Unexpected day

Started with a clear run through all the traffic lights on the Bay Coneway for the first time, then the sea looked a bit rough and a sweep produced a Gannet, so gave it a bit of unscheduled time before checking the Sunderland Point moth trap

Sea 0845ish to 0920ish
Gannet - 11
Fulmar - 1
Manx Shearwater - flock of 6
Med Gull - yesterdays 2CY seaward end Heysham one

Middleton NR
Lunchtime and early pm saw the temperature high enough, wall to wall sunshine and a few bits of shelter out of the wind for Malcolm and dragonfly recording but later in the afternoon the wind increased and the site became a no show as the forecast had suggested for the whole day

Red-veined Darter - two males and two female types or tenerals
also low single figures of Black-tailed Skimmer, Four-spotted Chaser (one eaten by an Emperor!), Broad-bodied Chaser and an interesting darter seen very briefly in the central marsh

They survived in numbers

No need to worry about the prolonged 'grounding' of red veined darters.    A single sweep from the seat saw nine males over the model boat pond with smaller counts including at least one almost certain additional insect over the next five minutes.   No time to check the western shore

On red nab there was a new 2cy med gull - a large individual with an unremarkable head pattern cf being lost amongst bhg and moulted greater coverts giving the folded wing a very 'plain' look for so early in the "autumn"

Heysham skeers held two common scoter in the channel, a small flock of Canada geese past and a build up of little egret.   Detail later

A few seabirds

The outfalls are in a bit of a rut at the moment - plenty of gulls but no obvious change in personnel.

Offshore was a bit disappointing in the absence of squalls.   Early on saw 7 gannet and 4 Manx shearwater with o my one of the gannet 'close'.   Brief checks during high tide period saw an empty sea but 5 Manx shearwater headed towards heysham later in the afternoon (seen from
Cockersands)

Nowt

The Webs and pre-Webs outfalls check and rest of the coastal area plus the moth trap saw absolutely nothing of note

Might be worth a tomorrow morning seawatch though plus LOW tide check of outfalls

Saturday

Three Canada Geese in

Gannet dead and alive

One dead on Middleton tideline per Mike

One alive flying out

Nowt on outfalls from half tide onwards (about half of what you get at low tide)

Later Pete Woodruff had what was presumably the same leucistic BHG as the other day

Large Yellow Underwing in moth trap!

Thursday

2CY Med outfalls - nowt else

Red-veined Darter male located and photographed by Linda Renshaw roosting away from the waters edge by model boat pond

Bits and bobs

Heysham Outfalls/Red Nab
Arctic Tern - adult resting on Red Nab, Common or Arctic on outfalls briefly
Common Scoter - two between the power stations outfalls, then flew into the bay at 10.20
Med Gull - 2CY Red Nab, adult seaward end Heysham one briefly
Black-headed Gull - leucistic bird (beware!)

Offshore
A visiting birder had
Gannet - one out distantly
Fulmar - two out close

No obvious sign of Red veined Darter Middleton in highly marginal conditions that in fact didn't produce anything resembling a dragonfly!

The Hut moth trap in its present configuration is not performing well.  The current records will not be usable for comparison with other years.  It didn't perform last night because the electrics were off but that allowed anything from the two previous unchecked nights to clear off!  In this respect, given the small numbers, no incentive to check it if it involves going out of your way

Heysham NR

Burnet Companion moths numerous on the plateau area.  These images from Wednesday of this difficult species to photograph by Janet:

The hut moth trap is picking up some moths now but numbers still below par - 13 regular species this morning.

Middleton NR

No Swimming Pond - still two Gadwall with families of 4 and 8 young.

Cettis Warbler at least one singing near the north east corner.

Model Boat Pond - excellent display of Northern Marsh Orchids around the west fringe and on the spit.

Plenty of Brown Hawker dragonflies plus at least one pair of Emperor, numerous Common Blue damselfies plus at least three Red-veined Darter.  These last seen in less-than ideal conditions - broken cloud, brisk wind and quite cool.

ajd

The A Team Are Away

With the main contributors away in the freezing north of Norway for a week, apologies for what will be rather sparse reporting.

Heysham
The last two broods of Great tits in the nestboxes were ringed today.  Great Tits have done well this year with 9 successful broods.
Blue Tits have had a terrible year here with only one nest in a box.  A brood of 9 young were raised to the half-grown stage but were all found dead today.

Two Burnet Companion moths were seen along with a number of Common Blue butterflies on the plateau.

Middleton NR from Wednesday 31st May
Gadwall - 2 with 4 and 8 chicks
Cettis Warbler - Now 2 singing from NE and SW corners of No Swimming pond. Apparently was only one territory there previously but perhaps a second bird has taken part of the territory.

Dragonflies
At least 4 Red veined Darters on model boat pond.  A couple of examples of great shots taken by Stan Parrott reproduced here:

ajd