Seeking the shade, Fly Flatts.

 

                                 Unusual to have Black Headed gull here.

                                    juv Lapwing

                                A rarity at Fly Flatts lately, Golden Plover

                                    2 juv Wheatear showing

                                   Ad Pied Wagtail plus several juvs.

                                Common Sandpiper surrounded by flies.

Another dreaded morning with too much heat. Full sun at 20 degrees but a pleasant E>2 making it workable but keeping to the shade of the car and building. 

    A surprise this morning to find a Golden Plover on the SE shore plus a second fly over and both ending up on the Flat Moor. A rare sighting at this site over the last few years, before which I used to have 300 + nesting on the Flat Moor.

    A flock of 15 Lapwings were moving around the fields, mostly juvs, whilst 2 juv Wheatear were near the compound. Quiet otherwise on the waders with just a single Common Sandpiper making a quick appearance on the west bank whilst 15 LBB gull were on the north shore.

  Plenty juv Goldfinch and Starlings present whilst Meadow Pipits are starting to group ready for dispersion.

    Very little improvement for tomorrow with full sun on a slightly stronger NE breeze and temperatures a touch lower starting off at 16 degrees and getting up to 25 mid afternoon. An added problem over the weekend with a possibility of morning hill fog. I love summer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not.

BS

    

Non productive weather, Fly Flatts.

 

                                Single Stonechat

                                    1 of 3 Common Sandpiper

                                    1 of 8 newly fledged Lapwing

Terrible birding conditions this morning with a temp of 19 degrees with clear skies and full sun. Luckily a nice cooling NW>3 was blowing but had all but dropped by 0900 hrs so it was head for the shade.

    Needless to say, the sky was void of birds other than several Goldfinch and Linnets moving around the thistle tops whilst a Buzzard and Kestrel were over the Nab.

    A nice turn up of 8 juv Lapwings fully fledged whilst a juv fledged Common Sandpiper was moving around the shore. Yesterdays pair of Common Sandpiper were present and still warning off  anything near them, so obviously still protecting the 3 chicks. Lucking they have moved their position to what looks like a much safer area with the chicks remaining hidden in a rocky banking. Yesterday they were by the lagoon and well exposed in an area where I get regular sightings of Weasel.

    A single Stonechat was by the entrance track whilst 4 juv Wheatear were over on the Robin Rocks.

Other than the geese the water held 4 LBB and 1 Black Headed gull as well as 1m and 2f Tufted duck.

    A very grim forecast for tomorrow with full sun starting off at 19 degrees and getting up to 28 mid p.m. on a very light easterly breeze, Yuk !!!!

 BS

A sunny Fly Flatts

 

                                A charm of 12 Goldfinch

                                Standing room only on the peninsular.

                                2 homebred white Greylags.

                                    1 of 2 Common Sandpiper

                                    2 of 3 Common Sandpiper chicks.

A good morning to be on the tops today even though the temp was 29 degrees with a nice cool NW>3 blowing with full blue sky and sunshine.  

   A poor year for Common Sandpiper numbers due to a high water level with just 2 pair breeding. The first pair had 2 young but moved them to the north end so no idea of the outcome. The second pair had 3 chicks on show this morning but looking very vulnerable in the area they were at. Hopefully the adults will move them to a safer area.

     Nothing else wader wise but unable to scan the peninsular due to the mass of Canada and Greylags along with 8 LBB and 1 Black Headed gull among them. A drake Tufted and 2 female were on the water but no Common Scoters as yet but must be immanent.

     Plenty Swallows above along with 3 Kestrel and a Buzzard but no Swifts this morning. Nothing small passerine wise other than 12 Goldfinch, 1 Stonechat and several Meadow Pipits. Curlews seem to be well gone from this site now.

    Not my favourite forecast for tomorrow with full sun on a very light NW with a start off temp of 18 degrees getting up to 26 mid afternoon. 

BS

   

Gulling at Ogden.

                                    Gulls on the west bank
 

                                    Count of 38 LBBs

                                    Several Black Headed

                                    4 juv Black Headed

                                  Centre, a second Yellow Legged Herring gull

                                    3 adult and 1 juv Heron

Thick fog on the tops early doors with light drizzle. Ogden was below the cloud base with full cloud but dry on a moderate W>3-4 at 14 degrees.

     A good count of Lesser Black Backed gulls this morning coming and going with a final count of 38 before I left. Several Black Headed including 4 juveniles spread along the west bank. Only 4 Herring gulls present, all being 1 or possibly 2 CY, which can be hard to tell at this time of year as 1 CYs move up into 2 CYs.

    The highlight was a Yellow Legged Herring dropping onto the water briefly, mid watch, before heading off towards Mixenden. This was a different bird to the one I had Saturday, and then re-located by NK yesterday, showing different plumage markings and dark shadowing around the eyes.

    Otherwise it was the usual 8 Canadas and 2 drake Tufted plus the usual species. A check of the shorelines failed to produce any waders.

    Less windy tomorrow with a light to moderate  >W turning >NW starting off at 14 degrees with cloudy sunshine.

BS

A windblown Fly Flatts

 

                                    Juvenile Redshank

                                    Juv Kestrel battling the wind

                                    Common Sandpiper

                                2 CY male Wheatear, well in moult

                                                  Water going down a treat

Despite yesterdays forecast of a moderate westerly the wind at Fly Flatts was near gale to gale force

force W>7 gusting W>8 at 38 mph and gusting at 40 mph. Near full cloud with good visibility at 14 degrees.

    Despite the wind, a few birds were found but very hard to come by and all very mobile. Wader wise, just a Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher and juv Redshank whilst 1 Stonechat and 1 Wheatear were present along with Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits.

    Overhead, battling in the wind, was a juv Kestrel, 2 Raven, several Swallows and Swifts along with 1 Black Headed and 4 LBB gulls. The Crayfish traps have now all been removed and so far the water is going down nicely exposing much more shore.

    Much the same forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a moderate to strong westerly but remaining dry at 14 degrees.

BS