Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Monday, 28 June 2010
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Tits galore
Heysham Obs
A quick visit to the reserve office early morning saw at least 40 tit species in the usual ringing bushes - however we had already committed to a session at Middleton. It looks like its been a very good breeding season for tits (also supported by provisional nestbox data) after a reasonable feeder-assisted survival this last winter. A significant proportion of the flock was Long-tailed Tit - I dont think this would have been the case after winter 1962/3, before they discovered fat balls
Middleton IE
Only two hours ringing due to work committments produced a steady trickle of warbler species (including Grasshopper) and a few rather myopic Swallows. Worryingly, two ringing sessions there totalling over 70 birds have not included a single Reed Bunting, implying first brood failure. Memo: add to the records an unseasonal fly-over Siskin during the CES on 20/6
Moths
Rather a lot and most of the flighty stuff was intercepted before the sun blazed into the trap. As far as I am aware, a mass breakout of Common Footman (14) was actually new for the year, also apparently new were: Map-winged Swift, Satin Wave (a bit belated), Dingy Footman and Grass Emerald. Need to get the records out of the log on to MapMate, rather than trying to plough through 5 varieties of handwriting!
Dragonflies
Colin unfortunately could not make it today - can someone please do the Middleton butterfly/dragonfly transect in the decent weather - I'm away till Thursday & its going off then by all accounts. A VERY brief check of the model boat pond did not produce any darters
A quick visit to the reserve office early morning saw at least 40 tit species in the usual ringing bushes - however we had already committed to a session at Middleton. It looks like its been a very good breeding season for tits (also supported by provisional nestbox data) after a reasonable feeder-assisted survival this last winter. A significant proportion of the flock was Long-tailed Tit - I dont think this would have been the case after winter 1962/3, before they discovered fat balls
Middleton IE
Only two hours ringing due to work committments produced a steady trickle of warbler species (including Grasshopper) and a few rather myopic Swallows. Worryingly, two ringing sessions there totalling over 70 birds have not included a single Reed Bunting, implying first brood failure. Memo: add to the records an unseasonal fly-over Siskin during the CES on 20/6
Moths
Rather a lot and most of the flighty stuff was intercepted before the sun blazed into the trap. As far as I am aware, a mass breakout of Common Footman (14) was actually new for the year, also apparently new were: Map-winged Swift, Satin Wave (a bit belated), Dingy Footman and Grass Emerald. Need to get the records out of the log on to MapMate, rather than trying to plough through 5 varieties of handwriting!
Dragonflies
Colin unfortunately could not make it today - can someone please do the Middleton butterfly/dragonfly transect in the decent weather - I'm away till Thursday & its going off then by all accounts. A VERY brief check of the model boat pond did not produce any darters
Saturday, 26 June 2010
snatches of time
Heysham Obs
Middleton IE
Model boat pond
Darter spp - a red darter was briefly in the centre of the pond before being chased off by Bk T Skimmer. The variable-height flight mode was not convincing for Red-veined, but this might have been due to being harrassed. If it was a RVD, it was not a full adult male.
Black-tailed Skimmer - minimum of 12, possibly up to 20
Ocean Edge
High tide produced:
Med Gull - single adult (Ocean Edge saltmarsh) and ad/3CY with only the upperparts visible (Red Nab) with c350 Black-headed Gull
Moths
The catch included two Broad-barred White. Two nights ago produced a convincing e.g. of Heart and Club which is being thoroughly checked following quite a few false alarms with extralimital claims (has appeared here once before)
Middleton IE
Model boat pond
Darter spp - a red darter was briefly in the centre of the pond before being chased off by Bk T Skimmer. The variable-height flight mode was not convincing for Red-veined, but this might have been due to being harrassed. If it was a RVD, it was not a full adult male.
Black-tailed Skimmer - minimum of 12, possibly up to 20
Ocean Edge
High tide produced:
Med Gull - single adult (Ocean Edge saltmarsh) and ad/3CY with only the upperparts visible (Red Nab) with c350 Black-headed Gull
Moths
The catch included two Broad-barred White. Two nights ago produced a convincing e.g. of Heart and Club which is being thoroughly checked following quite a few false alarms with extralimital claims (has appeared here once before)
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!
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!
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
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
Continued influx of the Heysham speciality Double Dart. (5).
Light Arches (1) dubiously worthy of note.
Elsewhere:
Red Kite at Yealand Redmayne
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
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
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
Monday, 21 June 2010
Sunday, 20 June 2010
"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
1 Grasshopper warbler reeling, and showing well, on new territory in the Northern side of the estate. 9:30am
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