A free afternoon so off to Fly Flatts with squally showers and horrific wind blowing WNW> 9 reaching strong gale at 44 m.p.h. Conditions were much worse than yesterday so after 20 minutes I felt it safer to move on with no chance of shelter even in the boat yard and far too strong to pick up anything on the move.
On past the Nab and down to Leeshaw picking up 2 Grey Partridge on the way near Paul Clough.
Leeshaw was windy but bright so the team got a good walk before I set up the gear in lee of the car tailgate which was ideal with everything heading >W low across the water. The amount of birds at this site compared to Fly Flatts is amazing with a constant flow of Herring gulls >W, some stopping off in fields or on the water whilst Curlew were doing the same.
Over 1000 Starlings were in and around the area with clouds of them up, moving from field to field, with a particularly large number at Upper Marsh Lane along with Fieldfare and Golden Plovers. A really amazing 2 hour watch despite the wind.
Strong winds forecast tomorrow and over the weekend so not looking good for Fly Flatts birding but with the winds continuing theres a good chance of getting something off the Irish sea.
Leeshaw Reservoir
18 Oystercatchers
c1000 Starling
121 Herring Gull........................>W
46 LBB Gull..............................>W
Several Commons and Black Headeds, locals
19 Curlew....................................>W
6 Meadow Pipit
1 Cormorant
2 Pied Wagtail
2 Grey Partridge.......................Paul Clough
c 50 Fieldfare...........................Upper Marsh
c 90 Golden Plover..................Upper Marsh.
+ usual Greylags, Canadas, etc.
BS