It was warmer today and the wind a little more to the east, between NE and ENE. Some overcast periods, but mainly sunny by the afternoon.
South Shore - early afternoon
Wheatear 15 (14 on Ocean Edge foreshore plus 1 near the lighthouse)
Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab
Mediterranean gull 1 resting on the rocks on the seaward end of the beach by the jetty. As the afternoon ferry left, its wash pushed the Med off the rocks, as the water quickly drains back it normally provides a feeding opportunity as small shrimps etc become stranded, but it didn't seem to be so today.
Insects: I was quite optimistic this afternoon, it was much warmer and the wind more to the east, but although slightly better than yesterday, it wasn't up to expectations.
Foreshore
Small White 7
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Red Nab
Several Small White on the Sea Aster
Sea wall
Small White 3
Lighthouse area
There was a trickle coming in off the sea, about 1 butterfly every 3 - 4 minutes. While I was in the area 4 small White and 5 Small Tortoiseshell came in off. But nothing else of note.
The only dragonflies seen were 2 Migrant Hawker near Red Nab, they didn't get past the Power Station fence, before their thoughts switched away from migration!
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| Male and female Migrant Hawker. No longer migrating |
There were decent numbers of butterflies in the nature park:
Red Admiral 6
Large White 1
Small Tortoiseshell 4
Speckled Wood 7
Common Darter 3
Middleton Nature Reserve - mid afternoon
Just a quick check of the two main ponds
The Cetti's warbler was not heard during the short visit.
Gadwall 15 on the "no swimming" pond, accompanied by
Wigeon 1 - male either coming out of eclipse or a 2nd calendar year bird (MD). There has been a Wigeon here before, a female was with the Gadwall in the winter of 2019/20. Today's bird was preening most of the time, as per this clip.
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| Male Wigeon - this is just a still from the above clip |
Little grebe 1 adult
Dragonflies
Brown Hawker 1
Migrant Hawker 8
Common Darter 3
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