1530 hrs at Oxenhope reservoir and the second disappointment of the day with all the shoreline now gone.
I had to take refuge in the car as I arrived for 15 minutes with a torrential downpour but that soon passed over leaving it bright but very windy on a SW>6 gusting 7. Around 150 gulls were present as far away as possible in the SW corner cramped together on the grass bank with all their regular shoreline gone. This must be due to YW topping it up as we have,nt had enough rain since my last visit to fill it to the brim.
Waders were down to 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Dunlin very mobile with limited places to land whilst a Little Ringed Plover that was showing interest in an area of shoreline recently has been washed out and moved on.
The long walk down to the hide proved worthwhile where I could scope the gulls out of the wind standing behind the hide which revealed 11 Herring gull and one adult Yellow Legged Herring gull , its bright legs standing out as it stood on the banking. Whilst deciding to walk further down in hope of a picture the whole flock lifted up and dispersed >E probably to the Eccup roost. That left me with nothing to do but practice photographing Swifts of which there were around 100 over the water.
If YW keep this water level up as it is now its going to be a poor July/August for wader sightings, hopefully they,ll drop over the Nab to Fly Flatts.
138 LBB gull
11 Herring gull
1 ad YL Herring gull
1 Dunlin
1 Common Sandpiper
100 + Swift
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Grey Wagtail
Canadas, Greylags and Mallards all with young.
BS