Another foggy start early morn at Fly Flatts which soon cleared across the water but the fog bank remained over the west ridge with a low cloud base over the whole area. By 0915 hrs it was a mix of sunshine and blue sky with low scud clouds moving through constantly. A SW>3 at 9 degrees.
A little livelier this morning but no Wigeon today with just 4 Tufted and 28 Mallard on the water as well as 8 BH gulls. A single Golden Plover flew over high and >W closely followed by a Grey Wagtail. Golden Plovers have had an extremely poor year at this site with my best count of 43 on just a single day in March on the Flat Moor and then 16 briefly in May at Nolstar and just small counts since then. The Flat Moor used to hold over 200 all summer.
A few grounded Meadow Pipits were around the compound along with several Goldfinch
whilst a Kestrel was over the Nab.
Bright and sunny whilst we were out shopping midday but by the time I got to Ogden early afternoon the rain was just starting which turned into a torrential shower and fog over the water which luckily soon cleared after I had got a reet good dowsing.
A poor selection of gulls present with just 1 adult Herring which is there daily identifiable by a very dark shadow around one eye. Otherwise a few LBBs, one being dark enough to be an intermedius, plus the usual small gulls.
At last an appearance of wildfowl with a single Wigeon on the water getting a lot of stick from the Black Headeds keeping it well out into the middle.
BS