Monday 9 June 2008

A low-key day of work!

Heysham Obs
Apart from being rumbled at last in a 'give me some money' spam [Dear Sir: It has come to our attention that you are an alien.........], it was a fairly quiet day with a couple of excursions to look at dragonflies and the tide.

Insects
Middleton IE
Several [5-6] Black-tailed Skimmer & 4-spotted Chaser on the model boat pond plus a glimpse of a smaller dragonfly, presumed teneral/female darter. Taken to task off-line for suggesting that teneral darters by the model boat pond at Middleton at this time of year are most likely to be Red-veined. This is based on eight years of observation where all darters until June Week Three at the very earliest have proved to be Red-veined at this site. This does not mean that there cannot be exceptions and this will obviously be the case if last summer's weather prevented pairing and ovipositing (the flying window suggests that they should have had time)! Therefore the original statement was not dogmatic. Lets see how this week, with its unfavourable temperature forecast, pans out.

Dog walk-track/pond
This refers to the 'landscape strip' running from the cream building towards Ocean Edge.

14-16 4-spotted Chaser
4 Emperor

Birds
225 Black-headed Gull outfalls but no sign of any Meds or terns
Harbour mouth not checked. Single 1st summer Knot on beach.

Elsewhere
Male Black Redstart singing from building-tops in NEW STREET, Lancaster, opposite the 'Junior Library'.