A busier morn at Fly Flatts.

                                     2 of 6 Lesser Black Backed

                                        2 cy

                                    Usual Oystercatchers

                                    Single Wheatear

                                    Plenty Curlew

                                    4 Common Sandpiper present.

                        Relief to find the Ringed Plover pair.

An icy cold morning at Fly Flatts reading 1 degree and a heavy ground frost but clear blue skies and sunshine which turned to full cloud by 0900 hrs with a biting NW>3.

      Much more activity this morning and a couple of surprises with a single Wheatear and the Ringed Plover breeding pair turning up after I thought they must have gone. Also a single Redshank showed up which this species also being absent the last couple of visits.

      A Heron was on the west bank along with 4 Common Sandpipers, feeding between the cobbles. More big gulls are starting to show up with the adults probably being non breeders whilst todays LBBs were mostly 2 cy birds which will soon be going into their 3rd cy. Just 2 of todays gulls were adults with the others being 2 cy.

    Nothing in the fields on the way home today but 2 Swallow were over Bradshaw near the old brewery at the bottom of the 'Bonnet'.

      Looking dry for morning but a strong north westerly that may bring me some Arctic Terns over from Lancashire.

BS

    
 

Sunshine at Fly Flatts

 

                                    1 of 5 Common Sandpiper

                                    2 Herring gull in Nolstar field

A nice bright but cold morning at Fly Flatts with full clear blue skies and sunshine on a moderate NW>5 gusting 6 at 2 degrees with a heavy overnight ground frost.

        The birds seemed to be keeping their heads down in the cold wind, apart from raptors, with 3 Buzzard up along with a Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.

   A pair of Teal were across in the far NW corner with the usual Mallards and geese whilst Common Sandpipers were up to 5 along with 4 Oystercatchers but no sign of the Ringed Plover pair, after a check of all their usual areas, looking like they may have moved on due to high water levels.

      Still no second wave of Wheatear which are running very late this year compared to last year when I had 9 present at this time of year. Also, no Wheatear means no Ring Ouzel which usually arrive together.

  A lot of watching over the water failed to produce any of MCs Arctic Terns after he reported several on the move.

      An odd find on the way home with 2 adult Herring Gull in the Nolstar field, not a regular visitor to this site.

  A light westerly for morning keeping dry and down to 1 degree. Visibility so far is expected to be clear.

BS

Watching and waiting, Fly Flatts.

 

                            4 Common Sandpipers present

A much better morning weather-wise at Fly Flatts with clear visibility on 80% cloud and some sunshine. An icy cold NW>4 was blowing at 3 degrees.

      Common Sandpipers saved the morning with now 4 present along with 6 Oystercatchers and the usual Curlews and Lapwings but no sign of the Ringed Plovers again today.

  A group of 8 Herring gull drifted high and >NE whilst 3 LBB gulls harassed the Lapwings on the north shore. Very poor otherwise with just a single Kestrel in the air and 2 Swallows >N whilst Greylag numbers increase on the water alongside the Canadas and Mallards.

     Another good and dry day tomorrow with good visibility forecast but a stronger north westerly starting off at 1 degree.

BS

     

    

Snow, Sleet, Hail and Gales plus a Thunderstorm. Leeshaw.

 

                                    A good show of Oystercatchers

                                                2 cy Herring

                                    Hail by the tower

                                LBBs during a heavy hail storm.

                                    Low visibility through a heavy shower

                                Lapwings sitting it out in the fields.

                                    Minimum of 16 Oystercatcher

                                    Queensbury midday

A moderate to strong W>6 gusting 7 at Leeshaw with a real mish mash of weather. One minute blue sky and sunshine, the next rain, sleet and snow with some really powerful hail storms moving through with thunder and lightening. A cold start to the morning at 2 degrees and a heavy snow shower back at Queensbury around midday.

      The Oystercatcher flock which I thought had dispersed had this morning re-grouped with at least 16 present, possibly more, though Curlew numbers were down with just the breeding pairs remaining.

      The strong wind brought a few big gulls through >W with 4 LBBs and 7 Herring whilst 2 Redshank, a single Moorhen and a Heron were present as well as the usual geese etc. Just 4 Swallow through >N today between showers.

    Promising to be dry tomorrow on a lighter north westerly.

BS

Kidded by the weather forecast, Fly Flatts.

 

                                A good year for Curlew

                                    2 of 3 Common Sandpiper

                                    2 of 5 Oystercatcher

                                    1 pr Pied Wagtails present

                                    A 3rd Common Sandpiper

The good weather forecast for today lasted until 0800 hrs with blue sky and sunshine before clouds rolled over from the west bringing drizzle on an icy cold W>4 at 4 degrees.

By 0945 hrs the sky was dark and the rain coming down in stair-rods turning to heavy hailstones as I drove through Mixenden.

    Waders are still looking good with now 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Ringed Plover, 7 Oystercatcher and 2 Redshank as well as many Curlew and Lapwing. Where have all the Snipe gone with none at Leeshaw as well as Fly Flatts where once there were several and last year produced 1 bird at each site apart from a group of 10 movers over Leeshaw.

     Apart from the waders there was just 4 LBB gulls >NE plus the usual species whilst the only small passerines were Meadow Pipits and Linnets.

     Swallows were moving over Foxhill >N this p.m. as the weather brightened.

Looking grim for tomorrow with a gale force wind alternating between west and west/north/west with plenty rain.

BS