Late afternoon and over to Leeshaw Reservoir in an attempt to rescue the days birding after a terrible morning in the fog. On arrival the water was empty but quite a few gulls on the shoreline and worth checking through. As I opened the tailgate to get the tackle and dogs out all hell let loose with a clay pigeon shoot in the field by the reservoir. Poor Ollie launched himself out of the back of the car and was ready to leg it had I not grabbed him in time as he,s terrified of bangs from guns or fireworks.
Once back in the car he was shaking like a leaf so it was get out of there sharp and back along Nab Water Lane to Fly Flatts with a walk down the northern track which produced nothing and the visibility to the west was still very poor with a haze hanging over the moor. Thirty minutes sky watching then back home to do the garden writing today off as , not one of my best birding days.
An e mail from DW this evening with a road casualty bird. This Jack Snipe was at the roadside near the Raggalds Flood. What a shame for a rare and early bird to our area.
BS