1500 hrs and a very breezy Fly Flatts with 90 % cloud cover and a gusting SW> 6 making it hard to walk along the west banking although the 2 hardy Wind Surfers up there did,nt seem to be phased by it as they nearly broke the sound barrier from one end of the water to the other.
Wheatears are starting to venture into the reservoir grounds now from the moor with 2 males and 6 females present and a little less mobile .
Common Sandpipers are still having to use the west bank until the water level starts to drop which should be soon if the heavy rain stays away.
Birds of the day were single Buzzards moving mega high and >NE , some slowly drifting over whilst others motoring through fast totalling 5 birds all within the space of 20 minutes. Otherwise it was down to the usual species.
Pippa and me took a battering today both coming home worse for wear but living to bird another day. I set the camera up on its sticks at the bottom of the west bank to snap some Wheatears but luckily left the legs in the shortest position due to the wind.
As I looked through the bins Pippa let out a yelp and when I looked she,d gone around the tripod with her lead and pulled the lot on top of her so there she was firmly pinned down under the full weigh of Bertha and the tripod. Luckily it was on grass so no damage to dog or camera.
On the way back to the car she got her own back on me by suddenly stopping dead in front of me as I was gazing up for my 6th Buzzard so before stand on her, over I went head first full length on the stony floor crashing the camera , tripod and bins hard against the deck. Luckily it was only my knees that felt broke and not the bins and camera which acquired a few more dents and scrapes to add to the previous mishaps. This is one of the few times when I,m glad I havent got a Canon 800 mm £ 25,000 lens.
Back to the car with grazed knees, scraped knuckles and feeling like I had been hit by a bus to meet up with DJS who kindly donated a sack full of seed to keep the feeding stations going at Fly Flatts. This in turn was donated to him by Cromwell Bottom who have just had a wagon load given. Thanks to all concerned, its much appreciated.
BS