Bright skies with 30 % cloud cover with sunshine on a very strong WNW>7 near gale blowing at a record 37.9 mph which is the strongest I,ve had this year.
Westerlies always bring out the best in Fly Flatts and today was no exception with birds active throughout. First job now is always check the buoys since the Sandwich Tern sighting but nothing on them and no Terns of any description through although there was a strong move of Herring gulls all >SW with several landing on the water before moving off again. A total of 118 went through in the 2 hours that I was up there.
DJSs sun flower seed had attracted 3 male Reed Buntings and 2 Skylark whilst 8 Wheatear were scattered around the area but no sign of the pair of Greenlands, a species that usually hang around longer when returning through in the autumn.
Up to 5 Common Sandpipers were around the boatyard launch area due to the water lashing over the shorelines and no banking exposed.
The new floating jetty was getting some stick in the waves rocking and rolling violently but not moving out of position.
The last bird seen was a nice surprise when I stopped at the top of the track to unlock the gate and saw what I thought was a Wheatear on a distant wall but a scan through the bins found it to be a Whinchat. A good finale after a good 2 hour session.
Just a year to the day since the Norstar Dotterels but nothing today, not even Goldies.
BS