Gull check at Ogden.

 

                                    Extra large count of LBB gulls, 200 +

                                    3 Cormorant in silhouette.

                                        1 CY Herring gull

                                    1 of 3 Heron.

                                    10 Herring gull present

                                Yellow Legged Herring, michahellis 2 CY

                                    Smothered in heat shimmer.

With wall to wall sunshine and already up to 18 degrees on a light WNW>2  I decided to head for the shade at Ogden and do a gull check even though its the school holidays so chance of it being busy.

     On arrival, the water was white with gulls, the most I think I have ever seen here, with over 200 Lesser Black Backed spread right across the reservoir. It was very hard viewing with the bright sun shimmering on the water and a strong heat shimmer all around the shore. Unfortunately, the gulls that were on the west shore were further north than their usual position so were mostly hidden from view with the trees. 

   Besides the LBBs I got a count of 10 Herring, plus several Black Headed, and a brief view of a 2 CY Yellow Legged Herring gull which I believe to be the one I have had recently at this site. Just time for some record shots, which were poor due to heat shimmer and working against sun angle, before some rowdies flushed the lot from the shore.

    Otherwise just the usual 3 Herons, 2m 1f Tufted, 3 Cormorant, 1 Gt Crested Grebe and 17 Canada geese. By 0945 hrs the shop was opening and the ice cream cart arriving so time to get out of there.

     Same forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine and the temp starting off at 14 degrees and peaking at 22 degrees with a very light WNW breeze.

BS

The North wind doth blow, Fly Flatts.

 

                                2 of 8 juv Golden Plover in to land

                                Unusual to get Sand Martin at this site.

                                    Usual 2 Common Sandpipers.

A bitter cold start to the morning, but better than the hot stuff, with a N>3-4 at 11 degrees with early sun then cloud with good visibility.

    A good start off with 8 juvenile Golden Plovers arriving onto the SE shore to join 7 juvenile Lapwings, the sky was, once again, alive with Swifts and Swallows plus a surprise to have 2 Sand Martins feeding with them. 

     The only other waders were the breeding pair of Common Sandpipers still warning their young but the chicks remaining unseen. Several LBB and Black Headed gulls present but all in the distance at the north end.

  The mass of Goldfinch and Linnets are still present, moving around the thistle tops, whilst Meadow Pipits numbers are increasing, getting ready for a start of the big move south next month. Nothing moving overhead as yet in what seemed like perfect conditions for a Marsh Harrier which I usually get around this time.

    The heat looks to be back on for tomorrow with a light NW turning N then NE with cloudy sunshine starting off at 14 degrees and peaking at 21.

 BS

One of those quiet ones, Fly Flatts

 

                                    Swarms of Goldfinch

                                    Muddy NE banking

                                        Early morn from west bank

                                    Nice islands appearing

                                    SE corner

                                    No shortage of shore now

                                    Dried up lagoon. Good spot for Green Sandpiper.

A pleasant morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on an icy cold NE>2 at 12 degrees with good visibility.

    With very little showing at the south end I did the long walk along the west bank to the NW corner to scope the north shore in the hope of waders. Just 2 Common Sandpipers on the strip of mud along with 2 Wheatear and a few LBB gulls. A few more LBB gulls were on the peninsular as well as 4 Black Headed and a Herring gull.

    Back at the south end the 2 breeding Common Sandpiper were present as well as 4 juv Lapwing whilst the air was filled with Goldfinch and Swifts. A single Kestrel was the only other bird skyward.

    Nothing on the water other than the family of 1f and 4 young Tufted ducks plus the usual 38 Greylags and 300+ Canadas with most goslings near fledging.

Hopefully there will be an improvement in the next few weeks, wader wise.

   Cloudy sunshine for tomorrow on a very light northerly starting off at 12 degrees and peaking at 19.

BS

Fly Flatts, and an unwanted visitor.

                                    Plenty shore exposed now.

                                2 of 4 Tufted ducklings
 

                                    Usual common Sandpipers

                                    Single Wheatear

                                    Plenty Goldfinch.

                                    Unwanted visitor, Peregrine

                                    Came over water at high speed

                                    Juvenile, streaked breast, some brown in wings.

                                    Went away with empty talons.

A pleasantly cool morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a light ENE>2 at 12 degrees. By 0845 hrs the sun was trying to break through but luckily failed going back to full cloud.

    A steady but pleasing morning with no new waders as yet so just down to the pair of breeding Common Sandpipers and 5 juv Lapwing on the shore. Several LBB and Herring gulls >NE with a few LBB and Black Headed gulls on the water.

   The female Tufted was near the west bank with her 4 young who were once again constantly diving and are growing well.

     Plenty Swallows and Swifts over the water  but only one juv Wheatear seen this morning. The very pale phase Buzzard that frequents up here flew over Tattie Pie Hill landing on a rock in the bracken, its very white head and breast standing out as I scoped it but way out of camera range.

   Just as I was tackling up at knocking off time I saw a falcon approaching from the west which looked wrong for Kestrel. A quick grab of the camera and shot 30 photos off in the 3 seconds it took to go passed over the centre of the water before disappearing over the wind turbines.

    Looking through the viewfinder my thoughts were Peregrine or Hobby but thanks to the killer fast auto focus of the Canon 7d Mk2 I got the pics that I wanted of a juvenile Peregrine with a well streaked breast but very little brown in the wings showing mostly grey so not a very young bird.

   Peregrine is always a good bird to see but not one I want at Fly Flatts with waders around. This bird was probably attracted by the flocks of Goldfinch and Linnets around as well as the Swallows and Swifts.

     A similar forecast for tomorrow with part cloud and sunshine on a light NE starting off at 12 degrees and peaking at 19.

BS