Are you sure its only the 4th July..........

Heysham Obs
A perusal of the weather coming up, work committments and not the least being in an 'early rise' sleep pattern led to another session at Middleton NR this morning.  I was hoping for a few new birds amongst retraps from the previous two days.  The result was almost unbelievable for this early in the 'autumn' with the singing male Grasshopper Warbler nearest to the CES nets being the only capture which had also been caught/ringed during the previous two days

The statistics revealed that 52 new birds were ringed and other captures comprised the above retrap Grasshopper Warbler, a juvenile Blue Tit ringed in mid-June and a moulting adult Willow Warbler ringed last year.  The other feature was that, despite the ringing base being between the two sets of nets, only three same-day retraps were found.  Therefore birds were on the move, with Whitethroat being the most notable.  Therefore any ringer who is worried about 'overworking' a site because it is too early for major passage had perhaps better read this!

Species composition (retraps in brackets):  Linnet 1, Goldfinch 1, Swallow 1, Great Tit 1, Blue Tit 3 (1), Grasshopper Warbler 5 (1), Reed Warbler 1, Sedge Warbler 8, Dunnock 1, Lesser Whitethroat 2, Willow Warbler 10 (1), Wren 1, Common Whitethroat 13, Chiffchaff 4, Blackcap 1, Reed Bunting 2

Moths
Another White Satin and 4 Double Dart the best of the moth trap catch which unfortunately couldn't be checked early on, & some escaped in the sunny weather

Middleton CES

Heysham Obs
Early start this morning to make sure the nets were up before the sun inhibited any warbler movements.  A bit of a mixed bag with Grasshopper Warblers prominent, Sedge Warblers a little under par, no sign of any young (or indeed female) Reed Warbler, no young Reed Bunting and a handful of moulting adult and juvenile Willow Warblers

The following were caught (retraps in brackets) in the 3 hour slot with the four CES 18 metre nets:  Grasshopper Warbler 5 (1), Sedge Warbler 9 (3), Reed Warbler 4 (3), Common Whitethroat 5 (1), Willow Warbler 7 (1), Reed Bunting 2, Long-tailed Tit 1, Goldfinch 2, Blackcap 1.  In addition, a single supplementary 18m net set later in the proceedings for about 1.5 hours produced: Grasshopper Warbler 2, Goldfinch 1, Sedge Warbler 3, Dunnock 1, Willow warbler 1, Common Whitethroat (1).  Thanks for the help John.

Moths
White Satin and yet another Blackneck were the best of a reasonable catch 

Mostly baby bird-ringing

Heysham Obs
Non-CES sites next to the office and the western marsh at Middleton were covered this morning with a reasonable selection of birds caught and ringed, given the fact it was sunny and not quite calm

Miscellaneous sightings
Swift - c15 south over the HN reserve
Siskin - one heard at HNR, seemed to be heading south

Ringing
Low-key multitasking at HNR office with 5 Common Whitethroat, a juvenile Blackcap, a moulting Willow Warbler, a Dunnock and a Swallow ringed and an adult Willow warbler & Blackbird retrapped.  More effort at Middleton western marsh saw a male Grasshopper Warbler, 5 Willow Warbler (2 adult), 9 juvenile Sedge Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, one Dunnock, one Blackbird, one Lesser Whitethroat.  Retraps comprised 2 Whitethroat, 7 Sedge Warbler and a Willow Warbler

Moths
Scalloped Oak new for the year 

Hosting the BTO Business Challenge awards ceremony

Heysham Obs
Several walks round the reserve in between and especially after the more formal events in the marquee by a really nice group of people involved in conservation work and other environmental initiatives at various sites throughout the country.  Thank you all for your company on a day when the weather was very kind.  We even had a short visit from the local MP, without his former sidekick David Hasselhoff

Coal Tit - singing male was a surprise
Small Skipper - c10
Comma - 2
Red Admiral - 2

Moth trap
The "star" on a poor night was Udea prunalis

Moths steal the show

Heysham Obs
Moths
Barred Red was a very scarce highlight in the office trap this morning - most of the conifer feeders have been recorded at some time or another but they are predictably scarce. Also another Blackneck (the 5th in total and 4th this year)

Ocean Edge incoming tide
Med Gull - 3CY on Red Nab

Middleton NR

Black-tailed Skimmers showed well today.  Thanks Janet

No sign of any red darters of any species, but conditions a little cool and windy

Elsewhere
109 Red-necked Footman in daytime search along Thrushgill main forestry track, mostly resting half-way up rush or Tufted Hair grass stems .  NO access here but worth checking alongside other mature conifers?

The Gatekeeper saves the day

Heysham Obs
A Gatekeeper was the first of the year

Tuesday June 28th early Curlew influx

Heysham Obs
Sorry for the late posting - sorting pics out and distracted by something else cropping up!

Ocean Edge/Red Nab high tide
A high tide roost saw the largest number of Curlew I can remember seeing on Red Nab in June.  Apparently this coincides with larger than usual number on the recent June WeBS count from several sites, both local and national.  The implication seems to be early-returning adults, either failed breeders or an early start to the season in the April weather.  In this resepct, there seemed to be two moult categories; non-breeders in advanced wing moult and presumed adults which had just started.

Curlew - 206 Red Nab
Whimbrel - 1 (first of 'autumn')
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1
Med Gull - adult
Common Gull - just 82
Black-headed Gull - 230

Moths
Broad-barred White highlighted a reduced catch

Middleton NR
No obvious sign of Red-veined Darter; just a few teneral Common Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer, 4-spotted Chaser and Emperor.

 Thanks for these, Janet

Red-veined reincarnation

Heysham Obs
Heysham NR Obs Tower pond area
Reed Warbler - singing male on and off during the morning was most unexpected from this reedless location - late arrival or early departee?

Middleton model boat pond
Red-veined Darter - almost mature male showing very well mid-afternoon, then disappeared in duller light - seen at rest and over the water to the east of the spit
Darter spp - one, probably an early Common, along the western shoreline
Black-tailed Skimmer - c5
Emperor - 2 males
4-spotted Chaser - 2

Moths
Large catch with the highlight being the third & fourth Blackneck for here along with a load of "year-ticks" including Grass Emerald

A migrant Silver Y, one of two seen today, along with a 'barbiehopper'?  Thanks Janet

Mammals
Hedgehog - 1 dead by Alder Copse boardwalk.

Amphibians
Common Toad - Huge numbers of minute toadlets swarming on the paths below the Obs Tower area.  Great-crested Newt by Middleton model boat pond

Heysham CES
Not particularly brilliant as regards local productivity with the full CES nets and two of the three next to the office producing two juvenile Whitethroat, two juvenile Chiffchaff, one juvenile Willow Warbler and a handful of tits, Robins, Wrens and Dunnock.  Also adult Lesser Whitethroat and the surprise in the form of a juvenile Coal Tit

Ocean Edge
Very quick check on the dropping tide saw an adult Med Gull  

Autumnal signs

Heysham Obs
The Middleton CES was like a session in mid-July rather than the beginning of the last week of June.  Young Sedge Warblers, usually still in their nappies in late June, were ready to get their passports stamped, young Blackcaps had started to wander into the wetland area and the capture of half a dozen moulting adult Willow Warbler was also  unexpected.  Then you remember that everything arrived rather earlier than usual in April.............

Middleton NR
Siskin - one south at 0840 was the only evidence of 'vis'
CES ringing produced: Blue Tit (4 juv), Willow Warbler (1 juv, 6 adult), Chiffchaff (1 juv), Whitethroat (2 juv, 2 adult), Blackcap (3 juv), Reed Warbler (3 adult), Sedge Warbler (5 juv, 4 adult), Grasshopper Warbler (2 juv)

Ocean Edge/Red Nab
Very distant flock of waders included:
Grey Plover - 30, mainly in full summer plumage
Dunlin - c25
small wader spp - another 30 or so
Med Gull - adult and 3CY, but too late in the (dropping) tide cycle 

First Little Egret for ages

Heysham Obs
Outfalls/Red Nab
The dropping tide, not the best time, saw:
Kittiwake - 2CY
Med Gull - one adult and the 3CY
Little Egret - one OE saltmarsh channel

Moths
Two photographed in the field by Janet yesterday.  The C. perlella info can be seen at the excellent UK Moths site:     http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=2907

Celypha striana and a variant of Crambus perlella (see link)