Leeshaw late afternoon was interesting in bright conditions and a strong W>5.
Gulls had been moving all day over the village mostly very high and >W into the wind so I thought Leeshaw was worth a coat of looking at.
LBBs were still moving through in good numbers with around 30 on the shoreline but coming and going all the time whilst BHGs were piling through , some settling whilst others kept motoring through >W making some hard to distinguish from Terns.
Mid way through the watch I started picking up Curlew calls and a careful scan revealed them moving through fast and low in with the gulls, some stopping briefly on the north shore before preening and heading off again >W.
During the next 30 minutes at least 21 Curlew went through with 2 Ringed Plovers which I just managed to get on the wing bar.
On the way back I checked the usual gathering fields off Long Causeway to find at least 15 Curlew present. Curlews gather in these fields at this time each year forming a roost on the moor before moving off for the winter.
Throughout the watch at Leeshaw a single big gull was out on the water on its own. It stood out as being very light , Herring gull type but the head was white with black bill as Yellow Legged type with a definite cut off between the white and dark areas. Its head also looked a good shape for Yellow Legged. Hard to tell at this age , guessing it as being a 2nd summer rather than 1st year bird but no doubt my gull back up team will be waiting to get their teeth into this one.
Note.. Several inland Vis Mig sites have now started their autumn watch and recording sightings on Trektellen, linked on right. Good numbers of Swifts are reported moving. Worth keeping an an eye on to see whats moving.
BS