Meds more scattered today

Strong SW winds still, some sunshine but a few showers too.

South shore - afternoon (PM, JR, MD)

Mediterranean gull 

Holiday maker disturbance of Red Nab left it Med free.

10 on and around No.2 outflow

Beach near jetty 13:00 - 15 including two ringed birds. 14:30 - 19, none ringed.

Arctic Tern 1

Common Tern 1

Common tern feeding on No.2 outflow with Black-Headed gulls, also two juvenile Meds upper left.

Heysham Nature Reserve - afternoon (JP)

Despite the wind there were still plenty of butterflies to be found In the sheltered reserve including:

Comma

Peacock

Small Skipper

Speckled Wood

Record broken (à la Bob Beamon)

Strengthening SW winds with heavy rain in morning, brighter later

Red Nab area - early afternoon towards high water (PM)

Mediterranean gull -  At least 107, possibly 117, with at least 4 juvs and plenty of all three other age classes, especially adult (50 plus) 

The previous high count was yesterday's 83. When Bob Beamon smashed the world long jump record in 1968, it stood for 23 years! So, perhaps not a good analogy - we'll see.

Common tern 1 adult

Arctic tern 1 adult

Record number of Meds

Still SW winds with a few showers and mainly overcast.

South shore on flooding tide (SC, MJ, PM)

It's not always easy to get accurate counts of roosting birds with multiple observers. Everyone today saw lots of Meds, although they started to drift off south as the tide rose. However, Shaun went through each of the areas systematically and managed an astonishing 83. Previous highest 78 in 2019. 

Mediterranean gull 

Red Nab: 45 3cy/ad + 2 juvenile 

Outfalls and Wooden jetty: 33 3cy/ad + 3 juvenile 

Adult Med resting on beach 

Black-t Godwit 1

Common Tern 1 adult on No.2 outflow 

Whimbrel at least one

Another bird, surprisingly difficult to see on rocks

Nice picture of a Small Skipper - this and the two images above from Matt

Heysham Nature Reserve - afternoon (KE)

Butterflies included:

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Speckled Wood

Small Skipper

Common Blue

Peacock

Ringlet

Comma

The Peacock was a lovely, freshly emerged specimen. 

Comma, nicely displaying the white "comma" on underwing 

Ringlet

Meds spread about

Light SW winds, mainly overcast with a few light showers.

All I have so far are my two checks of the beach near wooden jetty - hopefully more later (MD)

11:30 - tide starting to flood, but still a long way out.

There were no Mediterranean gulls feeding on the beach. But this group were preening on the rocks on the seaward side of beach.

The German green ringed bird, first seen yesterday, is with these, as is a white ringed bird. 

There were also 3 adult and a 3rd calendar year bird on the beach near No.2outflow.

As the tide flushed the birds from the rocks most flew off east straight away, others tried the beach, but found nothing to eat so also set off east. Possibly to Red Nab, although Dan reported 16 on the Lune, as seen from Glasson Dock, yesterday.

Total seen this morning - adult 19, 3cy 3, juvenile 3

Whimbrel 1

Common Sandpiper 1

18:45 - 3.25 hours after high water - beach just about to become exposed.

There were 8 Meds waiting on the stones below sea wall (shame none were ringed). They moved on to water, and by the time they could get on to mud there were - adult 11, 3cy 2, 2cy 1, juvenile 2.

Still none with rings! They seemed to be finding some food, but only at the water's edge, so they followed the tide line.

These are the 2 x 3cy, waiting for the mud to become exposed

So, minimum for the day:

Mediterranean gull- adult 19, 3cy 3, 2cy 1, juvenile 3.

Meds join in on anting feast

A better day with warm SW light winds and quite a bit of sunshine.

Red Nab area rising tide (PM, MJ, JP)

Mediterranean gulls - 12 (one Juv, one metal ringed adult on left tibia).

And this German ringed adult - ringed as nestling 2012, and seen previously in Heysham 2017, 2018 and 2019

Matt Jackson did really well to read and photograph this, as it was a long way out on beach.

Janet photographed one on the Rock Pipits

Very hard to see them against the rocks - just as well they are noisy little peepers!

Middleton Nature Reserve late afternoon (MD)

There was a major emergence of flying ants. They were being eaten at every level.

The Blackbirds and Dunnock On the the ground - both soon full

There weren't many dragonfly around today, but the Emperors were feeding up to 3m high.

Got one!

C200 Black-Headed Gull from 3m upwards

This one is just going to catch one

There were also at least 4 (almost certainly many more) adult Mediterranean gulls feeding with the BHG

This is one of them

Above the gulls were an absolute minimum

Swallow 25

House Martin 10

Swift 50 - a knowledgeable couple on car park as I was leaving said they saw 60 - 70 Swift leaving to the south

The single large swarm split into three and the birds followed and also dispersed, presumably sated. 

A lot of the BHG and at least one Med settled on the main pond for a drink.

Med third from left

And this is what it was all about.

Outage sees gulls disappear

Recent Med Gull recoveries

Mediterranean Gull
E939425	Nestling	09/06/2016	Marais d'Harchies, Bernissart, Hainaut, Wallonia BELGIUM 50 29N 3 41E
3VEP	Seen	21/03/2018	Playa San Lorenzo, Gijon, Asturias, SPAIN  43 32N 5 39W
	Seen	16/04/2019	Hems-Saint-Poi, Gravelines, Nord, Hauts-de-France, FRANCE 51 00N 2 08E
	Seen	29/01/2020	Estuario do Douro, Canidelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto, PORTUGAL 41 08N 8.40W
	Seen	19/07/2020	Heysham outfalls
E947761	Nestling	09/06/2018	Total, Antwerp, Flanders, BELGIUM  51 15N 4 19E
3857	Seen	17/07/2020	Heysham outfalls
3693897	Nestling	24/06/2010	De Kreupel Island, Ijsselmeer, Noord-Holland, NETHERLANDS  52 48N 5 14E
LCG	Seen	19/08/2010	Knott End
	Seen	20/08/2010	Cocker's Dyke, Pilling Lane
	Seen	20/02/2011	Malaga Harbour, SPAIN  36 43N 4 25W
	Seen	11/08/2013	Heysham outfalls
	Seen	09/01/2015	Olhao salinas, Algarve, PORTUGAL 37 02N  7 48W
	Seen	19/01/2016	Santa Cruz, La Coruna, SPAIN  43 21N 8 02W
	Seen	18/01/2017	Playa San Lorenzo, Gijon, Asturias, SPAIN  43 32N 5 39W
	Seen	29/12/2017	Playa de El Rinconin, Gijon, Asturias, SPAIN  43 32N 5 38W
	Seen	21/01-09/02/2018	Playa San Lorenzo, Gijon, Asturias, SPAIN  43 32N 5 39W
	Seen	31/07/2018	Heysham outfalls
	Seen	02/02/2019	Playa San Lorenzo, Gijon, Asturias, SPAIN  43 32N 5 39W
	Seen	16/7-04/08/2019	Heysham outfalls
	Seen	18/01/2020	Ria a Coruna, Santa Cruz de Oleros, A Coruna  SPAIN  43 21N 8 21W
	Seen	18/07/2020	Heysham outfalls

Ringing and mothing morning

Alan and John operated two actinic traps and then two similarly socially distanced ringing sessions either side of the track between the western and central marshes at Middleton NR

Moths included another Agonopterix conterminella, Eudonia pallida and another wainscot species making an appearance - Bulrush.  Still Silky Wainscot around along with a few Southern

Birds saw a decent selection of early migrants including the first Garden Warbler of the autumn, 10 new Sedge Warbler, 11 new Whitethroat and five each of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.  A new juvenile Cetti's Warbler was caught in the central marsh suggesting that four successfully fledged from the territory there

Brief coastal birding saw nothing of interest

Insects active

Calm in the morning, when the gentle westerly returned, it was more to south and warmer. So it got quite hot as the sun shone for most of the day.

A check of the beach near the jetty in the morning found only two Mediterranean gulls. A 3rd calendar year and a 2nd calendar year - this bird had a white darvic, which remains unread. Neither bird was feeding and both flew off as the incoming tide reached them

Great White Egret 1 flying west from the direction of the Lune estuary 

Rock Pipits 3 on Red Nab plus 1 near lighthouse 

Grey seal 1

Middleton Nature Reserve mid afternoon 

Wildfowl as yesterday 

Lots of insects

Butterflies 10 species seen:

Red Admiral 

Large White

Small White

Speckled Wood

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Ringlet

Comma

Small Skipper

Brimstone

Female Brimstone 

Dragonflies - these were particularly active, making identification of some difficult - but at least 6 species:

Emperor 

Brown Hawker

Hawker sp medium sized, probably Southern

Common Darter

Four-spotted Chaser

Black-tailed Skimmer

One of two pairs of Black-tailed Skimmers, taking advantage of the warm spell.

No Mediterranean gulls on the beach near jetty as it became uncovered in the evening, but these two were flying out from north wall, providing nice views of the Cumbrian coast.

Adult

3rd calendar year 

Little Egret puzzler

The cool westerly wind continues, mainly sunny.

Beach near wooden jetty

Mediterranean gull - Two checks, morning (MD) and evening (JR).

08:00 adult 11, 3cy 2, 2cy 1

18:00 adult 17, juvenile 1

All the birds on both occasions were just resting, none feeding.

Middleton Nature Reserve late afternoon (MD)

Mute swan. Two pairs with 3 and 4 cygnet, plus 5 additional adult 

Coot 6

Moorhen 6

Mallard 21

Little Grebe 3

Little egret 1

House Martin 5

Swallow feeding all over the reserve at least 16

Swift 4 in afternoon at least 6 in a brief evening check

Darter 1 mature male - too brief to confirm species.

I saw the Little Egret on the other side of the main pond. The coot family passing in front of it, so took this snap.

Just after this it flew off. I then noticed on the pictures that its legs were yellow 

My first thoughts were Cattle Egret but Pete and Dan confirmed that it was a juvenile Little Egret. I didn't know that juveniles had yellow legs (I do now MD). Anyway, it's the first one I've seen.

Misunderstood Meds

Sunny for most of day wind more northerly than recent, but from west.

Pete Crooks did a thorough check of the south shore on this morning's rising tide:

Heysham Stage 2 outfall 

1 juvenile Mediterranean Gull (flew off towards Wooden Pier and later seen off harbour mouth), 

3 Rock Pipit 

Heysham Wooden Pier 

40 Cormorant, 

10 Turnstone, 

1 Common Sandpiper, 

1 Sandwich Tern 

Red Nab (incoming tide) 

14 Mediterranean Gull (11 adults, 3 x 3rd CY), 

5 Whimbrel, 

1 Greenshank, 

1 colour-ringed Curlew (Red right above 'left knee', Dark ring with pale line / code above 'right knee'), 

1 juvenile Peregrine 

Beach near wooden jetty (MD)

Todays title refers to my misunderstanding regarding the Mediterranean gulls feeding yesterday. On Friday they were all easily catching sand mason worms, last night they were all either sat on rocks or beach. Not feeding, I presumed because they were full. I went down early this morning, expecting to see another feeding frenzy - at 06:00 the beach was deserted, no gull of any description was there. By 07:00 6 Meds had turned up, but no attempt at feeding. The sand mason worms could not have been available, and the Gulls knew in advance!

Dunlin - a nice flock of 28 summer plumaged adults did stop off to feed ( they were, and continued heading south)

Adult Med gull watching the Dunlin and Redshank feeding.

There was a family of five Linnet feeding on the wall where the solitary Rock Pipit normally sits.

After failing to chase them off, it skulked to a hole in the wall - This is not the nesting hole.

By evening it was a completely different story at 19:00 the beach was full of feeding gulls. All managing to catch some sand mason worms, albeit not as easily as Friday (this all needs some further Thought and observations). 

Mediterranean gull 40+ including 3 juvenile, 2 2cy. I didn't notice any 3cy, but there probably were some. There must be quite a turnover of Meds. There was a new darvic bird today and the previous two not seen.

A few of the remaining Meds + BHG as the tide cleared the last of them