long past their bedtime  

Saturday 27th June

Heysham Obs
A few moths including Bordered Sallow, Dog's Tooth and yet another Heart and Club

3CY Little Gull new in

Heysham Obs
A 3CY Little Gull was new in on the seaward end of Heysham one outfall but it seemed to be 'as you were' with the Meds with just a few of the longer stayers around

The office toilet moth trap was again on form with 2 x Heart and Club doubling the grand total in two nights and Silky Wainscot an unusual wanderer from the wetlands

Outfalls area low tide
Med Gull - 1 x ad, 1 x 3CY, 2 x 2CY (one with black head)
Little Gull - 1 x 3CY still in summer plumage
Little Ringed Plover - one alarm calling from within the power station between Red Nab and Heysham Two.  Interesting!

Moths
Notable/new for the year were: 2 x Heart and Club (neither the previous night's individual re-visiting), 1 x Green Pug, 1 x Map-winged Swift, 1 x Eana osseana,  1 x Silky Wainscot, 1 x Light Emerald, 1 x P coronata, 1 x Double Dart with Shoulder-striped Wainscot top of the pile at 27

Ominous CES

Heysham Obs
Absolutely dreadful CES at Middleton this morning with just no sign of the usual young birds you would expect at this time of year and a notable lack of Sedge Warbler - they did this in 2012 - cleared off!

Tjhe moth trap was really good though with the first Shark since 2012 and the third record of Heart and Club (although four were taken at nearby Middleton in 2014).   Clay materialised for the first time this year

Wednesday 24th June

Heysham Obs
A thorough search of the outfalls on the early stages of the incoming tide "only" produced the following

Med Gull: 1 x Ad, 4 x 2CY

Bits and bobs

Heysham Obs
Mainly insects today

Mammals
Live Grey Squirrel Moneyclose Lane
Stoat Moneyclose Lane

Butterfly census
Very worn singleton Peacock and at least three Brimstone.  Three Burnet Companion, single Mother Shipton and Silver Y and, best of all, a single Marsh Pug

Birds
Jackdaw - flock of 16 Middleton MB pond may be a record county of local birds
Grasshopper Warbler - two singing Middleton
Tufted Duck - two eclipse males Middleton

Gulls
A careful scrutiny revealed 9 x 2CY Med yesterday (thanks Pete) - no gull check today in sun and heat haze

Pics from Janet - thanks Janet - all taken today at Middleton

More outfalls coverage

Heysham Obs
Outfalls/Red Nab three visits
Med Gull - 2 x summer ad, 1 x summer ad or 3CY (wing tips not visible).  2 x 2CY but neither the black-headed one seen the last few days
Common Gull - 235
Black-headed Gull - 280

Middleton NR
Grasshopper Warbler - two intermittent singing males western marsh

Moths
At least one Burnet Companion NR plateau.  Nothing dramatic in the trap, although two Shaded Pug cannot be sniffed at the top NW site for this species