Within keeping of the revised local exercise rules provided by the National Police Chiefs Council ( NPCC) I headed back to , as AC put it, where I belong, at Fly Flatts after a 5 week absence. A nice welcome from the Bentley workers up there, from a distance, and even the weather made me feel at home with some heavy rain showers, the first rain I,ve seen in weeks.
The whole area was buzzing with waders, gulls and wildfowl with plenty nesting going on from the Lapwings and Canada geese. Curlews were quiet meaning that they too are in the nesting period.
The SE ponds are nearly dried up but still held Ringed Plover and Dunlin whilst the island held Oystercatchers , Redshank and Common Sandpiper but with the amount of shoreline these 3 species were very distant, apart from one Common Sandpiper that was very mobile around the boatyard.
Several Canadas were present though a much lower count that previous years, probably due to the small amount of water, and only 1 Greylag showing along with 2 pair of Mallard. I,m hoping the Mallards move on to breed after last years disaster of 2 pair only managing to raise 1 young between them out of 18 ducklings, thanks to the gulls.
A group of Herring gulls were in the NE bay but moved off >SW late afternoon whilst there was no sign of the long staying Ring Ouzel.
Fly Flatts
9 Dunlin
5 Common Sandpiper
2 Oyks
6 Redshank
4 Ringed Plover
2 Curlew
1 Greylag
1m Pied Wagtail
12 Herring gull
+ usual sp.
Stay safe, B.S.