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