FLY FLATTS Last strip of light before sundown over the western ridge.
Windy and wet at Leeshaw first light with a moderate W>4 turning SW>5 at 4 degrees with dark clouds and drizzle.
A single Great Black Backed gull lifted off the water as I arrived and headed off >W continued by a steady flow of Herring gulls also >W with just 1 stopping off briefly on the water.
Cormorants were also moving >W with 5 separate birds over very high and direct.
A pair of Goosanders were on the water along with a few Mallard and a good count of small gulls, mostly Black Headeds. A single Meadow Pipit dropped into the field whilst 4 Mistle Thrush were on a distant wire.
A mid afternoon visit to Mixenden was abandoned after a scan from the top of the hill found it very quiet and void of gulls so a continuation on to Fly Flatts in windy but otherwise decent conditions.
High hopes of a Gt Northern diver were soon dashed but there are several inland at the moment including one in MC country at Oxford and an amazing looking pure white albino in Devon, courtesy Rare Bird Alert. The last one seen at Fly Flatts was July 2014 and another, or the same bird, at Mixenden in December to February 2014/15.
Another 6 Herring gull headed >W whilst 2 noisy Raven were interested in something on the Flat Moor. A male Stonechat was hanging around the original Twite feeding station eyeing up the seed.
At the moment (1950 hrs) the wind up here in the gods is up to gale force SW>8 at 42 mph
with lashing rain but its suppose to decrease after midnight leaving a moderate westerly for tomorrow with rain and snow.
Leeshaw
1 Pr Goosander
1 GBB gull..................>W
15 Herring gull...........>W
5 Cormorant...............>W
2 Cormorant blogging
4 Mistle Thrush
1 Mipit
c 300 Small gulls
+ usual sp
Fly Flatts
1 m Stonechat
4 Red Grouse
6 Herring gull..........>W
2 Raven
BS