Images courtesy Helen Paul.
Atrocious conditions at Leeshaw early morn with a strong W>5 inc 6 driving horizontal heavy drizzle turning to rain by 0900 hrs at 5 degrees.
Hard work this morning with wave after wave of heavy drizzle moving through making it that at some points you could,nt see the water as the drizzle was so intense.
Despite the conditions it was ideal gull weather with birds moving through continuously all >W into the wind. Very few stopped off on the water or in the fields but kept going, low over the water then across the moor keeping low.
A count of over 150 Herrings moved through and around 300 small gulls as well as a flock of around 80 mixed Fieldfare and Redwing also >W.
A massive cloud of Starling and Jackdaws were very mobile from field to field whilst 26 Mallard and a single Cormorant were on the water.
I received an e mail midday from birder D.P.K. reporting an adult Yellow Legged Herring gull at Redcar Tarn this morning, and enclosed photos of the bird, kindly taken and sent to me by his good lady, Helen. Thanks to both for that info.
YL Herring are hard to come across in this area over the winter months with the peak time being July/August/ September although I have had a few records in November but very rare Dec/Jan.
Hopefully, after tomorrow morning we may have got rid of the strong winds for a few days but don,t hold your breath.
BS