Dodging the showers.....with some success

Heavy overnight rain followed by some lighter showers during the day. The sun actually appeared briefly later this afternoon. A fresh NW breeze.

Saltmarsh to No.2 outfall - Malcolm 09:00 - 09:30

Linnet 35 feeding on the saltmarsh 

Pied Wagtail 7 feeding on Ocean Edge grass

Pied Wagtails. The adult (left) has a "leather jacket" (Cranefly larvae)
Look how green the grass is now. It was brown last week!

Wheatear 2

This Wheatear was feeding along the strandline between Red Nab
and the foreshore 

Unlike the Rock Pipits that forage amongst the wrack etc. the Wheatear watches out for movement then dashes over to grab whatever it sees. It was very hard to keep up with. I never managed to see what it was finding, and eventually lost it completely!

Rock Pipit just one on Red Nab

Little Egret 5

Mediterranean gull 1 first calendar year on No.2 outfall

1cy Mediterranean gull (left) with Black-Headed gulls

And that was as far as I got before rain stopped play!

Pete checked Red Nab towards high water

Mediterranean gulls 4 (2 adult and 2 juvenile)

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I did a passing check of the main pond from the car park - Malcolm

Mute Swan 2

Mallard 20+

Tufted Duck 3 males and a female

Coot 10

Moorhen 3

Tufted Duck

Mallard and Black Headed gulls

Janet reported that there were still quite a few Painted Lady around 

Imperial Rd - Malcolm

I had a look around in the brief afternoon sunshine. I have been checking regularly, but there has been little to see. I haven't seen or heard a Buzzard for a few weeks. But 2 arrived today. Not sure if they were the local birds or just passing by. They arrived from the east and proceeded to gain height until I couldn't see them any more. Neither called while they were within earshot.

Common Buzzards

Swallow 7 feeding

Goldfinch and Linnet heard

Stock Dove 1 north

Wood Pigeon at least 7

Common Darter 1 male and 1 female

Male Common Darter

Red Admiral 2

Small White 8

Silver Y

Straw Dot

Two hoppers here.
Meadow Grasshopper (left) and Green Leafhopper (right)

Not such a bad day.....well, morning

Despite weather warnings this morning was pleasant, albeit very dark at times! There was little air movement and the anticipated rain didn't start till after lunch, even then it was relatively light until very heavy showers in the evening 

South shore

Kevin walked along the sea wall on the rising tide late morning 

Greenshank 2 on Red Nab

Greenshank

Greenshank with a Redshank for comparison 

Wheatear 2 - 1 on Red Nab, 1 on the lighthouse scrub.

I just checked from saltmarsh to Red Nab a little earlier (Malcolm)

Wigeon 2 flew towards the Lune Estuary 

Wigeon

Wheatear 4 (at least 3 additional to Kevin's)

Rock Pipit 2

Linnet 5

Wheatear

Linnet

Rock Pipit

There were 20+ Harlequin Ladybirds along the fence at Ocean Edge entrance

Harlequin Ladybird larva

Pupa

And three different variations seen

Ruddy Darters still showing nicely

Light showers on and off till early afternoon then it became brighter. E - NE breeze.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

This report of Peter and Rosemary Silvester's visit to the southern section yesterday.

3 Ruddy Darters

Several Speckled Woods

Red Admiral

Several Small Whites

At least 7 pairs of ovipositing Common Darters, together with lots of lone males

Southern Hawker

Common Blue Damselfly

Common Wave Moth

Ruddy Darter

Common Darter

This very busy male common darter spent well over an hour patrolling his
territory and coming back regularly to this same perching spot. 

Ovipositoring pair of Common Darters

This slightly out of focus, but identifiable shot of a Southern Hawker was
actually from a quick visit on Monday, but one was also seen yesterday 

Common Blue Damselfly 

A particularly striking Red Admiral 

Common Wave 

Saltmarsh to Red Nab - Malcolm 10:15 - 10:45

Pied Wagtail 7 on Ocean Edge grass (the grass actually starting to look like grass again!)

Wheatear 3 

It isn't really practical to separate 1st winter Wheatears from autumn plumage
adult females. But I'm pretty sure that this is a 1st winter, not by plumage but
by behaviour. It fell off this rock! Fell off it when it first landed and had to scramble 
back up it again. Not the elegant behaviour normally associated with this species.

Rock Pipits 3

Linnet 3 on Red Nab

Greenfinch 1 male on Red Nab

Greenfinch next to some Sea-Lavender, which is presumably providing seeds

Mediterranean gull one first calendar year was milling around noisily 

1cy Mediterranean gull

Redshank out from the saltmarsh 

Heysham skear - Malcolm 14:30 - 16:00

Large gulls, mainly Herring gulls c300. Just one regular ringed bird seen.

Mediterranean gull 1

The same Mediterranean gull that is regularly seen here

Eider 1

Female or juvenile Eider

Great Crested Grebe 1

Little Egret 3

Oystercatcher 1500

Curlew 40

Redshank 60

Knot 11 (8 + 3)

Two of the three feeding Knot. These are juveniles. The other eight
flew along the north side, too distant to see any detail

Turnstone 50

This Turnstone has a metal ring on the right tibia

Another variation of Harlequin Ladybird was on my car when I got back
Surprised it found a clean bit to rest on!

Late BBC

A dry day, the sunshine hazy at times. A fresh SE breeze

South shore - Malcolm

Saltmarsh to Red Nab 10:15 - 10:45

Swallow 2 south

Wheatear 3

The male Wheatears still looking striking in autumn plumage

Rock Pipit 2 on Red Nab

Rock Pipit preening by the freshwater runoff 

Linnet 14 on Red Nab also near the runoff

Middleton Nature Reserve 

I just checked the two largest ponds - Malcolm 15:00 - 15:30

Main pond

Mute Swan 2

Mallard c20

Some of the Mallard. The drakes are almost in full breeding plumage now

Tufted Duck 4 males

Tufted Ducks

Coot 11

Moorhen 3

Moorhen

Common Snipe 3 individuals flushed

Common Snipe

Swallow 2 feeding

Jay 1 squawking! 

No dragonflies seen over the pond.

Common Darters several males and females

Broad-bodied Chaser 1 male

A late Broad-bodied Chaser showing signs of wear

Only Common Blue Damselflies seen

"No swimming" pond

Mute Swan 1

Mallard 10

Coot 2

Moorhen 2

No dragonflies or damselflies seen

Butterflies seen:

Speckled wood several 

Small White several

Painted Lady 2 together

Two Painted Lady

Comma 1

Comma