On the early shift to Fly Flatts today arriving at 1415 hrs with 80 % cloud cover with a bright grey sky on a NE >4 with the sun fortunately blanked out most of the time.
A typical June day with things settling down and birds busy tending their offspring backing up the fact that June is the quietest month on the calendar.
A clear out of waders was obvious today with just 5 Dunlin remaining plus the usual Common Sandpipers and Redshank. Swifts were the bird of the day with good numbers heading north but very high up, some nearly too high to see with the naked eye.
Two Raven flew over the Nab, a species thats been absent for a while, whilst 5 Herring gulls flew >SW.
Good to meet father and son team Richard and William Redman from the sailing club who were repairing the gate after the lock had recently been attacked with bolt croppers . They had done a splendid job on the gate and still had time for a quick chat whilst tackling up. It was also good to meet the farmer there who tends the Nolstar fields along with the moor around Fly Flatts and I was surprised to hear that he watches my blog.
Only 1 Golden Plover in the Nolstar field on the way back and no large flocks on the Fill Belly Flat moor this year after a flock of 235 last spring.
BS