Just a bit of movement

There was a bit of north in the wind today, mainly WNW. Light showers with the occasional sun.

South shore

First an update from Saturday when Richard reported a "sickly" looking Gannet resting in the harbour.

Today:

Rock Pipits 5 (2 on Red Nab 1 + 2 on the foreshore - the 2 could have been passage)

Wheatear 4 at least - at 09:00 there was 1 near lighthouse, 1 + 2 on foreshore. The lighthouse bird appeared to have moved on, but Kevin also saw one here at lunchtime.

This morning's Wheatear near the lighthouse 

Whimbrel 3

Mediterranean gull 10 (1 juvenile)

The beach near the wooden jetty was checked as it became exposed at 09:00. Initially only 4 adult/3cy and a juvenile turned up. None seemed to be catching any sand mason worms, although the juvenile was still at the "try everything" stage.

By 09:30 numbers had grown to 9 adult/3cy plus 1 juvenile. By this time the tide was quite a distance out but the gulls were still paddling but at least here catching some worms. There are three Black-Headed gulls and three Mediterranean gulls in this clip. Watch the med on the right, it catches a sand mason worm early in this clip.

Surprisingly, there was just a single Starling near the lighthouse, and that looked like it wanted to be a Black-Headed gull.

Starling with Black-Headed gull

Kevin checked out the Buddleia in the nature park:

Small Tortoiseshell 

Red Admiral 

Comma

Plus also in the area - Common Blue and Meadow Brown

Middleton Nature Reserve 

First some bad news, I was wrong yesterday assuming that the Tim Butler cygnets would be around. Janet advises that one has been missing a while and the remaining one had recently been killed by a dog. The incident was witnessed and has been reported.

Wildfowl as yesterday 

Insects

Not large numbers, but a reasonable variety.

Dragonflies:

Brown Hawker 1

Migrant Hawker 3

Common Darter 5

Butterflies in order of abundance:

Gatekeeper 

Speckled Wood 

Meadow Brown

Large White 2

Red Admiral 1

Painted Lady 1

Finally this bird was a puzzle. There was a Jay and a Carrion crow calling. Then this bird flew off in silence. It looks like a moulting Raven, but suppose it could be a carrion crow with a tail moult going on. Ravens do normally call as they fly off (MD).