A poor start to the morning with the first hour wasted due to thick fog but this cleared by 0900 hrs leaving just banks of fog moving through. The wind was a light SW>3 increasing to SW>4 bringing in a few light showers.
A Common Sandpiper and 4 Ringed Plover were over on the NE shore a.m. along with at least 11 Wheatear in the same area. When the fog lifted Swallows started moving through and I got my first moving Meadow Pipits of the season all heading in their usual early move direction of >W before turning to the south in September.
As I arrived late afternoon my first scope around, before I set off walking in one direction or the other, revealed a Peregrine on the south shore and another on the east shore making me think I,d no chance of waders this afternoon . The south shore bird flew across the water and settled on the east mud before both birds flew off over the moor.
Amazingly, not 20 yards from where the Peregrine had been on the south shore , a Ringed Plover appeared from among the rocks followed by another and another until there were 7 Ringed Plovers carrying on feeding now that the threat had gone. These birds were still present as I left.
Good to talk to HC who was up on the top road. Howard asked to join the grapevine which is good news as I,m sure he will be a great asset to the group, especially during vis mig watch which he is planning to start this weekend.
I have a meeting in the morning at Fly Flatts with Bentleys Ornithological team checking for disturbance of birds in the area, should be interesting.
Vis Mig
31 Swallow.........................>S
23 Meadow Pipit...............>W
2 Alba Wagtails................>W
1 Grey Wagtail.................>W
2 Buzzard.........................>SW
Bloggers
7 Ringed Plover
1 Common Sandpiper
11 Wheatear
sev Mipits
BS