Saturday 28 May 2016

Signal crayfish threat

Heysham Obs
Great - presumably someone using Middleton model boat pond as a "save the tadpoles" dumping ground or a misguided idea of biodiversity has almost certainly introduced signal crayfish.  Bring back the terrapins!  Lots of tiny immatures found today does not augur well for the future of this pond and its dragonfly population for this highly invasive and difficult to control species

Middleton NR
Cetti's Warbler - two singing, other contact calls
Tufted Duck - two males and a female make a (re?)appearance
Mute Swan plus 4 x cygnets
Little Ringed Plover - 1

Insects
Holly Blue Middleton

Friday 27th May

Heysham Obs
Not a lot happened today with no definite migrants caught by the office (2 x Whitethroat, 1 x Sedge Warbler possibly/probably local breeding birds)

Middleton (thanks Malcolm)
The good news is that the male gadwall has returned to the "no swimming" pond as well - hopefully his mate is on nest. Mallard on model boat pond has 6 chicks. Also: 1 little grebe 1 grey heron 1 singing Cetti's - western marsh, 2 grasshopper 4 reed warbler singing + 1 seen only + ww, both whitethroats, blackcap & (only) 1 sedge. 1 little ringed plover. Not really much change.

Eyed Hawk-moth new for the year