Black guillemot display

Heysham Obs
Harbour/wooden jetty area
Two Black Guillemot present at least most of the day [present for at least a week]. Close together on the sea below the wooden jetty and quite close to the south harbour wall. The slightly larger of the two (white wing patches distinctly larger), presumably the male was making up and down neck and bill movements with the bill frequently opening and closing showing well the red gape (vermilion in text book), at the same time issuing a high pitch 'whistling' (text book again). There is another out of range displaying pair at a harbour (Fishguard). The more products of harbour hole nesting (e.g. Bangor Co Down) reach maturity and disperse, the more suitable Heysham Harbour looks as a potential site to colonise. Early days though and surely too late this season. The biggest threat are probably the monofilament nets which are set fairly close by.

Shag juv on wooden jetty.

Red Nab/Ocean Edge area
236 Black-headed Gull included a 1st summer Med Gull around high tide (early evening)

Insects
FIVE male Red-veined Darter on the model boat pond during a short period of sunshine in the early afternoon. Common Footman and Straw Dot new for the year in the moth trap

Mammals
Brown Rat on rocks below wooden jetty.
Whitish rabbit at entrance to Obs. for the last week or so

Elsewhere
New in was a adult summer Spotted Redshank at Conder Green (wintering bird??).