Friday 5 August 2022

Worn (butterflies) and Tern

WNW wind, heavy showers early morning, then high cloud and sunny spells.

South shore
I had walk along the wall early morning after a heavy shower, hoping it had grounded something, but nothing different (MD)
Rock Pipit 4 - 3 together near foreshore slipway plus 1 on Red Nab.
Linnet 9 - 2 on foreshore, 3 Red Nab and 4 near the lighthouse 
Mediterranean gull 13 (10 adult, 1 x 2nd calendar year, 2 juvenile) on the beach near wooden jetty most near the waterline.
Mediterranean gulls - 2 adult top and a 2nd calendar year bottom 

Adult and juvenile Mediterranean gull

Common gull 2 juvenile on No.1 outflow

Pete had a scan from Ocean Edge mid morning
Presumably, adult Common Tern distant between the seaward end of No.1 outflow and the shipping lane
Plus 6 Meds visible from here, these will be additional to the jetty beach birds.

This metal ringed Black-Headed gull was on the platforms in the harbour. Its characters easily read, unfortunately only three clearly on view today. Pete advises that it is a foreign ring. Hopefully it will hang around and eventually reveal all the characters. If you see it please read what you can and let ether me or Pete know. Even one character may be a new piece of the jigsaw.
Black-Headed gull with a readable metal ring


Middleton Nature Reserve (MD)
Mute swan - pair with 7 now quite well grown cygnets 
Coot 1
Moorhen 3
Mallard - just one female seen.
Gadwall 2 juvenile on Tim Butler pond, they look a little large to be the two previously seen on the "no swimming" pond

Stock Dove 1 flew north
Sparrowhawk - plaintive calls from the wood behind Tradebe, presumably emanating from a juvenile as they stopped briefly after a visit from an adult.
No warblers were singing, but a few glimpsed.
Silent Chiffchaff 
Dragonflies:
Emperor 3
Black-Tailed Skimmer 1 male on the main pond
Brown Hawker 2
Common Darter lots, but most away from the ponds.

Butterflies, plenty of species, but apart from gatekeepers not many individuals 
Gatekeeper everywhere, but all looking quite faded
Meadow Brown 10+
Speckled Wood 5
Common Blue 2
Large White 2
Small White 1
Green-veined White 2
Comma 1
Peacock 1
Red Admiral 1
Large Skipper 1 looking very worn
Worn Large Skipper