A miserable morning at Leeshaw reservoir with heavy drizzle showers, low cloud and poor light on a SW>3 at 6 degrees.
Things were rather quiet with just a few Herrings and LBBs present along with the usual small gulls although things livened up nearing the end of the watch.
A massive flock of late moving Woodpigs flew over the north side of the water heading west with about 200 present. Then , just as I was tackling up, the goose flock flew in with some landing on the water and some in the fields. No Pinkies with them today but a single Wigeon flew in with them landing on the water.
A grizzly afternoon with fog on the tops and heavy drizzle so I took a gamble of it being clear up at Redcar Tarn and headed up there avoiding Denholme this time.
Up at the tarn it was drizzling on a light SW>4 but visibility was enough to do the job.
Plenty of the usual on the water with several Herring and LBBs of all ages plus a mass of small gulls going mad over Chapatis being wazzed into the water.
After a lot of disturbance and flying around, the gulls settled and I managed to pin down KMs 2nd year Caspian gull on the water just before the whole outfit headed skyward again.
Luckily another birder was present who had kept his eye on the ball so I looked to see where he was aiming his camera in the sky and there was the Caspian, which ended up in the field across the road but in full view though distant.
The birder told me I had just missed a Kittiwake which left just before I arrived so after a thorough search I had to admit to a dip on that one. A good sighting which made the hassle of driving there worthwhile.
LEESHAW
272 Greylag
48 Canada
1 Wigeon
c 200 Woodpigs.......>S in one flock
1 Cormorant
14 Herring gull
7 LBB gull
c 300 Small gulls
+ usual sp.
REDCAR TARN,Keighley
1 Caspian gull
1 Cormorant
c 50 Lapwing
usual gulls, Tufted ducks, Moorhen, Coot, resident wildfowl etc.
BS