Yesterday at Ogden 4 separate people asked me where all the water had gone for which I had no answer. With all other reservoirs brimming I can,t see it being down to a lack of rain so maybe its being dropped for maintenance work to be done ? All I know is that this level if fine for waders even though Ogden had never picked up many in the past due to being surrounded with trees which the birds don,t like dropping down into making them feel trapped, or so I,m told.
In any case , the waders have gone now and we badly need the level of water up to pick up the winter waterfowl .
Passerine alley is also suffering due to the low water which is well away from the Willows taking the midges away which the passerines thrive on. When the water is up under the Willow trees large shoals of midges can be seen above the water which in turn attracts the birds.
I suppose us birders would never be happy unless we could alter the water level as we need it for each season.
I suppose you guessed, after all this dribble, that birding has been quiet around the area today.
After a very foggy, Sunday morning type start, the skies cleared by 1030 hrs leaving the rest of the day bright and clear although the skies remained empty.
Once again Pink Footed geese slipped by us keeping to the west of the country with the Manchester vis miggers again enjoying several large skeins.
DJS had Golden Plover moving over Fly Flatts whilst NK clocked a fresh in drake Wigeon at Ogden which was not there yesterday when I checked through all the Mallards mainly out of boredom.
BS