Quite a lot going on today

 Very light breeze started from the south then made its way clockwise around the compass to end in the east. Warm once the sun got higher, then warm all day.

Middleton Nature Reserve early morning

Ringing report from Alan:

A very clear and still morning with an incredibly heavy dew. Apart from a decent Grey Wagtail passage it was fairly quiet with only 6 Alba Wagtails, 8 Meadow Pipits and 9 Swallows seen overhead.

12 Grey Wagtails were captured and colour ringed.

Other birds captured were:

Great spotted Woodpecker - 1

Meadow Pipit - 5

Pied Wagtail - 1

Dunnock - 4

Robin - 2

Reed Warbler - 1

Blackcap - 1

Chiffchaff - 3

Willow Warbler - 1

Blue Tit - 1

Reed Bunting - 1

South shore mid morning (PM. JR. MD)

Mediterranean gull - at least 9 roosting on Red Nab adult plus 2nd calendar year. 2 adult roosting with Black-Headed gull on the beach out from Ocean Edge saltmarsh.

Mute 1 

Whimbrel at least 1

Black-Tailed Godwit 2

Sandwich Tern 1 on Red Nab

It was a sleepy sort of day on Red Nab

There was quite a lot going through to south. Hopefully a more complete report later, but included:

Swallow 13

Meadow Pipit 29

Alba Wagtails 8 (all one group, pausing briefly on Ocean Edge foreshore)

Five at least were White Wagtails

There were lots of insects about, Kevin took these nice shots

A Brown Hawker ovipositing on the small pond 

a lovely fresh Comma on the Buddleia 

Middleton Nature Reserve - mid afternoon (MD)

All the insects were taking advantage of the first really warm day for a while. Many must have been undertaking mating flights as the gulls were feeding on them. Not concentrated as they are with just flying ants, but gulls were feeding all over the reserve.

A significant proportion of the gulls were Mediterranean gulls. The most I saw at one time was 5, but I suspect that most of the local population must have been involved.

Adult Med

Not yet an adult...

Buzzard 1 north

Cetti's warbler 1 singing on central marsh

Water Rail - also calling central marsh - they seem to react to Cetti's 

The dragonflies were also taking advantage of the abundance of insects:

Emperor - just two, not feeding but ovipositoring 

Common Darter c25

Migrant Hawker c20

Brown Hawker 4

Spotted Flycatcher - 1 juvenile had dropped lucky with today's glut of small insects. It was feeding from the trees along the track on east side of golf course. It seemed to be catching plenty.