Too hot to handle, Fly Flatts, Waders galore.

 

The heat is on with full sun at Fly Flatts this morning at 10 degrees and rising. Luckily a  pleasant WSW>2-3 was keeping it workable. 

   Plenty action this morning but waders very flighty with paddle boarders on the water and boats being prepared for this afternoons sailing.

   Little Ringed Plover has always been my bogey bird for this site with usually just the one sighting a year, and that being a fly over but this year has seen a pleasing transformation with a single LRP being present, but elusive since 18th April, and was joined this morning by at least another 4. To have 5 at this site is certainly a record for me.

   A pair of Ringed Plover were out on the peninsular, but staying at scope distance, whilst  a count of 7 Common Sandpipers, 6 Redshank and 4 Dunlin were also present, as well as the usual Curlews, Lapwings and a single Snipe.

    Just 3 LBB gulls over >N but my eyes were fully concentrating on the shoreline so anything over could have been missed.

     Not looking forward to tomorrow with full sun forecast on a very light SW kicking off at 17 degrees and threatening to get up to 28 degrees.

BS

Fly Flatts, back to the overcoat.

 

                                    Racing Pigeons over the turbines

                                    2 of 3 Stonechat

                                    Usual Common Sandpipers

                                    Single Little Ringed Plover

                                    1 of 3 Buzzard.

As expected, yesterdays weather at Fly Flatts was a one day wonder and this morning me and the dogs all had our coats back on with full dark cloud on a cool W>5 decreasing to W>4 at 9 degrees. Good visibility with patches of sun by 0930 hrs.

    A relatively quiet morning, wader wise, with just 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Redshank showing though, what I presume to be, the long staying Little Ringed Plover, gave me a good showing in the SE corner. 

   Stonechat are still active feeding young along with Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings whilst up in the sky, 3 Buzzards and 2 Kestrels were enjoying the wind as well as a single Raven and numerous LBB and Herring gulls over >SW. Swifts and Swallows are now a common sight.

     Full sun showing for tomorrow on a light SW starting off at 10 degrees.

BS

Sunny Fly Flatts !!!!

 

                                    Plenty Common Sandpipers

                                    As well as Dunlins

                                    I never tire of seeing Dunlins

A glorious morning to be up on the tops with wall to wall sunshine at 15 degrees but a pleasant S>4 keeping the heat down and the flies away making it pleasant to walk.

    A bit of a lull going on at the moment with plenty Redshank, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin along with Oystercatcher, Curlew and Lapwing but still awaiting some new arrivals. Hopefully, the coming week of dry weather will be enough to let the water level lower enough to give me a bit more exposed shore.

  A few LBB gulls over >SW and 2 Buzzards high over ' Tatty Pie Hill' whilst the single Wheatear is still present. Canada goose numbers are well down this year where my usual count of 400+ is down to less than 200, though several have up to 10 goslings. Unfortunately they still keep me busy cleaning the floating jetty after the overnight roost. Having said that, Greylags are on the up with around 30 pairs, all with goslings whereas I used to get just 1 to 2 breeding pair a couple of years back.

      A pair of Red Grouse were on the Flat Moor, a rare sight now at Fly Flatts, so much so that there has been no shoots up there for several years.

   Its away with the winter gear now and out with the sun cream and insect repellent for the next few days with tomorrows forecast of  cloudy sunshine on a light to moderate westerly kicking off at 12 degrees.

BS

   

Up in the wilds, Fly Flatts

 

                                    Low cloud base over The Nab

                                    Turbines blanked out

                                    Peninsular slowly getting flooded

                                    Plenty Common Sandpipers

                                    Seems to be just 1 remaining Wheatear.

A terrible morning at Fly Flatts with a moderate to strong SW>5 gusting >6 at 31 mph with early fog then a very low cloud base at 9 degrees with drizzle showers.

   As usual up there in a strong SW the birds were mostly bunkered down with even the geese sheltering in the long grassy fields and keeping away from the water. The only active wader was Common Sandpiper but even these were very flighty feeding briefly before moving to another spot.

   Redshank and Dunlin could be seen on the distant peninsular, which needs a few dry days now to stop it disappearing under the water, whilst 2 Oystercatchers were on in the NW corner.

    Kestrels were up in the air with 3 present, not bothering about the wind, whilst a good move of LBB gulls >SW with around 50 keeping low below the clag.

     Only small passerines present were 1 Wheatear, 3 Stonechat and several Mipits.

A scare on the way home on Cold Edge Road when 4 large waders lifted up from a field on my right and flew behind the car over the Nolstar field and disappeared down Slaughter Gap. By the time I had anchored on and jumped out of the car they were out of sight over the far wall near to the quarry.

   By the size and jizz of them I'd have said 90% Black Tailed Godwits, but one I'll have to let go.

An unusual weather system for tomorrow bart wind and rain, with full sun in the morning, clouding slightly after midday, on a light southerly starting off at 10 degrees, though I'm not holding my breath, this is Fly Flatts we're talking about.

BS