and resemble Yellow Legged Herring gulls from a distance.
With very little time today due to dog grooming duties, though thankfully it was way too hot for Fly Flatts with little breeze, so I took the opportunity to check Ogden to see how the gull situation was progressing.
Around 15 Black Headed gulls were on the east shore whilst all the big gulls were on the west shore and the water comprising of 38 Lesser Black Backed and 2 Herring gulls with no returning Commons as yet.
A heart stopping moment when a pale gull with bright yellow legs dropped onto the water making me think Yellow Legged Herring gull but a further check found it to be a washed out looking LBB with pale wings and mantle and a further scan over the water found 3 more of the same.
Only 2 Herring gulls present, both 3rd summer birds and no returning Common gulls which should start showing anytime now. Satisfied that there was nothing else of interest on the water I planned to have a quick check at passerine alley to boost my warbler sightings for the year. Thats one problem of birding the uplands is that you loose out on the warblers , so far this year I,ve had 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Chiffchaff and its about 3 year since I had Garden Warbler and Blackcap although I,ve got to say I get little pleasure searching through the leaves for small passerines, I prefer my big open spaces with tons of sky and water.
Half way across the prom I got a phone call, " its the groomers, Pippas ready". Oh well, so much for the warblers, instead a quick dash across to Pellon Lane to pick up my pooch.
On the way back I was surprised to see people not heeding the hot weather warnings with Mixenden reservoir looking like the Lido swimming baths and from Queensbury I could see 2 new moorland fires looking not far from the M62.
Possibly a little less hot tomorrow with a decent NE>4 promised, we live in hopes.
BS