Ended up being a decent insect day, but it wasn't easy!

A light variable breeze was mainly from SE. Sunshine all day

Saltmarsh to Red Nab (MD)

A check as the tide was covering the shore out from the saltmarsh.

Black-Headed Gull 142

Mediterranean Gull 2 first summer

Common Gull 6 first summer

Herring Gull 2

Lesser Black-Backed Gull 8

First summer (2nd calendar year) Mediterranean Gull

The other 1st summer Med with a 1st summer Common Gull

1st summer Common Gull having a yawn - it was that sort of morning

There were Barrel Jellyfish strewn all over the beach. Most between 75cm - 1m diameter, there are 100 in this clip and many more either side.

Curlew 22

Linnet 6 on saltmarsh 

Small Tortoiseshell 1 in off the sea

Large Skipper several on the saltmarsh 

The Wall butterfly 1 male, flushed as I walked around the saltmarsh but flew into the middle before I could get a shot. 

Emperor 1 on saltmarsh 

Brown Hawker 1 in Nature Park

Silver Y moth 1 on Red Nab

Silver Y

Middleton Nature Reserve 

At least Pete, Janet, Kevin Eaves and a couple of visitors from Wigan were checking for the Red-Veined Darter, unfortunately hampered by a couple of dog walkers with 13dogs! At one point there were 16 dogs on the spit.

Red-Veined Darter 1 male - Pete managed a brief view of it flying over the pond

These shots from Janet:

Heron

Male Black-Tailed Skimmer

Four-Spotted Chaser

Also:

Emperor 

Common Darter

Brown Hawker

Banded Demoiselle 1 male - originally spotted by Stuart Roebuck, but also seen by Kevin.

Heysham Nature Reserve (MD)

Just a quick check around the central meadow.

Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler singing.

Common Whitethroat seen.

Black-Tailed Skimmer 1 female

Emperor 1 male

Burnets lots (all identified were Narrow-bordered Five-spot)

Burnet Companion several

Meadow Brown 5

Common Blue 3

Dark Green Fritillary 1 very fresh looking individual. Fortunately it rested briefly just in front of a shaded path allowing a nice shot.

Dark Green Fritillary 

This patch of Sea Bindweed looks nice and is a reminder just how close the reserve is to the shore.