Wednesday 9 June 2021

Still plenty of interest......as long as you have plentiful interests

Light early SWS breeze became quite blustery and SW  by evening. Mainly overcast but still warm.

A morning check by Pete:
Canada goose 29 south c09:00
Mediterranean gull 1 3rd calendar year in summer plumage - with Black-headed gulls, a long way out from Ocean Edge toward Potts Corner.
Black-headed gull 1 1st calendar year 

Also on south shore (MD)
c40 geese north low over the caravan park. Only seen from a distance, but suggested Greylag
c30 geese even further away landed on sea out from the estuary - not possible to identify with my optics.
The 1st calendar year Black-headed gull was with two adult, but it at least 
tried to feed itself 
It very kindly did a pirouette to show both profiles 

Rock pipits 2 - the ringed male was standing guard at the lighthouse and chased off a second bird.

Grey Seal 2 a male and a female, just out from Red Nab. The male is the larger of the two on the left.

Here are a couple of details:
This is the female yawning, she is much smaller and females have
dark spots on a pale background 

Males are much larger and have pale markings on a dark background 

Middleton Nature Reserve 
Just a quick late afternoon check 
Cetti's Warbler - no swimming pond male singing
Summer plumage Little Grebe feeding on "no swimming" pond.

The Tim Butler pond Mute swans have, at last, at least two cygnets.
At one point they had up to 6 eggs, I thought they had all gone when I managed
a glimpse a few weeks ago, but she has either laid again or the eggs were obscured.
I hope they have the sense to remain on this pond, the aggressive male won't tolerate 
them if they move to the Main pond.

There were the remains of at least 7 Signal Crayfish on the peninsula of the main pond.
These are in addition to the few remains that were there a couple of days ago.
As far as I know, the only predator to leave remains like this are Otters, they were
active a moth or so ago, then went quiet, hopefully they will continue to rid the pond
of the introduced crayfish. A check first light might be productive, if we have any insomniacs.

This is a detail of the head - they do actually look like an alien species 

Slightly more "attractive",  Silver-ground Carpet moth.
Another common species, this is one of two seen this afternoon 

The only Dragonflies seen were Emperor 2, but just the three large ponds checked. 

The Spotted Orchids are starting to bloom
There are various varieties plus hybrids.
My knowledge limit only goes as as Spotted Orchid sp. (MD)