The heat is on, Fly Flatts.

                                    1 Female Tufted with 4 ducklings
                                     

                                    Water getting shallow now

                                    Islands appearing

                                    2 of 4 juv Golden Plover.

                                    Very aggressive.

                                    2 Common Sandpiper

                                        4 Wheatear present

A misty start to the morning at Fly Flatts with visibility just across the water on a light SE>1 at 13 degrees. By 0900 hrs the sky was blue with sun and the dreaded heat getting up.

   Golden Plover were up to 4 juveniles on the shore being very aggressive towards each other whilst 2 Common Sandpipers were still keeping everything away from their well hidden chicks.

    Up to 4 Wheatear present and around 50 Goldfinch on the thistle tops. A single female Tufted duck was on the water with 4 small ducklings all constantly diving whilst several BH and LBB gulls were at the north end. Nothing skyward other than loads of Swallows and Swifts and a single Kestrel.

   A little cloudier tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light NE starting off at 12 degrees and getting to 21.

BS

     

Ogden Produces.

 

                                    Black Headed gulls on the east bank

                                Good count of LBBs, mainly on the water.

                                Gt Crested Grebe out in the fog.

                                    Cormorant over >SE

                                Single drake Common Scoter

                                Excuse photos, out in the middle in heavy mist

Dense fog on the tops this morning so down to Ogden which was very misty with visibility just across the water. A dead calm start then a very light NE>1 at 12 degrees.

    A surprise when I arrived and peered into the mist with an amazing amount of Mallards and gulls out on the water with a high count of non resident Mallards present which slowly drifted away as the morning went on.

    With that amount of ducks I started to go through them, as best I could in the mist, with expectations of something special. First surprise found was a Great Crested Grebe and then secondly a drake Common Scoter in among the Mallards. 

   After a full check of the Mallards, which failed to produce anything else, other than 4 Tufted, I went through the gulls, being about 70 LBB, 40 Black Headed and 5 Herring gull. The Yellow Legged Herring gull was not present though NK had this bird later in the day.

     A Cormorant flew over in the mist heading >SE just before I left where the Grebe and Scoter were sleeping in the middle of the water. I moan about the fog but today it did me a favour sending me to Ogden rather than Fly Flatts.

   Showing full sun tomorrow on a very light NE with a starting temp of 12 degrees and getting up to 24 degrees p.m. A good possibility of early morning fog again.

BS

     

Another dabble at Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Back to 2 Common Sandpipers and a chick

                                    50+ Goldfinch

                                    Swallows skimming the shore

                                    2 Golden Plover present

A lovely, cool windy morning at Fly Flatts with a moderate to strong NNE>5 at 11 degrees with full sun and good visibility, apart from the dreaded heat shimmer.

     Yesterdays wave of Common Sandpiper seem to have moved on leaving just the breeding pair and again only 1 chick seen, so hoping the other 2 are just remaining hidden.

     Two Golden Plover were feeding along the shore whilst a Snipe was flushed by one of the Common Sandpipers which sent it high and fast over the moor.

   Lots of Swifts in the air with Swallows skimming low over the shore and sometimes landing briefly whilst 2 Sand Martins were a surprise heading >W.

   Lots of small stuff with over 50 Goldfinch as well as several Linnets, 1 Stonechat and 1 juv Wheatear along with the usual Meadow Pipits.

     Gulls were active with LBBs on the north shore as well as moving >SE whilst Herring gulls and Black Headed were on the water.

    The weather is going back to pear shaped tomorrow with a light NW starting off at 13 degrees and peaking at 25 degrees late afternoon.

  BS

    

Fly Flatts, better weather, better birds.

 

                                    East bank and peninsular

                                    Golden Plover back on shore

                                    A count of 8 Common Sandpipers plus chicks.

                                This Common Sand made me look twice at this angle.

                                    Goldfinch flock over 50 now.

                                    Single Common Sandpiper chick seen

A more respectable morning weather wise at Fly Flatts with a cold ENE>4 at 11 degrees with patchy cloud and sunshine.

   The moderate NE seemed to have got the waders moving with a new wave of Common Sandpipers in making 5 new birds in along with the long staying 3 plus just 1 of the chicks seen though in a well secluded area so hopefully the 3 chicks are still hanging on. Having said that, a Common Sandpiper I was watching from a distance suddenly erupted in alarm calls and wing flapping when a Weasel came out briefly from under the stones only to be seen off by me for a second time as, for some reason, the Sandpiper didn't attempt to fly to safety.

     Presumably the same Golden Plover was back on the shore before flying over to the Flat Moor whilst the 2 newly fledged Lapwings were close by.

     Lots of aerial activity with Swallows and Swifts as well as LBB and Black Headed gulls moving around.  Just 2 juv Wheatears present whilst the Goldfinch flock stands at over 50, and around 30 Linnets, all moving around the thistle tops. 

   With the water level now lower I was able to walk the east banking to the peninsular but only the geese on there, but proved that all the Redshanks have now gone.

   A day of the same tomorrow weather wise starting off at 11 degrees with cloudy sunshine on a moderate NE. Temp slightly higher than today in the afternoon.

BS