Lighter NW winds sunny for large parts of the day making much warmer than of late.
South Shore (MD)
A check in the morning on the ebbing tide.
Mediterranean gull - just 2 adults seen on the beach next to wooden jetty
Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab and 1 carrying food near lighthouse
Linnet 12
Goldfinch 2
Both the above feeding around the saltmarsh. These are the Goldfinch
Small White 10
Large Skipper 2
Meadow Brown 3
Gatekeeper 2
Small Tortoiseshell 2
Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)
Heron 1
Mute swan 2 adult 7 cygnets
Moorhen 4
The female Gadwall was swimming around the "no swimming" pond, quacking, presumably lost her chicks again!
Mallard 2 female 1 with 2 largish chicks. 7 eclipsed males
Little grebe - just one adult seen
No sign of Stock Doves today
Dragonflies:
Black-tailed Skimmers several male and female around the main pond
Emperor 3
Common Darters - lots everywhere
Butterflies in order of abundance:
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Ringlet
Large Skipper
Small Skipper
Small White 3-5 (possibly a 2 of them Green-Veined Whites)
Speckled Wood 2
Comma 3
Red Admiral 1
Heysham Nature Reserve (MD, JP)
Clouded Yellow 1 female - this was flying around the sparse scrub between the "no swimming" pond and the high plateau to the north. Just 200m from the last location of the previous sighting on 30/06/22 (later Kevin also saw it on the western side of the main pond). Very difficult to get a decent shot, it fluttered around very quickly and looked quite splendid. But as soon as they settle they close their wings and look like a pale leaf.
This is a typical at rest shot
These were about as close as I got to in flight shots
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| Female Clouded Yellow |
When it was fluttering around, it was very easy to follow with the naked eye, but too erratic to follow with a camera, these few seconds were the best I could manage.
I just did a very brief circuit of the high plateau
Butterflies:
Meadow Brown
Gatekeeper
Ringlet
Small Skipper
Large Skipper
Dragonflies:
Emperor 1
Brown Hawker 1
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| This male Brown Hawker never stopped, the background shows how quickly it was moving. This was the only shot out of 10+ even slightly in focus |
Janet had a more general walk around, and took these nice shots (Janet's pictures are always smaller as I do not pre size them, this allows them to be opened to appreciate the detail)
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| Comma - you can see the small white comma on the underwing to which it owes its name. |
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| Gatekeeper |
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| Dingy Footman |
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| These are lovely shots of a Hoverfly, I know very little about Hoverflies, but checking my reference book, this looks to be a Pellucid Hoverfly, Please advise if you know (MD) |
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| Common Green Grasshopper (probably) |
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| Likely Rudd, but possibly hybridised |
Finally this patch of grass was in the middle of the high plateau.
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| It's not obvious from this shot, but the patch of flattened grass is where a Roe Deer has spent at least one night recently. A Roe Buck, unfortunately, saw me before I saw it as I was leaving the reserve |
