Great to be back at Fly Flatts after a 3 day absence due to dense fog but today the fog at last lifted in Queensbury around midday. 1500 hrs at Fly Flatts was very dark and murky with the reservoir area just below the cloud base whilst the tops of the wind turbines were shrouded in fog.
The sky was very dark with a damp SW>4.
A good start off as I unlocked the top gate when a Shelduck flew over >N towards the water but when I got down there it had continued through.
Birds were lively as if they were happy they could see again with the fog gone with several noisy Curlew and Lapwings up over the moor.
The bird of the day was Redshank with 9 present moving up and down the west bank all calling noisily whilst 15 Swallow flew fast and low over the water >S.
One Barnacle was on the water with the 2nd bird up in the east fields along with Canadas.
Still a low count of Wheatear with just 2 females present over on Robin rock along with 2 Skylark on the seed.
The warm front this coming week should open the flood gates for migrants bringing good numbers of Wheatear whilst we can expect the first Common Sandpipers back any time over the weekend, usually about the 17th, watch this space.
BS