Another month bites the dust, Fly Flatts, (no public access)

                                     Golden Plover in with the Starlings

                                   The proud parents, Ringed Plover

                                             Mum Plover

                                        Junior, If a gull comes get in the bucket.

                                                         1 of 2 chicks

                                             A second male Ringed Plover

                                   Late Wheatear

          Bright enough for another Greenland but not enough
                                                 on it to say definite.

Another clear hot day starting at 15 degrees and getting up to 24 by late afternoon but once again the
E>4 saved the day, heat wise, but did nothing for the heat distortion.
                                                 The long stretch of bright clear skies has spoilt the month of May for waders with numbers and species well down on last year. A maximum days count of Dunlin this year was 19 compared to 48 on a single day in May last year. Ringed Plover numbers were also down though a bonus of a breeding pair this year made up for it.
                                                 Waders missed this year compared to last May were Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Greenshank, Whimbrel and Sanderling but still a slim chance of a new arrival during June, otherwise its hang on in there until July/August which last year produced Turnstone, Ruff, Greenshank, Sanderling, Green Sandpiper, Whimbrel and Grey Plover.
                                               Today the month didnt go out with a bang but plenty to see both a.m. and p.m. with the usual waders plus a new in male Ringed Plover and a Golden Plover on the east bank.
Another late Wheatear was on the walls at distance and stood out as a very bright bird showing possible characteristics of a Greenland but too distant and in the shimmer to say definite though the time was right for Fly Flatts with Greenlands turning up here late spring and the last to come through.
           Starlings were the bird of the day with around 300 adults and juvs present feeding in the top fields and around the boatyard. Driving down the entrance track was like a theme from ' The Birds'
flying over the car in swarms.
Rain promised for Wednesday and strong winds which will do nicely but I,m not holding my breath.
Fly Flatts
1 Golden Plover
1m + 1pr Ringed Plover with 2 chicks
4 Dunlin
5 Common Sandpiper
3 Snipe
2 Oystercatcher
c 300 Starling
c 150 Herring/LBB gull
1 Wheatear, poss Greenland.
+ usual sp.
Stay safe, B.S.

A rare breeding record for Fly Flatts and an afternoon with the gulls.

                                            1 of 4 Redshank

              Ringed Plover chick out in the shimmer

                                            2nd chick keeping its head down.

                                            Mother watching on.

                                         A peninsular full of gulls

                                                          LBB gull

Another hot one at Fly Flatts starting off at 15 degrees this morning then working up to 21 degrees by late afternoon but made workable with a stiff E>4 blowing well and keeping the temperature down.
                                 I,ve been watching the Ringed Plovers for the last few weeks with a very active male throughout showing all the signs of breeding whilst females have come and gone, or so I thought, until they surprised me today producing 2 chicks on the shoreline which was part expected by both Kim, last week , and myself, but it still came as a surprise.
                                 Nothing new on the wader front whilst a single male Tufted was on the water and the top fields were black with Rooks, Crows, Jackdaws and Starlings with about 200 of the latter, mostly juvs, as were several of the corvids.
                               The afternoon was grizzly with the heat turned up full so a walk on the west bank was in order to get the full force of the cooling east wind. The peninsular was heaving with around 250 Herring/Lesser Black Backed as well  as a single Black Headed but a good scoping, along the hot wobbly shimmering mud found all the yellow and pink legs in the right places. There,s bound to be a Yellow Legged Herring on shortly though July is the peak month.
Fly Flatts
1pr Ringed Plover + 2 chicks
4 Redshank
1 Oystercatcher
4 Dunlin
3 Snipe
5 Golden Plover
6 Common Sandpiper
1 m Tufted duck
c 250 Herring/ LBB gull
1 BH gull
c 200 Starling
sev Rooks, Crows and Jackdaws, mainly juvs
Stay safe, B.S.

Fly Flatts holding steady. (no Public access)

                                           1 of 2 Snipe present

                                         also 2 Oystercatchers

           New in today, 3f 2m Ringed Plover. -   female

                                                      female

                                            Dunlin down to 4

                                       male Ringed Plover on the east banking

                                        c 100 big gulls.

                                                very young Lapwing chicks

                                 lapwing sorting the gulls,

Another day, another heatwave though as forecast the SE wind was blowing at SE>4  by the afternoon watch which took the edge off the 22 degrees of heat though didnt do anything for the shimmer so no photos p.m.
                                          Another 4 Ringed Plover had dropped in overnight and joined up with the male that has been present a few days now although Dunlin numbers were down.
A peregrine steamed over the water which is the first seen up there this year luckily as last year there were 2 on the shoreline regular creating havoc.
                                          The area is alive at the moment with young birds with Lapwing, Curlew, Greylag and Canada as well as Redshank whilst around 50 juv Carrion Crows were being fed in the top fields this morning.
                                   I,ve had 4 calls so far reporting the Queensbury Yellowhammer as its near to a popular pathway used by dog walkers. Thanks to local birder MW yesterday for the call after he,d come across it whilst watching Whitethroats, and according to a dog walking blog watcher there has been 3 birds present for nearly 2 weeks now but has only just contacted me as he did,nt realize their importance.
                   Hopefully this species will return to Queensbury after an absence of 50 years when they were a popular sighting.
Fly Flatts
4 Dunlin
3 f 2 m Ringed Plover
4 Redshank
2 Oystercatcher
7 Common Sandpiper
2 Snipe
1 Peregrine
c 100 Herring/LBB gull
3 BH gull
+ usual sp.
Stay safe, BS

The heat is on, Fly Flatts,(no public access

                                                     2 of 3 Oystercatchers

                          Snipe chipping then up drumming.

                   

                         Some of the Canada goslings are a good size now.

Another day of awful conditions at Fly Flatts with a misty start which soon cleared to bring blazing temperatures up to 22 degrees by late afternoon on a very light SE>3 with heat distortion present around the shoreline even early morning, hence the lack of photos.
Tomorrow is suppose to be hotter still but showing a stronger wind which should make it a bit more workable.
This long stretch of clear weather is playing havoc with waders at Fly Flatts with most birds moving away after a short stay and several waders missing altogether obviously keeping going high in the clear skies.
                 Most of the Dunlin had moved on today as well as the pair of Ringed Plovers leaving just 1 male present. The only newcomers today were 2 male and 1 female Tufted duck which left mid morning.
Bring on the rain!!!!!
Fly Flatts
1 Ringed Plover
4 Dunlin
3 Oystercatchers
6 Redshank
9 Common Sandpipers
2 Snipe
2m 1f Tufted
1 pr Pied Wagtail
+ usual sp.
Stay safe, B.S.

Wobbly Waders and Shuddering shoreline.

                                    Usual Ringed Plovers and Dunlins around

                           female Greenland Wheatear, leucorhoa

    Very deep buff breasted, long legged bird.

                                 1 of 5 Redshank

A poor day condition weather wise and threatened to last until late next week which won,t help wader watching as the clear blue skies sends the majority of birds straight over.
                                        The light wind started at NW>3 turning N>3 then NE>4 by midday. Very little cloud and the temperature rising from 13 degrees to 23 degrees by late afternoon. This morning was workable though not acceptable whilst this afternoon was a quick check round then an early finish and back to dog grooming with 1 now down and 2 to go. Scanning the shoreline p.m. was like looking at a mirage with everything shimmering and distorted with the heat from the mud and water.
                                      A decent tot up of birds this morning with a good count of 18 Dunlin and 16 Common Sandpipers as well as Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Redshank.
                                    A female Merlin gave a quick fly past without doing any damage whilst a new arrived female Wheatear looked good for another Greenland, leucorhoa, with a full deep buff breast and very long looking legs.
                                  Around 150 Herring/LBB gulls were out on the peninsular in the afternoon session which I scoped through the best I could in the conditions with nothing standing out as special although 7 Black Headeds on the water was unusual.
Fly Flatts
18 Dunlin
5 Redshank
6 Oystercatchers
1m 1f Ringed Plover
16 Common Sandpiper
5 Golden Plover.............Nolstar field
1 f Merlin
4 Raven
1 Kestrel
1 Reed Bunting
1pr Pied Wagtail
1 f Greenland Wheatear,  leucorhoa.
c150 Herring/LBB gull
7 Black Headed gulls, unusual this time of year for this site.
+ usual sp.
Stay safe, B.S.