Sticking it out at Fly Flatts.

 

                                Thought this as a GBB but back peddled to large female

                                 pink legged LBB. Wrong time of year for GBB and showing

                                  pale yellow eye as in LBB.

                                Family of 6 Kestrel on the west bank

                                LBBs at the north end.

                                    Plenty juv Pied Wagtails present.

Pleasant enough weather conditions at Fly Flatts with cloudy sunshine until 0930 hrs and then full cloud on SW>3-4 at 15 degrees.

    First bird of the morning was a brief view of what I first thought to be a Great Black Backed gull out on the island due to the size of it plus the pink legs although the seeds of doubt were setting in being the wrong time of year to get one in this area. A check on the heat shimmered photos back at home  it showed a pale yellow eye as opposed to a dark iris so I will stick to LBB I think.

   A walk the length of the west bank to scope the northern end of the water proved poor with no wader of any description to be found and just around 80 LBB and 40 plus Black Headed plus the usual geese and the Tufted duck family.

    Raptors did better with 6 Kestrels up together along the west bank as well as 2 distant Buzzard, quartering the moor, whilst 3 Stonechat were on the fence line below the west bank. Nothing moving skyward and just the usual species otherwise.

  Looks like a lot of damage done to the hillside down Ned Hill after yesterdays fire.

     Full sun for morning on a light NW with a temp of 11 degrees peaking at 19 degrees. More cloudy after midday.

BS

   

Getting a bit better, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    1 of 5 Common Sandpiper

                                        3 of 5

                                    Juv Peregrine with red left leg ring.

                                    No match for a grumpy LBB gull.

                                    Escorted off  the premises

                                    Watched by an audience of gulls.

A pleasant enough morning at Fly Flatts with just 20% cloud and full sunshine. A temp of 14 degrees but kept nice and fresh on a light SW>3.

   A check of the south shore islands and puddles in the peat produced 3 Common Sandpiper together along with another 2 which flew to the north shore. Plenty Swallows over the water but no Swifts today.

    A walk the length of the east shore to the peninsular just re-located the other 2 Common Sandpiper plus some entertainment from a juv Peregrine, sporting a red ring on its left leg, which was harassing the Mallards and the party of 6 Tufted duck before trying its luck with the Black Headed gulls.

   A very noisy Lesser Black Backed gull took off from a group of 45 on the north shore and started mobbing the Pere which soon realized that it didn't fancy its chances with the LBB so headed over the west bank and south down the Calder valley.  Otherwise, just the usual Mipits and juv Pied Wags etc plus a single Stonechat. 

   A text from MC midday informing me of a large influx of Common gulls on the move at his patch of Scargill reservoir, and a report from JB of a juv Med gull at Ringstone makes it look like gulling season is on its way.

    Cloudy sunshine for morning with the cloud increasing after midday and a light westerly wind in the morning is also set to increase to moderate as the day goes on. A start temp on 13 degrees rising to 18 degrees.

BS

Fly Flatts.

        SE shore looking west.                                                                                         

                                    More than enough exposed shore
 

                                    South shore. Bring on the waders.

                                    Water is usually up to the grass.

A near full cloud morning until 0930 hours when the cloud started to break up letting some sunshine through. A very cold morning at 11 degrees on a light SSW>3.

   A wader in at last with a Ringed Plover but keeping at scope-able distance, way over on the NE peninsular but no sign of the previous 2 Common Sandpipers.

  The far north shore held over 40 LBB gulls as well as several Black Headed whilst a Kestrel was overhead along with several Swallows and Swifts.

   Small passerines consisted of  the usual Pied Wagtail juvs plus lots of Mipits and a single autumn plumaged Wheatear. A steady mornings watch with not a photo taken other than the above phone photos to try to keep the interest flowing.

    Tomorrows forecast is not what I would order with mostly full sun on a very light southerly kicking off at 12 degrees and peaking at 22 degrees.

BS

Another dabble at Ogden.

 

                                Mallard photo bombing Grey Wagtail

                                2 Grey Wagtail present

                                    7 Common Gull

                                Hard to find, Common Sandpiper

                                    A prize every time for Gt Crested Grebe

                                    Cormorant joining in the fun.

                                    Herring and LBB on the west bank.

With fog wiping out Fly Flatts early morn it was back to Ogden with full cloud and light drizzle showers on a NW>4 at 11 degrees.

     A very low count of gulls this morning with c40 LBB, 7 Common, 9 Herring and around 50 Black Headed.  The Common Sandpiper was still present but very hard to find, eventually catching up with it at the NW corner but no sign of NKs Oystercatcher from yesterday.

   The water held Canada geese, 1 female Tufted, Gt Crested Grebe and a single Cormorant as well as the usual Mallards whilst 2 Grey Wagtails were in the duck feeding corner. The usual 3 Herons were on the west bank and a Raven was cronking overhead, otherwise just down to the usual species.

    Many thanks to William Redman, Commodore of the Fly Flatts( Warley Moor) Halifax Sailing and Watersports Club for taking the interest to make an ordered list of species that I have recorded over the years, since using this site as my number one patch. My total species list at Fly Flatts so far stands me at 145 with Sedge Warbler being my last submission,

      Well done to MH an AC for their sighting this morning of 5 Arctic Terns landing briefly at Whiteholme reservoir, not an easy find.

    Cloudy sunshine for tomorrow with a low chance of showers on a light SW with a temp of 11 degrees peaking at 18 degrees.

BS

Below the wind, Ogden

 

                                    Smart Common gull

                                        Gulls on the west bank

                                    7 Herring gulls present

                                    Around 50 LBBs

                                    Herring gull with juv

                                    Regurgitation for its young one. 

                                    Nice to have a wader, Common Sandpiper.

                                Long staying Gt Crested Grebe.

                                    Sparrowhawk over the prob.

A strong W>5 blowing with a mix of rain and drizzle showers and full cloud at 13 degrees.

      Down then to Ogden which, other than the prom, it was out of the wind with full cloud and a few light showers. 

   A low count of gulls this morning with around 50 LBB, 7 Herring, 3 Common and several Black Headed. After a lot of scanning around the edges a Common Sandpiper came into view busily feeding along the waters edge, one of the very few wader species usually found briefly at Ogden. Having said that, the second wader that usually shows at Ogden turned up later in the day found by NK, see Nigels blog.

    Otherwise, things were the same with Canada geese, Gt Crested Grebe, 2 female Tufted and the usual Mallards etc. Walking back across the prom a Sparrowhawk was high overhead before stooping down into trees in the sluice gate area.

     After overnight rain, tomorrow should be dry and cloudy but still a strong NW wind at 14 degrees.

BS