Sandeel bonanza

Quite a fresh WNW wind, some cloud, but plenty of sunshine 

South shore (MD)

A morning check on the rising tide

Rock Pipits 2 arguing on Red Nab. The helper bird near lighthouse with a bill full of food, but no mouths to feed. Presumably a non breeding female, she seems obsessed with feeding the young (I didn't dare yawn!). Hopefully, she'll have her own young to feed next year. 

Mediterranean gulls 19 minimum - there were 5 adult on the beach next to the wooden jetty, but only resting not feeding. 3 juvenile feeding on the seaward end of No.1 outflow. There were 15 adult and a 3rd calendar year on Red Nab, possibly including the 5 from the beach.

Turnstone 1

Redshank 30+ ended up on the wooden jetty. Nice to have them back shouting at you. These three seem to have forgotten that the sea rises!

There were probably about 30 gulls feeding on each outflow, pretty typical. Then very quickly there were hundreds! This is No.2 outflow. No.1 was the same.

Janet said there were high numbers yesterday too and sent this shot. This Black-Headed gull looks to have a small Whitebait (you'll probably need to open the shot to see detail).

Black-Headed Gull feeding on the outflows 

But it wasn't Whitebait today that got them all feeding, it was Sandeels. 

Black-Headed gull with a large Sandeel

A large shoal must have been in the harbour and many drawn through. There were so many that it took quite a while before this Black-Headed Gull was challenged for its bigger than average prize. Normally any gull with a fish is immediately harassed by the other gulls.

There must be a lot of sandeels this year, the Rock Pipits were even feeding small ones to the chicks, presumably gathered from the waterfall area. Let's hope they stay around Sandeels are ideal for terns, and the smaller diving birds.

Another good moth migrant

NW to west light wind a hazy start, but full sun by late morning and the rest of the day.

South shore

The lighthouse Rock Pipits still feeding the young birds. Janet took this shot this morning. This is the non breeding bird that has helped feed the young, presumably one of last year's brood.

Rock Pipit

Mediterranean gulls 11 - they were leaving Red Nab much earlier in the tide today, they soon learn when the tides are high enough to flush them. 7 adult, 1 x 3rd calendar year, 0 x 2nd calendar year and 3 juvenile. One of the adult had a white darvic ring on the left leg. But was a little too far out. After this clip it sat down and didn't move again till it flew off. At least it is still in the area.

Adult and juvenile Mediterranean gull

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a stroll around in the afternoon didn't locate anything new.

Stock Dove two seen twice

Cetti's warbler male singing from "no swimming" pond

This Lesser Whitethroat was making contact calls with at least two, presumably young birds.

This Emperor was ovipositoring, not sure what the foot tapping signifies. 

This from Kevin Eaves:

I was pleasantly surprised to find this wonderful Four-spotted Footman on the outside of my Heysham trap this morning. It's mainly a Southern European species, though they do breed in Southern and South-Western counties of the UK. It's thought that individuals that occur this far north are migrants.

Four-spotted Footman

An eclectic mix

A light SW wind. Overcast with light showers in the morning, but the sun came out mid afternoon.

Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)

Male Blackcap - in punk mode

Green-veined White

Gatekeeper 

Female Black-Tailed Skimmer

Red Nab/Saltmarsh - high water 10:40 (MD)

Eider 1 female

Redshank 2

Mediterranean gull 23 - 19 adult, 1 x 3rd calendar year, 2 x 2nd calendar year, 1 juvenile. No darvic rings seen.

Juvenile Med directly behind the flying Med

Rock Pipit 2 - one each Red Nab and foreshore 

Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1 on shingles north of the slipway  - it managed to avoid being photographed today.

Just out of the recording area - Heysham Moss Nature Reserve (MD)

A very pleasant early evening stroll around.

Surprisingly few birds:

Blackcap 

Chiffchaff 

Wren 

Carrion Crow 

Magpie

Butterflies:

Whites several - all looked to be Small White

Meadow Brown everywhere 

Ringlet a few quite worn 

Small Skipper

Small Tortoiseshell 2

Dragonflies - this is what I went to check

Emperor 3

Four-Spotted Chaser 15+ these were the dominant dragonflies around the pools. Each pool had at least two, many ovipositoring 

Common Darter only 2 seen

Black Darter 16+ These were the most numerous dragonflies, but many away from the pools. Unlike last year when I visited a little later, there were almost as many female as males (9 and 7)

Male Black Darter

Female Black Darter

The peat bogs were alive with insects. Every pool had it's own tribe of flies. I don't think these have a common name, but they should, they certainly are common. If you know please advise.

This comment from Barry Dyson (thanks) - The flies are one of the long-legged flies and as far as I can see are Poecilobothrus nobilitatus.

Those flies were big enough, but these were huge

A "Flesh" Fly

This looks like a Hoverfly, but I can't find it (MD)
Again if anyone knows please advise.

A good day for insects, although perhaps not for ants.

The light breeze started from the east but had swung round to south by midday, then SW. Hot sun after the mist cleared, but becoming overcast and very "heavy" by evening.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report from Alan:

The sky was clear and with a bright moon at midnight last night, it was with little optimism that my small moth trap was set at Middleton. On arrival at 06.00 the sky was completely overcast with low cloud/mist that obscured the upper parts of the power stations and wind generators - not sure what time in the night this formed. A catch of 20 moths resulted but with nothing unusual.

After a break of over two weeks, a couple of nets were set this morning:

Cettis Warbler 1 retrap

Wren 1 juv

Sedge Warbler 4 (2 juv) + 1 retrap

Lesser Whitethroat 1

Whitethroat 2 juv

Blackcap 4 (3 juv)

Chiffchaff 3 (2 juv) +1 retrap

Blue Tit 1 juv

Great Tit 1

Janet had a look in the morning:

Common Darter

Emperor

Think this is one of the "Glass Snails" 
Obviously a quite an acrobatic one! (MD)

By the evening it was overcast and very heavy, gulls were catching flying ants all over the recording area, so I paid a quick visit to the main pond (MD)

Mediterranean gull 1 adult had a post anting drink on the main pond before setting off again. There were hundreds of gulls feeding but quite high, almost certainly more Meds with them.

Double figures of Swallow and Swift with at lest two House Martins feeding above the gulls.

A flock of 42 Jackdaw rested briefly on a pylon, before all but, the more typical, 5 flew off. I presume that they had also been anting.

Warblers heard singing from the bottom car park

Cetti's warbler ("no swimming" pond male)

Blackcap 

Chiffchaff 

Sedge warbler 

Stock Dove 1

South shore (MD)

Unfortunately I was busy till after lunch, the east wind had stopped, although when I set of at 12:30 at least it wasn't from the west. Not for the first time this year I arrived at the lighthouse area just in time to witness the end of whatever insect migration there may have been.

Meadow Brown 12+ probably most if not all residents 

Gatekeeper 2

Small White 1

Small Tortoiseshell 1 seen coming in off the sea

Painted Lady 1 seen coming in off the sea, plus this worn one filling up after, presumably, a long flight.

Mediterranean gull 2 adult flew from the north, but none were feeding on the beach next to the wooden jetty 

Rock Pipit 6 - one on Red Nab plus at the lighthouse, 2 adult (neither the ringed male who seems to have taken a back seat role in the fledging of this second brood) each with a juvenile in tow, and I strongly suspect one adult had two young in tow. In this clip the adult will not feed the chick when it knows it is being watched. So it drops down to the ledge below the wall and the juvenile follows.

But in this clip, I am much further away and the adult would normally feed the chick, but it again drops down to the ledge. This time the juvenile just watches on. The adult returns empty billed so presumably it fed a second juvenile. Meanwhile the second adult with another juvenile were on the wooden jetty rocks.

This was a bit unusual, this Cormorant appears to eat a piece of this wrack. Wrack is full of minerals so possibly required occasionally, or perhaps it's just like a dog eating grass to help it digest a meal.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

I just went to check the Oak trees in the NW corner of the high plateau and it proved fruitful (MD)

Purple Hairstreak 1 male at least - I had to watch for several minutes before one was flitting high in the highest oak tree. I saw one on four occasions before a "family" of Long-Tailed Tits arrived, after which there were no more sightings. Not easy to get a picture of, as they are small, move quickly and the trees are tall, this was the best I managed!

Male Purple Hairstreak high in the oak tree

The flying season covers this and next month, worth checking on any warm sunny day. The picture below is the Oak tree it was in today. They mainly feed in Oak trees and the only Oak stand is in the corner of the copse on the NW corner of the high plateau (there is a small oak tree in a metal protective cage close by).

Family is in inverted commas for the Long-Tailed Tits, as perhaps there was more than one family involved. This young bird does not appear to be able to feed itself yet (it barely looks capable of leaving the nest!).

Meanwhile this juvenile is independent and appears to be providing the Oak tree an aphid clearing service.

Kevin Eaves checked the Oak trees later in the afternoon, no sign of the Hairstreak but he did spot a 

Hummingbird Hawkmoth - he managed this "fly by" shot, but not only does it serve as record shot, it also shows that this moth is different to the worn one that has been on the saltmarsh for a few weeks.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth 

Two more shots from Kevin

The offshore wind farm in disarray, reflecting today's light and variable breeze

Today was one of the few days each year when Snowdonia is
clearly visible from the south wall roundhead 

A good day for kite flying!

A light NW wind all day with plenty of warm sunshine.

I had little time today so just managed two short walks (MD)

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Little change from recent days including 

Cetti's warbler singing from "no swimming" pond

Stock Dove 2

Alan Wilson also had a look around and managed these nice shots

Ringlet

Emperor 

Heysham skear - low water 15:45

Little Egret 2

Eider 1

A single Redshank was the only wader apart from Oystercatcher and Curlew 

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

It was the Kite Festival at Morecambe today and the weather couldn't have been better. Warm and sunny and a steady onshore light wind. From my prospective, the skear was the ideal place to view it from (nice and quiet and some wildlife). In this clip the Mediterranean gull is centre foreground with the Kite Festival behind, I couldn't  resist continuing the pan to end with Ingleborough in the background.

Sometimes, when you can't get out to see nature, you have to rely on nature coming to see you. This Brimstone moth was resting in the shade just outside my back door.

Brimstone moth

Not many Meds, but showing well

NW wind all day and sun pretty much all day too.

South shore 

I had a walk down to watch the beach next to wooden jetty become exposed (3 - 3.5 hours after high water for all tide heights). (MD)

Redshank 1

Rock Pipits 5 - 1 each foreshore and Red Nab. Three around lighthouse area, one still taking food towards the nest site, plus two together (one chasing the other)

Mediterranean gulls 5 adult - there were two waiting on the rocks below the sloping wall and two on the water in the harbour mouth. They moved to the beach while there was still a few centimetres of water covering it. They were obviously after Sandmason worms, but I didn't see any caught. As I was heading back a fifth adult was making its way to the beach, this must have been the German ringed bird as it wasn't one of the four but......

Alan Wilson had just arrived and took these excellent shots which includes the German ringed bird.

Five adult Mediterranean gulls

The lower bird here has caught a Sandmason worm and is defending its catch. Even
with its bill open, they keep hold of the worm between the tongue and either upper or
lower mandible. You may need to open this image to see the worm - it's only thin!

This one only has a metal ring and has proven, so far, impossible to read

This is the German ringed bird.
If you open this shot you can clearly see the letters ANLT

A nice shot of one of the Nature Park's Small Skippers

Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1 in the same location north of the saltmarsh slipway, this time seen by Kevin Eaves in the early afternoon 

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

An afternoon stroll didn't locate much new.

The mute were back on the main pond

Stock Dove 2 at least

Warblers singing:

Cetti's warbler 1 (central marsh)

Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff were the only others.

Insects as yesterday except 

Brown Hawker 2

Another ring to be read

NW to west winds, mainly overcast with some hazy sun later in the afternoon 

South shore

I had a look mid morning (MD)

Grey Seal 1 female near No.1 outflow

Rock pipit 1 Red Nab and 1 carrying food near lighthouse 

Mediterranean gulls 14 minimum - there were 5 adult plus 3 x 2nd calendar year feeding along the tideline on beach next to wooden jetty. It seems at the moment, they can only catch the Sandmason worms when they are underwater. Hopefully that will change and allow them to feed all over the beach. 2 x 2cy feeding on the seaward end of No.1 outflow may have been duplication.

These are today's birds on the waterline 

Pete checked later from Ocean Edge and managed 14. Most in the outer SW corner of Red Nab and the seaward end of No.1 outflow, but not including any that may still have been on the beach next to jetty. One of the Red Nab adults had a yellow darvic ring on right leg, but much too distant to read. Hopefully it will hang around.

Heysham skear - low water 13:20 (MD)

Just a speculative check, I wasn't expecting much, and wasn't disappointed!

Eider 3 females together

Little Egret 3

The only waders were Oystercatcher and Curlew

Still a couple of hundred Herring gulls, but mainly resting or breaking large mussels, as were a handful of Lesser Black-backed gulls.

c20 Black Headed gulls and the regular Mediterranean gull - not quite as raggedy as the last time I saw it, but still not likely to win any grooming competitions!

Black-Headed gull and Mediterranean gull

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

I just did a short circuit of the area were Kevin and myself saw the Clouded Yellow yesterday. No sign today but plenty of interest 

Mute Swan 2 + 7 cygnets now on the "no swimming" pond.

Gadwall 1 female with 2 chicks also on "no swimming" pond, but being harassed by the male swan. Fortunately, there is plenty of tree cover over the water to shelter behind.

Mallard 7 male 2 female one with 2 young

Little grebe 3 large juvenile 

Stock Dove 2

Cetti's Warbler - the "no swimming " pond male singing regularly 

Blackcap 1 near lower carpark

Sedge Warbler singing again in the reed bed near main pond peninsula 

Chiffchaff 2

Common Whitethroat 1

No Willow Warbler heard today

Dragonflies 

Common Darter - everywhere 

Black-Tailed Skimmers  - main pond

Emperor - just one seen

Butterflies in order of abundance 

Gatekeeper 

Meadow Brown 

Ringlet

Large Skipper 

Small Skipper

Small White 3

Summer generation female Small White with particularly pronounced wing "spots"

Not bad for a 10 minute circuit!

Clouded Yellow best of 11 butterfly species

Lighter NW winds sunny for large parts of the day making much warmer than of late.

South Shore (MD)

A check in the morning on the ebbing tide.

Mediterranean gull - just 2 adults seen on the beach next to wooden jetty

Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab and 1 carrying food near lighthouse 

Linnet 12

Goldfinch 2

Both the above feeding around the saltmarsh. These are the Goldfinch

It was the sunniest and calmest day since the Hummingbird Hawkmoth was first seen two weeks ago. I was hoping to see it feeding this morning, but there was no sign of it. Still, in the 150m stretch north of the saltmarsh slipway there were lots of butterflies feeding:

Small White 10

Large Skipper 2

Meadow Brown 3

Gatekeeper 2

Small Tortoiseshell 2

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)

Heron 1

Mute swan 2 adult 7 cygnets 

Moorhen 4

The female Gadwall was swimming around the "no swimming" pond, quacking, presumably lost her chicks again!

Mallard 2 female 1 with 2 largish chicks. 7 eclipsed males

Little grebe - just one adult seen

No sign of Stock Doves today

Dragonflies:

Black-tailed Skimmers several male and female around the main pond

Emperor 3

Common Darters - lots everywhere 

Butterflies in order of abundance:

Gatekeeper 

Meadow Brown 

Ringlet

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

Small White 3-5 (possibly a 2 of them Green-Veined Whites)

Speckled Wood 2

Comma 3

Red Admiral 1

Clouded Yellow 1 female - this was flying around the sparse scrub between the "no swimming" pond and the high plateau to the north. Just 200m from the last location of the previous sighting on 30/06/22 (later Kevin also saw it on the western side of the main pond). Very difficult to get a decent shot, it fluttered around very quickly and looked quite splendid. But as soon as they settle they close their wings and look like a pale leaf.

This is a typical at rest shot

These were about as close as I got to in flight shots

Female Clouded Yellow

When it was fluttering around, it was very easy to follow with the naked eye, but too erratic to follow with a camera, these few seconds were the best I could manage. 

Heysham Nature Reserve (MD, JP)

I just did a very brief circuit of the high plateau 

Butterflies:

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper 

Ringlet 

Small Skipper

Large Skipper

Dragonflies:

Emperor 1

Brown Hawker 1

This male Brown Hawker never stopped, the background shows how quickly it was
moving. This was the only shot out of 10+ even slightly in focus

Janet had a more general walk around, and took these nice shots (Janet's pictures are always smaller as I do not pre size them, this allows them to be opened to appreciate the detail)

Comma - you can see the small white comma on the underwing
to which it owes its name.

Gatekeeper 

Dingy Footman

These are lovely shots of a Hoverfly, I know very little about Hoverflies,
but checking my reference book, this looks to be a Pellucid Hoverfly,
Please advise if you know (MD)

Common Green Grasshopper (probably)

Likely Rudd, but possibly hybridised 

Finally this patch of grass was in the middle of the high plateau.

It's not obvious from this shot, but the patch of flattened grass is where a Roe Deer
has spent at least one night recently. A Roe Buck, unfortunately, saw me before I
saw it as I was leaving the reserve  

First juvenile Med, but, perhaps, migrant moths top the bill

The west wind continues, mainly overcast but largely dry.

South shore 

Report from Pete:

Quick Heysham outfalls and Red nab scope  from OE shore

19 Mediterranean gull visible but did include an early unringed juvenile 

Other stuff (MD)

Rock Pipits 1 on foreshore, 1 on Red Nab plus the female and the helping bird both still taking food to young near the lighthouse. But it's not clear if young were still in nest or just out of sight.

Peregrine Falcon 2 minimum - this one flushed all the birds from Red Nab before resting, empty taloned, on the sea wall.

Adult Peregrine Falcon 

But not for long, a Lesser Black-Backed gull is very territorial in this area and quickly chased it off.

Later it, or its partner, must have been successful, as two birds were flying high above the Power Station, the trailing bird "begging" like a juvenile.

Lapwing 1 

A solitary Lapwing on the saltmarsh 

Starling numbers starting to grow too

Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1 - still in the same location, it's been there for at least 12 days now and starting to show its age! This shot shows that it is losing its scales on its head and shoulders.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth showing signs or wear
(the red patches are where the scales are missing)

I finally managed to get a shot with its wings open, just as it was settling.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth 

Another moth migrant (even rarer) - this from Kevin:

A fairly rare migrant in the moth trap this morning. It's a Bordered Straw and they breed in Southern Europe and North Africa. This one is a pale individual and it's thought that ones like this originate from desert regions .. perhaps carried north after a Saharan dust storm.

Bordered Straw

There are generally two or less Lancashire record per year, and there are some years when there are none recorded .. even in the whole of the UK.