Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Alive with Swifts

                                    Pair of Common Sandpipers guarding chicks.

                                    Single Little Ringed Plover

                                    Buzzard over the turbines

                                    Mobbed by Lapwings

Contrary to the weather forecast it was a decent morning with dark full cloud cover on a light SW>2 at 

12 degrees with good visibility.

    A pair of Common Sandpiper were standing guard over at least 2 chicks keeping them well hidden in the boulders whilst a single Little Ringed Plover was mobile around the shore. Strangely, very few sightings of Dunlin and Ringed Plover this year, usually a common spring visitor in good numbers, whereas, Little Ringed Plover are usual mega rare at this site.

    The usual Redshank and Oystercatchers were present as well as Curlew and Lapwing, whilst Lapwings were busy mobbing a Buzzard high over the wind turbines.

    A large feeding party of Swifts appeared over the water, around 50 strong, staying for about an hour before drifting off >SW with a few Swallows mixed in.

   Otherwise, down to the usual species including 3 Stonechat and several Linnets.

If tomorrows forecast is anything near right its showing a possibly dry start with a band of heavy rain moving in by late morning with some heavy thundery showers on a moderate SW turning S at 12 degrees.

BS

Ups and downs of birding. Ogden.

 

                                        Dark clouds over Ogden

                                    A good year for Chiffchaffs

                                    Single drake Tufted

                                    4 Lesser Black Backed gulls present.

A better morning than expected weather wise with full cloud on a cool SW>3 at 12 degrees with some light drizzle showers.

   They say you're only as good as your last blog and I went out on a high yesterday then died a death today with a very quiet Ogden.

   Plenty calls and song from the waterside trees and plantation edge but only the expected species with mainly Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Wren and Robin as well as Song Thrush. Chiffchaff seem to have greatly outnumbered Willow Warblers this year.

    The water just held 2 Canada geese, a drake Tufted and 4 Lesser Black Backed gulls with 2 Heron on the shore.

   A similar forecast for tomorrow with showers and breaks of sunshine on a moderate westerly at 12 degrees.

BS

A pleasing end to the month.

 

                                    Ending the month in style, Hobby.

                                        High and >NE

                                    5 Little Ringed Plovers present

A mixed morning weather wise with full cloud and light drizzle turning to broken cloud and then heavy rain and mist by 0930 hrs on a moderate WSW>3-4 at 12 degrees.

    Star of the show this morning was a raptor being mobbed by Lapwings high over the Flat Moor. First thought was Kestrel which as it got a bit nearer I could just make out a face mask so thoughts moved to Peregrine. As it turned slightly to give me a side on view I dropped the bins and raised the camera, my first Hobby at this site in 4 years, the last one being Aug 2022.  The Lapwings veered off and the Hobby continued on high >NE. I just thought, a few days ago, when AC got one over Northowram, that I was due for one but I don't think I'll match his White Tailed Eagle !

    The other highlight was a count of 5 Little Ringed Plovers all on the same piece of shore, a real bogie bird for me at this site, usually struggling for a single sighting so a case of all or nowt.

   A Short Eared Owl was distant over the moor and otherwise the usual wader species, along with several large squadrons of juv Starlings.

    Looks like the garden is going to get watered tomorrow with a wet and windy day forecast on a moderate to strong sou'westerly.

BS.

Sticky hot at Fly Flatts

 

                                    Common Sandpipers present

                                    as well as Redshank

                                    Goslings growing well.

Woodpigeons cooling off in my garden bird bath.

Too hot for comfort this morning at Fly Flatts at 16 degrees with only a very light SW>2 with some  cloud and mostly sunny.                                                                                                                         

   Plenty about but mostly scope work with most birds at distance, mainly around the peninsular area and north bank.

   Waders comprised of Common Sandpipers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers along with 1 Little Ringed Plover and 1 Ringed Plover plus the usual Curlews and Lapwings. Several LBB gulls were moving >SW along with a Cormorant, unusual for this site, and a Short Eared Owl very high over the moor, also >SW. Plenty Swallows and Swifts in the sky but otherwise down to the usual species.

   A moderate westerly for morning starting at 12 degrees with a 60% chance of rain improving after midday.

BS

     

   

Another dabble at Ogden

 

                                    1 of 3 Heron

                                    Single drake Tufted

                                    3 Herring gulls

A much fresher morning with near full cloud on a moderate WSW>3 at 15 degrees.

  Very much the same birds picked up on a walk around the perimeter of the water and once again plenty sound but very little sightings in the dense foliage.

   The Pied Flycatcher has either moved on or found a mate and stopped singing whilst plenty song from the usual Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler with the addition today of a very vocal Nuthatch as well as the usual common woodland species.

  A pair of Grey Wagtails are feeding young whilst 3 Heron were on the waters edge, with 2 Canada geese and a single drake Tufted on the water. Gulls are slowly returning with a single LBB and 3 Herring gulls. Herring gulls are the one to watch now as  June/ July is the peak time for Yellow Legged Herring gull, usually found in with Lesser Black Backed.

    Dry and sunny tomorrow on a light sou'westerly starting off at 12 degrees.

BS

   

    

Flashing and Banging at Ogden.

 

                                   A dark stormy start to the morning

                                    Brighter to the South

                                Plenty Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff

                                    Heron on watch

                                    Flock of Long Tailed Tits.

After a heavy overnight storm at 0300 hrs it left fog on the tops and distant thunder and lightening with a torrential rain shower as I headed to Ogden, but that was only short lived. The storm moved over by 0830 hrs leaving it dry with a light E>3 at 12 degrees.

     No sight of sound from the Pied Flycatcher this morning with just the usual Willow Warbs and Chiffchaffs along with a good count of Chaffinch and Blackcaps plus the usual common woodland species. Very little use for the camera again as searching through a ton of leaves for a LBJ is not my kind of birding.

     The water held 2 Canada geese and a pair of Tufted duck plus the usual Mallards and Heron, with nothing moving overhead.

   A turn of wind for tomorrow with a moderate SW and cloudy sunshine starting off at 13 degrees reaching18 degrees by mid afternoon. Hopefully a more accurate forecast than yesterdays as the 3 forecasts I checked missed the thunderstorms completely.

BS