A touch of serendipity

Heavy rain all morning eased in the afternoon. A fresh wind initially from south ended up a westerly 

Middleton Nature Reserve - report from yesterday's visit - Rosemary and Peter Silvester 

Seen at the Southern End:

Male Common Darters 12

Migrant Hawkers 2

Female Common Darter 2 (1 ovipositing)

No Ruddy Darters

Large White 1

Red Admiral 1

Speckled Wood 2

Female Short Winged Conehead 1

Seen at the Main Pond:

Red Veined Darter 1

Male Common Darter 6

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Blue Damselfly 2

Speckled Wood 1

Mute Swan 2

Grey Heron

Heard at the Main Pond:

Robin

Long Tailed Tit

Cettis Warbler

Common Darters

Red-Veined Darter

Common Blue Damselfly 

Speckled Wood

Short-Winged Cone-head

South shore - Malcolm 14:15 - 16:15

There was still some rain in the air as I set out, but I returned in sunshine 

Linnet 30+ feeding on the saltmarsh, 8 on Red Nab

Ringed Plover 1 at the saltmarsh 

Ringed Plover amongst the Samphire 

Wheatear 1 along the foreshore and 1 on the sea wall at Red Nab.

The foreshore bird seemed more concerned about keeping out of the wind, although it was finding some bits to eat.

Wheatear on the sloping sea wall

Rock Pipit 2 at Red Nab, plus 1 along the sea wall and 1 heard near the lighthouse 

The only things feeding at the outfalls and along the sea wall on the way out were Black-Headed gulls

Plenty of Cormorants and one immature Shag on the wooden jetty.

Shag arrowed

This was just before No.2 outfall on the way back.

The Cormorant on the left has just swallowed a fish, but it was struggling 
to get it completely down

It was trying to swallow it for over three minutes. This is just an excerpt.

I had already checked the outfall and there were still only Black-Headed Gulls feeding. But after the watching the Cormorant for a few minutes, a second check saw a juvenile Arctic Tern. I would probably have missed it if not for the delay. Serendipity Indeed, but it was tempered by a touch of misfortune, as the sun chose this moment to break through, making seeing awkward as the sea turned silver.

Juvenile Arctic Tern

It was pretty nimble too!

By the time I got back to the Nature Park the sun was shining and the insects stirring.

Small White 5

Speckled Wood 2

Red Admiral 2

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Darter 8

This gate is 50m past the small anemometer along the back track. There are
four Common Darters soaking up the sun in this shot at one point there were five.

Another RVD and Hummingbird Hawk-moth

A dry day with hazy sunshine. A light west(ish) breeze

Middleton Nature Reserve - Peter and Rosemary Silvester

Red-Veined Darter seen on the main pond

Not a very obliging one, it could be an immature male or female

A fuller report of today's sightings to follow.

South shore Malcolm 09:00 - 10:15

Linnet 30+ feeding on the saltmarsh 

Meadow Pipit 4 grounded and squabbling along the foreshore 

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit 1 along foreshore, 3 on Red Nab and 1 along the sea wall

Rock Pipit

Wheatear 1 along the foreshore 

Wheatear

Shelduck 29 out from the saltmarsh 

Little Egret 5 between saltmarsh and No.2 outfall, I didn't go any further

Mediterranean gull 3 adults on Red Nab

This green Ringed Mediterranean gull is one of the regulars.
Ringed as a chick in Germany in 2012.

Two more Meds and a Black-Headed gull

Common Gull on Red Nab

There were plenty of gulls feeding on No.2 outfall, but all Black-Headed

The maintenance work was to erect the temporary bridge along the sea wall. This is for vehicle access when the outfalls are to be serviced. The bridge is fenced off, but there is access past it.

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was in my back garden when I got home. But by the time I got my camera it had enough of my Busy Lizzies and I just managed a record shot before it moved on.

They move so quickly that the only bit in focus is its tongue! 

Tomorrow's weather is looking a bit grim

Better than expected

Overcast for most of the day the anticipated rain, not beginning till mid afternoon. A light SE - SW wind

Middleton Nature Reserve 

This report from Rosemary and Peter Silvester's visit yesterday 

Southern End:

Large White 2

Speckled Wood 4

Red Admiral 1

Common Darters at least 6 pairs ovipositing all together plus lots of lone males

Ruddy Darter 1

Migrant Hawkers 2

2 Robins heard

Main Pond:

Common Blue Damselflies 3

Common Darters (several different pairs ovipositing and lots of lone males)

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Blue Butterfly 1

We also heard a Chiffchaff and a Cettis Warbler.

Ruddy Darter

There was a real breeding frenzy going on with 6 or more pairs of Common Darter
ovipositing at the same time in a few square yards of water.

Female Common Darter

Migrant Hawker 

Common Blue Damselfly

Speckled Wood

Common Blue resting on Rigid Eyebright

The Mute Swans on the main pond

Alder Leaf Beetles

Janet checked today.

Tufted Duck 1 female on the main pond, feeding amongst the Mallard.

Mallard and Tufted Duck (some of the bread thrown out for the Mallards sinks
and attracts small fish and invertebrates, which in turn attracts the diving ducks)

Gadwall 1 male on the "no swimming" pond

Gadwall and Coot

South shore - Malcolm 10:00 - 10:30

Just a short walk from the saltmarsh to Red Nab as the incoming tide was covering it

Rock Pipit 1

Wheatear 2

Wheatear 

Common Sandpiper 1 

Mediterranean gull - when Pete checked earlier only 1 1st calendar year was visible, but either another arrived, or more likely, the incoming tide brought a second in to view

1cy Mediterranean gull

The other 1cy Mediterranean gull with the Common Sandpiper just before it flew east

Originally the Oystercatchers were quite distant 

But some ended up close to the sea wall

Revealing one to have a green colour ring. One of a Norwegian scheme,
details awaited 

Juvenile Knot with Oystercatcher 

Little Egret 3

Little Egret heading off

The sea wall was closed for maintenance. Don't know how long the work will take.

It seems the problems I have been encountering with the blog is only when using Safari as a server. I managed to upload today's pictures using Google server. Still a bit of a faff, but mainly as I am not used to working in Google. We will see how things go.