Was anyone out there?

Heysham Obs
.......coastwise, no reports today of the Black Guillemot etc. Update later if news received - best to put on LDBWS website, please (see link to left).

Seawatching
5 distant Gannet this morning as viewed from Morecambe Stone jetty
at 0830

Moths
Dingy Footman was new for the year. The first for, I think, VC60 (possibly even both 'pure' Lancs and the north Merseyside-inclusive version) was from Heysham in 2005. Single figures were at Heysham in 2006 and the 2006 'Leighton Moss moth night' recorded at least one. That is the sum total of north Lancs records to date. Three Slender Pug were also new with the identification facilitated by a visit from pug researcher Brian Hancock.

Dingy Footman. Thanks Alan

Elsewhere
If we had switched Sunday and today's out of the area work, a carbon footprint-less Chimney Swift (York) was 'available'! Locally, three Spoonbill still on the EM Pool (have there always been three, c/f 'immature' claims from LM as well as the two adults......or is the third also an adult?), an Osprey causing a lot of excitement as it came and went from the lower end of Leighton Moss a few times today & two Little Egret (three this evening) on Allen Pool along with 16 Greenshank. Spotted Redshank and Little Egret Lune Estuary. Lesser Yellowlegs reportedly on EM pool this evening

Med Gull drought

Heysham Obs
Outfalls etc
No, we are not losing the plot due to a moult-fest causing the distinctive black heads and wingtips to disappear amongst sleeping Black-headed Gulls. Perhaps the lowest Med to BHG ratio for several years on the outfalls this last couple of days. None seen by an experienced observer yesterday with 2/c1,000 scattered along the foreshore this morning and 0/886 at the usually productive neap high tide this evening.

The two were first summers together near the pipeline at low tide this morning

Kittiwake - first summer late afternoon
Sandwich tern - single adult roosting with BHG late afternoon
Whimbrel - 4 Red Nab

Harbour area
At least one Black Guillemot (on the sea) during a really brief visit

Black Guillemot chasing Feral Pigeon (sorry Rock Dove) away from the territory. Anyone old enough to remember the silly walks sketch. Thanks Andrew

Middleton IE
A well-forecasted (lets give them credit where due) window in the showers allowed a ringing session this morning which was, however, marred by a niggling NE wind during c0730-0900 - not the best direction for the mist nets. 17 new Sedge Warbler were ringed but there were several escapees. Other species included Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler.

Three male Grasshopper Warbler were in song and hopefully this reflects that the females are occupied with second broods. Please, therefore, do not trample around off the ringing circuit track - the males are best seen from the concrete roads where you are elevated. As a warning, a 'bottomless hole' OVER WADER HEIGHT was located right next to a track this morning

About half a dozen Swift headed south along with a single Sand Martin. All Swallow and House Martin may simply have had a large blogging circuit

Insects
A reasonably good moth catch by the standards of this year included three migrant Silver Y and the first Bordered Beauty of the year.

Elsewhere
Three Spoonbill recorded on the EM 'flood' but no mention of whether the two Little Egret were present. Osprey briefly by the Lower pool at Leighton Moss late morning

Another feral quintet

Heysham Obs
Red Nab/outfalls area
The prize for missing out on any Med Gull at the outfalls was a flock of FIVE Black Swan which flew past the outfalls and landed on the mud off Ocean Edge at 0900hrs [later seen at Brockholes Quarry, Ribble valley - thanks Chris and Bill]. Absolutely nothing else loggable from that side as the Black-headed Gulls returned to the wet fields! Thanks Mark. Two Whimbrel in the area later on.

Harbour area
Two Black Guillemot and an immature Shag were posted on the pager referring to early evening around the harbour entrance. Thanks to whoever that was.

Insects
Middleton IE
Dragonflies comprised: 3 Black-tailed Skimmer (2 female), 7 male & 1 female Emperor, 17 male & 11 female & 21 teneral Common Darter
Butterflies: 13 Meadow Brown, 4 Small White, 17 Small Skipper, 11 Small Heath, 3 Small Tortoiseshell

Heysham NR
Dragonflies comprised: 4 male Brown Hawker, 11 male & 4 female & 7 teneral Common Darter
Butterflies included one male and two female Gatekeeper

Thanks Colin for all the insect data

Elsewhere
Yellow-legged Gull Glasson. 1st S Med Gull along Heysham bypass (undoubtedly one of those which was on the outfalls on at least Friday). One Spoonbill on the Leighton M public mere. Two Little Egret EM Pools. Osprey over Leighton early pm

Poor percentage of Meds!

Heysham Obs
Ocean Edge foreshore/Red Nab/outfalls
Med Gull: A thorough check at low tide in the morning saw them very hard to find with one juv briefly, 2 x 1st summer which were, as usual, difficult to see and just the one adult summer. Not a good percentage compared to other years, given 1,600 Black-headed Gulls - even yesterdays 8/2,000 was on the low side, especially as two were mobile juvs. I wonder if they having trouble dispersing north this year!
Whimbrel: 7 on Red Nab at high tide
Sandwich Tern: one at high tide

Harbour area
Both Black Guillemot visible at 1230 but only one in late afternoon (and no reports of any Shag)

Moths
What seemed to be a primary immigrant Silver Y was in the trap - a Bedstraw Hawk-moth was trapped nearby at Heysham Road Fri/Sat night.......so are we going to get a few more migrants in these pulses of "French rain"?

Elsewhere
Single Spoonbill photographed on EM Pools - see LDBWS site.

Gullfest

Heysham Obs
Stage 2 outfall/Red Nab/mudflats off Ocean Edge
Fairly careful check on two occasions during the morning/early afternoon produced:

Common Tern - 3 adults
Arctic Tern - one adult
Med Gull [legs not seen on juvs or one 1st S & one Ad c/f rings, rest unringed]:
- two juveniles (morning only - possibly those later at Knott End?) very mobile on the seaward end of Heysham 2 outfall
- 4 1st summer, one of which was only seen at low tide in the morning
- two adults, one starting to lose the forehead black
Kittiwake - one first summer
Black-headed Gull - c2,000 to plough through along with c30 Common Gull!

Harbour area
Two Black Guillemot (no further detail) but NNEW on Shag (not searched for)

Pre-rain movement
c70 Swift and 50+ Swallow moving north ahead of the late afternoon rain (as observed from NR car park)

Elsewhere
At least one Spoonbill on EM Pools but no apparent sign of any Pec Sands. Yellow-legged Gull Glasson area

Forgot to check letterbox

Heysham Obs
Wooden jetty/harbour
The two Black Guillemot there at lunchtime (thanks Lou) but no news on outfalls/Red nab gulls

Middleton IE
Two singing male Reed Warbler, two singing male Grasshopper Warbler, a flock of four Tree Sparrow SE , c45 Swift south, at least one Stock Dove

Ringing included two Reed Warbler, two Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroat, 6 Sedge Warbler, 3 Reed Bunting

Moths
Snout new for the year in the trap (rare here!)

Elsewhere
Single Pectoral Sandpiper on the Eric Morecambe pool again with 2 Spoonbill and 2 Little Egret on the 'flood'. Yellow-legged Gull Glasson. Three White-letter Hairstreak on elms near Stairend Bridge, Upper Hindburndale (& Purple Hairstreak in area)

Med influx including the first juv

Heysham Obs
Sorry for the late posting

Wooden jetty/harbour
Two Black Guillemot on water below the 'territory' which had been invaded by a feral pigeon. No sign of immaturity on either bird at this stage of the season. Single 1st S Shags on the harbour wall and on the wooden jetty

Outfalls/Red Nab
FOUR Med Gulls on Red Nab before seeming to fly off over the old Pontins site towards the Lune [2 x adult summer, one 1st summer, one juvenile - none ringed].

Single adult Common Tern on stage 2 outfall

Butterflies
Another Gatekeeper casually noted on the reserve

Elsewhere
The two Pectoral Sandpipers were at the Allen/EM Pools yesterday but only one bird, as far as I know, was seen today and still present at 1730hrs on the EM Pool. Makes you wonder what proportion of people actually bother to 'phone things out' - sorry this is not supposed to be a 'comment' site - wont happen again. Two adult summer Spoonbill and two adult Little Egret on the flood at the eastern end of the EM Pool. Ad Yellow-legged Gull seen on the Glasson side of the Lune from Sunderland and 7 Whimbrel were on Lades Marsh (Overton-Sunderland tidal road)

A reasonable moth night

Heysham Obs
Wooden jetty
Black Guillemots still present according to visiting birder

Outfalls
No Meds, one 1st S Kittiwake during high tide check

Ringing
A short evening session at Middleton produced a new male Reed Warbler (perhaps the second singing bird), 4 new Sedge Warbler (& 3 retraps), 2 new Reed Bunting and a Swift

Butterflies
A Gatekeeper casually recorded on brambles along Moneyclose Lane late afternoon

Dragonflies
Available time coincided with a cloudy period! At least one male Black-tailed Skimmer still on the model boat pond at Middleton

Moths
Highlighted by the following in the hut trap: Gothic (scarce at Heysham), Southern Wainscot (Southern scarce away from the wetlands) and the first Grass Emerald of the year (a local species)

Gothic, Smoky & Southern Wainscot, Grass Emerald. Thanks Reuben

Elsewhere
No definite reports of the Pec Sands at the Allen/EM Pools since yesterday lunchtime. Single Yellow-legged Gull off Glasson. Just one adult Med Gull at Bank End today plus a ringed 1st summer at Lighthouse cottage, Cockerham. No sight/sound of the Corn Bunting there.

Grayling and Gatekeeper new for the year on Heysham NR

Heysham Obs

Wooden jetty/harbour area
Black Guillemot still on territory including both birds disappearing into the hole at one stage! If one of them is a first summer (see pic posted yesterday), it should not be indulging in breeding behaviour (per Jean Roberts per BWP)

NO sign of either Shag

Outfalls/Red Nab
Single Whimbrel and the sometimes elusive moulting 1st S Kittiwake

Butterflies
Two Grayling and two Gatekeeper casually recorded during management work on the nature reserve/landscape strip areas today. This is a strong colony of Grayling which really needs further numeration. Anyone interested in a 'one-off' walk-over of the BE non-operational land later in the month as the best habitat is here & outside the census routes? Gatekeeper seem to be taking off at last after many years of ones and twos. Small Skipper and Meadow Brown abundant and a single second brood Common Blue and Small Copper seen

Moths
A reasonable catch included a Herald, a species which seems to behave like a Peacock butterfly with a very lengthy hibernation

Herald. Thanks Reuben.

Elsewhere
The Lune Estuary/north Fylde received quite a bit of coverage over the tide with: Ruff briefly near Crook Farm, TWO adult Yellow-legged Gull together off Basil Point, 4 Mediterranean Gull at the Bank End high tide roost (3 ad, 1 1st S), one ad Med Gull near Basil Point. On the Allen/EM Pools: Two Pectoral Sandpiper still present until just after midday at least but were, at the very least, elusive in the afternoon. They were not at this time on Warton flood or Hare Tarn. The 'flood' held two adult summer Spoonbill (what has happened to the imm?) and TWO Little Egrets, one of which may have been a new arrival. The Cockersands Corn Bunting was not heard but two barley fields were confirmed! The local Eagle Owls received very dismissive treatment in the latest Birding World i.e. right at the bottom of the escapes section.

Giant Hogweed Twitch

Heysham Obs
Wooden jetty/harbour/outfalls
More water sports than birds but the key species were still in place:

Black Guillemot: Pair on the wooden jetty chasing off a feral pigeon
Shag: Two juvs in the harbour
Med Gull: 1st S briefly on Red Nab

This 23rd June picture, presumably of the female, shows a faint line of dark feather tips 'bisecting' the white wing patch indicating it might be a 1st summer. Anyone closely studied this bird recently? Thanks Gavin.

Middleton IE
Three Common Sandpiper on the model boat pond

A ringing session revealed that 'all' the local Sedge and a majority of the Grasshopper Warbler had left the site to be replaced, in the case of Sedge Warbler, by a trickle of passage birds (mainly adults). Reed Warbler was confirmed to breed with capture of a female with brood patch, two singing males early on and a fairly recently fledged juvenile.

Retrap juvenile Grasshopper Warbler. Thanks Mark

Highlights were: an unringed adult (and one retrap juvenile)Grasshopper Warbler, 11 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Bunting, 7 Whitethroat, one Lesser Whitethroat, 2 unringed (and one ringed male) Reed Warbler.

Reptiles
The Red-eared Terrapin was in the model boat pond

Insects
Dragonfly numbers on Middleton IE were predictably poor despite a fairly lengthy 'window' of sunshine and c20C over lunchtime. 7 male and 4 female Black-tailed Skimmer, just 4 male and 3 female Emperor, just one 4-spotted Chaser, one Brown Hawker and 40-50 Common Darter (about half being tenerals). No Ruddy Darter (or predictably any remaining Red-veined Darter).

Butterflies at Middleton were even worse with just TWO Meadow Brown seen in perfect conditions and practically nothing else viz 2 Small White and two newly-emerged Small Tortoiseshell

Vegetation
Eagle-owl huggers and other fans of well 'ard alien fauna and flora might be interested to know there is a veritable forest of Giant Hogweed next to the large 'nissan hut' on the opposite side of the road to Middleton IE

Elsewhere
Perhaps the most important record from a LDBWS point of view was a singing male Corn Bunting between Lighthouse Cottage and Cockersands Abbey

Two adult Pectoral Sandpipers on the Allen pool until lunchtime when they headed off to the northeast. They returned to the Allen Pool just before dusk (feeding on Warton floods or Hare Tarn or even Barrow Scout??). Spoonbill & Little Egret in same area. Yellow-legged Gull still on Lune Estuary. Adult (unringed) Med Gull and Sandwich Tern by Morecambe Battery. A Spotted Crake calling at a site in the area was listened for last night in favourable conditions and is now presumed to have gone [not heard for a week: this record was not released to 'selected birders' whilst it was known to be still present and was only recorded by people monitoring the site]