A glorious morning to be up on the moor today with wall to wall clear blue skies and sunshine in a biting SW>3 never getting above 1 degree.
Again, a good variety of birds with a large flock of Goldfinch in the Alders whilst the area was once again alive with Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Starling moving around the fields.
A small group of 5 Collared Dove was unusual over the water whilst several Meadow Pipits were working the banking. A low count of gulls today but 5 Herring were present on the water along with 1 Cormorant plus the usual Greylag, Canada and Mallard.
The morning was finished off nicely with a distant skein of 61 Pink Footed Geese heading >W which could be the start of a decent move.
With some spare time late afternoon and still nice bright weather I had a quick visit to Fly Flatts expecting very little which was just what I got, which is normal for January up there.
One hours check of the south and west bank, plus the compound and lagoon, produced, 2 Kestrel, 2 Crows and 2 Buzzard plus a pair of Mallard on the water.
The water is now gushing down the overflow and over the banking top in places so unlikely to be any lower by mid February when my Ringed Plovers start to return.
Plenty small gulls to sift through on the way home in the field opposite the Crossroads Inn as well as several Fieldfare around the Nolstar area.
BS