An horrendous morning at Fly Flatts with a blasting SW>7 near gale gusting SW>8 gale force at 41 m.p.h. with horizontal heavy drizzle mixed with torrential rain showers. Mist hung over the west moor but brighter looking east
A short dry period mid afternoon then back to heavy rain although the wind had dropped considerably.
A good soaking walking around Fly Flatts this morning and nothing in the way of birds other than a few grounded Mipits. A morning I would have missed going up there in the conditions but needed to check the boatyard after a message that some low life on quads had used an angle grinder to cut open the two YW gates. Luckily the club area was still secure but there were reports of theft lower down the valley.
Still very wet mid afternoon so a check on the gulls down 10 yards Lane but only a small number of Black Headeds present so on to Ogden still with gulls in mind.
Amazing to find only 2 cars in the car park which was a pleasant change and as a second bonus it had stopped raining ,though this only lasted for 15 minutes.
A nice little group of mixed gull species and ages on the south east bank with Herring, Lesser Black Backed, Common and Black Headed made up of adults and sub adults. Nothing else on the water other than the usual Mallards but plenty shoreline and weeded areas on the banking which is a favourite food for Chaffinch and Brambling in the winter months if the water stays low enough.
Good to bump into warden Chris up there who I told to look out for Whooper Swans on the water now that they have arrived on the east coast with MCs brother Phil photographing them at Flamborough.
Hopefully October will be an improvement on September both weather wise and bird wise.
BS