A misty murky start at Fly Flatts early morn with visibility across the water but low cloud base.
A very light SE>2 at 12 degrees brightening late morning.
By late afternoon, at Mixenden, the wind, or I should say breeze, had turned S>2 with broken cloud and hot sunshine at 21 degrees with unfortunately none of the rain promised by the , not very good, weathermen.
Very little improvement at Fly Flatts with all but 2 Curlew moved on as well as the Redshanks , Oystercatchers and Dunlins just leaving the Common Sandpipers and Ringed Plovers.
A female Tufted duck, way out on the water, had me thinking Common Scoter until I got the scope on it, whilst 4 LBB gulls were on the peninsular.
A visit to Mixenden late afternoon, with gulls in mind, was a very disappointing start but, after a full circuit of the water, things started to fall into place ,ending up with a decent visit.
No gulls at all on the water but as I was walking around the perimeter LBBs slowly started dropping in. A surprise to see 2 adult Moorhen with a single juv whilst one of the adults was bringing nest material refurbishing the nest for a second brood. Further round, an adult Mallard had two well grown, but not fledged , ducklings with her which is a miracle for them to survive at Mixenden with the air rifle scums about.
Another welcome surprise in the edge of the plantation was a male Blackcap carrying food to a nest. Probably the first Blackcap I,ve seen in a year or two, not a bird on the Fly Flatts species list! Back round to the east bank and a gull count produced 58 Lesser Black Backed and a single 1st summer Herring gull, some on the banking and others in the water.
Swallows and House Martins were in good numbers trawling the water.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms for the next few days but dont hold your breath, the forecasters are having a bad run at predictions.
Fly Flatts
2 Ringed Plover
4 Common Sand
2 Curlew
1 Snipe
4 LBB gulls
m Pied Wag
1 f Tufted
+ usual sp.
Mixenden
2 Moorhen + 1 juv
1 f Mallard + 2 young
58 LBB
1 1st summer Herring
1 m Blackcap
sev House Martins ans Swallows, No Swift.
BS