So much for "light" showers!

It managed to stay dry and quite sunny this morning, but there were some wicked showers in the afternoon. Rain, hail and sleet accompanied by thunder and lightning. So much for the forecast of "light showers"! The wind was variable from NE to NW and all points between, quite strong during the squalls.

Seawatch report Pete 0623-0823.  

Started off ok (earlier start advised?) then degenerated into a marine mammal fest with the only interest in the last hour a grey seal and two porpoise!

Arctic skua - DM in 0643
Kittiwake - 6 in
Sandwich Tern - 62 out just a handful in
Little Tern - one out with small group of Sandwich tern feeding intermittently 
Common Tern - 2 out 
Arctic Tern - flock 11 surprisingly heading out
Pink footed goose - c205 north
Common scoter - c75
Gannet - 1,1,9 in

Middleton Nature Reserve - Janet

Male Shoveler and Heron

Possibly a different Heron

Little Grebe

Sedge Warbler 

They seem to be singing all over the reserve at the moment.

This nice Eyed Hawkmoth was in Kevin's trap this morning.
there are very few moths around at the moment because of the Arctic air mass

Also from Kevin - I went to the harbour today and didn't see much, but
I did return before a line of heavy rail, hail and thunder reached me.

Kevin took the above shot at 13:30. At that time I was heading out to the skear with the above storm directly ahead  of me (Malcolm). I hoped it would move south but it headed straight for me, the heavy hail made everything dark all around and there was no sign of a quick end, so I turned back. Shame really as something "unpopular" was forced to land on the skear, and despite the horrendous conditions all the Oystercatchers and Gulls took to the air. I scanned as best I could, but failed to see what it was. Some days it just doesn't happen.

I did manage one sighting today though. This fox visited my garden this evening. It is lapping up the few sunflower hearts I had thrown out when I replenished the feeders. It clearly knows that I am watching.