Clouded Yellow

An is it/is not worth checking Red Nab on the incoming tide in bright heat-hazy sunshine paid off.

A male Clouded Yellow was over the florally rich north end of Ocean Edge grass but wouldn't land for a pic.  It then flew behind the car and presumably south along the foreshore edge bank
'
A juv Med was amongst 11 others (9 ad, two 2CY) on Red Nab

A good candidate for the website 'record shot my xxxx' (juv Med)

Definition of "elusive"

The long staying 3cy Shag was seen regularly this year till early April. If it remained in the area after that, its status is regarded as "elusive".
I've checked the records, the only reports since 13th April have been 26th May and today. That is quite elusive. (MD)
Shag - adult or near adult - one feeding in inner harbour, near wall below sandworks, 13:45.

N.B. This bird was quite distant, you may need to open pictures "in a new tab" to have a chance of making out any features.

Rock pipit - one adult seen with food today near LMS building. It wasn't clear if this was to feed fledged chicks, or just possibly a different family with chicks in nest. Further observations will confirm.

Mediterranean gulls - 3.5 hr after high water
Harbour mouth - 2 adults on water
Beach between jetty and No.1 outflow
1 x 2cy
1 x 3cy
6 x adult

These, very interesting, records are from Shaun Coyle:
Family of 5 Rock Pipits at lighthouse, Harbour (2 young still being fed) + a pair at Red Nab afterwards.
Med gull - 9 adult + 1 x 2cy, roosting. One hour before high tide

Warmer than expected

Middleton Nature Reserve - late morning.
It was barely 18C before the sun came out, but enough to warm the blood of this pair of Red-veined darters.

There were another two male RVD around main pond edges.
No information yet regarding sightings from warmer afternoon.

Other dragonflies:
Common darter (mature males now providing an alternative red bodied dragonfly)
Emperor
Black tailed skimmer
Brown hawker

Little grebe - juv on "no swimming" pond

Ocean Edge salt marsh creek
Greenshank

Wooden jetty area - evening.
There were 17 Mediterranean gulls between No.1 outflow and wooden jetty, 4 hours before high water. Surprisingly, none with darvic rings.

1cy          1
2cy          4
Adult      12

The female Rock pipit is still feeding at least one juv.

Elusive Meds

There are plenty of Mediterranean gulls around at the moment, but location of high tide roosts can be tricky on these neap tides.
There were nine on beach between wooden jetty and No.1 outflow, four hours before high water this evening. Unfortunately, the sand mason worms are not being caught on the dry beach yet, so gulls are following the tide in. This makes for difficult observations in evenings when sun is low.

There were also two out from the harbour mouth.
Best estimate of todays birds
2cy     2
3cy     3
Adult  6

No sign of Rock pipits this afternoon.

Thursday

Middleton Nature Reserve
Red-veined darter - 3 males on eastern and southern banks of main pond (15:00)
Little grebe 1 juv still on "no swimming" pond.

Plus these excellent pictures of Swift and Ringlet by Janet

Wednesday

Again only records from Heysham skeer early afternoon
Great-crested grebe 2 - there appears to have been a constant presence here all summer.
Eider 10

Tuesday

Only records from Heysham skeer in morning
Whimbrel 1
Red-breasted merganser 1 male

Monday

Only sporadic coverage this week. The Red-veined darters are still around the main (model boat) pond at Middleton, but temperature needs to be 18C plus for a realistic chance (MD).

Red-veined darter - minimum 4 male (per Maurice Wilby)

No swimming pond (just west of main pond).
Gadwall 11 plus 1 female with 7 young chicks.
Little grrebe - juv fending for itself but unable to dive for long. There has been no previous evidence of breeding here this year.

Harbour area - evening
Mediterranean gull - 1 x 3cy in harbour mouth
Rock pipits - adult(s) feeding at least one newly fledged juv
Redshank - flock of 21 resting near No.1 outflow

And, just for a bit of variety, a leaf-cutter bee (Patchwork? MD). On Middleton NR.

Sunday

arctic tern adult by outfalls

Med gull - fewer c16

Rv Darter - at least two brief scan

The Mediterranean season

Another sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky and a sparkling sea was reminiscent of the Mediterranean provided you didn’t look inland! And the Mediterranean Gulls lounging in small groups on Red Nab were perhaps fooled into thinking they were already in France? Well, probably not and the chilly northwesterly breeze was more likely to make them think about continuing south soon.
Today there were at least 19 Med Gulls including 4 x 2 CY and 3 x 3 CYs and the first juv of the season.

Thanks for the photos, Malcolm.

The Rock Pipits are still feeding young in the nest. 

Plenty of young birds on the Reserve, though very few young Greenfinches so far. Young Goldfinches are the most vocal and are going around in gangs. There are spotty Robins and not quite as spotty Dunnocks, yellow-cheeked Great and Blue Tits as you might expect and today several young Chaffinches made an appearance. 

JR