Still loads of top dragonflies and a YLG bonus

Overnight showers did nothing to reduce the temperature, it didn't get below 22°C overnight. A sunny start had the temperature up to 31°C by 11:00, then cloudy spells and a freshening west wind brought it down slightly. 

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet exercised her dog at 05:30 before it became too hot again. Even at that time there were dragonflies on the wing. A Darter sp darted past her. Ringlets were also flitting around.

Lots of birds singing 

Common Whitethroat 

Pete scanned the main pond from the car park

At least one male lesser emperor 

several black tailed skimmer over the water. 

At least 15 male Red-veined Darters plus 3 females

David Talbot checked late morning 

A Norfolk Hawker settled very briefly on east bank, also Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker flying, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four- spotted Chaser, Emperors, loads of Red Veined Darters, Black-Tailed Skimmers and the usual 3 damsels - so 11 species a lovely morning.

Male Black-tailed Skimmer

Emperor

Male Red-veined Darter

Janet had another quick look this afternoon 

Black-tailed Skimmer

Common Blue Damselflies

Ringlet

Heysham skear Malcolm 16:00 - 17:30

This was my only outing today. Yesterday's exertions in the heat took its toll!

Still, by the time I set off there was total cloud cover and a fresh breeze blowing in off the sea. I wore a long sleeved T shirt and a lightweight sleeveless jacket, and was barely warm enough.......Bliss!

This was the view looking south, the wind assisted StenaLine ship
approaching the harbour

I hadn't expect to see much, it was just nice to get out on the shore. There was nothing on the sea other than gulls. There were plenty of gulls scattered around the skear as well, c500

None were in a rush, there is food aplenty all over the skear now.
Two green ringed birds were seen but both seen earlier this year

There was an adult "Herring gull" with a slightly darker mantle. Checking revealed yellow legs. I was just going to get a shot when it decided to move on. Still, I managed some in flight shots confirming it as a Yellow-Legged Gull

Yellow-Legged Gull

In places on the skear at the moment, it's like walking in a rough field!
But the "grass" in this case is acres of gutweed 

Oystercatcher 350

Curlew 14

More RVD and more coming in

Hot and sunny (it was already 28°C at 09:45 peaking at 31.6°C by 15:00). A light but freshening east breeze.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Pete scanned from his car in the bottom car park 09:15. This method of checking only allows views of the eastern half of the pond, nevertheless:

Two male lesser emperor and at least 12 red veined darter (three in tandem) in quick check from car park 

The Lesser Emperors not allowed to settle by patrolling Emperors

I did a circuit at 10:30 (Malcolm). By that time there were dragonflies everywhere, with Emperors covering all the sections around the banks. I didn't try to count any as everything was so mobile. But I managed one glimpse of a male Lesser Emperor and there were at least 12 male Red-veined Darters.

Male Red-veined Darters

Male Broad Bodied Chaser

Also: Four-spotted Chaser, Black-Tailed Skimmer, Blue Emperor, Common Darter

South shore - Malcolm 13:30 - 15:45

It was hot, very hot! The tide was out and the breeze from the east. These are ideal conditions to attract insects in off the sea here. But things didn't look promising, there were just a handful of butterflies in the Nature Park and walking out along the sea wall saw only the following come in off the sea:

Red Admiral 3

Painted Lady 3

Small Tortoiseshell 3

Small White 2

But when I reached the end of the wall the reason was obvious. The breeze was coming from the other side of the Power Stations and the bulk of the insects were heading to the north side of the Power Stations. Including Dragonflies.

A two minute check from the lighthouse saw 7 Small White and 3 Painted Lady come in off.

There were at least 30 each Small White and Painted Lady plus 5 Red Admirals in the brambles between the lighthouse and waterfall.

Four species of Dragonfly!

Blue Emperor 1 male resting on the inner wall surrounding the roundhead scrub.

Location of Emperor circled

Black-Tailed Skimmer 1 male in the scrub

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer

Red-veined Darter 2 males and 3 females - all but 1 male in the scrub

Male Red-veined Darter between the lighthouse and waterfall

This male is in the scrub. This stance is called the obelisk pose to 
minimise the amount of sun hitting the dragonfly to prevent overheating 

Two of the females

Also cooling down with the obelisk pose 

But the breeze was picking up, thankfully, and maintaining the pose wasn't easy!

Red-veined Darter catching the sea breeze

Norfolk Hawker (probably). This one by elimination only. A larger duller dragonfly came in off but didn't settle and continued east. The size, shape, colour and lack of obvious marking were right for a Norfolk Hawker and there isn't really anything else it could have been.

Other stuff

One of two Ruby Tiger caterpillars along the sea wall

Adult and juvenile Black-Headed gull on No.2 outfall

Adult Mediterranean gull on the beach by the wooden jetty 

Brunswick Road Heysham today - escaped Chukar?

Dragonflies continue to top the bill

 A misty start, the sun not breaking through till 11:15. After that sunny and increasingly hot!

Middleton Nature Reserve

I started at 09:50 (Malcolm) it felt more like dawn than mid morning with the mist rising off the main pond.

This was the main pond at 09:50. It was already warm (21°C) but there
were no dragonflies over the water

Red-Veined Darters at least 8 males with 2 females in tandem. I had seen three as I walked around the edges, but it was 10:30 before the first one was seen over the water, but by 11:00 they seemed to be everywhere.

Not a great shot, but it gives a sense of the action. There are a couple
of RVD in tandem here plus 2 males

The grey sky made some areas of the pond into a mirror 
Their reflection actually in better focus!

Common Darter several

Common Darter

Black-Tailed Skimmer 12 males and 4 females 

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer and his shadow 

Emperor at least 8 males and 2 females

I got back to the bottom car park at 11:30,  just as Pete and Janet arrived. 

Pete only had time for a quick scan through his scope, but managed several of the Red-Veined Darters, plus a male Lesser Emperor flying across the pond

Janet had a walk around 

Emperor 

Male Red-veined Darter

Four-spotted Chaser

I returned to the main pond at 13:45 (Malcolm)

Red-Veined Darters 11 males minimum

Lesser Emperor 1 male

Lesser Emperor being chased off by a Blue Emperor 

There were lots of Emperors, not just on the main pond but on the "no swimming" and the waterways in the central marshes. No other different dragonflies were seen.

Other stuff

Kingfisher 1 - it had been on one of the bushes by the feeding area at 13:45. The bread thrown out for the ducks and swans here will also feed the fish. But it needs to be quiet for a Kingfisher to be there. The artificial feeding perch erected in the NE corner c5 years ago chose this year to fall down! (It was made of natural materials and only designed to last for 2 years)

Kingfisher flying across the main pond, we don't normally see them here 
until later in the year

Cetti's warblers were all singing, at least 8

Chiffchaff, Sedge, Reed, Willow warblers all heard.

Earlier Janet had seen and heard a Grasshopper warbler. Care needs to be taken with this species now as there are also actual grasshoppers chirruping

Juvenile Song Thrush

Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Large White and Meadow Brown all seen, but far the most numerous butterfly today were Small Skipper at least 12.

There is a possibility that some of the "small" skippers around are actually 
Essex Skippers. If you see any it's always worth taking a shot, ideally with
wings spread out. Even then it isn't easy!

A Roe Deer was on the track from the waterworks. It froze when it saw me. Note its front leg frozen in mid air. Note also the Pheasant emerge behind it towards the end of the clip

The Roe Deer eventually turned back into the grass

Why did the Pheasant cross the road........