Fly Flatts/ Ogden.

 

FLY FLATTS            A good variety of gulls was unusual here.

                                  LBB , Black Headed and Common.  

                                  Just 2 Herring gull present.

OGDEN                    Again, 4 species of gull present

                                  Only 5 Herring with 21 LBB.

A bright and sunny start to the morning at Queensbury with Woodpigeons piling over >SW once again.

A decision whether to stay and do a Woodpig count or carry on with the original plan of Fly Flatts. With Snow Bunting and Little gull in mind I ended up at Fly Flatts tempted with the news of several Little gull heading east coast to west coast overland.

          Fly Flatts has its own weather system up there and I arrived out of the sun to very dark clouds on a S>3 and light drizzle at a mild 10 degrees. Fairly active with gulls up there today but none that I had ordered. Other than the gulls a poor morning with just Raven, Mallard and 5 Canadas with nothing moving skyward and no small passerines present.

          Quarry Bob informed me that he had been watching a diver sp. on the water last week plus he had an Osprey over the Turbines last month which was interesting.

           In an effort to save the day I had a quick visit to Ogden mid afternoon in good conditions but nothing there to get the adrenaline going.

            A decent count of the usual gulls whilst a check on the Chaffinch flock found it holding at about 30 but no sign of Brambling, which I feel sure will arrive this winter given the water level.

           I caught up with a small tit flock but only Great, Blue and Long Tailed with no other species mixed in with them. The Yellow Browed Warbler will have to wait for another day.

BS

Back to Fly Flatts and another Woodpig moving day.

 

                              Water now up to the floating jetty

                              Still plenty shore.  SW corner

                                  The old walkways still exposed

                             Plenty shore at the north end but too late for waders now.

                                  North end island.

                               Looking down on the SE corner

With the wind now away from the east the sky was clear with a nice light grey cloud cover on a SSW>3 increasing as the day went on. A dry morning at 8 degrees.

                 Daylight nice and early this morning with the end of British summertime and a good start to the morning at 0630 hrs with a Tawny Owl being mobbed with Crows as it flew from a tree in Foxhill Park. Woodpigs were already piling over as well as Fieldfare and Redwing as I headed off to Fly Flatts, my first visit for 2 weeks due to car and weather setbacks.

                The water has risen considerably but more shore than expected left exposed although its highly unlikely I,ll be getting any waders up there now.

                  The Woodpigs must have been moving on a very broad front for me to be getting them as far west as Fly Flatts which is unusual as well as getting Redwing and Fieldfare. By 0800 hrs Starling numbers increased with squadrons of birds heading their usual migration route of >NW but also >SW along with Chaffinch and a few Mipits. By 0930 hrs all was quiet.

               Just a handful of gulls present plus Mallards and a single female Tufted on the water with 3 Kestrel and 5 Raven over the Nab area.

               A call from quarry man Bob informing me of the 5 Raven helping him eat his breakfast sandwiches and whilst he was sat in his van a Snow Bunting landed near the edge of the quarry before flying off in the direction of the wind turbines. A drive on there on the way home failed to re locate it but nice to know they are in the area. Thanks for the call Bob.

Vis Mig

2,300 Woodpig................>SW

975 Starling....................>SW     

232 Starling....................>NW

28 Mipit.........................>SW

79 Fieldfare...................>SW

41 Redwing...................>SW

56 Chaffinch.................>SW

Present

3 Common gull

6 LBB gull

5 Raven

1 f Tufted

43 Mallard

1 Snow Bunting

BS

Two to watch out for at local waters

 Yet another day of light winds from the east bringing the usual dense fog and rain throughout the day so grounded once again and once again falling back on some reserve blogs which I,m nearly running out of. The end of evening birding for this year with clocks back tonight.

                Heres a couple of specials for reservoir watchers to look out for anytime now, but peak time Dec to March.

                                  Redcar Tarn 1cy Iceland gull

                                  Ogden 1cy Iceland gull

                                Redcar Tarn

                                   Mixenden Red Head Smew

                                Very distant shots but a real mega for this area

                                    Mixed in with Goosanders

                                Mixenden Iceland gull, 1cy

                                   Redcar Tarn

                                    Mixenden

                                    Leeshaw Reservoir   1cy Iceland gull

                                       Thornton Fields   1cy

                                  It was determined that the winter of 21/22

                                  there were 3 possibly 4 different Icelands.

                                   The Redcar Tarn gull was the winter of 2020.

All photos B.S.

Clocks back tonight!