Another hot sunny day with a light variable breeze.
South shore - Malcolm
09:45 - 11:00
I went out to watch the tide reaching Red Nab. Starting at the saltmarsh.
I saw the Meadow Pipit on the same bush as yesterday, then it flew to Ocean Edge grass. Less than a minute later it returned with not one, but two bush-crickets
 |
| Its nest must be close to the bush, but it wouldn't go down to it while I was watching |
 |
| Juvenile Pied Wagtail |
 |
| Summer Plumage Redshank |
Mediterranean gull 46 minimum, including 3 juvenile
I managed to find three white ringed birds, one new for this year. Also the Red Ringed 2nd calendar year Hungarian bird.
 |
| Red HJ8A |
But there was another red ring and I only managed a glimpse of the top of it.
 |
| This is a typical ring sighting! This is an older red ringed bird and it appears to end in 0. One to watch out for |
 |
| There was also a white ringed Black-Headed gull |
 |
| It is definitely one from a Dutch ringing scheme. The code looks to be E4V6. But it was difficult reading in the bright sunlight and you can see the effects of the heat haze in the background. We await feedback from the scheme manager. |
Once again there was no sign of the Peregrines, but a raptor did lift them all once. An Osprey flew over with a fish. And everything lifted, but quickly settled again.
 |
| The fish looks to be a small Bass. The Osprey flew east and would have passed directly over Middleton Nature Reserve. Blue ring on its left leg. |
I returned this afternoon to check the feeding beach by the wooden jetty, but all the gulls, including Mediterranean were anting.
 |
| Gulls including a Med (top right) over the Nature Park |
Swift 3 over the Nature Park
 |
| The number of Cormorants on the wooden jetty is increasing again |
 |
| Some sort of "pigeon" between the Cormorants. |
 |
| The 2cy Shag relegated to the lower level |
 |
| Rock Pipit with grubs above the lighthouse nest area |
The breeze was from the west, and very refreshing it was too. But no good for insect movement here and nothing was coming in off.
There was quite a lot going on in the Nature Park
Red Admiral 35
Painted Lady 4
Peacock 1
Plus Small White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Common Blue
 |
| Red Admiral |
 |
| Painted Lady |
 |
| Peacock |
The heady smell of the Buddleia was almost overpowering, but this Hummingbird Hawkmoth, chose to feed on flowers so tiny that I could barely see them
 |
| Hummingbird Hawkmoth |
