Sunday 17 July 2011

Decent stormy weather

Heysham Obs
If its going to be grotty at this time of year, its usually more productive when it goes the whole hog.  Two very different highlights today, both probably a result of the onshore winds and rough sea.  These were a single Storm Petrel and an unprecedented four Pediasia aridella in the moth trap.  P. aridella is a salt-marsh pyralid and cannot possibly have liked being covered by a rough sea/high night tide, so did they disperse as a result? 

North harbour wall 1130-1210ish
Manx Shearwater - 3 together out on th edge of the low cloud
Storm Petrel - one by No 7 buoy jst after the IOM ferry arrived, then the weather closed in & it was lost
anglers blocking the road - one car-full

Ocean Edge/Red Nab pre-tide
Med Gull - 4 x adult, 1 x 3CY
Whimbrel - 3
Arctic Tern - one adult

Moths
Highlighted by 4 Pediasia aridella, some distance from the nearest saltmarsh with previous records here being just the occasional singleton.  Also new for the year/of note were: Eucosma campoliliana, Common Rustic (agg), Southern Wainscot and the iconic Lesser Yellow Underwing