Ruddy returns!

A warm dry day a SE breeze shifting to west in the evening.

South Shore (Malcolm)

Quite a productive day resulting in nine ringed Mediterranean gulls and a Cormorant being read. 

This morning I just checked the gulls on and around Red Nab.

Mediterranean gulls 40+

I located 7 ringed Meds. All previously read except for two yellow ringed juveniles.

Juvenile Mediterranean gull - yellow 2104
Ringed as a nestling at Scolt Head Norfolk 25/06/25. It was still there 09/07/25

Juvenile Mediterranean gull - yellow 2283
Both arrived on the same day and both in a similar sequence, you'd imagine that
they were from the same scheme. But they are not, the Norfolk scheme only has
rings to 2199.Where this one came from is still a mystery. A generous reward
is offered to anyone identifying the scheme.
No money involved of course, just a generous thank you.

A check this evening saw only c30 Mediterranean gulls. No sign of the ringed juveniles. Two additional ringed birds were seen, one new one.

A second calendar year Mediterranean gull - red HW56
Part of a Hungarian scheme - details awaited

Rock Pipit 3 on Red Nab, this one was taking a bath in the freshwater runoff, even remembering to wash behind its ears.

Plenty of Cormorants and a Heron on the wooden jetty.
No sign of any Shags at this time

A particularly pale juvenile Cormorant 

This Cormorant has an orange ring - 341
Ringed Hale Duck Decoy, Cheshire, on 16th June 2024.Seen twice at Seaforth in
August 2024 and on the canal near Garstang September 2024

Grey Seal at the seaward end of No.1 outfall

In the Nature Park

Red Admiral 5

Small Tortoiseshell 5

Large White 2

Small White 3

Speckled Wood 5

Common Blue 1 worn male

Migrant Hawker 2

Hummingbird Hawkmoth  1 zipped past, no chance of a shot

Poplar Hawkmoth 1 dead along the track

Poplar Hawkmoth

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Janet checked this afternoon 

Banded Demoiselle 1 flew from the lower car park at the main pond towards the wooden steps.

Ruddy Darter 1 male  - near the pond on the south side of the reserve

First Ruddy Darter record since 2007!

Male Common Darter

Common Blue

Small Tortoiseshell 

One of two Painted Ladies, also on the south side of the Reserve

The injured Swan is still feeding ok

Teal 3

Barn Owl 1 this evening - Pete