Another wader for the list and a 1st returner, Fly Flatts. (Permit Only)

 

                                    First returning Redshank

                                Turnstone and 1 of 3 Ringed Plover.

                                    Very distant in the mist

A hard work morning with a very low cloud base covering the top of The Nab and swirling mist over the water on a moderate E>4 at 14 degrees with constant light drizzle. Perfect wader conditions but poor visibility. Dense fog by 0930 hrs.

    All quiet at the south end so another trek on the west bank with limited visibility with the mist banks moving over the water.

   First scan across the water to the north east shore revealed 3 Ringed Plover with a slightly larger wader behind so up with the scope to find a cracking Turnstone which was on my list of low expectations. 

   Impossible to get anything other than record shots due to the distance, poor light, and drizzly mist as it worked the east shoreline along with one of the Ringed Plovers.

   A shrill call up in the low cloud and then a single Redshank dropping down on the west bank cobbles briefly, before moving over to the inlet area, this being a first returning bird.

   A single Stonechat was below the west bank whilst 21 LBB and 6 Black Headed were on the east shoreline with the 3 juv Tufted returned to the water.

    By the time I'd walked back on to the south bank the fog had come down so with 'lights out' it was head for home.

    Another cloudy morning for tomorrow with a light ENE at 12 degrees so sounds perfect but fog dependant.

BS

    

A quieter morning, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Just a single Ringed Plover

Again, perfect weather conditions at Fly Flatts with full cloud and a cold light E>3 at 12 degrees. Mist blanking the tops of the turbines early on but soon cleared.

    Much quieter today, wader-wise, with just a single Ringed Plover in the NW corner by the inlet with the other Ringed Plovers and Dunlin not found.

     A count of 78 LBB and 9 Black Headed were on the NE shore whilst 2 of the newly fledged Tufted were back on the water.

    A pair of Stonechat were down by the feeding station along with several Mipits but otherwise a quiet morning with nothing overhead other than a small count of  Swallows >S.

  Another light easterly for morning with full cloud and a possibility of light rain and fog at 13 degrees.

BS

Mega morning at Fly Flatts. ( Permit only)

 

                                    Several LBB gulls

                                    Greenshanks in from the east

                                        4  arrived

                                    Distant north shore

                                    4 plus 1 of 2 Dunlin

                                    Across on the east shore

                                        1 of 5 Ringed Plover

Perfect conditions this morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a cold ESE>2 at 14 degrees and damp in the air.

     With boats due on the water this morning I headed on the west bank to check the expanse of mud on the north and north east shore. All looked quiet other than 31 LBB and 6 Black Headed gulls plus the usual few remaining geese along with 5 Wheatear.

   The gulls suddenly flushed when 4 large waders flew over before doing a distant circuit and landing on the north shore,4 Greenshank, making 9 that I've had up there so far this year.

   Very hard to get any sort of decent photos at the distance and in the heat shimmer so just a few record shots. They kept moving between the north and the east shoreline busy feeding before getting their heads down in one of the deep channels so they were nearly out of sight as I left.

  Whilst scoping the Greenshank I also picked up 5 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin in the same area, so quite a morning for waders. A count of 63 Swallows were lined up on the wires before moving off >S.

    I was told later that the Greenshanks had gone but still the Dunlins and Ringed Plovers present. The water is now too shallow for boats to go near the north end so the birds were probably flushed by a birder! seen with a  camera walking about on the mud, which would have immediately flushed the nervy birds. The only safe way to see waders at this site at the moment is from a distance using a scope so as not to disturb them, spoiling it for others.

Similar forecast for tomorrow with a light easterly and cloudy sunshine, kicking off at 12 degrees.

BS

    

Back to the heat, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Several Red Legged Partridge

                                Looking to the NW corner from the peninsular

                                        Acres of mud.

Back to the heat this morning with full sun at 18 degrees on a low WNW>2. Some fog patches over the moor to the far west.

    Too hot to work the west bank this morning in the light wind and burning sun so headed along the shaded east bank to scope around from the peninsular.

  A count of 33 LBB gulls were way over in the NW corner along with 7 Black Headed, 2 Herring and an adult Yellow Legged Herring which is probable the same bird  doing the rounds that has shown here several times and also at Ogden and Leeshaw. The Tufted duck family have finally left the reservoir along with yesterdays Common Scoter. A group of 9 Herring gull headed high and >SW.

     A single Ringed Plover was on the north shore along with 6 Wheatear, whilst overhead, 29 Swallow and 8 House Martin headed >SW but otherwise, empty skies.

    Several Red Legged Partridge were around the south end of the reservoir, obviously to escape the guns from over the NAB at TMR. Oddly, Red Grouse in this area are now a rare find with possibly one or two sightings a year, whereas a few years back it was over-run with them.

     Cloudy sunshine for morning at 15 degrees but a worrying light easterly which could mean fog on the tops.

BS

     

     

   

A cooler Fly Flatts and another goody. An afternoon twitch from N.K.

 

                                Good job I counted the Tufted ducks.

                                1 extra,   drake Common Scoter.

                                    1 of 4 Kestrel.

A more pleasant morning at Fly Flatts with the temperature settled at 16 degrees with a nice cooling 

WSW>3 with full dark cloud.

   With the south shore and se corner off the menu today due to early arrived paddle boards it was back on the west bank where I spent the full watch.

   Whilst starting to walk on I got the bins on the distant Tufted duck family and found there was one extra among them which is not usual. Up with the scope to reveal the extra duck was a drake Common Scoter, very disguised in among the Tufted.

    On at the NW corner a scope around produce 1 Ringed Plover and 4 Wheatear whilst 11 LBB and 6 BH gulls were on the shoreline as well as 2 juv Herring gull.

    A group of 16 Swallows headed >W as well as 2 very high Swifts but otherwise the skies remained quiet.

  Back at the lagoon there were several Goldfinch and Linnets fighting over the thistles whilst the lagoon area was alive with Mipits. A pair of Stonechat were working their way along the fence line of the Flat Moor.

-----------------

p.m.

Horton Bank Top.

                                   Unusual to find a free flying Black Swan

                                    Found by NK.

                                    No sign of rings

A call early afternoon from NK alerting me to a Black Swan with the 2 Mute Swans on Horton C.P. made it worthwhile going to see.

   Although classed as an ornamental species escapees have bred well throughout the British Isles leaving several self sufficient un-ringed birds gone feral.

  My last sighting of Black Swan was on Ogden, 6/7/2003 and then TMR, 21/7/2003. Prior to this, one was frequently seen on the river around Bingley.

    I used to bird this area when it was a reservoir in the 1960s watching from the Bank Top bus sheds that my dad drove out of when he was a bus driver for Bradford City Transport. It was always a good area and even better when it was rained leaving just a scrape of water in the muddy basin. It even picked up an Avocet one year.

    Unfortunately, it was then made into a country park, which as always, completely ruined the site.

When I went down today it was horrific with druggies dealing and people shouting and screaming in the water. It was so bad that a security guard at the top gates stopped me and asked me if I had any weapons. When I replied no, he lent me a baseball bat !!

   I,m surprised the Swan was still there and hopefully it goes soon as 2 previous swans there were killed, one with a dog and one with a stick.

   Anyway, a nice find Nigel and thanks for the call.

Another warm one tomorrow at 17 degrees on a light WNW.

BS