Wet and windy, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    4 Kestrels present

                                    5 Common Sandpipers

                                    Common Sandpipers in the lagoon.

                                    4 Little Ringed Plovers

                                    Swarms of Swifts.

A dry start to the morning with full cloud on a light WSW>2-3 at 10 degrees. By 0915 hrs the wind had picked up to WSW>5 gusting 6 with heavy rain.

     The feature of the morning were Swifts with uncountable swarms of them feeding low over the water along with a few Swallows. 

     A count this morning of 4 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Common Sandpiper and 3 Redshank, as well as 2 Oystercatchers but no new species arriving as yet.

   The pair of Stonechat and 2 pair of Pied Wagtails are still carrying food whilst 4 LBB gu11s were on the peninsular. Otherwise, the ever present, usual species.

   Looking grim for tomorrow with a mix of sunshine and heavy shower with hail and thunder throughout the day on a moderate to strong SW turning W at 11 degrees.

BS

   

Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Alive with Swifts

                                    Pair of Common Sandpipers guarding chicks.

                                    Single Little Ringed Plover

                                    Buzzard over the turbines

                                    Mobbed by Lapwings

Contrary to the weather forecast it was a decent morning with dark full cloud cover on a light SW>2 at 

12 degrees with good visibility.

    A pair of Common Sandpiper were standing guard over at least 2 chicks keeping them well hidden in the boulders whilst a single Little Ringed Plover was mobile around the shore. Strangely, very few sightings of Dunlin and Ringed Plover this year, usually a common spring visitor in good numbers, whereas, Little Ringed Plover are usual mega rare at this site.

    The usual Redshank and Oystercatchers were present as well as Curlew and Lapwing, whilst Lapwings were busy mobbing a Buzzard high over the wind turbines.

    A large feeding party of Swifts appeared over the water, around 50 strong, staying for about an hour before drifting off >SW with a few Swallows mixed in.

   Otherwise, down to the usual species including 3 Stonechat and several Linnets.

If tomorrows forecast is anything near right its showing a possibly dry start with a band of heavy rain moving in by late morning with some heavy thundery showers on a moderate SW turning S at 12 degrees.

BS

Ups and downs of birding. Ogden.

 

                                        Dark clouds over Ogden

                                    A good year for Chiffchaffs

                                    Single drake Tufted

                                    4 Lesser Black Backed gulls present.

A better morning than expected weather wise with full cloud on a cool SW>3 at 12 degrees with some light drizzle showers.

   They say you're only as good as your last blog and I went out on a high yesterday then died a death today with a very quiet Ogden.

   Plenty calls and song from the waterside trees and plantation edge but only the expected species with mainly Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Wren and Robin as well as Song Thrush. Chiffchaff seem to have greatly outnumbered Willow Warblers this year.

    The water just held 2 Canada geese, a drake Tufted and 4 Lesser Black Backed gulls with 2 Heron on the shore.

   A similar forecast for tomorrow with showers and breaks of sunshine on a moderate westerly at 12 degrees.

BS

A pleasing end to the month.

 

                                    Ending the month in style, Hobby.

                                        High and >NE

                                    5 Little Ringed Plovers present

A mixed morning weather wise with full cloud and light drizzle turning to broken cloud and then heavy rain and mist by 0930 hrs on a moderate WSW>3-4 at 12 degrees.

    Star of the show this morning was a raptor being mobbed by Lapwings high over the Flat Moor. First thought was Kestrel which as it got a bit nearer I could just make out a face mask so thoughts moved to Peregrine. As it turned slightly to give me a side on view I dropped the bins and raised the camera, my first Hobby at this site in 4 years, the last one being Aug 2022.  The Lapwings veered off and the Hobby continued on high >NE. I just thought, a few days ago, when AC got one over Northowram, that I was due for one but I don't think I'll match his White Tailed Eagle !

    The other highlight was a count of 5 Little Ringed Plovers all on the same piece of shore, a real bogie bird for me at this site, usually struggling for a single sighting so a case of all or nowt.

   A Short Eared Owl was distant over the moor and otherwise the usual wader species, along with several large squadrons of juv Starlings.

    Looks like the garden is going to get watered tomorrow with a wet and windy day forecast on a moderate to strong sou'westerly.

BS.

Sticky hot at Fly Flatts

 

                                    Common Sandpipers present

                                    as well as Redshank

                                    Goslings growing well.

Woodpigeons cooling off in my garden bird bath.

Too hot for comfort this morning at Fly Flatts at 16 degrees with only a very light SW>2 with some  cloud and mostly sunny.                                                                                                                         

   Plenty about but mostly scope work with most birds at distance, mainly around the peninsular area and north bank.

   Waders comprised of Common Sandpipers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers along with 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Ringed Plover plus the usual Curlews and Lapwings. Several LBB gulls were moving >SW along with a Cormorant, unusual for this site, and a Short Eared Owl very high over the moor, also >SW. Plenty Swallows and Swifts in the sky but otherwise down to the usual species.

   A moderate westerly for morning starting at 12 degrees with a 60% chance of rain improving after midday.

BS