A blasting WNW>7, near gale at Leeshaw this morning with some light showers and patches of sunshine at 8 degrees. By late afternoon the wind at Fly Flatts had increased to SW>8 gale force blowing at 42 m.p.h. with white horses racing across the water and waves crashing over the east bank.
Ideal reservoir conditions with a high expectancy of Kittiwake or Osprey through though neither happened but a near miss this afternoon when an Osprey was spotted just to the west of Fly Flatts heading >NW over Green Withins,TW.
Herring gulls were moving well in the conditions at both venues all >W and all first winter birds apart from 2 adults. At the end of April these gulls will be classed as 1st summer.
Nothing out of the ordinary at Leeshaw other than 9 Stock Dove in the goose field and 2 Cormorants were newcomers, one being in courtship plumage. Birds were very active in the wind and the area was alive with Oystercatchers, Redshank, Lapwings and geese with around 100 Greylag and
80 Canadas as well as the single Pink Footed.
Fly Flatts late pm was interesting to see the water stirred up with the wind and looking more like the North sea. The sailing club reopens tomorrow but its unlikely there will be any boats out with the gales to continue throughout tomorrow.
Back to 4 Ringed Plovers now with 3m and 1f alternating between the east and west bank whilst Redshanks are taking up territory at both the north and south ends of the reservoir with Curlews settling in the top fields.
With the winds keeping up tomorrow the reservoirs need watching. Most of my Kittiwakes at Fly Flatts has been late March and 30/3/2018 produced me a Sandwich Tern on one of the buoys.
Leeshaw
9 Stock Dove
2 Cormorant
11 Herring gull......................>W
1 PF Goose
c100 Greylag
c80 Canada
2 Cormorant
+ usual Oyks, Lapwing, Redshank etc.
Fly Flatts
4 Ringed Plover
18 Herring gull...................>W
+ usual sp.
BS