Another warm sunny day with a light variable breeze
Seawatch report Stephen Dunstan 08:00 - 09:50:
2 Red-Throated Diver
1 Sandwich Tern
2 very distant Gannet
c29 distant Common Scoter
Middleton Nature Reserve
These shots by Janet from yesterday.
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| Coot |
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| Moorhen |
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| Some of the cygnets having a snooze |
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| The Mallard still has two chicks, but the male Mute Swan was chasing them this morning |
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| Green-Veined Whites |
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| Rudely interrupted by a Common Blue |
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| Female Broad-Bodied Chaser near the golf course |
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| This looks to be a protective nest for Nursery Web Spiders, but happy to be corrected if anyone knows for sure (Malcolm) |
Angela Gillon checked this afternoon
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| The Mute Swan family looking serene |
No sign of the Mallard family but there was a Coot with 2 chicks, could have been more but they were hiding well in the reeds.
Blackcap and Whitethroat heard but not seen.
Heysham Nature Reserve
I joined the children's Watch group in a walk from the Office to Red Nab 10:00 - 11:00 (Malcolm).
The children recorded each species seen and heard.
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Magpie
Wood Pigeon
Blackbird
Robin
Dunnock
Wren
Treecreeper 1 - not a known breeding bird on the reserve. It was in the woodland strip near the pond in the middle of the dog walking path.
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Lesser Whitethroat (no Common Whitethroat seen or heard)
Blackcap
Moorhen pair with 4 chicks on the dog walk pond
Pied Wagtail
The only tit seen was a single Blue Tit.
At Red Nab
Little Egret
Rock Pipit
Great Black-Backed gull
Lesser Black-Backed gull
Herring gull
Both the above were also seen during the walk
Oystercatcher
Curlew
All in all a very pleasant walk. If you would like to learn more about the children's Watch group, contact Emma Garston at the Observatory office
Visit webpage for further details
Janet checked the north side of the Reserve (where dogs are excluded)
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| Blackcap |
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| Large Red Damselfly - note the aphid keeping out of sight below the leaf |
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| Common Blue |
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| Green-Veined White |
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| Burnet Companion |
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| One of the Reed Beetles (Donacia sp.) Thanks to Alison for this identification |
Heysham skear (Malcolm) 14:00 - 15:00
Eider 6
Little Egret 4
Great Crested grebe 1
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| Great Crested Grebe |
Oystercatcher c1,000 and Whimbrel 1 were the only waders.
Gulls 500, mainly Herring gulls. One new ringed bird was seen today.
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| It has a seed mussel in its bill - ringing details awaited |
These two began courting after he gave her a seed mussel - oh the romance!
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| I do like a happy ending....... |
