Fly Flatts shaping up.

 

                                Well hidden distant Buzzard.

                                    6 Kestrel up together

                                    Single Common Sandpiper guarding juv.

                                    1f 4 Tufted ducklings.

                                    Pale phase Buzard.

                                Record shot only Female Common Scoter.

                                Distant north end surrounded in shimmer.

                                    1 of 6 Stonechat.

Another morning of acceptable weather at Fly Flatts with near full cloud and pockets of sun on a light W>3 at 15 degrees.

     One of those good mornings where everything fell into place with the only problem being a mass of heat shimmer around the shoreline and even over the water with me deleting 80 of the 130 photos taken. A photographer once put a question on the blog of world famous Florida bird Photographer Arthur Morris asking what could be done about heat shimmer . Arthurs answer was, if there is heat shimmer present the only answer is put your camera in its bag and go home.

    First off this morning 6 very noisy LBB gulls were over the top field swooping down at something in the broken walls. After a lot of scanning I found the culprit, a Buzzard perched at the bottom of a broken wall, reluctant to move.

   Very lively in the air with 6 Kestrels up together, presumably a family party, whilst the sky was once again filled with Swifts and Swallows wit several LBB and Black Headed gulls moving around.

  The very pale phase Buzzard was perched on a distant fence post before heading off over 'Tatty Pie Hill'. Very quiet on the wader scene with just a single Common Sandpiper and a fleeting glimpse of the juv. Due to the shore being empty I walked the west bank to check the bracken for Whinchat which usually appear at this time of year. Luckily it turned out to be a good move finding 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Stonechat and a single Wheatear but all at distance on the fence line below the banking.

     A last scan of the water from the south bank before I left produced a very distant and distorted female Common Scoter at the north end of the water and then on the way up the track another 2 Stonechat were moving along the fence posts.

   Passing the Nolstar field a Grey Partridge walked across the road in front of me followed by 2 young chicks. A good end to a good morning.

    More cloudy sunshine for tomorrow on a light to moderate westerly starting off at 13 degrees and peaking at 19 degrees.

BS

    

Better Conditions, better birds, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Large count of Swifts

                                    4 adult Common Sandpipers

                                    Single juv Common Sandpiper

                                    Little Ringed Plover in moult.

                                    Smothered in heat shimmer.

My intension was to head for Ogden this morning to check the gulls but looking at the near ideal reservoir conditions I was drawn to Fly Flatts with full low cloud cover on a light NNE>3 with light drizzle at 13 degrees.

      A very lively morning with 4 adult Common Sandpipers, constantly moving around the shore line, along with 1 well grown, but not yet fledged, juvenile. A Little Ringed Plover appeared near the end of the watch but kept at distance where the view was very distorted with heat shimmer off the warm mud.

     Plenty Swifts and Swallows over the water whilst 28 LBB and 5 Black Headed gulls were on the north shore. Otherwise, down to the usual species. Despite the ideal conditions, no Terns over, which I had a low expectancy of seeing this morning.

     More of the same, weather wise, tomorrow with cloudy sunshine on a very light NW kicking off at 14 degrees and peeking at 21 degrees. A low 30% chance of a dash of rain over midday which my gardens would be pleased about.

BS

     

Back to Fly Flatts.

 

                                    5 juv lapwing

                                    Peregrine over the water

                                Swarms of Linnet and Goldfinch.

                                Sand Martins over the water

                                    Several Black Headed gulls >SW

                                    juv Pied Wagtail, 2nd brood

                                            Feeding 3rd brood.

                                    2 Stonechats present

                                    Feeding 2nd brood.

Pleasant weather at Fly Flatts this morning with full cloud other than a few short breaks of sunshine on a light WNW>3 at 13 degrees.

    Nothing new in this morning but plenty activity throughout the watch. A group of 5 juvenile Lapwings were on the shore along with a Common Sandpiper and a juvenile Wheatear with Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch and Linnet numbers growing daily.

   The 2 pairs of Pied Wagtail that have bred here, as they do each year, have raised 19 young between them with 2 broods each and are now both feeding a third brood. A flock of around 50 juv Starlings are very active around the top fields.

   At one point, everything blasted off and the geese started making a real din and I was just in time to pick out a Peregrine low over the water before disappearing over the west bank. I presume that its the same juvenile that I got the other day though I only got it from the rear and low down.

    Plenty Swallows and Swifts over the water as well as, surprisingly, a few Sand Martins, whilst a Kestrel and 2 Ravens were overhead. Several LBB gulls present with Black Headed gulls moving >SW. On the way out, 2 Stonechat were busy feeding a second brood.

      Same weather yet again for tomorrow with a very light NE kicking off at 14 degrees and rising to 21 degrees. More sunshine and cloud. 

  BS

Gull check at Ogden.

 

                                    Extra large count of LBB gulls, 200 +

                                    3 Cormorant in silhouette.

                                        1 CY Herring gull

                                    1 of 3 Heron.

                                    10 Herring gull present

                                Yellow Legged Herring, michahellis 2 CY

                                    Smothered in heat shimmer.

With wall to wall sunshine and already up to 18 degrees on a light WNW>2  I decided to head for the shade at Ogden and do a gull check even though its the school holidays so chance of it being busy.

     On arrival, the water was white with gulls, the most I think I have ever seen here, with over 200 Lesser Black Backed spread right across the reservoir. It was very hard viewing with the bright sun shimmering on the water and a strong heat shimmer all around the shore. Unfortunately, the gulls that were on the west shore were further north than their usual position so were mostly hidden from view with the trees. 

   Besides the LBBs I got a count of 10 Herring, plus several Black Headed, and a brief view of a 2 CY Yellow Legged Herring gull which I believe to be the one I have had recently at this site. Just time for some record shots, which were poor due to heat shimmer and working against sun angle, before some rowdies flushed the lot from the shore.

    Otherwise just the usual 3 Herons, 2m 1f Tufted, 3 Cormorant, 1 Gt Crested Grebe and 17 Canada geese. By 0945 hrs the shop was opening and the ice cream cart arriving so time to get out of there.

     Same forecast for tomorrow with cloudy sunshine and the temp starting off at 14 degrees and peaking at 22 degrees with a very light WNW breeze.

BS