Fly Flatts

                      Monday, van goes off road

 By Friday its stripped, smashed and burnt out.
One good reason not to leave your car unattended
                                at Fly Flatts.

           Another world. Fly Flatts still 80 % frozen and only
                                                 4x4 vehicle access.

                                            Distant Curlew

             Canadas on the small area of unfrozen water

             No sign of thawing as yet

                                              Curlew towards the wind farm

                                   Pied Wagtail, Nolstar.

With very little time left between town and dog grooming duties I headed for Fly Flatts on a reconnaissance trip to check out the situation for a Sunday morning visit. Once again I went through the top gate and half way down the track only to be stopped by the deep drifts that have,nt moved since Monday.
Also, once again, I found the reservoir to still be 80 % frozen with only a very small amount of water free which held a few Canada geese and Mallards. Looking at the conditions up there it will be July before we see the water again.
                                               On the bright side it was good to hear Curlews calling on the moor with 3 on the flat moor and 2 near the wind farm along with Golden Plover calls from Slade.
No sign of Goldies around Nolstar but another 2 Curlews , 3 Pied Wagtails and a single Skylark whilst a Buzzard soared over High Brown Knoll.
                                                   Looking down on Cold Edge Dams both Leadbeater and Haigh Cote dams were frozen over. It really is a different world up here in the uplands. Badly need a heatwave tomorrow to prepare Fly Flatts for Sunday morning !!!
BS