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

     

   

Another dabble at Ogden

 

                                    1 of 3 Heron

                                    Single drake Tufted

                                    3 Herring gulls

A much fresher morning with near full cloud on a moderate WSW>3 at 15 degrees.

  Very much the same birds picked up on a walk around the perimeter of the water and once again plenty sound but very little sightings in the dense foliage.

   The Pied Flycatcher has either moved on or found a mate and stopped singing whilst plenty song from the usual Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler with the addition today of a very vocal Nuthatch as well as the usual common woodland species.

  A pair of Grey Wagtails are feeding young whilst 3 Heron were on the waters edge, with 2 Canada geese and a single drake Tufted on the water. Gulls are slowly returning with a single LBB and 3 Herring gulls. Herring gulls are the one to watch now as  June/ July is the peak time for Yellow Legged Herring gull, usually found in with Lesser Black Backed.

    Dry and sunny tomorrow on a light sou'westerly starting off at 12 degrees.

BS

   

    

Flashing and Banging at Ogden.

 

                                   A dark stormy start to the morning

                                    Brighter to the South

                                Plenty Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff

                                    Heron on watch

                                    Flock of Long Tailed Tits.

After a heavy overnight storm at 0300 hrs it left fog on the tops and distant thunder and lightening with a torrential rain shower as I headed to Ogden, but that was only short lived. The storm moved over by 0830 hrs leaving it dry with a light E>3 at 12 degrees.

     No sight of sound from the Pied Flycatcher this morning with just the usual Willow Warbs and Chiffchaffs along with a good count of Chaffinch and Blackcaps plus the usual common woodland species. Very little use for the camera again as searching through a ton of leaves for a LBJ is not my kind of birding.

     The water held 2 Canada geese and a pair of Tufted duck plus the usual Mallards and Heron, with nothing moving overhead.

   A turn of wind for tomorrow with a moderate SW and cloudy sunshine starting off at 13 degrees reaching18 degrees by mid afternoon. Hopefully a more accurate forecast than yesterdays as the 3 forecasts I checked missed the thunderstorms completely.

BS

   

     

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