A murky misty start to the morning at Fly Flatts but mild at 8 degrees on a S>4. The mist soon lifted leaving full cloud cover but reasonable visibility. By late afternoon the sky had half cloud cover and some sun on an increased SSE>5.
With once again empty skies I have drawn a line under visible migration for another year with more or less just the Woodpigeons to come through on mass and possibly a few thrush days but the later usually use the Fly Flatts air space.
I should think now that the next decent Pink Footed Goose movement will be the trans Pennine skeins later in the season. I will of course still be checking all bird movement but not counting the dribs and drabs that come over my area.
Just Canadas and Mallard on the water today and nothing in the air other than 2 Ravens and the usual crows and Kestrels.
All the activity was taking place around the Robin Rock in the SW corner with 4 Wheatear, 8 Stonechat and several grounded Mipits. I hoped for a Ring Ouzel in the group but Fly Flatts has always been poor on autumn Ring Ouzels but I can,t complain after having the best spring ever for this species.
A late afternoon visit was quiet with canoes on the water so just down to 2 Wheatear and 1 Stonechat.
On my way home at lunchtime I was luckily held up in traffic with a queue of cars waiting to go into the Mixenden Corvid test centre and as I was sat waiting 2 Ring Necked Parakeets flew high over the road and came down out of sight in a tree.
A quick U turn in the road and threw myself out of the car whilst reassembling Big Bertha ready for some shots. The pair flew back over the road disappearing behind the school then back again into some trees on the edge of the estate. Although it was very hazy light I managed to fire a few shots off before they flew and landed on the school roof. It was playtime so I thought it was not the best idea to point the camera in that direction with chance of getting locked up and apart from that I was getting a bit of a crowd round looking at me like I was ' lame under t'cap' so I quietly sloped away feeling pleased with a good sighting.
Fly Flatts
16 Canada
4 Red Grouse
8 Stonechat
4 Wheatear
1 Mallard
2 Raven
+ usual sp.
Mixenden
1 pr Ring Necked Parakeet
BS