Ideal conditions for reservoir watching today with a moderate SW>6, dark cloud and heavy rain throughout at 5 degrees rising to 7 degrees.
Leeshaw reservoir was alive this morning with wall to wall gulls both on the water and in the fields but unable to find an Iceland or Med gull among them. A surprise to pick up a Yellow Legged Herring gull briefly through the scope on the dam wall. This was an adult bird and possibly the bird thats been appearing here since it was a second summer although it usually turns up June/July.
Oystercatchers , Curlew and Lapwings were everywhere whilst a Pink Footed Goose dropped in among the numbers of Canada and Greylag. No other wildfowl on the water apart from Mallard and Goosander.
Mixenden was very wet with heavy rain throughout but part sheltered from the wind but again the conditions were right for the gulls with a high count of small gulls and a good count of Herrings for this site. Over 100 Commons and Black Headeds were in the field behind the community centre as well as a good 200 on the water and east bank. Other than gulls there were just the usual Mallards, corvids and a single Mistle Thrush fly over.
Leeshaw
84 Herring gull
3 LBB gull
c200 Small gull
1 YL Herring gull, adult
1 pr Goosander
1 Cormorant
19 Oyks
12 Curlew
1 PF goose
c 150 Canadas
c 60 Greylag
+ usual sp.
Mixenden
28 Herring gull
1 LBB gull
c 300 Small gull
1 Mistle Thrush
+ usual sp.
BS