Spot Red surprise, intriguing Black Guillemots and a few seabirds

Heysham Obs

Seawatching c0900-1100
A bit since it was worth its own section!

Bonxie: A coast-hugger approached along the seawall by the outfalls, flew the length of the wooden jetty then turned and flew into the Bay at great speed at c0925hrs
Skua spp: What looked like a dark Arctic wheeled into the Bay along the shipping lane at high speed as viewed (unfortunately) from Ocean Edge foreshore at 1040hrs
Manx Shearwater: 2
Gannet: 13
Fulmar: 3
Dunlin: 5 flocks totalling c35 birds out
1st S Arctic Tern on the outfalls for a short period (thanks Gareth)

Outfalls/Red Nab
1st summer Med which flew off towards the Lune Estuary

Harbour/inshore
Spotted Redshank: adult summer flushed from the seawall by a visiting birder just before I arrived - flew south
Black Guillemot: Male flew inshore about 0945hrs (definitely on its own) and sat below the wooden jetty with its mouth opening as though it was calling. I then had to leave the site but in the next ten minutes, it had been joined by the female. Later at least one was sat on the wooden jetty. Interesting.
Shag: There are TWO juvs still around and they were sat drying their wings on the seawall on the harbour side of the sandplant

Mammals
Imm (or runt) male Grey Seal off the north wall

Moths
A very poor catch was 'enlivened' by this advertisers dream, the Dingy Shears:


Elsewhere

Negative news on the Pec. Sands at the Allen Pool and little positive news on anything so far

Good moth catch at last

Heysham Obs
Wooden jetty/outfalls
The two Black Guillemot spent the high tide period on the top of the wooden jetty (thanks Tony)

A visit to the outfalls and Red Nab just after high tide led to not a single sighting worthy of registration as the gulls again presumably dispersed to wet fields and the Kittiwake was in hiding

Middleton IE
c35 House Martin, a few Swallow but no Swift at this usually favoured site

Moths
140 of 43 species in the trap including Pale Mottled Willow (scarce here), Dark Spinach (2nd or 3rd record), Eyed Hawk-moth and three Poplar Hawk-moth

Elsewhere
TWO Pectoral Sandpiper on the Allen Pool - havent seen them or any pics yet but one has been reported as a juv which is extremely early for a very distant origin. Also one Spoonbill. Adult Yellow-legged Gull and 4+ Whimbrel on the Lune Estuary as viewed from Sunderland in the late afternoon rain.

Bits and bobs

Heysham Obs
Harbour/offshore
Two Black Guillemot still in the harbour entrance in the morning. Thanks Eric. Juv Shag on the wooden jetty

Outfalls
Early dropping tide saw just the 1st S Kittiwake

Moths
A trap set in the reedbed produced 6 Southern Wainscot and the pyralid Chilo phragmitella. A couple of Silver Y have featured on the last two nights, otherwise a complete contrast (so far) to last year's migrant moth bonanza

Elsewhere
A Pectoral Sandpiper was located on the Allen Pool late afternoon and at least one Spoonbill was 'around' the LM reserve complex. Yellow-legged Gull still on the Lune off Glasson (then flew downstream) also a 1st S Med Gull. Single Spotted Redshank and Greenshank at Conder Green

Quality ringing session!

Heysham Obs
Wooden jetty/harbour/outfalls
The dredger was operating in the harbour mouth and there was no sign of the Black Guillemot in the murky water at low tide this afternoon (or if this was for work: 'no registration of the receptor at 1400hrs and the dredger was considered to have had a significant adverse impact on feeding capability at a local (or district?) level'. Why do we have to use jargon?)

Shag: One on the lower, later higher tier of the outer wooden jetty section

Med Gull: Just the adult again on Heysham 2 outfall

Ringing at Middleton
Two nets were erected but taken down straight away as the wind rapidly increased. The only bird caught/ringed was a Grasshopper Warbler!

Insects
Straw Underwing new for the year in the moth trap

Elsewhere
Returning (since 1995?) Ad Yellow-legged Gull back on the Lune Estuary - easily visible from Sunderland toilet block area looking back up the Lune in the region of red No 14 buoy. Spoonbill on the EM Pool

Routine coverage

Heysham Obs
Harbour/jetty/outfalls
Black Guillemot. Not sure what is going on. Need to research courtship behaviour. Morning behaviour: Either the male is trying to draw the female's attention to the potential nesting hole on the wooden jetty with the female less than interested on the water below or the female is prospecting a nest site with the male in attendance on the water. Wasn't sure of the sexes today as never had the birds together. Hopefully have some time for a proper observation tomorrow. No sign of either bird during an hour or so of quite intensive boat/dredger activity late afternoon.
Shag - just one juvenile on the bottom of the structure next to the 'waterfall'
Med Gull - A careful search early evening produced just one adult summer on Heysham 2 outfall with none amongst the 448 Black-headed Gulls on the mudflats/Red Nab - this was fewer BHG than yesterday afternoon
Kittiwake - 1st summer Heysham 2 outfall

Insects
Its so far back that I'll break the 'rule' and post here as it is of topical relevance - a single Wall Brown was seen by Malcolm on Middleton IE on "the only decent day this summer" = 10th June. Please send in all observations of this species in the Heysham area. Thanks.

Elsewhere
5 Avocet on the banks of the Lune near Glasson - all adults?

A summer's day!

Heysham Obs
Summer at last - bitten (or punctured) by my first cleg. The other downside was that the wind increased just as dragonfly-flight temperatures were being reached and conditions were marginal to say the least for any surviving Red-veined Darter.

Middleton IE
A half-decent ringing session in calm weather for about 4 hours, despite the fact that water levels meant only four nets could be set. Highlighted by 7 Grasshopper Warbler (2 adults), 23 Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, 8 Whitethroat, two Lesser Whitethroat and a young Kingfisher


Soft-focus Kingfisher, Middleton (thanks very much, John)


Perhaps more significant was a calling Water Rail, usually indicative of more than one bird being present and, at this time of year, a breeding attempt

Harbour/outfalls/jetty
The Black Guillemot were reported to be still present in the harbour entrance area, along with at least one Shag, but no further details (via angler chatting to visiting birder). There were AT LEAST three Mediterranean Gull around Stage 2 outfall or the mudflats off Red Nab in late afternoon (1st S, 2nd S, Ad). They coincided with a sharp increase to 665 Black-headed Gull and it became very clear that Heysham One outfall was not functioning food-wise due to the outage

The moulting first summer Kittiwake was on the inner end of Heysham 2 outfall

Vis Mig
Quite a southbound movement of Swifts through Middleton with at least 65 individuals during the course of the morning along with an absolute minimum of 5 (adult) Sand Martin

Insects
A request from the butterfly census people: It seems that there has been a catastrophic disappearance of Wall Brown with no records at all in the Obs area so far this year. Please report any sightings of the second brood which should be appearing soon (assuming we did miss one or two first brood).

Reptiles
The Red-eared Terrapin has been in residence for three years in the model boat pond and was seen this morning

Elsewhere
A very brief view of what was almost certainly a White-letter Hairstreak at Stairend Bridge (Upper Hindburn) in late afternoon. It looked small and dark, but was slightly into the sun so better be just a little cautious after the extraordinary Purple Hairstreak record from the Trough a couple of weeks or so ago (last summer fast-tracking development?). Also what appeared to be a family party of Siskin

Good birds, poor dragonflies

Heysham Obs
Harbour/outfalls/wooden jetty
Fingers crossed as the female Black Guillemot has been spending time in a hole with male in attendance. They can commence breeding as late as July week 3.

At least one juvenile Shag still around the harbour

Adult summer Med Gull on the outfalls was new in - it was unringed, therefore not the Czech-ringed 'winter' resident. First summer Med Gull also seen along with the heavily-moulting 1st summer Kittiwake

Ringing
A reasonable catch below the Obs Tower included 7 juvenile Dunnock from at least two broods (now a 'high priority' species!) and a couple of juvenile Lesser Whitethroat

Insects
A full dragonfly census of Middleton in decent conditions - the first one possible since 10th June was even worse than expected. Havent the exact figures but can be certain about one count - NO Red-veined Darter were seen in ideal conditions for mature males to be flying about. Lets hope they managed to pair up and oviposit during the occasional June 'windows'. 5 male Common Darter was seen and 23 tenerals, presumably this species. Numbers of the early emerging dragonflies were predictably low with just 9 male and 2 female Emperor, 7 male and 2 female Black-tailed Skimmer and 20-25 4-spotted Chaser. A Brown Hawker was present on the nearby Nature reserve along with a single Emperor

The Heysham NR butterfly transect was dominated by Small Skipper (90). Other species included 9 Large Skipper, 2 Comma and a rather early second brood Small Copper.

Elsewhere
This evening, at least three young Long-eared Owl were calling from the upper left plantation on Leck Fell but none from any of the others during a relatively brief visit. A Short-eared Owl was quartering higher up the fell. Nothing else reported on any local websites/local info lines

Better news!

Heysham Obs
Late afternoon posting

Harbour/offshore
Black Guillemot
The displaying pair were back and present in the harbour until just before 1200 whence they flew to the outer harbour where they were displaced by the 1210 IOM ferry and flew out towards the sandbank and were lost in the region of the piece of wreckage which sticks out of the water at low tide.

Shag
Two juvs were on the lower tier of the platform next to the 'waterfall' in the morning

Nothing at all on the outfalls/offshore

Middleton IE
Pair of Tufted Duck (male in eclipse)

Insects
Single windblown Emperor and 4-spotted Chaser on Middleton but temperature too low (15.5C) and wind too strong for Red-veined Darter possibilities

An unsatisfactory day

Heysham Obs
The continuing lack of any Black Guillemot, following the scenario of a single bird=presumed male returning for a short time three days ago, does suggest that a mishap befell the presumed female (or she just cleared off!).

Coastal areas
Just a single Storm Petrel last seen off Stage one outfall at about 1015hrs as the wind rather mysteriously swung right round to NNW for a short period. More might have been expected had the wind remained consistently westerly

Two juv Shag still in the harbour

Single Manx Shearwater and Sandwich Tern on brief seawatches

1st summer moulting to 2nd W Med Gull around Red Nab early morning.

1st summer Kittiwake in heavy wing moult again on Heysham 2 outfall

Still a real shortage of small gulls - last year there were 2,100 Black-headed Gulls and a few Meds around the outfalls on 6th July - today there were 34!

Insects
Its autumn - Lesser Yellow Underwing in moth trap!

Mammals
Grey Seal off end of wooden jetty

Elsewhere
As predicted, Spoonbill located at Leighton Moss today (and yesterday)

A few bits and bobs

Heysham Obs

Insects

The following picture of a ladybird was taken today by Cliff Raby. He thinks it is Anisosticta 19-punctata. Anyone able to help, please?

Harbour/outfalls 2115-2140hrs

A decision was taken to see if there were any Storm Petrel around. There weren't, although a considerable slick suggested Heysham one was back on line. Two juv Shag were present in the intake areas but I could not see any Black Guillemot before a huge black cloud appeared and it went dark!

Elsewhere

No species of interest reported locally BUT the Caspian Tern was seen for a short time at Lytham on the Ribble. Keep checking!