A bright and blustery day after a night of heavy rain. The wind was W>4 with only 3 okts cloud cover and sunshine throughout with a temp of 14 degrees, visibility was good.
The heavy overnight rain did the trick bringing the birds down at Fly Flatts today. The first job, as I get out of the car ,is scan the shorelines to decide which way to head first. The south shore and ponds only held 4 LBB gulls whilst the NW corner had 5 Redshank present on the cobbles, a good starter.
When I scoped the east shore it was like looking at mice scampering around on the mud with waders everywhere. A quick dash through the boatyard and on to the east bank cobbles for a closer luck. Unfortunately all the action was way over at the NE corner on the reflecting wet mud with plenty heat distortion so viewing was difficult and photos near impossible.
Ringed Plovers were darting around busily feeding with at least 14 counted, some of which were juvs whilst 2 very white birds stood out making me think of 2 Sanderling but on scoping the furthest away bird, which ended up as a distorted blur on the photo , was a first breeding Sanderling with brilliant white underside and brown mottled back and white head.
The nearer of the 2 bright birds was a juv , very pale, Dunlin with 2 adult Dunlin nearby.
Scoping across to the NW corner 5 Redshank were on the edge of the cobbles along with a juv Turnstone, presumably yesterdays bird.
With no chance of anything near decent photos from this position it was a dash right around to the other side of the reservoir along the west bank but by this time the Peregrine had appeared landing on the east bank several times near to the group of birds.
When I arrived at the NW corner and scoped across things were much quieter with just 3 Redshanks and around 8 Ringed Plovers showing which had now moved right under the cover of the east bank out of the Peregrines way and no sign of Dunlin, Sanderling or Turnstone.
By the afternoon watch just 2 Ringed Plover were on the east bank with 1 Redshank on the west bank cobbles.
Not much vis migging done with the distraction on the shore but Swallows were coming through in good numbers whilst an unusual sight was a group of 15 Magpies very high and south.
Good to meet the Brighouse boys up there, AT and JM.
Vis Mig
115 Swallow...............................>S
3 Mistle Thrush..........................>W
15 Magpie..................................>S
Bloggers
1 Turnstone
1 Sanderling
14 Ringed Plover
5 Redshank
3 Dunlin
7 Wheatear
BS