Another Clouded Yellow

A warm sunny day with a very light variable breeze

South shore - Malcolm 09:15 - 10:45

A male Clouded Yellow was flying along the edge of the saltmarsh.

It seemed to be more tired than hungry as both times it settled it was
low in the undergrowth. I left it in peace

Wheatear 2 on the saltmarsh plus 1 at Red Nab

Linnet 2 each saltmarsh and Red Nab

Linnet

Rock Pipit 7 - 1 along the foreshore, 4 on the strandline between foreshore and Red Nab plus 2 on Red Nab.

Rock Pipit on the strandline 

White Wagtail 1 along the sea wall

White Wagtail 

Just missed it catching a fly!

One of three Little Egret

Turnstones on No.2 outfall

Redshank

Grey Heron on No.1 outfall

Cormorants on the wooden jetty

Osprey 1 came from the south and continued north.

The sea was flat calm today allowing the Osprey to fish wherever it chooses.
There will be some nice sized flatfish near the surface in the Bay. Bass have
evolved formidable spikes on their dorsal fins, specifically to deter attack from
above. Clearly it doesn't prevent Ospreys from taking them, but they will
prefer a safer option whenever available 

The flat sea also allows you to see the more subtle water movements.
This is the section between the outfalls, the water flowing out has created 
a vortex in the middle. On the surface it is concentrating the spume, but
below it will be concentrating any nutrients.

In the Nature Park

Common Darter

Painted Lady 1

Small White several

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by Alan:

It was very cool this morning and with a very heavy dew again. However, this soon evaporated in the warm sun.  Three nets set from 07.00 resulted in a decent catch of 32 birds, including the first Grey Wagtail colour ringed this Autumn.
Singles of the following were ringed:  Goldfinch, Wren, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler,  Robin,  Blackbird,  Great Tit, Reed Warbler,  Bullfinch andGrey Wagtail.
Long-tailed Tit  3
Blackcap  5
Sedge Warbler  3
Whitethroat  5
Chiffchaff  3
Cetti's Warbler  2
Dunnock  1 retrap

Janet still can only use her mobile phone

At least one of the Tufted Ducks still feeding on the main pond

Painted Lady

Small Copper

Small White

Enterprising Crows

A fine sunny day with a west(ish) breeze.

Heysham skear - Malcolm 14:15 - 15:30

Nothing on the sea again.

Little Egrets at least 9, probably more, but they were very mobile on the incoming tide.

Gulls, mainly Herring gulls c300

Some of the gulls and a nice view of Black Combe.
Only one of these had a colour ring and that was one of the regulars

Oystercatcher c1500

Curlew only 15 seen

Both Redshank 30 and Turnstone 25 were also down on recent numbers.

Knot 9 (2, 3 and 5). They all appeared to be juveniles.

Juvenile Knot

Dunlin 7 (2, 1 and 4)

Dunlin

Middleton Nature Reserve - Malcolm

Just a quick look at the two largest ponds on my way home.

Main pond

Mute Swan 2

Mallard 18

Tufted Duck 3

Coot 14

Moorhen 1 

Immature Moorhen

Tufted Duck drakes

These Carrion Crows were turning over stones and weed in the margins
looking for invertebrates 

"No swimming" pond

Mute Swan 2

Mallard 7

Coot 2

Moorhen 1 adult

At least one Ruddy Darter still around

A dry and mainly sunny morning and afternoon with a freshening west breeze. Showers began in the evening 

Canada geese flying SE over Kingsway 08:30 - Janet

Heysham Skear - Malcolm 10:15 - 11:15

We have quickly moved back to very low neap tides which don't expose a great expanse of skear. At least it provided an opportunity to count the concentrated gulls. 280 mainly Herring.

Nothing on the sea except gulls.

Little Egret 11

Oystercatcher 1500

Curlew 100

Redshank 120

Knot 1

Turnstone 70

Dunlin 2

Ringed Plover 3

Herring Gull, Oystercatcher and Redshank

Knot and Turnstone 

Turnstone 

Curlew

Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet

Ruddy Darter near the pond on the southern section 

There were a lot of Common Darters around. These were over what remains of the open water on the south side pond

There were a couple of Painted Lady 

Ocean Edge foreshore - Malcolm 13:30 - 14:00

Goldfinch 2

Linnet 2

Wheatear 9

Linnet

Adult male Wheatear

One of the many guises of Harlequin Ladybird by the entrance

Heysham Nature Reserve - Malcolm 14:10 - 14:40

Painted Lady 2

Red Admiral 1

Meadow Brown 3

Small White 15+

Speckled Wood 10+

There were lots of Common Darter here too, including resting on the boardwalk rails, but no sign of a Ruddy Darter here today

Male Common Darter

This one next to what looks like a bird dropping. If it was something in 
disguise, it was a good one!

Talking of disguise, this female is doing a good job of looking like a twig!

50mm morning rain!

Very heavy rain started 06:30 and by the time it eased at lunchtime Kevin's weather station had recorded an impressive 50mm! After the rain there were a few sunny intervals. A SE wind.

South shore - Malcolm 13:00 - 14:30

It was still raining when I set off but it had eased to light rain and brighter weather was clearly on the way.

Two of four Carrion Crows sitting out the last of the rain

Two of seven Pied Wagtail on Ocean Edge grass. The parched grass here
will appreciate the watering

Swift 1 flew north

Wheatears 7 (5 on the foreshore and 2 on Red Nab)

Wheatears

Rock Pipits 3 (1 on foreshore 2 on Red Nab)

Rock Pipit

Common Whitethroat at least 4 flitting around between the foreshore and Red Nab

Common Whitethroat 

It had only just stopped raining and an Osprey was already fishing.

Osprey high over the wooden jetty

But is soon settled onto the post at the end of No.2 outfall and spent
some time preening

Blue ring on its right leg

It had another go at fishing, but eventually returned to the post fishless.

There were just two Black-Headed gulls on the beach by the wooden jetty,
and no sign of any Sandmason worm tubes

Peregrine Falcon 2 together flew behind the Power Stations

Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet

A couple of shots after the rain

Small White

Silver Y