A cracking day up at the reservoir with ideal conditions for the birds if not the birder although it was poor for the young chicks that spent most of the day under the adults wings.
A strong SW>6 increasing to near gale SW>7 by late afternoon at 34 m.p.h. with torrential rain showers and horizontal heavy drizzle.
The scene today was likened to being out on the estuary with waders scattered all around the shoreline darting up and down probing in the mud. Gulls were active in the air and on the shore along with Curlew and Lapwing noisily squabbling with each other.
I,ve been monitoring a pair of Oystercatchers that have been holding territory since mid April way out on the island in an area out of sight. The male has been doing the bill clicking and running with head down since mid May and finally copulation took place 28th May but still couldnt be sure about breeding as right up to the last few days sometimes 1 bird showed and both birds on other days. The birds also took it in turns to fly off towards Cold Edge Dams for long periods of time though I,ve read since that they will travel over a mile to feed or bring food for their young.
Finally today, just as the book states, one month on, they produced 2 chicks which will now be another 30 days before fledging. I,ve been having to keep an eye on the work going on to see when the water is to be let back in but luckily that worry is over otherwise Kim would have had to put the stoppers on the refill which would have been bad news for the sailing club and probably my membership.
I watched a strange occurrence this morning in the blasting rain and drizzle when the Oystercatcher with its chicks, which has moved from the nest area to the mud, was joined with a sub adult Lapwing and the two birds crouched together to allow 4 Lapwing chicks and 2 Oyk chicks to get under their wings for shelter whilst 4 adult Lapwings stood nearby.
When the 2nd Oyk reappeared the communion shelter was quickly broken up and I saw one of the Lapwing chicks come out from under the Oystercatchers wing. All this was viewed from great distance through a very wet and shaky scope so I will have to confirm the number of Oyk chicks when things are more mobile. I had a definite 1 and probable 2 but with so many chicks about it got a bit confusing.
Late afternoon and my usual scope through the gulls came up trumps with a
Yellow Legged Herring gull way over on the north shore, a bird I,ve been expecting anytime now.
Normally I could have got on to the NE corner for closer views but with the banking cobbles wet and very slippy and several chicks sheltering on the mud ,making me not want to walk on the shore and risk them being disturbed in the heavy drizzle, I took the record shots from the boatyard and hope it returns another day.
Yet another surprise today was 5 Greenfinch near the lagoon which is probably a site first for here apart from autumn vig mig fly overs. A great day and another day of even stronger winds and rain tomorrow. At least the rain will have kept all the nuggets off the beaches today.
Fly Flatts
2 Oyks + 2 chicks
10 small Lapwing chicks + some near full grown
2 Ringed Plover + 2 juvs at 29 days old
7 Common Sandpiper + 4 juvs
6 Dunlin
5 Greenfinch
1 Yellow Legged Herring Gull
+ usual sp.
BS