WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING

BRIAN SUMNER.
WELCOME TO ( WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING )
KEEPING BIRDING LOCAL.

BLOG UPDATED DAILY AROUND 1900 hrs.

FEEL FREE TO SEND ANY COMMENTS, QUERIES OR QUESTIONS DIRECT TO MY E.MAIL AT THE ADDRESS BELOW, OTHERWISE TEXT OR WHATSAPP. 07771 705024.


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NOTE !!
No sightings of Roe Deer, Fox, Hare or Badger will be mentioned on this blog throughout the year and links will be removed from other blogs giving the whereabouts of these mammals due to the rising influx of poaching, long dogging and lamping by sick individuals.
BS




Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Another session at Fly Flatts.

                                    At least 7 Wheatear
 
                                    2 Common Sandpiper

                                        6 Redshank


                                    1 pr Stonechat









                                    Oyk and Common Sandpiper





Once again I was favoured with the weather at Fly Flatts early morn with a light SSE>3 with full cloud  at a mild 10 degrees and short bursts of sunshine.
    Plenty to keep me and the camera occupied though much the same as yesterday with a good display of waders around the shore, again with Redshank, Common Sandpiper and Oystercatcher along with Snipe, Curlew and Lapwing.
    Just 7 Wheatear showing today, one of which looked good for a Greenland ( leucorhoa), whilst a pair of Stonechat were among the several Meadow Pipits. The water just held 3 LBB and a single Herring gull plus the usual Mallards and geese.
   A dry morning given for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a moderate SSE at 8 degrees.
BS

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Fly Flatts

 

                                        Just the 2 Oystercatchers


                                        About a dozen Wheatear






                                     13 ducklings.

                                The peninsular showing well
                                    5 Redshank seen

                                A Fly Flatts rarity now, Golden Plover


A bright sunny start to the morning but clouded over by 0830 hrs to leave it full cloud on a light SE>3
at 5 degrees with full visibility.
   Still around a dozen Wheatear present but only the south end checked so probably more at the north end, plus Greenlands should be coming through shortly, being the last ones through.
   No new waders as yet with Redshanks, Common Sandpipers, Oystercatchers as well as 2 Snipe and the usual Curlews and Lapwings, with Dunlin due within the next couple of weeks.
    Nothing skyward this morning other than 3 Swallows >N and a single Buzzard up over the moor. Although Ring Ouzels seem to be all over the shop at the moment I'm still drawing a blank at Fly Flatts which has been the same for the last 3 years. A pair of Stonechat were by the lagoon.
   On the way home I spied a single Golden Plover in the Withins Head farm field, a rare bird now for my area whereas not so many years ago I was getting a count of over 300 on the Flat Moor as well as birds always present in the Nolstar fields. Nothing has changed with the habitat but the Plovers have gone.  
     A light southerly for morning increasing to moderate with a low chance of showers starting off at 10 degrees. Rain showers after midday.
BS 

Monday, April 13, 2026

A sunny morn at Fly Flatts

 

                                        Still waters at Fly Flatts

                                    Rare weather for this site.
                                        Reflections
                                    Pink Footed Goose
                                    1 of 6 Reed Buntings
                                    9 Redshank showing



                                    19 + Wheatear at the south end.

                                        2 Stonechat present
                                    2 Common Sandpiper.

A glorious morning at Fly Flatts with  heavy ground frost at 3 degrees, cloudless skies and full sun with dead calm conditions rising to SE>2 by 0930 hrs.
     A pleasing morning bird wise with some decent shoreline now showing and wader numbers slowly creeping up with 9 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 Snipe plus the usual Lapwings, Curlews and Oystercatchers.
   Once again, Wheatear were the highlight  with a count of at least 19 just along the south end of the reservoir along with 2 Stonechat, 2 Skylark and several Meadow Pipits. Nothing on the water other than Canadas, Greylags, 1 Pink Footed goose and Mallards plus 2 Black Headed gulls briefly.
     Up to 6 Pied Wagtail in the compound area along with 6 Reed Buntings but no Willow Warblers or Chiffchaffs now that their favourite Willow tree has been butchered.
    Nothing moving skywards other than around 15 Swallows >N. Looking like another poor year for Ring Ouzel so far as its now 3 years since my last sighting at this site and 6 years since I was tripping over them in the compound with 5 present and so tame I had to back away from them for photos.
  Some of the 2020 Ring Ouzel photos :-








Showing a bright sunny start to the morning on a very light SE starting off at 2 degrees then clouding by midday with chance of afternoon showers.
BS