Well I got the cloud that I ordered but a bit too much at Fly Flatts early morn with heavy drizzle on a light SW>2 at 6 degrees and misty conditions. By 0900 hrs the drizzle had gone leaving hazy but workable skies but no visibility beyond the western ridge.
The first bird on arrival was mega rare for Fly Flatts with a Gt Spotted Woodpecker in the boatyard then away >NW. I only get one or possibly two a year as fly overs on migration. Gulls, Woodpigs,Starlings and Redwings were on the move but the star turn were noisy skeins of Whooper Swans over, all SE, but kept disappearing into the low cloud. The 2 largest skeins nearly got past me as I could hear them but they were higher up and in the clouds only showing briefly as they headed towards Ogden/Soil hill area. A check on the way home of Cold Edge and Mixenden just in case any had come down.
A wasted trip to Cullingworth fields where plenty gulls were present but all in the distance at the very far end of the big field whilst several more were in two adjacent fields even further away.
Back at the Thornton gull fields fewer gulls were present scattered between 2 fields with no sign of the previous Med gulls. A 1st winter Herring was the only big gull present, the rest being mainly Black Headed with a few Commons which were mostly 1st winter birds.
Its amazing how a bit of cloud livens thing up rather than the clear blue sky.
Fly Flatts
1 Gt Spotted Wdpecker.........on deck then >NW
7 Herring gull..................>NW
25 BH gull......................>SE
24 Woodpig....................>S
36 Redwing....................>NW
87 Starling......................>NW
74 Whoopers..................>SE 5 skeins 12, 5, 18, 36, 3.
BS