A clear morning at last with a light W>3 with light drizzle at 12 degrees. By late afternoon the wind had turned SW>3 with heavy rain and low cloud.
A real pain now getting to Fly Flatts with all Mill Lane closed for re surfacing for the next 3 weeks from Whitegate right past Mixenden reservoir and along the top of Mixenden to the Crossroads pub. This means I have to go through Oxenhope and approach Fly Flatts from the north end, or down towards Shroggs park and up Brackenbed to Moor End Road. Either way puts about 4 extra miles and 15 minutes on the journey.
For the next 3 weeks I,ll be doing Fly Flatts in the mornings only, weather permitting, and then a different venue for the late afternoon session.
Luckily this morning I took the Oxenhope route which produced me a Short Eared Owl along Nab Water Lane close to the road. The fellow in the car behind didnt seem to have a sense of humour when I stopped and jumped out of the car to get some quick photos, blocking the road. He glared at me as I moved the car out of the way and was probably thinking,
" this bloke is lame under t'cap", obviously a none birder.
Arriving in the boatyard 2 Buzzard were up together over the distant moor with 3 Kestrels working the west bank and a 4th bird perched on the new wind turbine.
The single bush in the corner of the compound was alive with passerines with several Meadow Pipits, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Wrens, 5 Stonechat and a rare passing Sylvia warbler juv Whitethroat.
The shoreline held up to 8 Wheatear all in cracking autumn plumage whilst Swallows and House Martins headed south overhead. One group of Swallows were harassing a passing Peregrine.
More shore is beginning to show now but if the forecast for a weekend of rain is correct it will probably put it back to the start.
Fly Flatts
1 Short Eared Owl
4 Kestrel
1 Peregrine
c 30 Goldfinch
2 Wrens
2 Buzzard
+ usual sp
Vis Mig
3 Willow Warbler...........blogging
2 Whitethroat.................blogging
5 Stonechat....................blogging
8 Wheatear.....................blogging
41 Swallow....................>S
12 House Martin...........>S
BS