Not really an insect day, but a Clouded Yellow anyway

Sunny spells and the odd very light shower. A light variable breeze.

Red Nab - Malcolm 12:00 - 12:45

Mediterranean gulls - just 6 seen roosting on Red Nab

Mediterranean gull (right) with Black-Headed gulls

This Dutch ringed bird (LCG) was ringed as a chick in 2010.
Its 16 year old white ring is now wearing in places and can be difficult to
read from some angles

Common Gull with Black-Headed gulls

An Osprey was resting on the post at the seaward end of No.2 outfall

Along the foreshore 

Painted Lady 2

Painted Lady

Clouded Yellow flew along without stopping 

Clouded Yellow. Not very clear shots, but fortunately they are a very
distinctive butterfly

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Ringing report by Alan

I set three nets this morning after an early light rain shower.  A reasonable catch of 26 birds included 8 Lesser Whitethroats and a Grasshopper Warbler.  The latter was the first one caught there for two years.  This species has been fairly numerous at Middleton in earlier years but possibly the changing habitat now suits them less.
The Grasshopper Warbler was a juvenile suggesting, but by no means proving, breeding here.
The total catch:
Singles of Common Whitethroat,  Cetti’s Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Swallow, Blackbird, Grasshopper Warbler.
Reed Warbler  4
Lesser Whitethroat  8
Robin  2
Blackcap  4
Chiffchaff  2

I just did a passing check of the two large ponds - Malcolm

Main Pond

3 Mute Swans

10 Coot

No Mallard seen, probably resting out of sight.

3 Swallow

"No swimming" pond

1 Mute Swan

4 Gadwall (2 each male and female)

5 Coot

2 Moorhen

I Grey Heron

Female Gadwall

Male Gadwall

Heron resting in the trees

No dragonflies seen on either pond, although it was overcast at the time