Biggest part of the afternoon free today so up for another shot at the frozen Fly Flatts.
The track had partly thawed due the water board vehicle 4x4 tracks and at 3 degrees I knew it would,nt get any worse so a tongue in cheek drive down to the water in the hopes of getting back up again but with a bag of rock salt and a shovel in the car I felt pretty confident. Luckily I did get out no problem at the end of the watch.
The water was 25 % frozen and the cloud base was low with patches of fog moving around but leaving plenty pockets of clear blue sky on a NW>3.
Quiet along the west bank with just a few Mallard and the usual pair of Teal plus some very vocal Red Grouse .
Back at the car for 30 minutes sky watching was when the action started with Herring gulls coming out of the mist and over the water heading >NE. A count of 64 before it dried up with several showing signs of argenteus.
A fast flying Snipe towards the flat moor was a surprise for up there at this time of year, most , if not all having moved away for the winter , and the first I,ve seen since late autumn.
A decent watch and good to get back on site.
BS