Decent Middleton ringing session

Heysham Obs

Middleton IE
A ringing session using the CES net sites in the central marsh and the western marsh net sites produced a significant number of warbler species including Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and reasonable numbers of Common Whitethroat.  Of the 7 Lesser Whitethroat caught, one was ringed elsewhere - the first time we have had either a recovery or a 'control' of this species and about time!   

Today

The only news so far is from elsewhere  - a Guillemot at Far Arnside.

Mundane June morning...

Moths:
Continued influx of the Heysham speciality Double Dart. (5).
Light Arches (1) dubiously worthy of note.

Elsewhere:
Red Kite at Yealand Redmayne

A Quiet Morning

Heysham
Reserve CES this morning produced little of note - some evidence of breeding success with two juvenile Lesser Whitethroat, one Chiffchaff and three Great tits trapped.

Moths
Double Dart 4 and Clay 4 amongst the fairly average catch.


ajd

Little news yet

Moths:
Buff Arches (2) new for the year.

"Singing" in the sunshine

Middleton Industrial Est
1 Grasshopper warbler reeling, and showing well, on new territory in the Northern side of the estate. 9:30am

Half a moth catch

Thanks to Reuben for doing the other half of the moth catch as a whistle-stop morning visit covering half of the toilet floor produced quite a time-consuming bag-full of common species including the start of the overlap period between Shoulder-striped Wainscot and Smoky Wainscot.

No obvious sightings of any birds

Figure of Eighty

Heysham Obs
A few previous Heysham records of this moth & one this morning in the trap

Middleton IE
There have been two recent records of Common Lizard to add to those seen at the Belted Beauty site near Potts Corner.  These are the first wild reptiles seen in the Obs recording area.  Slow Worm next?

Where are the small seagulls?

Heysham Obs
...........either late or there is no food on the outfalls due to 'outages'.  Just five Black-headed Gulls Red Nab on the incoming tide

Ringing by the office
A couple of hours confirmed the first successful breeding of Willow Warbler on the reserve for 'some years' with the capture of three recently fledged young.  A couple of unringed and a couple of ringed adult Whitethroat & juveniles of  Lesser Whitethroat, Robin & Blue Tit completed the haul

Breeding birds
Oystercatcher actually at the egg laying stage on the non-operational land after several years of showing interest - a new tetrad & site breeding record.  Also a re-laying Ringed Plover on four eggs

Insects
Painted Lady - by the office
Small Skipper - first of the summer (& plenty of Large Skipper)
Black-tailed Skimmer - 5 males Middleton model boat pond but no sign of any darters
Double Dart - first of the year in the trap

New moth species

Heysham Obs
Obscure Wainscot (see left) has hitherto been restricted to Leighton Moss with occasional wanderers to the garden moth traps at Yealand and Warton, along with the regularly trapped Gaitbarrows area

One was in the HNR hut trap this morning along with the first of the year of its much more widespread relative, Clay. A single worn Shaded Pug, two of the migrant Diamond-back Moth and the third record of the presumably overlooked Mompha ochraceella completed the 'worth mentioning' category.

Dog-walk pond
Goldfish - 50+
Emperor dragonfly - 3+
Black-tailed Skimmer - 1
4-spotted Chaser - 10+

Middleton IE
Little Ringed Plover - on the model boat pond
Lapwing - single youngster virtually fledged
Black-tailed Skimmer - 3

Equally impressive moth-wise was a new 10km square pyralid taken during a sheet and light session at Middleton IE last night (see pic) [per John Girdley].   This is Platyptilia gonodactyla, one of the 'plume' moths