And so the heat continues with slightly less wind today, E>3 making a quick late afternoon visit unworkable due to the 23 degrees and a shimmering shoreline. The morning was slightly cooler but deteriorated by 0930 hr as the heat increased. Tomorrow looks grim with the same heat and just a breath of a NE>2 but then cooler, wetter and windier by Wednesday if they,ve got the forecast right.
A good breeding record for Fly Flatts with the Ringed Plovers 2 chicks still scurrying about avoiding the gulls whilst Paul King, Bradford Ornithlogical Group, kindly dug into the archives of Ringed Plover sightings in the Bradford catchment area and found the last proof of breeding for this species was in 2003 at Kex Gill, some 17 years ago and theres a possibility they may go on for another brood with up to 3 broods possible for this species.
Many thanks to Paul for his time and interest on this subject.
Another good report today from Mark Murray with his Queensbury Tawny Owl box producing 2 chicks. Yet another good year for this well used box which must have produced double figures over the years.
The only newcomers at Fly Flatts today were 3 Skylark on the west bank, a rarity at this site over the last few years, along with 4 Stock Dove on the shoreline. The Greenland looking Wheatear was trying its hand for newts in the south end dyke but only scope-able
in an inaccessible working area.
Fly Flatt
2 m 1f Ringed Plover + 2 chicks
4 Curlew with at least 5 chicks
f Pied Wagtail
4 Dunlin
1 Oyk
5 Common Sandpiper
2 Redshank
1 Wheatear
3 Skylark
4 Stockdove
+ usual sp.
Stay safe, BS