One of those quiet days at Fly Flatts not helped with the blue skies and sunshine although there was a good W>4 blowing.
No sign of the Little Ringed Plover today but a second Ringed Plover was new in meaning Ive had a new bird up there every day of July so far with only 1 Dunlin seen today.
The summer visitor waders are mostly moved on now with no Redshanks seen for over a week, with their young fledged and moved on.
All the young Lapwings are either flying or moved to the fields and Common Sandpipers are down to 4 adults and 3 well grown juvs which look almost ready for moving on.
Curlews are very quiet with only a couple of sightings this week so far whilst the 2 pair of Greylags have hung on to 7 goslings between then and its getting hard to tell the young from the adults now so they will be flying anytime.
Around 250 Canada geese and 43 goslings are still present but a poor breeding year due to the gull presence making the Canadas use a method I have,nt seen before where the goslings are up in a field guarded by 4 adults whilst the rest of the geese go out on the water. The goslings only go on the water early morning or late evening when the gulls have gone and during the day they never leave the field even though they are well grown now.
Its a shame the Mallards didnt use the same method with 2 pairs bred, one having 12 and the other having 8, all were gone in a week. One female then appeared with a second brood of 8 and now has just one small duckling left which will probably have gone by the weekend making 28 ducklings all taken. The female was seen regular swimming past 200 gulls with the young behind her and even walked along the banking through the middle of the gulls along with the young. Its a shame for the ducklings having a daffy duck for a mother.
So very soon it will be the quiet, post breeding time at Fly Flatts and sightings will be dependent on passage waders, moving waterfowl and flyovers .
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).