A milder morning at Fly Flatts even though it was only 2 degrees with still the lagoon and ponds frozen over but sunshine and a very light SW>2.
Greylag geese are getting more popular this year at this site with 6 present today, one of which was a pure white version standing out well when it was across on the moor.
A single Peregrine flew over the Flat Moor getting all the Lapwings in the air and telling me that there are still no Golden Plovers present on that stretch of moor when I usually had 300 plus up to last year, but since they had a sphagnum moss planting scheme there a couple of years ago , just before the breeding season , the birds have not returned.
Still 8 Redshank present but no signs of Ringed Plover today and nothing in the sky other than 2 Raven and 2 Kestrel, the latter being very scarce this year so far.
Up to TMR mid p.m. but poor on wildfowl with just Canadas, Greylags, Mallards and 2 Teal with the Goldeneye now gone and no Goosander present.
A brief view of the first Common Sandpiper back, bang on schedule, as it skimmed the water and headed for the far SW corner, but none arrived at Fly Flatts as yet. The only other waders were a Redshank and 2 Oystercatchers.
Very few gulls now with just Herrings and LBBs stopping off at the water to clean off the mud from the water soaked fields before heading off to the Eccup roost, and not a small gull in sight.
See what the easterlies can conjure up over the next two days.
Fly Flatts
8 Redshank
2 Oyks
1 pr Reed Bunting
1 Peregrine
6 Greylag
1 pr Teal
2 Raven
2 Kestrel
12 Golden Plover, Nolstar
+ usual sp.
TMR
8 Greylag
2 Teal
37 LBB gull
18 Herring gull
1 Redshank
5 Reed Bunting.
+ usual sp
BS