Two RVD, one already in, one incoming

Another hot (26.5) day despite the showers. A light SE wind

This Rose-ringed Parakeet was in Ian Muirhead’s Heysham garden today.  
It is an escapee as it has a cage bird ring. Still nice to see. Thanks Ian

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet checked early on.

This racing Pigeon was feeling the heat! It had a pit stop at the main pond for a drink

Common Bluetail Damselflies 

Ringlets were everywhere 

Shaded broad-bar

Then a second check this afternoon between showers

First Small Skipper confirmed this year

A wet Labyrinth Spider's lair

I checked the main pond mid morning (Malcolm)

Red-veined Darter 1 male in the same location as yesterday.

Red-veined Darter male

One of five male Black-Tailed Skimmers

South shore - late morning 

Kevin was first along the sea wall. It was still warm with a SE breeze, but overcast and rain was imminent.

16 butterflies flying east on my walk out to the end of the arm. Most, if not all, Red Admirals but some may have been Small Tortoiseshells. 

I was 20 minutes behind Kevin (Malcolm). It is clear that the insect migration is in waves, as I saw no butterflies till I was almost at the end of the wall, then a rush of 11 Red Admirals and 5 Small White.

It just started raining so I sheltered behind the lighthouse a while. The Red Admirals were coming in off at the rate of one a minute.

Earlier Kevin had a glimpse of a large dragonfly past the lighthouse, but no chance of being confident of the species.

I saw a male Red-veined Darter come in off, and managed to locate it, or possibly another, amongst the scrub between the lighthouse and the waterfall.

Male Red-veined Darter

By this time it was raining quite heavily and the butterflies coming in were tending to hang around the scrub near the lighthouse.

Painted Lady 4

Red Admiral 10

Meadow Brown 1

Small White 4

Rock Pipits 5 (2+1 on Red Nab and 1 each lighthouse and waterfall 

This is the waterfall Rock-Pipit with a bill full of food.
The lighting looks odd as it was between vertical fence slats 

Mediterranean gulls 4 - 2 adult and 2 third calendar year 

Two adult Meds

3rd cy Med between 2 adults

All four in this shot.
They were on the mud between the outfalls 

I didn't see any Meds go to the shore between No.1 outfall and the wooden
jetty. There were a few Black- Headed gulls there. You can see that the 
Sandmason worm tubes are just showing 

Curlew 28 - 27 north plus this one after the Sandmason worms.

Curlew

For no obvious reason, No.2 outfall was deserted.....

......while all the gulls fed on No.1 outfall

Imperial Rd (Malcolm)

I checked twice but couldn't see any Stonechats. All the other regulars were present, including.

The ringed Kestrel 

Buzzard with a Frog or a Toad

A young Roe Deer fawn popped its head above the meadow grass

Large Skipper

One of two Stock Doves

Sedge warbler 

Something to watch out for - Small red eyed damselflies have reached at least Stanley park lake Blackpool, possibilities on weed in middle of ponds at Middleton Nature Reserve