Decent conditions today with yesterdays snow mostly gone. A clear sky on a SW>5 decreasing to SW>4 by late afternoon. A temperature of 3 degrees at Leeshaw this morning and 2 degrees at Fly Flatts late afternoon.
Leeshaw was buzzing this morning with the best count of Herring gulls on the water that I have seen here, before they moved off >W. There was all 4 calendar year aged gulls present although 1st year Lesser Black Backs fade in autumn to a pale plumage so can be easily mistaken for Herrings but should have, by now, moulted into their first winter dark plumage. I,ve recorded them as all Herrings due to the fact that there was no adult LBBs present.
The only sure way to identify juv LBBs from Herrings is to inspect the Tertials and Greater Covert feathers for barring and the anchor and oak leaf pattern but to do this you need close up views or pin sharp images.
Moving quickly along, before you non gull lovers switch off, around 200 Fieldfare were again present in the fields along with a nice group of Meadow Pipits whilst a single Stonechat was a newcomer today but very flighty.
Fly Flatts late afternoon, in contrast to Leeshaw, was very disappointing with Mallards, Kestrels and Ravens the only species seen.
Leeshaw reservoir
c 250 Black Headed gulls
78 Herring gull
29 Common gull
1 Stonechat
1 Robin
c 200 Fieldfare
16 Stock Doves
32 Redwing
2 Greylag
18 Mallard
3m 2f Goosander
19 Meadow Pipits
Fly Flatts
3 Kestrel
3 Raven
43 Mallard
BS