Immature RVD still about

An early shower then a dry sunny day. A fresh NW wind

Middleton Nature Reserve 

This from Janet on the main pond 

Teneral Red-veined Darter

Peter and Rosemary checked the southern section of the reserve 

There were still a few Common Darters around at the Southern pond but not nearly as many as of late.

This Common Darter casting a good shadow in the sun

This pair were very busy 

A very obliging Migrant Hawker

South shore

Janet went to see if the Kingfisher was along the foreshore rocks, but no sign of it today.

This Little Egret was after the fish instead

Curlew 

Kevin checked along the sea wall

This Turnip Moth was on the sea wall.
Not rare but it's the first time I've seen one here. 

Heysham skear - Malcolm 13:00 - 15:00

There were many more birds around today, possibly due to the weather or perhaps just because the tides are rising again.

200 Herring gulls were feeding. 

Just some of the gulls, they were all Herring gulls today, many of them adult,
or at least near adult 

One was one of last year's birds ringed on the Power Station roof.
But this is the first time it has been seen at Heysham. 

The only Lesser Black-Backed seen was high up the shore 

As was this Great Black-Backed

Eider 16 all but 1 male in different stages of moulting into breeding plumage

Male Eiders

Red-breasted Merganser 2

This male also moulting out of eclipse 

Oystercatcher 2000

Curlew 25 feeding plus 20 south in small groups

Redshank a big increase, at least 260

Knot 4 (1 and 3)

Turnstone 80

Dunlin 1

Knot, the one on the left is a juvenile 

The Redshank were like this all around the edges of the skear.
There were probably more than I estimated