Fly Flatts 1500 hrs with just 1 hour to check the area before last light.
The conditions were terrible with mist still hanging on leaving the water just below the cloud base but no visibility to the west due to milky , hazy sunshine. Scanning the east bank was,nt easy with a strong E >6 blasting straight in the face causing the scope to wobble and the eyes to water.
Walking along the south end at the start of the watch found
11 Golden Plovers well camouflaged, sheltering, and facing into the wind by the ponds near the shoreline. This meant up with the tripod and get some shots although it wasted me 15 minutes time to walk the west bank.
The plan now was just walk half way on the west bank, scope the east and north shoreline and back to the car before the light went but this plan was soon scuppered.
The first scan found around 50 Mallards in 2 groups, one by the peninsular and the other at the north end but in between the two groups 4 ducks were together on the edge of the banking before moving into the water. This seemed strange for 4 mallards to be isolated from the rest of the ducks so alarm bells rang, possibly Teal.
This got me walking further on the banking and the next scope found them to be 3f and 1m Wigeon. Next move was me steaming along the banking like an Eskimo being dragged with his Huskies with the 3 dogs picking up on the excitement and away they went dragging me behind. Three parts on the banking I got opposite them for some difficult distant photos in the poor light and wind howling straight in Big Berthas face but she did her job and got a few record shots.
With the light well on its way now I had a final scan in the NE corner and picked out a wader type flapping its wings on the waters edge so off we went again ending up at the watch point only to find it was a Golden Plover whilst a more careful scan found 26 scattered around the mud so a count of 37 Goldies altogether.
With the light now gone it was back along the banking to the car where the south shore Goldie flock could just be made out by the ponds.
A hectic but pleasing hours birding. Please don,t let it be foggy in the morning!!!!
BS