Hirundinidae action shots

A light breeze started from the east, gradually working it way clockwise around the compass to return to NE. Sunny and very hot.

Middleton Nature Reserve (JP)

Some nice shots from Janet, these first six from yesterday. It's worth opening these to appreciate the detail

Swallow having to turn its head to catch a fly.....

.......got it

They were taking insects (looks like flying ants) to feed the young on the wing.

House Martins were also hunting 

Today's action was more about refreshment 

Juvenile House Martin grabbing a drink

and then a bath

Meadow Browns

Common Darters, already finding a use for the Hawthorn berries

Male Common Darter

Great Tit with one of the seeds left by visitors 

There were two additional adult Mute Swans flying around.

The Coot are still bickering 

and the female Tufted is still on the main pond

South Shore (MD)

I had a walk along the wall around lunchtime on the rising tide, although it was still a way out.

Mediterranean gull 4 - just a juvenile and a second calendar year seen on Red Nab plus one adult on the beach and another out at sea.

Guillemot one drifted past the wooden jetty on the incoming tide.

Ringed Plover 10 Red Nab

Grey Plover c150 in a distant flock heading NW, they may have returned a little later as a similar sized flock flew south, but too distant to identify species.

Grey Heron with Cormorants on wooden jetty

Starling numbers continue to increase between the lighthouse and waterfall. They were like a swarm of locusts working their way over the vegetation.

They looked like locusts when they moved on too

I'd watched this grey blob drifting in on the tide for a while, thinking it was some sort of duck. Then it woke up, scratched its chin, had a yawn, a quick look around then back to sleep again - Grey Seal

Nature Park

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Darter 1

Large White 1

Red Admiral 1

Small,White 3

Meadow Brown 1

Speckled Wood 4