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

Gulls and waders, Ogden.

 

Oystercatcher in with the gulls                                                    

                                    Selection of LBB, Herring and Black Headed

                                     Juv Black headed

                                  Plenty shore waiting for a Green Sandpiper.

Another gull type morning with very low cloud and heavy drizzle, clearing at Ogden by 0800 hrs leaving full cloud on a brisk W>4 at 14 degrees.

    Much the same as yesterday gull wise without the Yellow Legged Herring which failed to make an appearance leaving 38 LBB, 15 Black Headed, including a juv, and 5 Herring, along with an early returning Common gull. 

   A single Oystercatcher was in with the gulls on the west bank and a Common Sandpiper flew from the west bank over to the east side but I didn't do the east bank this morning so it was never re-located.

   Tufted ducks were back up to 4 eclipsed drakes along with 3 Heron, and a Kingfisher flashed along the north banking. Several Swallows were overhead whilst otherwise down to the usual species. 

    A cloudy sunshine day tomorrow remaining dry on a moderate to strong westerly force 5 at 21 mph with a start off temp of 14 degrees.

BS

    

Right on time, Yellow Legged Herring gull for Ogden.

 

                                   LBBs Black Headed and Canadas, West bank

                                    Several Black Headed arriving.

                                    A busy shoreline, Herring gulls arriving

                                    Yellow Legged Herring gull, centre

                                    Adult in moult. Bang on schedule.

                                    Lesser Black Backed on the water.

With fog on the tops along with a strong westerly and heavy drizzle it was down to Ogden reservoir where the wind was W>3-4 but sheltered in the trees with full cloud and drizzle at 12 degrees. Ideal gull conditions.

     Just a few LBB and Black Headed gulls to start off the morning and looking quiet in the gloomy conditions with just the usual 8 Canada geese, whilst Herons were back to 4 and Tufted were down to 2 eclipsed drakes.

   By 0930 hours a few more gulls were drifting in to preen on the water before moving onto the west bank, though very nervy and kept going back onto the water. A final count was 23 Lesser Black Backed,

6 Herring, 32 Black Headed and a star prize with a Yellow Legged Herring Gull in their midst. The YL was expected, as July is always the peak month for this bird in this area. Last year I had 9 YL Herring gull sightings between Ogden, Fly Flatts and Leeshaw.

    So despite a wet and windy morning the wind and drizzle saved the day.

Another wet and windy morning for tomorrow with a moderate westerly with low cloud and drizzle at 

13 degrees, drier in the afternoon.

BS