A mild 15 degrees morning with some sunshine and clear visibility but a moderate WSW>5
building to SW>8 gale force blowing at 42 m.p.h. by late afternoon.
It was an enjoyable privilege this morning to accompany professional ecologist/ornithologist Kim Bowman around Fly Flatts performing a survey of nesting birds in the reservoir basin and shoreline areas with a view to water starting to be reintroduced back into the reservoir.
Kim is contracted to Bentleys for this project to protect the welfare of the birds and has done several visits to the site since before and during the work began. She travels all over the country with her job and when she,s not birding at work she is out doing her hobby, birding of course, specializing in raptors and owls and being involved in several organizations.
We walked the whole area of the reservoir, even across the black muddy basin which is usually like quicksand but is now very dry and spongy, like walking on a mattress.
Kim picked out 4 Redshank chicks, that was after she had spent 5 minutes getting me onto a chick that was a piece of wood. It made me feel better that even with letters after your name for birding you can still look at bits of wood and plastic bags for birds, as we all do.
The walk around was very awkward in the strong wind and having to keep a distance between us making us have to shout to be heard plus sand in the eyes was a problem.
After a thorough check around we were both satisfied that there were no nests in danger of being flooded so the water will shortly be allowed back in slowly with another final check next month, that,s if it ever rains. Many thanks to Kim for an enjoyable morning.
Fly Flatts
4 Dunlin
1 Ringed Plover
6 Common Sand
1 pr Redshank + 4 chicks
c 40 mixed Herring and LBB gulls
1 Golden Plover
1 Merlin ,KB
Stay safe, BS.