Late afternoon at Fly Flatts with the wind turned slightly and decreased to SSE>3 and a rise in temperature 8 degrees which felt better than this mornings 2 degrees and colder with the wind chill factor.
A poor start to April with a very quiet watch this p.m. with nothing below the west bank other than Mipits and very little in the sky other than 2 Kestrel, 1 Raven, 4 Curlew and a first year Herring gull >SE.
The usual 2 LBB gulls were still on egg watch whilst just Canadas and Mallards were on the water. More back up this p.m. with DJS scoping from the top road.
With regards to the Whinchat seen at Fly Flatts 28th March 2019, BS and later AC, despite gasps of it being too early as one has never been recorded before 19th April it appears that its not unique for that date and not the earliest seen in the area.
After a search through Bradfords annual reports there as been 4 reported from previous years on and around that date plus one seen over 2 weeks earlier. All these reports will be birds going through our area on passage.
Whinchats reported were :-
29th March 1989.......Barden
1st April 1995............Paul Clough
28th March 1996.......Whetstone Gate
11th March 2002........Trough Lane, Oxenhope
29th March.2005........Rombalds Moor
28th March 2019........Fly Flatts
The very early report from Trough Lane, which is a hot spot for first returning Wheatear , was observed from close range for several minutes by one of B.O.G.s top knotch birders, Rod Proctor.
All info courtesy of Bradford Ornithological Groups annual reports.
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).