Fortunately Pete (M) had an early appointment and managed an hour sea watching first. 07:10 - 08:10
Arctic Skua 1 dark morph in 07:15
Manx Shearwater 3 + 1 out
Gannet 2 out
Red-Throated Diver flock of 3 summer plumage in high
Kittiwake flocks of 25 and 27 in
Common Scoter 3 plus 2 out close, flock 5 distantly in
Sandwich Tern c30 mostly heading in.
Whimbrel 1 + 3 in, the flock of 3 very high
Evening watch 1800-1900
Arctic Skua - two light morph in
Manx Shearwater - min 10
Kittiwake - min 10
Fulmar - 1
A very brief check of beach found it deserted
Except for these two Dunlin and a Knot!
Middleton Nature Reserve- mid afternoon
Mute - three pairs nesting plus one remaining 2nd calendar year
Moorhen 6
Coot 3
The arrival of a new coot on the main pond wasn't welcomed!
Gadwall 4 (2 male plus pair)
Mallard 2 male
Little grebe - heard only
Swallow c20 north mainly single birds
Warblers - all 9 regular birds seen and or heard. Only the eastern half of the reserve was checked, this is an idea of distribution:
Cetti's Warbler - just the "no swimming" and fence pond males singing
Grasshopper warbler 3 heard - east side of central marsh, NW corner of central marsh near the old brick weighbridge building and middle of western marsh.
Reed warbler - just one male singing in reeds of western scrape (west side of road opposite fence pond)
Sedge warbler, Common Whitethroat and Willow warbler - pretty much everywhere
Lesser Whitethroat only one heard singing near gun club (brick building east of the main pond)
Blackcap one singing near yellow barrier near golf course
Chiffchaff, not so many singing as recently, but still three or four in hedgerow near golf club and Tim Butler pond.
Buzzard over to west
This Puss Moth from Kevin's trap (SD46A)
Rare for Heysham
