Bright, clear skies.
Zero degrees first light at Fly Flatts this morning with icy roads and the reservoir water freezing as it splashed over the banking. A moderate NW>4 was blowing but blue clear skies and sunshine.
By 0945 hrs the wind had turned N>5 and dark clouds from the NE brought light snow showers.
Very little about but at least I was,nt out for a duck like previous visits with a single Canada on the water plus 2 Herrings >NE along with a Black Headed whilst 2 Raven were cronking over the quarry.
As I got back to the car the rope dog leads which were still wet from yesterdays rain had frozen and were straight like garden canes but with me and the dogs well wrapped up it was a pleasant morning for walking.
Mid afternoon and an icy cold walk over Ringby Top with a real lazy north wind. Queensbury folk allus called it a lazy wind as it went through you instead of round you.
Despite that it was pleasant enough with clear skies with a promise of geese but that never developed as well as no Snow Buntings or Shorelarks in the top field. It was just
14 years ago that a Shorelark turned up in the top field on Christmas day 2006 and hung around until the end of the month.
Gull numbers were well down whilst 4 distant Cormorants headed high and >SE towards Brighouse. The usual 2 Pied Wagtails were present along with 5 Meadow Pipits but no sign of the Stonechats today.
Good to bump into local birder Ian whose patch revolves around the Ringby and Windy Bank areas. Ian also remarked how quiet things were recently.
Fly Flatts
1 BH gull............>NE
2 Herring gull ....>NE
2 Raven
2 Carrion Crow
1 Canada goose
Ringby Top
2 ad 1 1st winter Herring gull
3 Common gull
c 50 BH gull
2 Pied Wagtail
5 Mipits
+ usual sp.
BS Which just leaves me to wish all my blog watchers and families a very
MERRY CHRISTMAS and all the best as we hopefully look forward to a better New Year.. Brian.