another Mallard family.
Slade, flat moor area.
1515 hrs and another pilgrimage to Fly Flatts in perfect conditions with near dead calm and 100 % light grey cloud cover.
Today was one of those exceptionally quiet days which you have to contend with every now and then although at this time of year I,m always expecting the unexpected. No disturbance up there today with just me and swarms of Midges which always appear when the wind has dropped which fortunately is not often at this site.
Just the 3 Common Sands seen and 2 Wheatears plus the surprise of a very late brood of Mallard ducklings with a single LBB gull on the water keeping a close watch on them.
The female Kestrel was well out over the flat moor today working the Slade area giving the Mipits a bit of freedom to feed along the west banking. Nothing new in birds but always a pleasure to be up there even now that the moor is so quiet with Curlews, Golden Plovers and Lapwings gone leaving a strange empty feeling up there. Its a matter now of being patient and waiting for the migration to start.
Many thanks once again to the Angela and Gary team for texting me about yesterdays plant quiz and describing it as of the Melianthus family which I Googled to find it can grow to 12 ft tall and is deadly toxic if eaten even in a small amount so have had to lug it round to the front garden in case Pippa decides to nip a leaf off it as she does with flower heads.
Once again Angela and Gary have shone and its a big thank you for taking an interest in the blog for so many years.
BS