With a howling wind and heavy rain showers I headed back to Leeshaw where I was far from disappointed. As yesterday big gulls and Curlews were piling through >W all close over the water.
Plenty Canadas and Greylags back in the fields today whilst the Oystercatcher numbers had risen to at least 23 including 1 leucistic bird which had me reaching for the scope to identify it at the distance.
2 hours reservoir watching produced :-
31 Curlew...................>W
197 Herring gull. mainly 1st and 2nd year birds........>W
82 Lesser Black Backed.............................................>W
5 Commons................................................................>W
4 Teal.........................................................................>W
also present :-
4 Redshank
86 Canadas
24 Greylag
23 Oystercatchers
4 Meadow Pipits
+ usual Lapwings and tons of Starling.
Fly Flatts
1500 hrs found Fly Flatts with a very strong W>7 and rain showers but more workable than yesterday when I had to abort. A blustery walk on the south shore was enough without thinking of attempting the west bank so tuck at the south end and boat yard area before 1 hours sky watch from behind the car. Over 30 years ago I bought a Manfrotto 055 heavy aluminium tripod for my scope when vis migging on Windy Corner at Thornton Moor and it served me well withstanding the strong winds there without blowing over. I am still using the same tripod today for Big Bertha in the strong winds at Fly Flatts with no problems. Apart from it being heavy to carry around, which doesnt bother me, its the best piece of birding equipment I,ve ever bought. The new, lightweight ,carbon fibre tripods may be easy to carry but they would,nt have a hope at Fly Flatts.
In contrast to this mornings visit to Leeshaw, Fly Flatts was quiet with most birds grounded apart from 18 Lapwing moving around and 3 Buzzards up high across the moor. Canadas, Lapwings, Golden Plover and Curlews were lined along the northern bank .
Just the weekend to struggle through now with a full day of heavy rain and strong winds promised for tomorrow and strong winds with snow for Sunday. Next week sounds calm and dry so far so we may be on our way. It,ll feel strange birding in calm conditions.
An old Queensbury saying was, " You can allus tell a Queensbury bloke cos when he gets off the bus in Bradford at the Alambra he leans into the wind and falls over cos there,s no wind down there"
BS