A dry morning at Leeshaw reservoir with 90% cloud cover at 10 degrees on a moderate SW>5 and mist on the tops.
Gulls were very lively today with good numbers of Herring and LBBs through >W including a 3rd winter Yellow Legged Herring which landed on the water tower but was immediately moved on by a Lesser Black Backed.
A group of 5 Wigeon appeared from nowhere to suddenly be on the water but again, no sign of the goose flock other than a few Canadas. A small party of 6 Meadow Pipits were in the big goose field whilst several small squadrons of Starling headed >NW showing final signs of autumn migration.
A very windy and damp afternoon but a good start off as I left home. As I was driving out onto the main Denholme Road 2 people walking were stood looking skyward and I guessed straight away what at. A skein of Pinkies were flying over >W with around 50 geese but, unable to stop, I had to take a rough count from laid across the passenger seat looking out of the side window whilst trying to keep the car between the kerb and the white line.
At a loss where to go I checked a couple of plantations for Crossbill as well as a few upland sites but despite there being a good harvest of pine cones this year Crossbills were non existent with just a few Siskin and several Goldcrest and Chaffinch.
Several fields are holding Fieldfare now with a few over wintering Mipits whilst the icing on the cake was a Long Eared Owl of which there seems to be more of this species, as well as Barn Owl, around than Short Eared at the moment.
Leeshaw
1 YL Herring gull
88 Herring gull
32 LBB gull
c400 small gull
5 Wigeon
3 Cormorant
6 Mipits
1 Grey Wagtail
BS