I,ve visited Fly Flatts in some atrocious conditions over the years but today has to go down as one of the worst. With a reading of 29 deg and hazy sunshine along with a very light SE>2 the place was unworkable. I checked the area out from the shade of the clubhouse with very little movement of any kind with even the Common Sandpipers in the shade of the banking. Just one noisy Curlew in the air watching over its chick whilst all the Canada geese were lazing on the cool water giving me a chance to count them with an amazing total of 438 including young.
No sign of Dunlin today but 2 Oystercatchers were new in on the NE spit whilst the rare sight here of a Sparrowhawk circling very high soon to disappear into the haze.
Looks like the same type of forecast all week although tomorrow may provide a slightly fresher breeze from the East.
I,ve never had as many visits to Fly Flatts in shirt sleeves and beginning to get as red as a Turkey Cock. Lynda got me an army surplus German army combat parka for my birthday a couple of weeks back and I have,nt had chance to try it out yet !
On a brighter note we,re half way through the year and heres a list of some of the highlight birds I,ve had at Fly Flatts in the first half of this year :-
Peregrine
Merlin
Sparrowhawk
Goshawk
Kestrel x5
Buzzard
Red Kite
Osprey
Short Eared Owl
Whooper Swan
Skeins of Pink Footed Geese
Shelduck
Common Scoter 4m 1f
Teal
Common Sandpiper x 18 several bred
Dunlin x 16 several bred + race alpina moving through.
Redshank several bred
Ringed Plover
Sanderling
Oystercatcher
GBB gull
Caspian gull
Kittiwake x 2
Sandwich Tern
Whinchat
Wheatear
Greenland Wheatear
Stonechat x 8
Cuckoo
Raven
+ several less exotic species.
This list took 123 visits since January with several aborted due to snow. Obsessed, who me ?
Just wait until the autumn.
BS
WEST YORKSHIRE BIRDING. BRIAN SUMNER. I am based at Queensbury and bird a patch within a 10 mile range of home incorporating 16 stretches of water, several plantations, a belt of woodland, stretches of river and canal and good areas of moorland. I specialize in upland birds, reservoir and sky watching. My local patch is Fly Flatts reservoir. Any reports can be sent by text or call to 07771 705024 or see profile for e mail address. All images on this blog are copyright.(2024).