Nice to get the coat back on, Fly Flatts.

 

                                

                                    Several Common Sandpipers

                                        Single Little Ringed Plover.

                                    Single Oystercatcher.

Nice to feel a cold wind at Fly Flatts this morning putting me back in my top coat with a moderate 

E>4 gusting 5 at 10 degrees with near full cloud and breaks of sunshine.

    A quiet morning bird wise with very few waders other than Common Sandpipers and Redshank plus a single Oystercatcher and 1 Little Ringed Plover.

    Two surprises this morning  with the rare sighting this year of a Short Eared Owl, well out over the western ridge, plus, the highlight of the morning being, a very late female Ring Ouzel which flashed over my head and into the lagoon tree then off >W, stopping briefly on a distant fence. Just when I thought it was over for Ring Ouzels. I,ve had them into mid May at this site but this is the latest.

    Otherwise down to a Buzzard, 2 Kestrels and the usual species.

Unfortunately the heat is back on tomorrow but not till late morning when I've gone back into the shade. A starting temp of 10 degrees rising to 24 degrees with early cloud and then full sun but retaining the moderate easterly.

BS

Too hot to handle, Ogden.

 With the temperature at 20 degrees at 0700 hrs and up to 28 degrees at 1000 hrs with not a breath of wing it was far too hot to tackle the tops, especially for the dogs so just a wander around Ogden west bank in the shade of the trees.

     The Pied Flycatcher was still in full song but only fleeting sightings as it flittered around in the dense leaves. This bird was first located on the 9th of May by NK who identified it by call then followed that with a sighting on the 23rd of May. A good find from Nigel.

    Whilst trying to pin down the Pied Fly I picked up Blackcap, Willow Warbler. Chiffchaff and a single Siskin, plus the usual woodland species. A Buzzard went overhead whilst 14 LBB gulls and 8 Herring gulls were on the water with 3 Heron on the banking. No use for the camera today with too many leaves on the trees and too much heat shimmer around the shore.

       With 62 years birding at Ogden its looking like it is becoming to an end with signs up telling of the intension to make it pay and display with charges of 50 pence for half an hour and £1 per hour making it £3 for 3 hours which, I for one, won't be paying as during winter I use Ogden most days so it will be find another venue to replace it. Any roadside parking on the nearby side roads to Ogden is an invitation to come back to broken windows.

    A bit of a respite tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light to moderate easterly kicking off at 12 degrees and not getting past 18 degrees.

BS

    

Fly Flatts. Hot and quiet.

 

                            Surprise visitor, Little Egret. Far NW corner.

                                As good as it got, camera wise.

Another of those dreaded hot mornings at 20 degrees but once again a nice SW>3 kept it workable with full sun and good visibility though photos around the shore were out of the question with a ton of heat shimmer.

    Bird of the morning was a surprise visit from a Little Egret but only scope-able way across in the NW corner before leaving >N. Waders were keeping their heads down with just a Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper and 3 Little Ringed Plovers seen briefly over the water whilst 2 Wheatear were on the west bank near the depth gauge but too hot to walk on there.

    A few LBB gulls were heading >SW and a single Black Headed gull was over the water. Otherwise, very little to see other than the usual species.

    The horrible weather continues tomorrow with full sun on a very light NW with a starting temperature of 20 degrees. Next to fog, this is the worst weather for Fly Flatts birding although it will get the water level down.

BS

Too hot to handle, Fly Flatts, Waders galore.

 

The heat is on with full sun at Fly Flatts this morning at 10 degrees and rising. Luckily a  pleasant WSW>2-3 was keeping it workable. 

   Plenty action this morning but waders very flighty with paddle boarders on the water and boats being prepared for this afternoons sailing.

   Little Ringed Plover has always been my bogey bird for this site with usually just the one sighting a year, and that being a fly over but this year has seen a pleasing transformation with a single LRP being present, but elusive since 18th April, and was joined this morning by at least another 4. To have 5 at this site is certainly a record for me.

   A pair of Ringed Plover were out on the peninsular, but staying at scope distance, whilst  a count of 7 Common Sandpipers, 6 Redshank and 4 Dunlin were also present, as well as the usual Curlews, Lapwings and a single Snipe.

    Just 3 LBB gulls over >N but my eyes were fully concentrating on the shoreline so anything over could have been missed.

     Not looking forward to tomorrow with full sun forecast on a very light SW kicking off at 17 degrees and threatening to get up to 28 degrees.

BS

Fly Flatts, back to the overcoat.

 

                                    Racing Pigeons over the turbines

                                    2 of 3 Stonechat

                                    Usual Common Sandpipers

                                    Single Little Ringed Plover

                                    1 of 3 Buzzard.

As expected, yesterdays weather at Fly Flatts was a one day wonder and this morning me and the dogs all had our coats back on with full dark cloud on a cool W>5 decreasing to W>4 at 9 degrees. Good visibility with patches of sun by 0930 hrs.

    A relatively quiet morning, wader wise, with just 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Redshank showing though, what I presume to be, the long staying Little Ringed Plover, gave me a good showing in the SE corner. 

   Stonechat are still active feeding young along with Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings whilst up in the sky, 3 Buzzards and 2 Kestrels were enjoying the wind as well as a single Raven and numerous LBB and Herring gulls over >SW. Swifts and Swallows are now a common sight.

     Full sun showing for tomorrow on a light SW starting off at 10 degrees.

BS

Sunny Fly Flatts !!!!

 

                                    Plenty Common Sandpipers

                                    As well as Dunlins

                                    I never tire of seeing Dunlins

A glorious morning to be up on the tops with wall to wall sunshine at 15 degrees but a pleasant S>4 keeping the heat down and the flies away making it pleasant to walk.

    A bit of a lull going on at the moment with plenty Redshank, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin along with Oystercatcher, Curlew and Lapwing but still awaiting some new arrivals. Hopefully, the coming week of dry weather will be enough to let the water level lower enough to give me a bit more exposed shore.

  A few LBB gulls over >SW and 2 Buzzards high over ' Tatty Pie Hill' whilst the single Wheatear is still present. Canada goose numbers are well down this year where my usual count of 400+ is down to less than 200, though several have up to 10 goslings. Unfortunately they still keep me busy cleaning the floating jetty after the overnight roost. Having said that, Greylags are on the up with around 30 pairs, all with goslings whereas I used to get just 1 to 2 breeding pair a couple of years back.

      A pair of Red Grouse were on the Flat Moor, a rare sight now at Fly Flatts, so much so that there has been no shoots up there for several years.

   Its away with the winter gear now and out with the sun cream and insect repellent for the next few days with tomorrows forecast of  cloudy sunshine on a light to moderate westerly kicking off at 12 degrees.

BS