Tuesday 21 July 2020

Insects active

Calm in the morning, when the gentle westerly returned, it was more to south and warmer. So it got quite hot as the sun shone for most of the day.

A check of the beach near the jetty in the morning found only two Mediterranean gulls. A 3rd calendar year and a 2nd calendar year - this bird had a white darvic, which remains unread. Neither bird was feeding and both flew off as the incoming tide reached them
Great White Egret 1 flying west from the direction of the Lune estuary 
Rock Pipits 3 on Red Nab plus 1 near lighthouse 
Grey seal 1

Middleton Nature Reserve mid afternoon 
Wildfowl as yesterday 
Lots of insects
Butterflies 10 species seen:
Red Admiral 
Large White
Small White
Speckled Wood
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Ringlet
Comma
Small Skipper
Brimstone
Female Brimstone 

Dragonflies - these were particularly active, making identification of some difficult - but at least 6 species:
Emperor 
Brown Hawker
Hawker sp medium sized, probably Southern
Common Darter
Four-spotted Chaser
Black-tailed Skimmer
One of two pairs of Black-tailed Skimmers, taking advantage of the warm spell.

No Mediterranean gulls on the beach near jetty as it became uncovered in the evening, but these two were flying out from north wall, providing nice views of the Cumbrian coast.
Adult

3rd calendar year 

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