An early south wind shifted to the west by late morning. Dry with sunny spells.
Middleton Nature Reserve
I checked first (Malcolm). 11:30. After yesterday's good insect migration weather I checked the main pond to see if it had attracted any Red-veined Darters. It had.
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| Male Red-veined Darter |
It was on the west side of the main pond, these shots 20m north of where the Mute Swans rest (bank covered in feathers and feaces). It was still in the same area when Janet checked at 13:30.
Janet checked again an hour later and Kevin Eaves looked later this afternoon, neither were able to relocate, but it is a small insect in a large area, so hopefully it is still around.
Three female/immature darters were seen, the only one providing a decent view was a Common Darter, they probably all were.
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| Common Darter |
Black-Tailed Skimmer 3
Broad-bodied Chaser 1
Red Admiral 1
Speckled Wood 3
Mute Swan pair plus 7 cygnets
Mallard 6
Coot 2
Swift 3
House Martin 2
The following warblers were all heard from the main pond
Cetti's warbler 2
Blackcap 2
Reed warbler 2
Chiffchaff 1
Janet checked in the early afternoon
Grasshopper warbler 1 reeling in the southern section of the reserve.
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| Swalow |
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| Scary Pheasant! |
As well as the Red-Veined Darter
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| Female Black-Tailed Skimmer |
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| Male Black-Tailed Skimmer resting on dried Swan droppings |
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| Lots of Damselflies, this one a male Common Blue |
Imperial Rd
Mark Jones checked at 09:30 - male stonechat very active taking food into brambles to the left of the Elder bush.
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| Stonechat showing the location of where he is now taking food |
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| Song Thrush taking food in the same vicinity |
Also, common whitethroat pair feeding young near the Rd, numerous Reed buntings, greenfinch, buzzard, swallows and grey heron overhead.
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| Male Greenfinch |
I checked at lunchtime (Malcolm) The Stonechat was now just resting on the Elder bush.
Plus a couple of yesterday's imports:
Red Admiral 1
Painted Lady 1
Field along the edge of Moss Estate (Janet)
Plenty of Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet moths
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| Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets |
Heysham skear (Malcolm) 16:00 - 17:30
Eider what looks to be a family of five. At first there were two immatures by themselves then an adult pair plus two that looked like fledged juveniles flew from the north to join them.
All five fed in the shallows
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| He certainly looks to be a proud Dad |
Great Crested grebe 5
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| Presumably this is the same solitary bird that has been here regularly recently |
Then four more, looking to be two pairs
Little Egret 3
Oystercatchers 100
Curlew 9
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| Some of the Curlew coming in |
Gulls 600, mainly Herring. I must have checked over 300 pairs of legs and never saw a single ring.
Just out of the recording area, Caravan park just south of the recording area - Mark Jones.
It seemed like half of the rookery arrived to feed outside my caravan at first light, at least 5 adults and 5 well developed youngsters being fed from my feeders and extracted earthworms, very vocal!
