Heysham Obs
wooden jetty/harbour area
Black Guillemot: Two seen on at least two occasions during the day on the sea next to the wooden jetty
Shag: Juv at long range in the inner harbour
Gulls: One of the argenteus Herring Gulls feeding under the intake pipe had a sheen of an oily substance (c/f the Shag yesterday??) making the flight feathers look superficially darker grey...........
Insects
Yellow-tail, Grey Pug and Smoky Wainscot were new for the year in the trap. Four Double Dart reflects that this species is relatively common at Heysham, unlike anywhere else in the area or indeed national status. A worn Small Clouded Brindle was rather late. In general, numbers of common species are rather low but the number of species has been pretty good
Elsewhere
Unsurprisingly, proof of breeding of Little Ringed Plover on the new 'borrow pits' near Freemans Wood (one young seen). Otherwise pretty desperate with key observers unable to go on the prowl - three of us often use it as a working 'away day' due to clearer motorway etc. travel to and from sites. In relation to a recent posting about reduced Swift numbers [LDBWS site], contradicted at least by the Freehold breeding population, there were THREE on the whole of the Dockacres gravel pits in ideal Swift conditions this afternoon
