Saturday 3 August 2019

Yellow Wagtail

Middleton NR early session
Nothing better early on than a single Garden Warbler and an early (or secretively breeding) Water Rail - also present, but not logged on 26/7.  Surely single secretive breeding pair at this irregular known site, albeit with no evidence of success. 

Yellow Wagtail - one south at 1133hrs
Swallow - at least 80 south/feeding for a short time (25 ringed)
Sand Martin - 1 south
House Martin - 2 south
Not a great deal of obvious landbird migration for an easterly with a bit of cloud cover but still a respectable trickle of warblers ringed, a majority (11) being Whitethroat, as usual in early August

Red veined Darter.  At least five males and a female abs almost certainly another pair in cop but the latter not seen quite well enough to eliminate Common Darter (thanks Janice)

Harbour lighthouse area (SD35Z) MD
ESE breeze again brought insects in off at low water.
Butterflies:
Only Painted Lady and Small White were seen coming in, at a rate around one a minute. But there was an increase of Common blue on the scrub to 5, plus a Peacock and, first here this year, Gatekeeper.
Moths:
Silver Y - 4
Dragonflies:
Unfortunately the tide was rising before the time likely for dragonflies to arrive. But one flew overhead at 11:20 (tide was already up to outflows), almost certainly a darter with red abdomen.

Wheatear - 1 female type
Grey Seal - 1 male