Yet another morning of low cloud and drizzle at Fly Flatts on a moderate W>4 at 14 degrees.
Birding was terrible throughout with the only signs of vis mig being a few Swallows and Meadow Pipits >SW and that was it.
Luckily the afternoon session saved the day with a trip to Denholme, planning a walk through the wood in hopes of any moving passerines now that it was believed that the Osprey had gone with no reports for the last 2 days plus 2 sessions of watching by myself.
As I arrived there was a Cullingworth birder armed with a mega 500mm lens watching over the water and as I approached him to say I thought it was gone, he pointed up and there was the Osprey nearly above our heads.
It gave crippling views but only dived once, aborting the dive just before it hit the water. For the next 15 minutes it soared around getting very high at one point before disappearing behind the trees not to be seen again before I left at 1500 hrs.
A few texts sent to alert the Osprey brigade and as I arrived home Sharon had arrived on site from Haworth and was watching the bird back fishing.
Apparently the Cullingworth birder saw the Osprey yesterday afternoon but only for a few minutes as it headed off to Hewenden. Amazing that its still around into its third week now after I was sure it had gone yesterday, especially as SJ got one over Manchester yesterday from this direction, but looking today at the Manchester birds photos it was,nt the same bird going by plumage details.
BS