Right on schedule to the day, yet again, the first Oystercatcher was on the east bank whilst the first Curlew called as it flew over the wind turbines. No Ringed Plover as yet which arrived on the 9th last year though this was a week earlier than the previous year.
The surprise of the morning was a quick view of a Dipper heading downstream below the west bank, my last sighting of this species at Fly Flatts being 8/4/2012, so a very rare visitor indeed.
Two Common gulls were over the water, not a regular visitor to Fly Flatts, whilst 2 Raven were over the bumps. Otherwise down to the usual species.
Mid afternoon and another visit to Ogden, before the school holidays start next week, found the 2 Herring gulls, one ringed, in just the same place and stood in the same position as last week on the Soil Hill reservoir ground. Going by the head shape etc I believe them to be a pair, the male being the ringed bird.
Ogden was poor on the water with just around 40 small gulls whilst the west bank was lively with several Goldcrest and Coal Tit along with 4 Treecreepers together plus a single, camera shy, Nuthatch.
BS