Friday 2 August 2024

Good Med count and first autumn Wheatear

A dry day with plenty of sunshine till late afternoon, then clouds thickened and steady rain began at 19:00. A SW wind.

A couple of shots by Kevin Singleton on Heysham Head yesterday 
Curlew

Immature Little Egret

South shore 
The sea wall was open today and likely to be open Fri - Sun for a while (closed till 17:00 on other weekdays due to maintenance)
Report by Shaun Coyle:
Heysham 08:00-10:00. 
Red Nab : 
Mediterranean Gulls 36 adults/3rd cy, 2nd cy 3 and 7 Juvs. 
Oystercatcher 384
Curlew 238
Whimbrel 2
37 Redshank

Outfall No.1:
Turnstone 39 
Redshank 87

female/juv Wheatear along the seawall. 

Ocean Edge (salt marsh) : Mediterranean  Gulls 9 adults/3 cy and a single Juv. (So total Meds 56)
Gatekeeper 6 and a Peacock in the Nature Park.

I checked towards lunch (Malcolm). A juvenile Wheatear was along Ocean Edge foreshore, possibly the one seen earlier by Shaun.

Wheatear moulting from juvenile plumage
Rock Pipit 1 on Red Nab

Green ringed Mediterranean gull, almost certainly the German ringed ANLT - Kevin

Middleton Nature Reserve 
These shots by Janet:
Meadow Brown

Common Blue

Gatekeeper 

Parsnip moth caterpillar 

I had a check around the ponds after lunch (Malcolm).
Similar wildfowl as of late, but seemingly more adult Coot. 14 on the two main ponds, plus 2 small chicks. Presumably some of the older juveniles are now in adult plumage.
The female Gadwall with her well grown youngster was briefly visible on the "no swimming" pond.

Just Reed warbler heard in sub song. Chiffchaff calling.

Dragonflies and butterflies same mix as recent.