Another day of decent conditions at Fly Flatts with a moderate W>5 gusting W>6 by late afternoon.
Visibility was good with 5 okts cloud cover, some sun and odd heavy showers.
A good kick off this morning with 14 Cormorants over, all >NE and high, in groups of 5, 4, 2, 2, and a single all within a few minutes of one another.
Common Sandpipers were up to 3, either different birds or the 2 from yesterday plus a new bird. I never spotted the 2 from yesterday in the afternoon but the mud is now so extensive with several long and deep channels where waders can easily disappear.
Swallows continued to pile through with more Alba Wagtails >W along with the first 3 Skylark. My count of Swallows will be down as its impossible to do a full vis mig count as well as scope for waders but at least it gives an idea of whats going on.
Yesterdays imm Yellow Legged Herring gull was again present all p.m. but way over on the east bank today. I reported this bird as a imm GBB yesterday going by the light head and neck, the pink legs and the sheer size of it but Mick Cunningham kindly, once again,
put a very explicit comment on my blog showing it to be an imm Yellow Legged Herring gull. Two very difficult birds to split at the immature stage and it made me feel better when he said
Lars Jonnson even had difficulty telling them apart, so what chance have I.
Micks explanation is in my comment box for yesterdays blog and well worth a read. Thanks again for taking the time and effort Mick.
Bentleys have moved in to Fly Flatts today and are currently busy fitting cameras and alarms etc, which I told them to aim the cameras over the mud to pick up the waders. I have to highlight it as a no access construction site and have to sign in on arrival and departure. The public footpath at the north end could possibly be closed for about 2 weeks when they start work there but hopefully this will not cause disturbance to the east bank as the work at that end is up at the NW shore.
Vis Mig
14 Cormorant.......................> NE
107 Swallow........................>S
4 Alba Wagtails..................>W
3 Skylark............................>W
Bloggers
1 imm YL Herring gull
3 Common Sandpiper
Sev Mipits
Present
1f Tufted
3 Mallard
Canadas now gone.
BS