Once again thick fog hung over the tops along with heavy rain on a light NE>3 so over to
Redcar Tarn, Keighley with hopes of a nice gull but that never happened.
Conditions there were good with clear visibility and just light rain showers allowing 4 laps of the water, which the dogs enjoyed, and plenty birds to sift through though nothing out of the ordinary.
All the usual Mallard, Coot and Moorhen were in good numbers with just the one female Goosander that came in on the water. A group of 52 Canadas and 5 Greylags were very unsettled taking off and landing throughout whilst a mixed flock of around 50 Lapwing and Golden Plover were flying around and dropping into various fields.
Several Black Headed and a few Commons were present but the big gulls did,nt arrive until mid watch with 23 Herring, of various ages, along with 3 Lesser Black Backed.
The annual winter Chaffinch flock had built up to around 30 birds, usually getting to around 100 with Bramblings mixing in with them after the Beech nuts.
An entertaining morning but slightly disappointing with no winter wildfowl either on the water or flying over or no gulls with a near likeness to Meds or Caspians
but nice to walk round on solid ground instead of trudging through the mud at Fly Flatts.
Talking of which, it was back to Fly Flatts late afternoon with brighter skies and even a glimpse of sun peering through the cloud.
Birding was quiet with 2 Carrion Crows lapping up the wild bird seed by the ponds and just a single Mipit up the track, possibly the 2 that are present at the moment will be over winter birds.
The water held 39 Mallard and 2 Canadas whilst gulls were poor with just 2 Herrings over >NE and none coming in to the water or shoreline making my hopes of a winter gull roost just a fantasy.
BS