Dodging the fog, Leeshaw reservoir.

 

                                    Small flock of Lapwing present

                                    Several Herring and LBB gull

                            LBB retaining pink legs

                                    Common gulls back on site

                                    Single Wigeon

                                    LBB

                                    The spotted Greylag

                                    Good count of geese

                                    Wigeon stayed throughout.

Dense fog on the tops early morn so across to Leeshaw where it was hazy sunshine turning to full cloud cover but good visibility other than the moor top. A light SW>3 at 9 degrees.

        Geese were the birds of the morning with Greylags and Canadas arriving from all directions, most landing in surrounding fields and some on the water. One flock brought a Wigeon in with them which then remained on the water and bank throughout.

       Big gull numbers were pleasing but nothing stood out as special other than an adult LBB still retaining its pink legs, plus 2 Common gulls were the first to arrive at this site this autumn.

     Very little skyward other than Meadow Pipits and Swallows whilst a group of Lapwing landed on the far bank.

Thanks to CK for the shout of a Marsh Harrier that he was watching from Soil Hill as it flew over the Oxenhope watch point near to Fly Flatts. Unfortunately I was on my way home from Leeshaw at the time.

Not looking good for morning with thick fog at Queensbury tonight and a forecast of wet and windy for morning.

Leeshaw

c 200 Greylag

c 300 Canada

1 Wigeon

12 Herring gull

32 LBB gull

2 Common gull

c 150 BH gull

1 Heron

4 Cormorant

1 Pied Wagtail

10 Lapwing

Mipits and Swallows >S

+ usual sp.

BS.

Poor sky, more groundwork. Fly Flatts

 

                                    Still 1 Wheatear present

                                    1 of 9 Stonechat

                                    Plenty blogging Mipits

                                    1 of 3 Reed Bunting

Despite the weather forecast for a dry, sunny, calm morning, it was just the opposite at Fly Flatts with a strong W>4 gusting 5 with heavy rain showers throughout at a cold 9 degrees and a very low cloud-base.

      Understandably, in the conditions, very little was on the move with several grounded Meadow Pipits

and just a handful on the move keeping low below the cloud. A report of Pinks >E over Ogden at 0826 hrs must have sneaked over my air space up in the clouds, thanks to Nick Small for the report.

               A single Buzzard, Kestrel and Peregrine were overhead but otherwise it was back to groundwork which produced the usual Wheatear, 9 Stonechat, 3 Reed Bunting and a Pied Wagtail whilst a Willow Warbler was flitting about in the lagoon tree.

BS

Chats galore, Fly Flatts.

                                    Good fall of Stonechat

                                Not only me watching the Chats

                                    Sparrowhawk.

                                        Stonechats and Mipits

                                    Single Wheatear

                                    Whinchat, Mipit, Stonechat

A very wet and windy start to the morning with rain turning to drizzle but clearing by 0800 hrs with a moderate SW>4 dropping to SW>2 before getting up again to SW>3 at 11 degrees. Full cloud throughout giving very dark conditions.

         As expected, this morning was all ground work after a very wet and windy night with near empty skies other than half a dozen LBB gulls >SW plus the usual corvids, Kestrel etc plus a Sparrowhawk that landed briefly near the grounded migrants but was soon seen off by the local Crow family.

       Just 4 Canadas on the water but a good overnight fall of migrants with several Meadow Pipits plus 12 Stonechat, 3 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear and 4 Reed Bunting.

       The Chat flock was very mobile moving around the area and keeping well at distance which made photos hard work and poor quality in the dull light.

The 3 Whinchats were very elusive sticking nearby the Stonechats but mostly dropping down into the reeds. This has been my best year for Whinchat with 10 separate birds during Aug/Sept all at Fly Flatts.

    A brighter day tomorrow with a moderate westerly.

BS
 

Pinks and Pipits, Fly Flatts.

 

                                    Single Wheatear

                                LBBs on the water and moving

                                    Skein of 46 Pink Footed Geese >SE.

                                Well to the south of me.

Perfect viewing conditions at Fly Flatts this morning with full light cloud and short spells of sun breaking through. A light SE >2 at 10 degrees.

              Although it was a perfect morning to be out, birding was much quieter with very few blogging birds but a continuation of yesterdays Mipit move with waves of birds coming through very high >S throughout the watch. Swallows were coming through >S but very low, skimming the water and moorland in full migration mode.

       Just one skein of 46 Pinks through at 0950 hrs >SE but very distant to the south of my position whilst LBBs and 4 Herring gulls were on the water and moving >NE .

      Very little on the deck with 8 Pied Wagtail, 7 Reed Bunting and a single Wheatear but a clear-out of all but a few Mipits and no sign of yesterdays Stonechats and Black Redstart.

     Hopefully, tonight,s strong wind will shuffle something around for the morning.

Whoopers showing down in MC country and Redwings due anytime now though they have,nt arrived at Shetland as yet.

BS.