Good reservoir weather early doors with a moderate WSW>4 to 5 with full cloud and heavy drizzle showers at 7 degrees. Unfortunately this didnt last beyond 0915 hrs when the clouds broke revealing blue sky and sunshine quieting the skies.
A good move of LBB gulls >NW was apparent for the first hour but stopped once the clouds cleared, whilst Swallows moved through >NE. At least 2 Snipe were up drumming over the moor along with a single Buzzard and Kestrel with 2 Raven over the wind turbines upsetting the Curlews and Lapwings.
A record count of Greylag this year with 14 on the water, 5 pairs of which all have good numbers of goslings, but no Canada chicks as yet though around 150 Canadas are present keeping me busy brushing the jetty every morning.
Just the usual waders with 2 pair of Common Sandpiper, 1 pair of Ringed Plover plus Redshanks and Oystercatchers but no sign of the Dunlin, which should be up to double figures now if there was any decent shore. Last nights torrential rain has topped it up to the overflow again.
Wheatear are still moving through with 4 present on the south bank plus a few scattered around the top fields.
On the way back a single Jay flew over Mixenden reservoir, a species that is not half as common as it used to be around my area, and further along the road the House Martins are back in their annual breeding area at the top of Whitegate, whilst several Swifts headed >N over Foxhill this afternoon.
BS