A very icy Fly Flatts this morning with the top road and entrance track only just passable now and the reservoir banking was like walking on glass. A light S>3 was pleasing with a temperature of -1 degree rising to 0 degree by the end of the watch. A full cloud cover with the cloud base just above the turbines.
By afternoon it was a mixture of low cloud with rain, sleet and snow at 2 degrees.
Very little happening in the sub zero temperature but reassuring to get 6 Mallards back on the water which is a good sign as a starter for ten with geese, Lapwings and Golden Plover usually showing shortly afterwards.
Another good sign was Lesser Black Backed gulls starting to re appear after the majority spend the winter further south with warmer and unfrozen roosts. This species used to be fully migratory but in recent years have turned semi migratory with just a southward movement although a low number still stick the winter out in this area.
A count of 11 LBBs headed >NE whilst 3 Herrings headed >SE. A Raven over the quarry and 5 Red Grouse on the moor concluded the watch.
Mixenden also had LBB gulls with 2 on the water along with a single Herring and around 50 Black Headed, mostly stood on the ice but none showing rings. A pair of Mallard and a single Moorhen were the only waterfowl present whilst 2 Ring Necked Parakeets were in the usual trees.
A scan across Shelf Moor trailer park fields produced 27 Mistle Thrush and 7 Fieldfare along with c50 Starling, once again, all in the second field back, but no Lapwing today.
Fly Flatts
3 Herring gull...............>SE
11 LBB gull.................>NE
1 Raven
5 Red Grouse
6 Mallard
Mixenden
2 LBB gull
1 Herring gull
c 50 Small gull
1 pr Mallard
1 Moorhen
2 R.N. Parakeets
+ usual sp.
Shelf Moor
27 Mistle Thrush
7 Fieldfare
c 50 Starling.
BS