Overcast, light morning showers with heavier ones in the afternoon with the odd sunny spell. A freshening south wind.
Middleton Nature Reserve
Rosemary and Peter managed another visit yesterday.
It was certainly much quieter in terms of dragonflies and damselflies with only brief glimpses of sun and a cool breeze at times. Sightings were as follows:
Southern End:
Speckled Wood 7
Noon Fly 1
Common Darter 1 pr ovipositing
Male Common Darter 6
Female Common Darter 2 (one eating food)
Hawker sp 2
Chiffchaff calling
Coal Tit calling
Main Pond:
Speckled Wood 3
Common Darter 1 pr mating
Male Common Darter 3
Common Blue Damselfly 1
Mute Swan 2
Mallard 4
Coot 2
Long Tailed Tit 1 small flock
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| This female Common Darter looks to be eating a blackberry, but it would have to be a tiny blackberry. Plus dragonflies are insectivorous. This must be all that remains of some sort of insect |
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| This one acting as bridgekeeper on the wooden bridge on the south side |
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| Common Darters on the Southern pond |
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| Common Darters on the main pond |
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| Common Blue Damselfly on the main pond |
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| Noon Fly |
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| Speckled Wood |
South shore - Malcolm 10:15 - 11:00
Linnet c200 on saltmarsh
Wheatear 1 on foreshore
Robin 2 on foreshore
Rock Pipit 1 between foreshore and Red Nab
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| Rock Pipit |
Mediterranean gull 12 on Red Nab - 5 adults, 6 2nd calendar year and 1 1st calendar year
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| An adult between two 2cy Mediterranean gulls. The bird on the right has a red ring, not easy to see on dark legs |
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| Ringed as a chick in Hungary last year. It was seen in Spain in February and turned up here in June, although it hasn't been seen since July. Pete advises that there were c50 Meds in the Lune estuary out from Sunderland Point today. Perhaps that is where it has been roosting. |
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| Two more 2cy Mediterranean Gulls |
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| This 2cy Mediterranean Gull has some gutweed. Not sure what it was planning to do with it |
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| 1cy Mediterranean Gull centre |
Heliport wall - Malcolm
Just a brief stop off on the way home to see if any of the Knot were using this high water root. They weren't.
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| Plenty of Oystercatchers roosting |
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| This one had grabbed the tail of another and physically swung it round. It was lucky not to lose a feather |
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| Some of the roosting Lapwings |
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| Two of at least four Meadow Pipits |
