The ups and downs of Fly Flatts.

 

Hovering Buzzard                                                                     

                                     Into the dive.

                                    1 pair Tufted.

                                Some of the 400 + Canadas

                                    Goslings growing well

                                    Late batch of Mallard.

A very dark, full cloud morning at Fly Flatts on a cool E>3 at 8 degrees.

   A very steady morning compared to the last few visits, probably due to the cool easterly wind with never does this site any favours.

  A Common Sandpiper and an Oystercatcher were the only waders found, other than Lapwing and Curlew, though I didn't walk the west bank to check the NE corner. Not a Wheatear in sight this morning with just 2 male Reed Buntings plus plenty juv Meadow Pipits around the compound area.

    A Short Eared Owl flew low over the water at the far north end but continued >W over Tatty Pie Hill whilst a few LBB gulls were slowly making their way >NE. The sky, once again was alive with Swifts and Swallows but otherwise a bit of a disappointing morning.

    A drizzly damp morning tomorrow with hill fog on a light SE turning SW later in the day kicking off at 10 degrees.

BS

Wheatear invasion, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    At least 5 Common Sandpipers

                                    Redshanks on the moor

                                    1 of 3 Raven

                                    5  2  CY Wheatear, brown primaries.

                                    4 juveniles.

As promised, a dry day at last with 50% cloud and sunshine on a light NW>3 at10 degrees.

     Preparations for the sailing club open day this morning so restricted to the west bank to avoid any disturbance with no waders in the usual SE corner.

    Common Sandpipers were spread along the west bank whilst the main of the waders were way across in the far NE corner on a strip of mud banking but too distant from the west bank, even through the scope, due to heat shimmer along the shore. I picked out at least 2 Ringed Plover that flew across the water whilst several small waders were working the shoreline what looked like Dunlin, going by the jizz of them but can't be sure.

    Wheatear were the birds of the day with it being very unusual to get June birds up there. At least 4 juveniles present, including the home bred 2 whilst at least 5 adults showing as 2 CY, still retaining their brown primaries.

    Otherwise, 3 Raven, which have bred locally, 2 Herring and 2 LBB gulls, along with 2 Stonechat and several Swifts, plus the usual species.

    Cloudy sunshine for tomorrow with the problem of a light easterly which could bring poor visibility, starting off at 10 degrees.

BS

  

   

Worse the weather, better the birds. Fly Flatts.

 

                                    1 of 2 Wheatear juvs

                                2CY male Wheatear in 1st alternate plumage.

                                    7 juv Pied Wagtails present, all home bred.

                                    Ringed Plover

                                    Little Ringed Plover

                                    1 of 2 Oystercatchers

                            Strange time of year for Wheatear

                                Distant Cormorant high >N

A real horror morning weather-wise at Fly Flatts with early heavy rain turning to drizzle and low cloud on a near gale to gale force W>7 gusting 8 at 36 to 39 mph at 8 degrees.

    With the conditions as they were I thought it a good morning for something maritime through but nothing in the sky other than a single Cormorant high and >N plus a good count of Swifts.

    Birds on the deck more than made up for it making it the best session up there this year, even though there was nothing super special.

     A surprise to get June Wheatear, other than the 2 locally bred juvs, with at least 3 adult 2 CY males in 1st alternate plumage. A pair of Ringed Plover were present, along with a juv, which was fledged and flying, as well as a Little Ringed Plover.

   All the long staying waders were moving around as well as at least 7 juv Pied Wagtails, all home bred.

I don't know if this influx of waders had dropped in due to the weather or just been forced to my end of the reservoir due to the rapidly disappearing shore but it certainly made a good mornings birding and took my mind off the weather.

    

2 adult Ringed Plover

1 fledged juv Ringed Plover

1 Little Ringed Plover

4 Redshank

2 Oystercatchers

5 Common Sandpiper

4 Curlew

Sev Lapwings

3 ad Wheatear

2 juv Wheatear

7 juv Pied Wagtail

3 Kestrel

Sev Swifts

1 Cormorant..........>N

+ usual sp.

Chance of a dry day tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a moderate NW dropping and turning N as the day goes on, starting at 10 degrees.

BS

   

Very Wet, Very Windy, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Lapwing chick

                                    1 of 4 Common Sandpiper

                                    100 + Swifts

                                    Very early home bred Wheatear

                                    Flying and feeding well

Another atrocious morning weather wise at Fly Flatts with early low cloud on a moderate W>5 at 10 degrees and light drizzle. By 0930hrs it was lights out with very heavy drizzle and mist rolling in.

    Another reet good soaking but well worth the effort this morning at Fly Flatts with a pair of Wheatear that I've been monitoring over the last few weeks, on the quiet for obvious reasons, and this morning the pair had gone, but left me juvenile, fully fledged, flying and feeding well. This bird is very early, with me not getting any returning juvs until well into July in previous years. 

    With very little exposed shore now, and the water still rising, most waders seem to have moved on with no Dunlin or Little Ringed Plover showing so just down to Redshank and Common Sandpiper. A long dry period is now needed urgently for the open valve to get the water level down before the July waders start to come through. This time last year I had Greenshank but their favourite area of shore is well underwater.

     A few Lapwing and Curlew chicks about in the fields but still waiting for a pair of breeding Oystercatchers to re-appear with a juv or two as they did last year.

   Just 3 LBB and 2 Herring gull over >NE whilst over 100 Swifts were again feeding over the water. One of the sailing club members told me this morning that at last night sailing meeting he expected a Swift to hit his sail as they zoomed about over the water.

    Otherwise the usual species, mainly spoilt by the weather.

Hopefully dry in the morning with a 40% chance of rain rising to 90% over midday on a moderate to strong westerly at 10 degrees.

BS