A bright but breezy start to the morning but as I headed for Leeshaw the sky turned black and on arrival the heavens opened with flashes of lightening and blasting snow coming over from the west. Within minutes the track was beginning to cover so a quick turn around and head back before I got stuck in Oxenhope. The road back was already covered and cars were struggling getting up the hill to TMR.
The good news was, on my way there , before the blizzard, several Herring gulls were circling over the usual gull field below the Dog and Gun and there in amongst them was the Iceland gull, or another bird. It headed off towards Leeshaw but then the blizzard struck so game over.
Mid afternoon and back at a brighter but blustery Leeshaw. Herring gulls were coming through >W but no sign of the Iceland. Some continued straight through whilst others settled briefly on the water or in the field before heading off >W again. Only a few small gulls came through as well as 6 LBBs.
The Oystercatcher flock is now up to 23 which is slowly building to my record count here of 35 before they disperse to other areas although some do stay and breed.
KM keeps turning up YL Herrings and today turned up a 1st winter Med gull for his efforts whilst MC promised me a Long Tailed Skua today but I must have missed it.
If I keep up this gulling I,ll only have these two gullers left watching the blog.
Oxenhope
1st winter Iceland gull
Leeshaw
97 Herring
6 LBB
4 Redshank
23 Oystercatchers
+ usual sp.
BS