Fly Flatts a.m. on a dull dark morning with a moderate SW>4 and full cloud at a temperature down to single figures at 9 degrees.
As soon as I arrived 4 waders flew low and very fast over the water, the first sight being 1 larger bird closely followed by 3 small birds, these being a single Knot and 3 Sanderling.
I had them in the bins but dare,nt take my eyes off them to try get them on film for fear of losing them.
They went as if to land on the north shore but suddenly spiraled up very high and away >NW. It seemed strange them not landing but I thought they were moving ahead of the weather front approaching, until I walked the west bank, to check they had not doubled back, and found the usual Peregrine sat on the mud.
Tufted duck are now up to 10 on the water with several males in eclipse and several juvs not yet showing a tuft and being much more lively than the adults.
LBB and Herring gull were heading >SW but none on the shore, probably again due to the Peregrine which is becoming a real pain.
Nothing else in the air other than a Buzzard whilst 3 Stonechat and a Reed Bunting were in the compound along with several blogging Mipits on the shore.
Pink Footed Geese were moving later this morning, probably meaning that they had come from further afield, with 2 skeins reported by DJS over my area >SE but I was on my way home at the time. I caught up with presumably the second skein as I arrived home and they flew over the house but in and out of the low cloud.
BS