A dry day with sunny spells, particularly in the morning. A light NW wind
Canada goose 2 low and loud skeins heading north over medical centre at 09:30 - J Byrne
Clouded Yellow 1 along the promenade past Knowlys Road 11:00 - P Crooks
Middleton Nature Reserve main pond - Janet
Two visitors to the main pond saw a Lesser Emperor. (both had cameras, any pictures and or more detail would be very much appreciated - see sidebar for contact email addresses)
A male Red-Veined Darter was resting on the west bank
 |
| Red-Veined Darter |
 |
| Black-Tailed Skimmer |
 |
| Four-spotted Chaser |
 |
| Broad-bodied Chaser |
 |
| Loads of Damselflies over the water, likely after the flies there. |
This from Kevin Eaves:
I had a Sycamore Moth in the trap this morning, which is the second site record. It's very local, and uncommon in the north of Lancashire.
 |
| Sycamore moth |
Heysham skear - Malcolm 14:15 - 16:00
Eider 2 female
Red-breasted Merganser 1
Gulls only c200 today. I would have expected more as the tide would be going out further than of late, exposing more seed mussels. The mussels, at this end of the skear at least, are still tiny. You can barely see them as the gulls graze them.
 |
| Great Black-backed gulls aren't regulars here, and they don't "lower" themselves to scraping up seed mussels! |
 |
| Lesser Black-backed gull. The lesser in this case means its back is less black. Of course, it is also a smaller bird than the Great Black-backed gull. |
 |
| Herring gull |
No green ringed birds were seen today, but it wasn't helped when a south bound Osprey at 15:30 lifted them all.
 |
| Osprey, probably heading to the outfalls to fish |
Oystercatcher c1000
Curlew 1
Knot 11
Sanderling 7
Turnstone 2
 |
| Curlew |
 |
| Knot |
 |
| Sanderling |
