Overcast with a west wind. It managed to stay dry, with sunny spells in the afternoon
South Shore
Report by Pete Crooks:
Red Nab – Heysham Harbour
Mediterranean Gull – 33 (24 adults, 2 2nd summers, 7 1st summers) between Heysham Stage 2 Outfall and Heysham Harbour mouth. Difficult to keep track of as many were mobile, with 23 on the sea off the harbour mouth just after the arrival of the Seatruck at one point. One colour-ringed adult: Yellow AZTZ.
Kittiwake – long-staying 1st summer roosting on the Wooden Jetty
Bar-tailed Godwit – 1 on shoreline near the end of Heysham Stage 1 Outfall
Grey Seal – 1 off the end Heysham Stage 1 Outfall
Ringlet – 5 in Heysham Nature Park
I went out mid morning as Pete was leaving (Malcolm)
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| One of the many mobile Meds |
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| Long staying 1st summer Kittiwake |
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Later, another adult like Kittiwake had arrived and was resting on the sloping sea
wall. It was worn and looked worn out! I managed to pass it without disturbing it. |
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| One of four newly fledged Lesser Black-Backed gull |
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| Bar-Tailed Godwit on the beach beside the wooden jetty |
I've often wondered why more long billed waders don't feed here more often, the Sandmason worms were not available to the gulls today, but the Godwit was finding plenty of worms along the waterline.
Of course there are not many long billed waders around at the moment, except for Curlew. This one checked out the drier middle of the beach, found nothing to tempt it, and quickly moved through.
Rock Pipit 2 - 1 displaying near the lighthouse and this one on Red Nab
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| Rock Pipit |
These shots from Nature Park, by Janet.
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Goldfinch and young Blue Tits,
feeding and drinking on the surface of the weed covered newt pond |
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| Cinnabar moth caterpillars |
Middleton Nature Reserve (Malcolm)
Just a quick check of the two main ponds just before lunch.
Mute 2 adult 2 cygnets
Mallard 20, many looking like well developed young.
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| Some of the Mallard on the main pond |
Coot at least 7 adult and 6 young
Moorhen 2 adult
Little Grebe 1 adult
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| Little Grebe |
Grey Heron 1
Only warblers heard were, Cetti's warbler 2 and Chiffchaff 3
Almost unbelievably for July, no damselflies were seen and the only dragonfly was this Common Darter
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| Common Darter |
There were no butterflies on the wing, but two were accidentally disturbed, a Ringlet and the first Gatekeeper of the year.
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| Gatekeeper |
Heysham Nature Reserve Ringing report by Jean:
I did an hour’s ringing 11:30-12:30 at Heysham and caught mainly young birds:
Blue Tit 1
Greenfinch 1
Goldfinch 7
Bullfinch 1,
Chaffinch 1
Also caught 2 adult Dunnocks (both retraps) and 3 adult Goldfinches (1 retrap)
A Whitethroat and Chiffchaff were still singing on the reserve.
