A cold morning at Fly Flatts with a feel of mid November due to the strong W>6 gusting near gale 7
with full dark cloud cover and light drizzle showers at 7 degrees.
Once again it was down to the usual Dunlins, Common Sandpipers, Ringed Plovers, Redshanks and Oystercatcher plus a single Snipe.
A record number of big gulls were present in the NW corner both on the banking and on the water but way too windy to walk the west bank to check them out. When the YW man drove on the banking top the gulls all left >SW.
Still at least 5 Wheatear present plus the usual waders with no newcomers as far as I could see although scoping was very difficult in the wind.
By mid afternoon the wind had strengthened though Ogden was pretty well sheltered but the sun had brought out the public making it look like Blackpool front on a Wakes weekend. I started to walk around the perimeter track but it was like being in a procession so after a quick check of the swan, which was sleeping on the water, I headed up towards the quiet of Back Lane watching a good number of Swifts feeding and slowly drifting over >NW.
Ogden is out of bounds for the weekend now whilst the crowds appear so it will be Monday before I check out the swan again although I have one or two early morning dog walkers who keep me informed of any new happenings.
BS