Its raining Pinkies, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Waders-less wasted shore

                                    Early morning Buzzard

                                    1 of 8 Wheatear

                                    2 Ravens over

                                    4 Stonechat present

                                    Swarms of Meadow Pipits

                                    The predator, Stoat.

                                Pink Footed Geese falling from the sky

                                    75 dropping out of the fog.

                                    Onto the Flat Moor.

                                    Away >E as the mist cleared.

A foggy start at Fly Flatts with very low cloud and horizontal visibility only but clearing after 0900 hrs on a light WSW>3 at 10 degrees.

    On arrival the fog covering the tops of the turbines but the water and shoreline were visible. A good start with a Buzzard moving down the fence posts as I drove down the track and then, as I was getting tackled up, I heard Pink Footed Geese up in the fog. Just as I'd given up on seeing them they appeared to the south of me dropping down below the fog and surprisingly landing in the deep grass on the Flat Moor where they remained noisy but out of sight, A few Greylags were also mixed in with them. By 0900 hrs, as soon as the low cloud cleared, the whole skein lifted off and headed >E.

    The area was awash with Meadow Pipits with over 100 on the south shore as well as several ground hopping slowly >S whilst a steady flow was moving >S overhead before drying up at 0930 hrs. By this time several ha left the shore.

   The migration bushes held 4 Stonechat, 3 Wrens, 5 Reed Bunting and 6 juv Pied Wagtail as well as more Mipits. At least 2 Wheatear were present as well as another 6 around Withens Head farm.

    Nothing on the water other than a single drake Tufted, 4 Mallard and 3 Canada geese with 28 LBB gulls on the north shore. A couple of Ravens were over the quarry.

    Looking like a wet start to the morning then chance of sunshine and showers throughout the day on a moderate SW turning W starting off at 12 degrees.

BS

    

 

Out in the mist, Ogden.

 

                                    A misty wet start to the morning

                                    3 Cormorant present

                                    The red ringed bird

                                    Around 40 Common gull present

                                    Pink legged LBB

                                    Across to the east bank

                                    Common gulls.

A miserable start to the morning with thick fog on the tops leaving Ogden misty and heavy rain which cleared by 0900 hrs leaving cloudy sunshine in dead calm conditions at 12 degrees.

    Nothing other than a dog walk this morning with just the usual species, though Common gull numbers were up, and LBB and Herring gull numbers were building as I was leaving. The usual 3 Cormorants present with just Mallards on the water.

    A few Swallows overhead >SE whilst a tit flock of around 30 was moving through the waterside trees in passerine alley, mostly juvenile Blue Tits with a few Great and Coal mixed in.

   Another foggy start to tomorrow promised then cloud with some sunshine on a light SW kicking off at 12 degrees and peaking at 20 degrees.

BS

Wet and windy Ogden.

 

                                    1 pr Tufted present

                                    Gulls on the east bank

                                Variation in mantle shades on LBBs

                                Juv LBB still being fed.

                                    Very few Herrings

                                Centre LBB dark enough for 'intermedius'

A wet and windy morn at Ogden with a mix of sunshine and showers on a moderate SW>4 at 12 degrees.

   Only around 80 mixed gulls this morning and all on the east bank along with 3 Cormorant. Very few Herring gull and around 40 LBB which were interesting to scan through with several different shades of mantle. Some looked nearly light enough for Yellow Legged but several being the same light shade, whilst one was dark enough to be classed as an 'intermedius'.

    The water held a pair of Tufted, Little Grebe and 6 Canada geese whilst there was very little sky movement other than a few Swallows and a single Raven. A very vocal Nuthatch was dodging about in the thick foliage and refusing to show itself clearly.

    A brighter cloudy sunshine day tomorrow staying dry after a possibly misty start on a light WNW.

BS

     

Back at Ogden.

 

                                East bank, Yellow Legged Herring with LBBs, centre.

                                YL Herring, centre

                                        YL centre

                                        Little Grebe

                                    Very few gulls on east bank.

A part sunny morning with dark clouds rolling over but remaining dry on a W>3 at 12 degrees.

    Once again, a low count of gulls with around 100 mixed but including an adult Yellow Legged Herring gull in with the LBBs on the west bank before heading off >NE.

    Just 3 Cormorant present, one of which was the bird with the red leg ring whilst the long staying Little Grebe was still present and feeding well. The only sign of sky movement was a trickle of Swallows >SE but otherwise the skies were empty. 

    A female Blackcap was flitting about in a rowan but remained very camera shy.

 Showing very wet and windy throughout tomorrow on a moderate to strong SW with heavy rain starting off at 10 degrees.

BS