Last of the month, Fly Flatts

 

                                Redshank, south shore.

                                   Only  pair of Ringed Plover

                            Interesting move of Black Headed gulls

                                    Mostly 2 CYs

                                    Still some Wheatear present

                                    Most Common Sandpipers moved through.

More pleasing weather this morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a SSW>4 increasing 5 at 9 degrees but feeling colder in the wind. Just a few light rain showers.

               A bit of a clear out this morning with all but 2 pair of the Common Sandpipers moved through as well as several Wheatear and Redshank plus it looks likely that one pair of Ringed Plover have gone leaving just a single male with the female away sitting eggs.

                Interesting to get a move >S of around 40 Black Headed gulls along with a few Herring and LBBs  whilst a single Gt Spotted Woodpecker headed >SW over the moor, a sight I only usually get during autumn vis mig.

               The 2 local Ravens were being mobbed by Curlews over the Nab otherwise, all the usual species as well as a Red Legged Partridge.

                Another month gone, but April, like March , has been good to me at Fly Flatts with 9 wader species as well a few specials including Ring Ouzel, 6 Shelduck, 10 Common Scoter, Marsh Harrier, Short Eared Owl, Teal and Greenland Wheatear.

                 Hopefully May will boost my count of wader species as long as the water level continues to drop.

BS

A decent morning on the tops, Fly Flatts

 

                                     Dunlin on the west bank.

                                    as well as Ringed Plover

                                    Several Common Sandpiper

                                    White Greylag bred

                                    3 pr Greylag now with young

                                    Gulls congregating on the west bank

                                Fresh brood of Mallard

                                Cream Crown Marsh Harrier mobbed with Short Eared Owl.

                                Very distant over western ridge.

Good conditions at Fly Flatts early morn with a light mist soon clearing leaving full cloud on a light NE>2 turning E>2 with odd bursts of sunshine through the cloud.

            A really productive morning with at least 11 Common Sandpipers present as well as a single Dunlin and the usual Ringed Plovers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers whilst a Snipe flushed from the waters edge on the south bank and was later up drumming.

           Greylags have excelled themselves this year with 3 pair now with goslings, 4, 5 and 7 with one of the parent birds being the white Greylag so could end up with more white geese, as long as they survive.

         A female Mallard was escorting 9 very vulnerable ducklings which rarely survive up here with weasels on the ground and gulls and crows in the air. This morning, 8 LBB and 4 Herring gull were present whilst 7 Wheatear were around the south bank and compound.

              The highlight of the morning was undoubtedly as I was scoping the western ridge when I picked up a very dark backed raptor low over the moor which, when it turned to my direction, was a cream crown Marsh Harrier quartering the ridge top but very distant. As I was watching it, a Short Eared Owl came into view mobbing the Harrier along with a Red Kite nearby. After a few minutes all 3 birds dropped over the west side of the ridge not to reappear. A few minutes later a Peregrine flew north above the ridge.

             Each time I get a spring moving Marsh Harrier at either Fly Flatts or Leeshaw its always around the 1st May. The SEO is the first sighting of this species that I,ve had this year.

BS   

            

Fly Flatts in the clouds.

                                 Ringed Plover in the fog

                                The Nab blanked out.

                                  A gloomy west bank.

Dense fog to start the morning then clearing periodically with early drizzle on a light NE>2

turning N>2 at 6 degrees. Fog cleared at 1000 hrs, ironically as I was tackling up.

              The pair of Common Scoter had left the reservoir this morning with a scan of the water during one of the short periods when the fog lifted, only to be followed by another bank close behind.

           Luckily the fog did,nt affect me walking the south and west bank to check the edges for waders which produced the usual Common Sandpipers, Redshank, Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers but no re-location of the Dunlin from 2 days previous. A bit early yet for the next target wader, Sanderling, which should be making an appearance within the next couple of weeks, by which time I should be seeing several Dunlin. The water is going down nicely now with several small areas of  shore showing so hopefully we,ll be in for a drier period.

          A few Swallows skimmed low over the water whilst several Wheatears were still in the area but a poor show of Ring Ouzel so far with just the one sighting at the end of  March.

          Light winds overnight from the west but then turning back to the north east early morn could mean more fog for the morning ?

BS

          

 

Back to Fly Flatts.

 

                                Several smart Wheatear  Male

                                    Female

                                    Ringed Plover on lookout, Male

                               1 pair Common Scoter still present

                                    Male

                                    Female

                                    3 LBB gull

                                    Ey up, what have we here ??

                                    Stranger on the shore,  Oh its DJS.

Another mild dry morning at Fly Flatts with a light SE>2 with full cloud at 6 degrees . The sun was desperately trying to brake through but never made it.

           Surprisingly, the pair of Common Scoter were still on the water from yesterday even though last night was a sailing night with boats out on the water.

            Up to 9 Wheatear were present looking very smart in their breeding plumage whilst 6 Common Sandpiper were along the banking edges as well as Redshank, Oystercatchers and Ringed Plover.

             The Greylags with 5 gosling yesterday are sadly down to 4 today with one gone missing during the night, possibly down to several Weasels in the area though Greylags have managed to keep all their young on previous years. 

             Otherwise down to the usual species with , once again, no sign of the Dunlin which may have moved through.

        Good to have a word with DJS who was doing the long walk down the north bank and the length of the west bank. Dave was also getting Wheatear at the north end of the water along with a few Golden Plover. Many thanks for sorting out my Whatsapp bird group problem Dave.

BS.

FLY FLATTS Buzzing.

 

                                Distant Stonechat

                                1 of 5 Redshank

                                1 of 9 Common Sandpiper

                                1 pr Teal present.

                                At least 12 Wheatear

                                Brief encounter with 1st Dunlin back.

                                    7 Ringed Plover present.

                                1st 5 Gosling chicks

                                1 pr Common Scoter, very distant.

A very light SW>2 at 4 degrees with full cloud cover.

        A highly active morning with more wader arrivals including the first Dunlin of the year but only seen briefly as it left the west bank and headed to the north of the water. A count of 9 Common Sandpipers are now present along with another 3 male Ringed Plover making 2 pair plus 3 males.

        Wheatear were everywhere with a count of 12 just at the southern end of the reservoir plus a single Stonechat in the top fields. Swallows were moving through low over the water >N continuously whilst a Raven and 5 LBB gulls were in the area.

           The water held the usual Mallard, Canada and Greylag, the latter having the first brood of 5 gosling, whilst a pair of Teal were near the north end of the water.

         At 0930 hrs a pair of Common Scoter dropped in from the east but stayed right over in the NW corner of the reservoir.

A very busy and interesting watch.

BS