A cracking start to April, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    1st Wheatear back, male.

                                    female and male Common Scoter

                                Rarity at this site, pair Goosander

                                    several Sand Martins moving through.

                                    5 Redshank present.

A decent batch of weather at last at Fly Flatts with full cloud cover on a light WSW>3 at 6 degrees with good visibility.

     A good start to the month with my first Wheatear of the year with a single male in the compound as I arrived. Scoping the water I picked up two black shapes at the north end which had to be Common Scoter so a dash partly along the west bank revealed a male and female but keeping very distant.

    Whilst getting some photos of these I started getting Sand Martins moving through feeding on midges over the water before heading off >N. Surprisingly at least 8 Swallows came through among the Martins but more direct and >N, a week earlier than my previous first arrivals. Sand Martins counted at around 30.

   Otherwise 5 Redshank, 6 Oystercatchers, 2 LBB and 2 Herring gull plus a rare visit, for this site, with a pair of Goosander.

    A dry morning tomorrow with some cloudy sunshine on a light NNW at 3 degrees.

BS

   

    

Fly Flatts/ MixendenReservoir.

 

    FLY FLATTS        Rough water, early morn

                                    0830 hrs, fog heading in from the SW

                                    Visibility down

                                    Lights out

MIXENDEN                    Below the cloud base.

I thought I was in luck this morning when the overnight fog cleared by 0600 hrs at Queensbury leaving blue sky and sunshine. On arrival at Fly Flatts it was clear across the water but a low cloud base blanking the tops of the wind turbines. Just time to check the compound and walk the south bank before the fog came rolling in with no visibility after 0830 hrs. A moderate WNW>5 at 5 degrees.

    Very little found in the time I had before the fog arrived with 4 Oystercatchers and 1 Curlew, along with the usual Greylag, Canada and Lapwing. A few Meadow Pipits were flitting about as well as a single Skylark.

    With the very early cut off I called at Mixenden reservoir on the way back, which was below the cloud base. Very little doing here, though with no access with the dogs was unable to do a thorough check of the waterside trees and banking. 

    Just 2 Canadas, 2 Mallards and 2 LBB gulls on the water whilst the hedges along the south end of the reservoir grounds held the 4 common Tit species as well as Robins, Wrens and Blackbird plus the mornings saving grace with my first Chiffchaff of the year.

     Dry and cloudy for morning on a light SW at 6 degrees. 

BS

Another Ogden

 

                                   In between the showers.

                                    3 LBB gulls present

                                    as well as 2 Herring gull

Another very windy morning with heavy showers to start the day with a W>4 gusting 5 at 3 degrees.

Bright and sunny in between the showers.

    Very little time spent there, just around the promenade area, not wanting to take the dogs along the mud caked west bank after spending the last 2 days bathing and grooming them. Especially as I knew I wouldn't find any birds there in the conditions.

    The water just held 3 LBB and 2 Herring gulls plus the Mallards whilst a Sparrowhawk and Buzzard were over the plantation. Back home again at 0915 hrs.

    A poor day given for tomorrow showing cloudy with a light to moderate westerly and chance of showers at 6 degrees and a cap load of  hill fog for morning. Its becoming a toil of a pleasure now.

BS

    

A breezy, cold Ogden.

 

                                East bank, Passerine Alley

                                    Looking to the NW corner

                                    Single Herring gull

A very windy morning at Ogden with light rain on a moderate to strong WSW>6 gusting 7 near gale and increasing by late morning with full cloud at 2 degrees.

   A check of the water produced a single adult Herring gull plus the usual Mallards. A look at the east bank for a change to see if I could get a first Chiffchaff but too wet and windy for anything other than a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a few Wrens and Robins. Back home by 0900 hrs to bath and cut the second dog.

   Three different forecasts for tomorrow, one showing heavy rain showers, one showing light rain and the third showing cloudy sunshine but all agreeing on a strong west turning north west with near gale to gale force at 3 degrees.

BS

Match abandoned.

 With a near gale force WSW>7 and heavy hail showers I took the advantage of getting one of the dogs bathed and cut whilst waiting in for a delivery that didn't arrive until mid afternoon. A bright afternoon but still very blustery as I walked over Foxhill with the dogs near tea time with 2 Kestrels struggling to hover over Grimstons in the wind whilst a Sparrowhawk went over the house showing no interest in the 30 + House Sparrows I had on my feeders. All the Common gulls have now left Foxhill park.

   Cloudy, wet and windy given for tomorrow with a moderate to strong sou'wester at 3 degrees.

BS

    

A reet wet do. Leeshaw, Lower Laithe, Leeming.

 

                                    Wet and murky Leeshaw

                                    3 Redshank present

                                        Some of 28 Oystercatchers

Dense fog on the tops this morning so a visit to Leeshaw where the weather was miserable with misty conditions moving through and constant heavy horizontal drizzle on a moderate WSW>4 at 7 degrees.

 More road closures and diversions through Oxenhope.

   Nothing other than the expected species with 3 Redshank, 28 Oystercatchers, 5 Curlew and around 100 Lapwing. The goose field held a low count of Canadas and Greylags along with 2 Little Owl and a few Meadow Pipits whilst 2 Pied and 2 Grey Wagtails were in the overflow. Just a single 1CY Herring gull heading >W.

   Lower Laithe was poor with Canadas, Mallards and 2 Oystercatchers whilst Leeming held 6 Tufted duck along with Canadas, Mallards and 2 Grey Wagtails.

     A sunshine and showers day tomorrow with a chance of rain, sleet and snow on a moderate westerly at 1 degree.

BS

    

A quick glance at Ogden

                                            A beautiful morning at Ogden

Clear blue skies and sunshine on a cool NW>3 at 2 degrees.

   A very late start this morning, not getting out until 0900 hrs, with the impossible task of trying to get a doctors appointment for Lynda. After 3 days and a stack of phone calls and internet forms I finally got an appointment for her for next week. Luckily its not life threatening. You've more chance of seeing a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker than a doctor in Queensbury.

     Anyway, just a flying visit to Ogden just to get the dogs out and check the water. The dog walking was fine, the birding was terrible, even though the conditions were perfect with nothing but Mallards on the water and a walk on the west bank provided just Robins, Dunnocks and a few Long Tailed Tits.

   No sign of the Fieldfares this morning but a lot of road resurfacing going on along Perseverance Road.

   Back to a cloudy wet day tomorrow with a moderate SW at 6 degrees with possible hill fog.

BS

    

Blizzard conditions Ogden, match aborted.

 

                                    Blizzard conditions Ogden

                                    In between the snow showers

                                    Next blizzard on way.

                                    3 LBB gulls

                                    Perseverance Rd, Fieldfares and Starlings 

Set off this morning for Leeshaw due to a strong NW>6 but as I got to Keelham a heavy snow shower was starting to cover the roads so diverted to Ogden. Real blizzard conditions at Ogden with the worst blizzard so far this winter so waited in the car to see what happened with thoughts of getting home while I could. Luckily it started to clear leaving bright blue skies and sunshine on an icy cold strong NW 5 gusting 6 at 1 degree. By the time I got across the promenade another serious blizzard arrived so time to get out of there.

    Only birds seen were 3 LBB and 2 Herring on the water plus several Tits on the feeders.

On the way home, a field on Perseverance Road held around 30 Fieldfare and 50+ Starlings but unfortunately right in the sun so no good for photos. Back home by 0900 hrs with still a mix of sunshine and snow showers.

    Promising to be a decent day tomorrow with plenty sunshine in the morning then starting to cloud after midday on a light WNW starting off at zero degrees.

BS