From one extreme to t'uther. Fly Flatts

                                    Not a good end to May.

Well, the blue skies and sunshine had gone this morning,as hoped for, but replaced by a bank of thick fog only clearing about 30 minutes from knocking off time and even then leaving a low cloud base on a NE>3 at 8 degrees.

                         A walk around the perimeter to check the shore just turned up the usual waders plus the male Ringed Plover still protecting the chicks which are due to fledge within 12 days now, but they are keeping them well hidden so don,t know if all 3 are still present or not.

                  A pair of Dunlin are now breeding out on the moor and possibly 3 pair of Common Sandpiper. The only new arrivals were a pair of Tufted duck which dropped in out of the fog whilst Swallows and Swifts were over the water in good numbers. Snipe were active with 3 present.

                Hopefully June will provide better than May which has got to have been my worst May on record at Fly Flatts with poor counts of limited species of wader. May is usually my best month up here for wader numbers but high water and a combination of wrong weather conditions kept birds to a minimum.

The best of a poor job were :-

Wheatear                      peaked at 17 inc 2 Greenland and a poss intergrade

Common Sandpiper     peaked at 12

Dunlin                          peaked at 9

Redshank                     peaked at 12

Oystercatcher              peaked at 5

Ringed Plover             peaked at 7 with 3 chicks bred.

 

Only decent waterfowl    3 Shelduck plus a few Teal.

See what June can provide.

BS                

 

Fly Flatts a.m. Gull check at Ogden p.m.

 

FLY FLATTS            Several active Dunlin                                    

                            8 LBB gull

                                    More shore showing now

                                NE peninsular well exposed,.

OGDEN                    Single Herring gull

Some half decent weather this morning at Fly Flatts with a cold NE>3 at 8 degrees on full cloud and light drizzle. Some mist across the moor.

              Another morning where the sky was full of Swifts all steadily >N on a broad front whilst feeding over the water with Swallows mixed in and the unusual sight, for here, of a House Martin in with them. The Swifts were a bit of a distraction whilst scoping over the moor with Swifts zooming past the scope sighting.

           No new waders with the usual Dunlins, Common Sands, Redshanks and Oystercatchers, all very active in the cold wind. The Ringed Plover was having a busy time battling off 8 hungry LBB gulls but the Plover was more than a match for the gulls. The Ringed Plover must be one of the most ferocious small waders there is with the way it runs or flights to any suspected predator.

        Although its school holidays, the weather was dull and cool mid afternoon so I risked a check on the gull situation at Ogden.

      Only a single Herring gull on the water as well as 3 LBBs and little shore for them so it looks like another month or so yet before it fires off. Just a pair of Tufted on the water plus a Heron watching the Mallard ducklings.

      Whilst there I thought I,d give the east bank and passerine alley a go to get my first warbler of the year but strangely not a single sight or sound of  any type of warbler whereas passerine alley used to hold double figures. 

       Back at the car park there was mayhem with cars piling in and cars trying to get out grid locking the area. When I finally got out onto the main road I thought, the next time I visit Ogden will be a rainy day in October.

BS

  

       

Plenty waders, Fly Flatts and a twitch to Leeshaw.

 

                                        9 Dunlin present

                                    Plenty Swifts over the water.

                                    BVs elusive bird at Leeshaw, p.m.

                                Hopes of Spotted Redshank but not to be.

More blue skies and sunshine at Fly Flatts this morning but a pleasing cool NE>3 at 9 degrees.

            Plenty activity with the usual waders and the water level now down enough for access to the east and north east shore giving a good count of 9 Dunlin, 12 Common Sandpiper, 6 Redshank and 3 Oystercatchers along with a single Snipe.

       The first of the Mallard ducklings fledged today with a flight over the water and several more looking ready to fly. This is the best year I,ve ever seen for ducklings with near to all surviving so far and most now well grown. The family of 14 pictured above just lost 4 in the first few day but has amazingly hung on to the rest. The one that fledged today is from a party of 9 and all ready for fledging.

          The sky was alive with Swifts today along with several Swallows and 3 Sand Martin but no gull movement this morning.

           A call from BV late morning reporting an odd wader but very elusive at Leeshaw reservoir where there is very little shore that can be viewed from the track.

When I got free mid afternoon I shot over there and met Brian by the reservoir. After a bit of a wait the bird appeared at distance which gave the impression of Redshank but looking longer legged and stockier, comparing it to a nearby Redshank. 

              Parts of its plumaged looked lighter and more barring on its flanks making me think Spotted Redshank but very hard to get any detail at the distance and through a cap full of heat shimmer.

            On checking the poor photos I got the bill is Common Redshank and no supercilium putting it back to Common Redshank. 

        A single Dunlin and 2 Common Sandpipers were also present with 9 LBB and 1 Herring on the water.

       Thanks for the call Brian, anything looking a little odd is worth checking at this time of year.

BS

Cloud and wind, a world of difference, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    A good count of LBB gull

                                    as well as Herring

                                    4 Swifts >N

                                    usual Dunlins.

                                        and Common Sandpiper

                                Male Reed Bunting

                            The young Mallards thriving well

Some half decent weather at last with full cloud cover on a moderate NE>4 and a cooler temperature of 

10 degrees.

                 Access limited to the south and west bank areas this morning, after I,d de-pooed the jetty, with the sailing clubs regatta day taking place.

               The cool wind and cloud de-stagnated the area this morning with Dunlin and Common Sandpiper buzzing around from shore to shore whilst noisy Redshank, Curlew and Lapwing were flying around over their chicks.

               A distant scoping revealed the Ringed Plover pair and at least 2 of the 3 chicks looking stronger now and nearly half way to fledging whilst a single Snipe with chick was nearby.

                The skies were much busier with a steady move of around 80 LBB gulls and 19 Herring all >NE whilst several Swallows and 4 Swift headed >N.

               A Short Eared Owl was a rare sight this year as it quartered the distant moor along with 2 Kestrel. 

BS

                

More heat/ and a new species for Fly Flatts.

                                    Just 2 Swifts through this morning

                                    plus a single Black Headed Gull

The anti reservoir weather continues with wall to wall sunshine in clear skies on a light SW>3 at 12 degrees.

            The highlight this morning was a pair of Bullfinch which dropped into the lagoon tree briefly before continuing on >SE. Bullfinch is a first for me at Fly Flatts and my 140th species that I have recorded at this site.

           Another lazy morning on waders with the usual Common Sandpipers, Redshanks, Dunlin and Ringed Plover as well as a single Oystercatcher but all acting very in-active in the heat.

        Despite the reported late move of Greenshank, nothing at Fly Flatts,although a rare sighting for this site in the spring with all my sightings on return journey in August apart from a single 10/5/2019 plus 

NK had 2 at Ogden 11/5/2016. Part of the problem is MC who is at the moment hogging double figures at his patch in Oxford.

         Plenty Swallows over the water along with 2 Swifts, the latter being a bit of a rarity so far this year. Otherwise, just a BH gull >SE and a Kestrel over the moor, all other species, like me, are waiting for some wind, cloud and drizzle.

BS