A thorough check of Middleton

Quite a brisk east breeze all day. Mainly warm and sunny but hazy at times.

Heysham skear low water 12:30

Eider 2

Great Crested grebe 3

Curlew 13

Sanderling 6 - these were on the middle of the skear then flew west and were not relocated when the western edge was checked.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Report and pictures by Dan Haywood the images are best appreciated when opened.

1030-1230

Singing males:

Whitethroat  15

Blackcap 7

Reed Warbler  6

Willow Warbler  6

Chiffchaff  4

Sedge Warbler  4

Lesser Whitethroat  3

Cetti's Warbler  2

Chaffinch   3

Greenfinch  3

Reed Bunting  3

Family parties:

Bullfinch  3

Long-tailed Tit  3

Meadow Pipit carrying food - usual area 

Linnets  5-6 pairs (2 nests found)

Linnet chicks in the nest

Water Rail  sharming heard in 2 spots (heard from 414/560 and 415/590)

Model Boat Pond:  up to 8 swallows and 2 swifts feeding overhead

Broad-bodied Chaser:  3 males, 1 female ovipositing and 1 teneral.

Broad-bodied Chasers

Few other dragonflies in stiff breeze.

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Pictures by Janet

Burnet Companion moth
Two of at least five in five separate locations 

Small Heath butterfly 

Azure damselflies 

Lighthouse area (MD)

A check while tide was still out, weather warm and an east breeze.

Walking along the south wall there was a steady precession of "white tailed" bees, at first I thought they were coming in off, but later decided that there was probably a beeline to feed on the significant bloom of Bird's-foot Trefoil near the lighthouse.

Flowering vegetation is normally sparse here, but this year the rain and recent
warmth has obviously suited the Bird's-foot Trefoil, and many bees were feeding on it

Common Blue butterfly numbers were similar to yesterday and I'd decided that they were probably resident. Later, Kevin pointed out that Bird's-foot Trefoil is one of the favoured food plants for their caterpillars.

Small White - just 2

Painted Lady one quickly in off then straight through.

Cinnabar moth 1

There were plenty of flies and ladybirds coming in off, but I had expected more butterflies.

Damselflies 2 - probably Azure. I didn't think these had come in off, more likely to have come from the small reed lined pool within the Power Station confines

Rock Pipits both the lighthouse bird and waterfall birds heard calling but not seen - hopefully they were busy collecting food.

I found this on the skear this morning, obviously a jellyfish, or part of a jellyfish,
but not sure what sort

It looked a bit clearer when I placed it in a pool, probably a very small Barrel jellyfish
But suspect it's jellyfishing days are over!