1500 hrs at Fly Flatts in good conditions with 90 % cloud cover and a W>5 with good visibility but by 1600 hrs the scud clouds started drifting across the moor bringing heavy rain and loss of visibility.
No sign of yesterdays Reed Buntings and Stonechats which obviously continued on when the fog lifted. The water just held 4 Canadas.
Mipits were moving >S throughout, several high over the moor and several ground hopping.
A few of these grounded Mipits showed signs of Icelandic race being much brighter buff breasted, (Tree Pipit style) , with a prominent eye stripe.
As the previous day I was once again working about a 5 miles range watching 2 Buzzards moving over >SE along with a small group of Redwings.
A text from DJS reporting a skein of Pink Footed Geese heading from Lee Mount towards Ogden got me grabbing the tripod and heading for the west bank taking a gamble that they would turn and head west into the wind rather than fly with the wind which they seldom do, not liking the wind ruffling their feathers and increasing wear and tear on them.
With the camera up on its sticks ready it was scan and wait and sure enough the skein of 48 soon came into view heading >W as expected but again around 5 miles or more from my position. After a few record shots to get a count I watched them fly over Stoodley Pike and disappear into Lancashire where they would now be seeing their destination, the west coastline.
On the way back through Mixenden a flock of around 20 Redwing were flying from Ogden golf course over Mixy reservoir suddenly dropping down into the west shore plantation to roost.
BS