More fog on the tops this morning but Leeshaw was below the cloud base but dark skies on a SW>3.
A first light check of the water found 3 male and 2 female Goosander, a single Cormorant, 18 Mallard and around 100 small gulls.
Whilst I was checking through the gulls a pair of Wigeon dropped in from the east but landing right across the water at the NW end. Still too dark for photos so just a couple of record shots and then a dog walk while some daylight appeared hoping they would drift nearer for some decent shots.
Down at the bottom of the track a Heron was by the beck before moving back up to the reservoir whilst a flock of around 200 mixed Fieldfare, Redwing and Starling were moving around the fields. The stubble field just held 2 Canadas and 3 Greylag geese with no signs of the big flock which are probably still around the Lower Marsh area.
Back up at the reservoir the sky was a little brighter but no signs of the Wigeon. Guessing that they were up in the inaccessible north end, rather than having left, I set up the tripod and watched and waited. Sure enough , after about 30 minutes Mallards started coming in to sight from the North end with the Wigeons in with them but never got within range so just had to do the best I could, or rather, Big Bertha did, managing to get a few iffy images. The only big gulls seen were 3 Herring over high and >W.
A late afternoon visit to Fly Flatts found conditions good even with a hint of cloudy sunshine but the area was completely bird less other than 12 Mallard and 2 Raven with nothing other than that either in the sky, on the water or on the deck. Why is it that this area is showing nothing yet a few short miles to the north at Leeshaw and Keighley the area is buzzing with bird life and hundreds of gulls? Other than that I,m now restricted to the boat yard area with everywhere else bogged out with construction works. Roll on April when at least it should produce some waders, that is if the water is still down which is looking as though it will be as the work is nothing near completion.
BS