Migrant morn at Ogden

 

                                    A dark start to the morning

                                Water gushing in the SW inlet.

                                    Mistle Thrush and Gt Spotted Woodpecker.

                                    Only 6 Herring gull present

                                    Handful of small gulls

                                Around 30 LBB

A dark cloudy start to the morning but the heavy overnight rain moved over leaving it dry with broken cloud and a few shows of the sun on a light W>2 at 9 degrees. Rain showers by 0945 hrs.

    All the action this morning was a fall of migrants, probably brought down by the heavy overnight rain, with the trees and bushes above the Lodge House buzzing with passage migrants darting around the area feeding on a good supply of midges and Rowen berries.

    At least 15 Mistle Thrushes were present along with a flock of Chaffinch and Goldfinch as well as Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Coal Tits, Long Tailed Tits and top of the shop, a single Sedge Warbler, whilst Swallows were overhead moving >SW along with Meadow Pipits. 

   Non migrants were 3 resident Grey Wagtails and a Gt Spotted Woodpecker whilst gulls were poor with 6 Herring, around 30 LBB and a handful of small gulls plus 3 Cormorant and the Little Grebe.

As I was leaving the second shift arrived in the form of  JJL.

     A fine bright day promised for tomorrow on a light NW kicking off at 10 degrees.

BS

    

    

A surprise for Ogden.

 

                                    4 Shelduck below the west bank

                                    Low count of LBB and herring gulls

                                From 5th Sept visit, Ogden.

                                Under scrutiny for juv Yellow Legged Herring

A dull start at Ogden with full cloud and mist on the tops with sun breaking through mid watch on a moderate W>4 at 12 degrees.

    A good start off  scanning from the promenade which produced 4 Shelduck below the west bank with a small count of LBB and Herring gulls, along with 4 Cormorant. Around 8 Herring gull and 40 LBB plus around 50 small gulls.

    The long staying Little Grebe was present at the north end of the water busy diving in the channels but otherwise reasonably quiet.

   The 2 lower photos are of a gull I saw on the east bank at Ogden on the 5th Sept which is possibly a juvenile Yellow Legged Herring gull but still under investigation.

    Not the best forecast for tomorrow showing wet and windy, especially after midday when the moderate sou'westerly increases to strong and a higher chance of rain starting off at 9 degrees.

BS

Wet and windy Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Conditions ideal but no waders.

                                    Floating jetty high and dry.

                                    A rare bird at Fly Flatts now. Red Grouse

                                    Mipits on the shore.

                                    Alive with Goldfinch.

A windy start at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a SSW>4 at 10 degrees. Rain by 0845 hrs turning torrential by 0945 hrs.

     A low expectancy visit to Fly Flatts was just that this morning with, as usual to this site, come September, the returning waders always seem to pass to the west of me at the western side of the ridge with not a wader of any description after a scope of the full circumference of the shore line.

    Several Meadow Pipits on the shore and some ground hopping through but nothing on the scale that there should be at this time of year. Going back a few years when visible migration was at its best DCB,HC and myself would clock over 10,000 Meadow Pipits over our watchpoint on Windy Corner during a Sunday mornings watch plus a hoard of other species. Unfortunately the days of inland vis mig seem to be over, in this area at least.

     Red Grouse were present this morning with 5 on the south shore, obviously scared off from a nearby shoot yesterday as Red Grouse are a rare sight up at Fly Flatts now when it used to be alive with them on the Flat Moor.

     A charm of around 50 Goldfinch were moving around the thistle tops and regularly harassed buy 3 Kestrel Whilst a single Wheatear and 3 Stonechat were the only migrants found.

   The water held just 2 remaining Canada geese as well as a single female Mallard with 12 LBB and 4 Black Headed gulls on the north shore. No movement in the sky.

    A chance of early morning rain and mist tomorrow clearing mid morn on a moderate SW at 12 degrees. Cloudy sunshine pm with risk of showers late afternoon.

BS

     

Nowt nobbut gulls, Ogden.

 

                                    Low count of gulls this morning

                                    Even gulls like to play

                                    Pink legged LBB

                                   West bank

Another wet and windy start to the morning at Ogden then clearing to give light showers and bright sunshine on a moderate W>4 at 14 degrees. Very bad visibility of the gulls from the west bank with the low glaring sun.

    A low count of gulls with around 200 mixed but, after a lot of searching through, nothing untoward found. Common gull numbers are now starting to overtake Black Headed and LBB gulls with around 8 Herring gull.

   Swallows were heading >W into the wind but nothing on the water other than, the long staying Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant and the usual Mallards. A very quiet mornings birding. Need the water level to partially rise now as the gulls are getting very distant.

   Looking like a wet morning and brighter afternoon tomorrow on a light SSW at 12 degrees.

BS

     

Back to the gulls, Ogden.

 

                                    Cormorants in the duck corner

                                                Buzzard over put up all the gulls

                                    Lower count of gulls present

                                    Around 40 LBB

                                    Around 10 Herring

                                    Several Common gull

A wet start with rain then drizzle till mid watch then the sky cleared to leave  some sunshine on a moderate to strong W>4 - 5 at 12 degrees.

   A much quieter morning with a low gull count of around 100 mixed and all anchored down from the wind apart from when a Buzzard flew through, high above the water, putting the whole shebang up briefly before they resettled. 

    Just 2 Cormorant present in the duck feeding corner which is an unusual area for them to settle in, whilst the Little Grebe was still present in the north end channels. Warden Chris told me that someone walking round had told him the Little Grebe was a baby Cormorant 😄.

    Very quiet otherwise due to the wind and nothing moving in the sky.

Chance of a wet start early morning then cloudy sunshine throughout the day with slightly less wind on a moderate westerly at 11 degrees.

BS