Meds and first RVD

It started off with a brisk southerly, overcast and a few showers, but by mid afternoon the breeze had shifted to the west and the sun came out.

South shore high water 13:30 - tide height 8.9m (MD)
I was a bit late getting to Red Nab (12:30), a number of gulls had already left and more were leaving all the time. Even so, I managed 12 Mediterranean gull
Adult 6
3rd calendar year 2
2nd calendar year 4 (possibly as many as 8)

 3cy on left, adult middle, 2cy on right - this bird has a ring.

2 of the 2cy Meds leaving with BHG

,

This adult was feeding between the outflows, possibly additional to the six seen on RN

Heysham Nature Reserve mid afternoon (JP)
Plenty of insects including

 Ringlet - a total of 3 located - first of the year and, I think highest number ever seen here.

 Silver Y

Six-spot Burnet

Very good pictures, particularly as Janet only had her phone camera!


Middleton Nature Reserve 18:15 (MD)
Just a short, but successful check of the main pond for Red-Veined Darter.

Just this one located. Possibly female or a teneral male. The weak flight suggested teneral. The next two days look promising. It was feared that the combination of fish, crayfish and corvid predation may have been too much for this species. But this one, at least, appears to have thwarted them - hopefully more to come.