Crawling with Wheatears
- Birding in extreme conditions at Fly Flatts today with near gale force SW>7 at 32 m.p.h. Heavy drizzle and showers this morning then brighter late afternoon with a few heavy showers. A midday shop at Sainsburys found Halifax under water with some of the heaviest rain I,ve seen in a long time.
- This morning I was confined to the south bank and compound area with DJS backing me up from the top road. Dave found a Ringed/Little Ringed Plover in the NE corner out of sight to me until it moved onto the north shore where Dave got me onto it but too distant in the conditions for a positive id. A Common Sandpiper was still present after 3 days now.
- Late afternoon I walked the west bank, in a howling gale but mostly dry, to try to locate the Plover which I soon picked up in the scope but very distant but it could now be verified as a juv Ringed Plover. The mud on the north shore and the SE pond area was alive with Wheatear giving a count of 25 just in those 2 areas whilst around 100 Meadow Pipits were blogging and several heading >SW , the largest flying group held 28 birds. Swallows were moving but only a low count as well as a group of juv Goldfinch which landed on the south shore before moving off >W.
- Just 6 LBB gulls this morning and none in the afternoon with wind surfers back in action on a very rough water, braver men than me, there are no brakes on those boards!
- Good to have you up there today Dave.
- VISIBLE MIGRATION
- 87 Mipits.............>SW
- c100 Mipits.........blogging
- 6 juv Goldfinch....>W
- 8 Swallow...........>SW
- 1 juv Ringed Plover..........blogging
- 1 Common Sandpiper.......blogging
- 25 Wheatear ads. .............blogging
- Plus usual sp.
- BS