A stonking day weather and bird wise today at Fly Flatts. Heavy drizzle to start the day followed by thick fog clearing to mist on a moderate W>4 at 12 degrees. Perfect for Fly Flatts.
As I,ve said before, if you start the day at Fly Flatts donning full waterproofs you can be sure that, chances are, its going to be a good un, and today it was.
Strangely this morning everything had headed for the boat compound with Oystercatchers, Common Sandpipers, Ringed Plovers and Lapwings all warning me off ,with each species having chicks nearby, though I didnt hang around searching for them. Instead left them to settle down whilst I walked the west bank. The Ringed Plovers must have walked the chick half way round the reservoir to get to the compound.
Common Sandpipers were scattered along the west bank as well as another 3 Oystercatcher and a single Redshank with a count of 5 Dunlin in the area. Just 4 LBB gulls on the water.
Mid afternoon and the wind had increased to W>5 with heavy cloud but good visibility. The compound was clear of the breeding birds now but windsurfers were launching from the compound so the birds had moved the chicks on. The Ringed Plovers had ended up at the opposite side of the water again.
Planning just to have a steadier session by strolling as far as the SW corner then doing some sky watching soon went pear shaped when I spotted what I suspected to be 2 of the regular male Mallards always present near the north end of the water. Walking a bit further on the west bank, scope in the car, silly boy, I stopped for another check and doubt started to set in, especially when one stood up on end flapping its wings, Scoters !!
The quiet afternoon was soon forgotten as I raced along the west bank before the windsurfers flushed them. Near the end of the banking I was opposite them but still at distance as they were nearer the east shore with the windsurfers sailing between the birds and the east bank which didnt seem to bother them at all.
A belting adult male and a 1st summer male arriving right on schedule with my first Scoters always arriving around this date then odd birds appearing right through July though not as frequent as they used to be. Years back I was up at TMR with BV in the fog one evening and as the fog cleared there were 73 Common Scoter on the water.
So once again, thanks to my favourite weather, mist, wind and drizzle, Fly Flatts has come back to life, like me, it doesnt like calm conditions, blue sky and sunshine.
Fly Flatts
2 Ringed Plover
5 Oyks
5 Dunlin
7 Common Sandpiper
1 Redshank
4 LBB gull
2 drake Common Scoter
several Swifts .... >N
+ usual sp.
BS