Part of the plantation DCB, HC, and myself et al planted
and watered over 30 years ago.
Another foggy, drizzly morning on the tops but Leeshaw was ,as usual, below the cloud base with dark cloud on a very light W>1 at 3 degrees.
Strangely, no big gulls present today with around 300 small gulls, but again nothing that I could make into a Med gull.
A single drake Goosander was on the water along with 1 Cormorant and 6 Greylag whilst a Dipper was showing briefly down in the beck. Otherwise it was just down to the usual species.
Cloudy skies mid p.m. at Thornton Moor but reasonable visibility with a light NW>2 leaving the water very still and reflective.
The 2 pair of Goldeneye were still present along with 3 female Goosander and a few Mallard on the water but very few gulls today, although I left at 1500 hrs and the gulls are now coming in later with the extended daylight.
The 5 white and partial white Greylags were on the south bank before leaving >E. These birds were bred at this site a few years ago from a pair of normal coloured Greylags.
A few Meadow Pipits were present as well as the usual Red Legged Partridge which only have a week to go before the end of the shooting season for this species.
BS