Mega Swallow move, Ogden Reservoir

 

                                        Swallows galore early doors.

                                    Estimated at over 200

                                    An invite for the juv Peregrine

                                        A lower count of gulls

                                        Very few Herring

                                    Juvenile Blackcap.

A wet start to the morning with light rain showers on a light NW>2 at 15 degrees with full cloud.

    With paddleboarders heading for Fly Flatts I paid Ogden a visit to check the gull situation. As I walked across the promenade a couple of Swallows came over and then the flood gates opened and the sky was black with Swallows and a few Sand Martins. I think this is the most Swallows I've ever seen in the sky together swirling around over the trees and golf course with several landing on the overflow fencing. A juvenile Peregrine flew above the Swallows but only made a couple of half hearted attempts at them before heading off towards Soil Hill. After watching the Peregrine disappear into the distance I looked back and not a Swallow in sight. 

     A walk along the west bank was cut short due to swarms of flies and midges due to no wind in the shelter of the trees so a quick turn around and back to the promenade. From here I could see the Common Sandpiper on the NE shore whilst 3 Cormorant, 10 Canada geese, 3 Heron and the Gt Crested Grebe were present.

     Around 100 LBB plus a few Herring and Common gull plus the usual Black Headed all on the east bank as opposed to the usual west bank. A group of 5 Lapwing appeared at the NE end before I left.

    Full cloud for tomorrow on a light Sou'wester at 12 degrees peaking at 19 degrees with a chance of rain after midday.

 BS

Back to Fly Flatts.

 

At last, some normal weather this morning at Fly Flatts with full low cloud on a light NW>3 at 13 degrees with some early drizzle.

     With nothing showing around the shore line after a good scope of the area I checked the bushes in the compound after yesterdays mad migrant morning. Up to 8 Stonechat were present, mainly juvs as well as around 30 Meadow Pipits and 3 Wheatear.

  On then along the south bank where a single Common Sandpiper flew low across the water, settling on the north end of the west bank, the only wader present.

    Next stop was along the west bank to settle down and watch the migrant action below the west bank near the feeding station. A minimum count of another 15 Stonechat along the fence line along with 9 Wheatear, all very actively feeding and keeping at distance. Also several juv Pied Wagtails but no sign of the Yellow Wagtail or Redstart from yesterday.

     Plenty Swallows overhead but the Swifts seem to have gone. Lots of Linnets and Goldfinch on the thistle heads.

     A cloudy day for tomorrow with a chance of early morning showers on a light NW starting off at 12 degrees and peaking at 17 degrees.

BS

   

A lively migrant morn and another 1st for Fly Flatts.

 

                                Around 300 big gulls, mostly LBB, very few Herring.

                                        North shore

                                    2 of 5 Wheatear over on the Robin Rocks

                                    Wheatear

                                    Stonechat in moult

                                Yellow Wagtail still present

                                In with several juv Pied.

                                    Yellow and Pied

                                    Checking LH Wag for white.

                                A site first, Redstart

Another full sun morning at Fly Flatts at 19 degrees but a good W>4-5 making it cool and pleasant enough for walking. With the south shore quiet I walked the west bank with a view of scoping the NE corner and north shore. Around 300 gulls along the waters edge, mainly LBBs with just a low number of Herring and around 30 Black Headed, but not a wader of any description to be found anywhere around the shore. The family of  6 Kestrels were spread out along the length of the west bank.

     Walking back along the west bank there was a lot of migrant activity down below the banking and across on the bracken area, which is usually good for Whinchat at this time of year, but not this morning. Around 12 juv Pied Wagtail were working the fence line and whilst scanning through them I picked out a juv Yellow Wagtail, presumably yesterdays bird, which was busy feeding in with the Pied, dropping into the grass and back onto the fence.

    Further along the fence were 4 Stonechat and as I was watching these I got a flash of a red tail so immediately thought Black Redstart, which I get each year at or around this site. A dash back along the banking to get a bit closer I was surprised to pick up a Redstart, a first for me at this site. It flew further along the fence line towards the north end but not before I managed a couple of  distant record shots, a good finish to the morning.

    A better forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a light NW starting at 12 degrees and peaking at 19 degrees.

BS