Heysham Obs
If you scrutinise gull flocks for long enough you keep picking up extra 2CY Meds! That was certainly the case this morning although a maximum of just three were visible at any one time on the uneven ground on Red Nab with quite a bit of turnover and early departure to high tide roosting areas to the south. The key lies in the wide variety of head patterns varying from a full hood to complete 'winter plumage', backed up by the intensity or lack of any red/orange on the bill. No need to mess about e.g. counting old primaries in flight to separate this gang of five - they were all distinctively different
Ocean Edge/Red Nab/outfalls
No counts made of the commoner species as they were very scattered but at least 450 Black-headed.
Black-headed Gull - the first 3 juvs and a runt 2CY of note
Common Gull - one adult, c30 2CY
Med Gull - FIVE different 2CY, just possibly a sixth bird in very distant flight on Heysham One outfalls which may or may not have been located on Red Nab as some birds appeared to head north on the incoming tide
Little Egret - the first blank for some time!
Moths
A decent haul but the composition of the flighty stuff on the wall suggested some of the eg micros might have flown out during the intermittent sunlight early on
Notable (new for year/unusual here/local specialities) were: 2 x Shaded Pug, 1 x Barred Red, 1 x Heart and Club, 2 x Blackneck, 3 x Double Dart, 3 x Light Arches, 1 x Common Emerald and just a singleton Diamond-back Moth
