Showers on and off all day. A SW wind.
Lengthy look at seaward end No.1 outfall eventually produced a 2cy Mediterranean Gull with partial hood - Pete
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| Small Magpie moth on Janet's fence this morning |
Middleton Nature Reserve (Janet)
These shots from yesterday, when the sun shone
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| Young Great Tit |
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| Black-Tailed Skimmers |
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| Damselfly, probably a Common Blue |
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| Silver Y |
This shot from today, when the rain fell
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| Common Toad |
Imperial Rd (Malcolm)
Two quick passing checks located the Buzzard, but not the Stonechat
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| Sedge warbler |
South shore (Malcolm) 14:30 - 16:00
As I was entering the Nature Park a lady advised that she had just seen a young fawn running around. I didn't manage to see it, which I was actually pleased about. It wants nothing to do with running around where dogs are regularly exercised. Presumably Mum had moved it to somewhere quieter.
The only gulls on the outfalls were Lesser Black-Backed, Herring and Common.
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| 2nd calendar year Common Gull |
There were 20+ Black-Headed with other gulls feeding on invertebrates as the tide covered the shore near the saltmarsh.
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| This is a Cormorant flying across the Harbour at 15:00. Look how dark it is! |
Rock Pipit 3 - 1 on Red Nab and 2 on the foreshore
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| One of the foreshore Rock Pipits |
Linnet 5 flew across the saltmarsh
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| I'd seen two dead 2nd calendar year Herring gulls on Red Nab, and this Wood Pigeon on the edge of the saltmarsh refused to budge, I had to walk around it. Do not handle any dead birds that you see, and keep dogs safely out of the way |
This is what I was referring to yesterday about the rocks below Heysham Head being "active". This shot of Janet's shows one of several areas that demonstrate the constant erosion of the cliffs. A reminder not to get too close, particularly after storms or heavy rain (Malcolm)
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| This large rock below the cliffs provides a history of the erosion of the cliffs. The holes are formed as water almost constantly drips down from the cliff above. Not all the holes form at once though, the one on the far right first. Cliffs erode in steps as sections are undermined and pieces slip down. As each section drops the water drips on a new area of the rock and, eventually, a new hole is formed. |
Just out of the recording area Heysham Moss Nature Reserve - Alison Haywood
Dead-nettle Leaf Beetle - Chrysolina fastuosa, though UK wide in it's distribution it is decidedly patchy. So this was a pleasing to find one on White Dead-nettle at the edge of the moss. Not many other sites nearby.
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| Dead-nettle Leaf Beetle - Chrysolina fastuosa |
