A horrendous morning weather wise at Leeshaw early morn with a strong W>5 and heavy horizontal drizzle blasting across from the west at 6 degrees.
Terrible conditions for the birder but ideal reservoir watching tackle with the old saying of ' worse the weather, better the birds', proving right today with Herring gulls piling through all low over the water with several settling on the water briefly before continuing west over the moor and disappearing beyond Top Withins.
Around 200 small gulls on the water as well as 24 Mallard and a single Greylag goose. A very poor winter for geese lacking the usual 300 plus groups of Canada and Greylag as well as Pink Footed in the fields and even 44 Barnacle one January several years ago.
On a brighter note, in the howling wind and heavy drizzle I picked up a single call of a Curlew which flew high over the water and landed in a nearby field but just out of sight.
A first return for this year, and not long after a first return Oystercatcher dropped in among Mallards on the west shore. The Oyk being the day after my first of the year at Fly Flatts yesterday. or possibly the same bird.
So despite a good soaking, a satisfying morning with the first taste of spring.
LEESHAW
c 200 small gull
c 80 Herring gull
1 Greylag
24 Mallard
1 Oystercatcher
1 Curlew
2 Little Owl
+ usual sp.
BS