Very light west wind turning round to the east by early evening. Hot and sunny.
Middleton Nature Reserve mid morning (MD)
Mute swan - 3 adult plus pair with 9 cygnets
Mallard - 2 male 2 female, one with 10 well grown young
Little grebe 1 adult with growing chick, expecting to be fed, on the "no swimming" pond. The detail of the birds isn't great on this clip, but I like the willow fluff blizzard
Cetti's warbler - the "no swimming" pond male singing.
Cuckoo 1 male singing in the corner of Tradebe and the golf course. Cuckoos have just about been annual for the last few years. It was singing intermittently, but at least three "observers" managed to hear it, as yet no reports of a sighting. The attached clip shows nothing, but does allow you to hear it. I know everyone knows what a Cuckoo sounds like, but the last time I just showed an empty clip of a bird singing, the following day I managed good views.
Insects:
Not so many butterflies just Small Heath, Orange Tip, Green Veined White and Speckled Wood.
Just two species of dragonfly
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| Broad-bodied Chaser Males 3 mature 1 immature - Females 2 (one above) |
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| Four-Spotted Chaser 8 |
South shore
Just a quick walk along the sea wall early evening
Rock Pipit 3 - 1 on Red Nab. Ringed male displaying near No.1 outflow. Another male displaying on inner harbour wall. No birds seen yet carrying food. The ringed bird may have done if it had managed to catch any. It was after flies, not very productively!
Grey Seal 1
