Despite a forecast of a dry bright day it was wet and cloudy and very windy for both the morning and afternoon sessions. The morning started with a cold W>4 at 7 degrees with very dark clouds and light showers.
By mid afternoon the wind had turned NW>6 with some sun but more showers.
As always, Leeshaw was very lively though nothing out of the ordinary and no signs in the sky of any visible migration.
Plenty gulls to sift through, mainly Black Headeds and Common but a poor count of Herring which is unusual for this site at this time of year. This is the first September that Leeshaw has,nt produced Yellow Legged Herring gull.
A small group of Swallows were feeding over the water whilst a record count of 7 Cormorants were present.
Mid afternoon at Oxenhope res was disappointing in the conditions with very rough water keeping the gulls away and making watching very difficult with a combination of high waves and sun reflection.
A single female duck stood out in the middle of the water looking good for Scaup through the scope with extensive white on its face and a very round head with no signs of tuft . Its flanks were greyish with a darker back looking altogether different from a female Tufted that was with a male at the other side of the water.
Gulls were landing to freshen up but immediately moving off east towards Eccup. Strangely no Herring gulls were seen.
LEESHAW
7 Cormorant
c 50 Lapwing
1 Moorhen
18 Greylag
12 Canada
1 Heron
6 Swallows
24 LBB gull....1st summer
2 LBB............adult
c 300 BH gull
5 Herring...........1st summer
c 40 Common gull
+ usual sp
OXENHOPE RES
32 LBB gull
c 100 BH gull
12 Common gull
1 pr Tufted
1 f Scaup
2 Teal
1 Peregrine
+ usual sp
BS