A bright ,clear and sunny morning at Fly Flatts at 1 degree and very icy on a light N>3.
Very busy up on the top road this morning with a fleet of Council pick ups and wagons removing around 300 tyres from the roadside and ditches dumped a few weeks ago by local scumbags. These are obviously being dumped by cowboys working illegally as when I worked at the garage the rules were very strict. We had to be registered with the environment agency and pay £2.00 a tyre to have them disposed of. Every tyre size and make had to be logged and we were subject to regular spot checks.
The first of the Wheatears arrived back today, just 1 week later than usual but, as always at this site, juveniles are the first back with 2 today but very flighty and keeping their distance.
Just 4 Ringed Plover this morning along with 4 Redshank and disappointingly 6 small waders >N over the west ridge but unable to I.D. them through the scope at that distance but looked around Dunlin size.
A pair of Teal and 2 Greylag were on the water with the Canadas whilst 3 Skylark and a Raven were in the top fields. Just 10 Goldies in the Nolstar field today.
Mid afternoon and a check of Mixenden found it very quiet on the water with just 5 Canadas and 8 Mallard along with a single Moorhen.
The west bank trees fared a little better with a single Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff and a few Blue and Coal tits whilst a Buzzard flew overhead very high and >W closely pursued by a Sparrowhawk.
As always here,on a decent day, too much disturbance from the east bank, and now 2 weeks of school holidays to put up with.
BS