Arrived at Fly Flatts, 1500 hrs in 13 deg with 40% cloud cover and sunshine on a light SSW>4.
To continue the horror stories of Fly Flatts someone had been with a chain saw and cut down all the water boards new fencing and pinched the wood from by the top gate, they need to install machine gun turrets up there.
Down at the water things were lively with the usual species although a fresh fall of Meadow Pipits had appeared overnight all feeding frantically on the west grass banking along with 7 Pied Wagtails but strangely no Wheatear.
Scanning towards the old feeding station I picked out a white rump so immediately thought Wheatear but as I got closer I could see it was thrush size so my mind then went to Ring Ouzel. When I got the bird properly in site and took a few record shots I could see it was a Fieldfare but the rump was brilliant white as opposed to the usual pale grey. This even showed as the bird flew onto the moor.
A quick check of the photos to make sure I had,nt got some fancy continental type thrush but unfortunately it was a Fieldfare, the white rump possibly due to moulting ready for summer plumage ?
As I was putting Nyjer seed down my claim to fame happened. A fella with bins approached me and started to ask about the birds up there and after a couple of minutes talking I realized that this chap was well knowledged up more than the average birder. He,d seen my blog and liked Fly Flatts but said he got very little time for birding as he was always away filming which made my ears prick up. It turned out it was Nick Small, director of Country File. I shook his hand and told him I can now put on my blog, as viewed by the director of Country File. A pleasure to meet such a nice person.
Home for some tea then with talk of LRPs in the area, DF, I thought Id better get up to Raggalds Flood as this is the time of year they usually drop in to this location.
No luck with Plovers but nice to get 4 Redshank, 3 Canadas and 2 LBB gulls.
BS