Still top dragonflies around

 Another hot sunny day with a light variable breeze

Middleton Nature Reserve - main pond

Just Pete's report from a short visit mid morning, so far.

Male Norfolk hawker 
9 male and two ovipositing female Red-veined darter 

South shore - Malcolm

I had a walk along the sea wall this morning. The breeze was from SE and there were butterflies coming in off all the time. Most continued on their way but others lingered along the brambles between the lighthouse and waterfall before moving on. This is the count of those that either passed me or I passed on the way out. 10:45 - 11:30, allowing a reasonable estimate of the rate that they were coming in off.

Painted Lady 32 = 43 per hr

Red Admiral 2 = 3 per hr (although there were more than that on the walk back)

Small White 23 = 31 per hr

Small Tortoiseshell 8 = 11 per hr

Large White just 1

At least two Rock Pipits. One feeding on the wooden jetty, possibly the same bird as one by the lighthouse. Another by the waterfall.

Lighthouse Rock Pipit

Mediterranean gull a 2cy was on the sea beyond the wooden jetty and an adult flew south past the jetty

Adult Mediterranean gull

I went again this evening to check Red Nab as the tide reached it. By this time the breeze was from the SW and there was no butterfly movement. At least there was no Peregrine disturbance today and a number of small gulls settled on Red Nab, but I could only see 1 3rd calendar year Mediterranean gull amongst them.

Mediterranean gull (top centre) with Black Headed gulls. 
The black markings on its primaries not obvious in this shot

Curlew 120+ resting on Red Nab

Most of the Curlew 

Grey Heron, still desperately seeking Mullet

Juvenile Black-Headed gull on No.2 outfall