Another riveting blog !!! Ogden.

 

                                    2 Heron present

                                    3 LBB gulls

Ridiculous June conditions this morning at Ogden with fog on the tops and a low cloud base at Ogden with continuous rain throughout on a light SSW>2 at 8 degrees. Mist rolling in by 0930 hrs. With the amount of  rain over the last few days and today the shore at Fly Flatts will be near non existent stopping the chance of any newcomer waders.

     Ogden was a dog walk only, taking in half way along the west bank the half way along the east bank

with plenty noise from the trees but no sightings. The main contenders were Song Thrush, Willow Warbler and Blackcap as well as the usual resident woodland species.

    Just 3 LBB gulls on the water and 2 Heron on the west bank. Plenty Chaffinch moving around but that was the best I could do in the conditions but, 'if you don't go, you don't know'. By 0930, with a good soaking, 2 soggy dogs and boredom set in it, was up stumps and match aborted.

    Needless to say, the forecast for morning is rain on a moderate westerly at 11 degrees so at least its warm water coming down. The afternoon looks dry with cloudy sunshine.

BS

     

Fly Flatts washout.

 

                                    2 Oystercatchers present

                                    Several Common Sandpipers

A real wet morning with early fog banks and torrential rain showers clearing to good visibility but rain and drizzle throughout on a moderate WSW>4 at a cool 7 degrees.

    Swifts and Swallows didn't mind the rain as they skimmed over the water feeding throughout the watch but very little else in the air other than 3 Herring and 2 LBB gulls >NE plus a Buzzard and 2 Kestrel. A  Short Eared Owl was quartering the moor to the far west whilst wader-wise it was quiet with just 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank and the usual Common Sandpipers with no sign of the Little Ringed Plovers.

Here's a surprise, between 75% and 100% chance of rain tomorrow on a light south, turning SW, at 8 degrees. The shore is rapidly disappearing at Fly Flatts😟.

BS

Wild and wet at Fly Flatts.

 

                                   At least 3 Little Ringed Plovers

                                    Single Oystercatcher

                                    2 Common Sandpiper

                                    Several LBB gulls over >NE

                                    Swarms of Starlings.

Another of those wet and windy mornings with sunshine and showers on a moderate WSW>5 at 8 degrees. Hard work for the camera settings with one minute bright sunshine and the next minute as black as night and everything going into silhouette.

    Lively enough given the conditions with at least 3 Little Ringed Plover along with the usual Common Sandpipers, Redshank and Oystercatcher as well as Curlew and Lapwing.

   The sky was full of Swifts whilst several Lesser Black Backed gulls headed >NE and 4 Kestrel were up together along the west bank.

    Reed Bunting and Stonechat were busy feeding young and several juv Pied Wagtails were around the compound area. The top fields are alive with swarms of juv and adult Starlings.

     Just for a change tomorrow its going to be,....you guessed it, wet and windy, with sunshine and showers on a moderate SW at 8 degrees.

BS

    

Ogden reservoir.

 

                                    Several Herring gulls through

                                as well as Lesser Black Backed

                                Grey Wagtails taking food to the nest.

After a night and early morn of torrential rain Ogden remained mainly dry with just odd showers of light drizzle with full cloud on a moderate W>4 at 10 degrees.

    Nothing to get excited about this morning but with the law of averages somethings bound to turn up soon! Plenty LBB and Herring gulls moving through >NE with some dropping off onto the water briefly before moving on. The drake Tufted duck is still present whilst 4 Heron were on the west shore.

    The 2 Grey Wagtails were busy taking food back to the nest sight and the waterside trees just had the usual species with a rise in the number of Blackbirds, both male and female.

    More rain tomorrow with some sunshine and showers on a moderate sou'westerly at 10 degrees. The amount of rain expected this week, up to Friday, will scupper the chance of new waders at Fly Flatts with the water level already rising.

BS

    

Fly Flatts.

 

                                Greylag goslings growing well

                                4 standard, 2 white off the mixed pair.

                                Juv Pied Wags out of the nest now.

                                    Common Sandpiper

                                Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper

                                    Alive with Swifts.

                            Distant Red Kite mobbed with Lapwings and Starlings

A dark and drizzly start to the morning with a moderate SW>4-5 at 10 degrees with slight breaks of sun by 0915 hrs.

    A busy morning at Fly Flatts, especially in the sky, with 3 Buzzards up at once over the Nab whilst a Red Kite, moving >S beyond the wind turbines, was heavily mobbed by Lapwings and Starlings. The sky was buzzing with Swifts feeding over the water as well as a few Swallows whilst several LBB gulls headed >NE.

    Wader wise it was down to the long staying Redshanks, Common Sandpipers, Little Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers as well as Lapwings and Curlews. All these species, apart from LRP, have several families of chicks now and several Greylag goslings are very near fledging and ready for flight shortly.

Unfortunately, Ringed Plover and Dunlin seem to have gone without breeding this year.

    The 2 pair of breeding Pied Wagtails have young leaving the nest now and the Stonechats will soon be taking flight.

  Looking like a washout in the morning with a promise of heavy rain on a moderate SW at 10 degrees improving after midday.

BS

    

     

A wet circuit of Ogden.

 

                                Heron photos or nowt this morning.

A miserably wet morning with thick fog on the tops courtesy of a moderate SE>3 at 8 degrees. Ogden was just below the low cloud base with a mix of rain and drizzle throughout.

     An extremely quiet session with plenty of the usual woodland calls but very few sightings other than a Gt Spotted Woodpecker  which flew over the tree canopy and 3 very vocal Song Thrush.

    The water just held 2 Lesser Black Backed gulls and 3 Herring gull but no sign of yesterdays Little Grebe.

    Yet another cloudy showery day tomorrow with a moderate SW at 12 degrees.

BS