Moths Rule again...

Heysham

No reports as yet

Moths
This Silky Wainscot was trapped in the hut two nights ago - the third record for this site.  It's "silkiness", which is very obvious when viewing the actual moth is not apparent in this image.

Good news

North Harbour Wall to Half Moon Bay
The good news is that 2 of the 3 Ringed Plover chicks have survived and are now well grown with 2 males and a female looking out for them.
60-70 Oystercatcher still hanging around (mostly first summers).
7 Mute Swans flew in on an awayday to Heysham then flew off back to the north side of the Bay.
Whitethroat still singing near the Zoo cafe.

Not so much “news” as an observation:
The rain front mid evening brought an influx of swifts that joined those routinely feeding high above Heysham Head.
The insects and therefore the birds were much lower than normal. Over 50 counted above Half Moon Bay meadow at 7:00pm

Late news....

Moths again I'm afraid.

On May 26th a putative (but totally melanistic and therefore unidentifable) May Highflier was taken from the trap. Jizz not really sufficient for this species.

On dissection it turned out to be Lancashire's first Ruddy Highflier since 2004. The remains have now been confirmed by the Lancashire recorders. How many more get by?

Even later news:

Ruddy Highflier 30-5-10

A second individual was "Sampled" on May 30th (Just confirmed - Gen det male) and also proved to be Ruddy Highflier. Have we been missing something?

Hawk Moths Rule OK

Birds:
? Certainly some.....

Moths:
Dark Sword Grass, 3 Poplar Hawk Moths, 1 Eyed Hawk Moth
and on a daytime search: 2 Yellow Shell, Mother Shipton, Scoparia Pyralella

Heysham Early Start

Heysham obs
Another CES session this morning with net setting beginning at 05.10 as usual - 13 captures was good for this project here!

Moths
A reasonable catch this morning (one benefit of checking the moth trap at 06.00!)  included Shaded Pug, Grey Pug and two Poplar Hawkmoths.

ajd

North Harbour Wall 
Sandwich Tern - 1
Knot - 26 (on one of the groynes and then flew NW)
Red-breasted Merganser - 2
Eider - 1
Ringed Plover - 2
Meadow Pipit - 2
Bullfinch -1 at the Zoo Cafe car park

Grey seal - 1

Moths make a decent showing...

Birds:
Whitethroat singing near obs.

Moths.
About 20 species either in the trap or around the reserve.
Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Common Wave, Herald, Poplar Hawk etc.
The micro, Elachista Argentella was new for tedrad.
Plenty of Grass Moths; 30+ Cambus Lathoniellus and Chrysoteuchia Culmella making its first showing of the year.

White rabbits, white rabbits

It's the beginning of the month and there are no birds to report.  Things can only get better and I have been told that saying white rabbits at the start of a month brings good luck - let's hope so!

Just one bird

North Harbour Wall

An early morning 2 hour watch produced just one sighting - a Gannet.

Middleton Industrial Est
8 tufted duck (5 male)
4 little grebe
1 family of newly fledged Long Tailed Tits
Insects
Butterflies - Common blue & Small Heath everywhere + many whites, peacock & small tortoiseshell
+ 1 Wall Brown
Dragon flies - 3 x four spot chaser + many blue-tailed, 2 x common blue and 1 x large red damselflies
First grasshopper "chirruping"

Elsewhere
Spoonbill still on the Allen Pool at Leighton Moss

Another skua

Heysham obs

North Harbour Wall 0615-0800
Arctic Skua - 1 dark phase at 0710
Gannet - 8
Brent Goose - 1
possible Black Tern - 1

Nature Reserve
Reed Warbler - 1pr
Sedge Warbler - 2 singing males
Whitethroat - 2 singing
Willow Warbler - 2 singing
Blackcap - 1 singing
then all the usual suspects (Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock etc etc)


Elsewhere
Spoonbill still at Leighton Moss

Young uns

Middleton industrial estate

Two quite well grown juv Lapwings being watched by their parents on the spit at the model boat pond.  They nimbly avoided three clumsy Mute Swans which were arguing about who should be where on the spit.

Also two fledged Pied Wagtails accompanied by an adult.

Elsewhere
Spoonbill at Leighton Moss on the Allen Pool.  No sign of the reported Little Stint.