Wader morning, Fly Flatts. ( permit only)

                                    A good wader morning, Ringed Plover

                            Oystercatcher, Canada and 2 Ringed Plover

                            Last years family
                                    Female, Male, 1st winter

                                    

                                    

                                    

                                Usual Pied Wagtails back to breed again.

 A clear morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud on a WSW>3 at 3 degrees and good visibility.

       Fly Flatts may be quiet for birds but unbeatable on waders and any bird that turns up has a good chance of being something special.

    A good show of Ringed Plovers this morning with what I suspect to be the same pair that have bred here for the last 4 year along with last years young. At least 9 Oystercatchers were scattered around the banking and a single Curlew was overhead near the wind farm.

   The pair of Pied Wagtails that breed here every year have returned checking out their previous nest site whilst 2 Reed Bunting were in the compound area. Canada geese are now over the hundred mark and 2 Greylags are paired up on the water. Looks like I'll soon be back on my job of sweeping the jetty clean of Canada poo.

    A Kestrel was working the west bank, otherwise just the usual species with Meadow Pipits running late this year with still no returners. Just a single Skylark in the Nolstar field which was up singing briefly.

   Ironically, all the time I've spent scouring the fields for Golden Plover over the last 8 month one flew over Tesco Queensbury this afternoon as we walked across the car park. It was heading towards the trailer field.

    Could be manning the shovels tomorrow here on the tops with a forecast of snow on a cold easterly.

BS

A busy Leeshaw.

                                Unusual to get 2 Moorhen here

                                    Single Redshank

                                Distant Pink Footed Goose.

 After a dull damp start to the morning at Leeshaw reservoir it cleared nicely by 0830hrs with full but bright cloud cover on a SW>3 at 3 degrees.

     Strange how Leeshaw can hold so many birds with a good variety when it is only 3 mile NW of a very quiet Fly Flatts. This morning the area was buzzing with bird life with a count of 38 Curlew in one distant field along with a steady passage through >W with possible another 40 Curlew. A single Redshank was present along with 9 Oystercatcher whilst the goose field and water were heaving with Greylags and Canadas plus a single Pink Footed Goose.

      A surprise to find 2 Moorhen on the water as well as the usual Mallards and Cormorant whilst a Heron was on the far shore.

   Plenty Starling, Woodpigeon and Stock Dove in the goose field, but again, gulls were poor with around 50 small and an adult Herring.

     A combined dog walk and check of the water at Ogden p.m. found very little with around 30 small gulls, 2 Herring and a single LBB with the Kingfisher and Dipper down in the sluice gate area.

     On the up side, a group of 5 Curlew flew over the water >SW followed by a couple of singles.

A bit of a non descript forecast for tomorrow to see the month out showing cloudy on a light sou'wester which means anything could happen.

LEESHAW RESERVOIR.

314 Greylag

160 Canada

1 Pink Footed

38 Curlew present 

c 40 Curlew.....>W

9 Oystercatchers

1 Redshank

c 200 Lapwing

2 Moorhen

12 Stock Dove

1 Heron

1 Cormorant

1 Herring gull

c 50 Small gull

+ usual sp.

BS

     

Fly Flatts in the snow

 

                                        7 Oystercatchers present.

                                    Oyk getting snowed on.

A bad start to the morning at Fly Flatts with light snow on a SW>4 at 1 degree with full cloud. By 0815 hrs snowflakes the size of half-crowns were coming down and I was ready for aborting until I saw a break in the cloud to the west. Luckily I stayed put and the snowstorm passed over leaving a cold but pleasant morning.

      Nothing to get excited about bird-wise with 7 Oystercatchers and 1 Curlew present plus a few Lapwings on the north bank. The skies remained empty other than a single Herring gull >NE and 2 Raven over 'The Bumps' whilst 2 Reed Bunting were in the compound area.

     Plenty noise from the Canadas all sorting out partners on the water, with just 2 Greylags and a few Mallard present.

    The Skylark flock have now dispersed with just one or two left in the fields around Nolstar but no sign of returning Meadow Pipit as yet though my first returners last year were 7th March. This is the first year that none have over-wintered.

     Mid p.m. and a quick look at Horton Bank Top in passing with just the usual Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Mute Swan etc along with 10 1CY Herrings, plus 2 adult, and 4 LBBs with the usual small gulls.

   Tomorrow morning is looking half decent with showers on a light southerly increasing by mid day.

BS

The north wind doth blow... Fly Flatts

 

                                    Battling the waves.

                                    Ringed Plover

                                    2 of 6 Oystercatchers

                                    

                                    2 of 3 Ringed Plover.

An icy cold N>4 gusting 5 at Fly Flatts this morning with rain and sleet showers at 2 degrees with full cloud but visibility good.

      Nice to get a decent bird-able morning with good visibility even though there was nothing special and no small passerines, either on site or in the usual fields.

     The 3 Ringed Plover were present but very active in the wind along with 6 Oystercatchers but no early Redshank back yet, usually the 2nd week of March at this site. Curlew numbers are slowly building with 4 present at the moment.

    Around 50 Canadas in the area with several already established at breeding sites on the moor whilst the first 2 Greylag this year arrived and looking settled after a good breeding season last year of this species.

    Only 2 Black Headed gulls and a single Herring passed through, low over the water, all heading >NE.

   Where are all the Golden Plover ? None as yet this year and very few sightings last year with the Flat Moor March count down from 300 +, in previous years, to 34 last March and they only stayed a couple of days. Otherwise it was just single figure counts in and around the Nolstar field.

    Showers on a moderate sou'wester tomorrow with the temp still down at 2 degrees.

BS

    

    

A foggy Leeshaw Reservoir.

 

                                    21 Oystercatchers present

                                    Peering through the fog. Oyks.

                                    Oyks on the dam wall in the fog.

                                Low flying Greylags

                                    Single Redshank present

                                    150 + Lapwing

                                    Few Common Gull in the Dog and Gun field.

                                    Garden predator, female Sparrowhawk.

                                    After the Sparrows

A strange morning with clear blue skies and sunshine as I was getting up at 0630 hrs and then by 0700 hrs thick fog. I took a gamble on Leeshaw being clear, but even there the fog was down, but a little cleared than higher up, with visibility half way across the water with a very light E>1 at 1 degree. The fog finally started to clear at 1000 hrs as I was tackling up.

     Despite the awkward condition the area was alive with birds with a good count of 21 Oystercatchers, over 150 Lapwing, 2 Curlew and a Redshank.

     Several small gulls moving around the nearby fields where the farmer has been muck spreading but only 2 Herring gulls seen.

    Treble figures of both Greylag and Canada geese plus a few Mallard and a Cormorant but nothing else on the water with a last minute check when the fog cleared.

    At 0945 hrs I heard Pink Footed Goose contact calls so reset the camera ready but they came right overhead, very noisy, but up in the clouds >W so heard only. 

       This afternoon we had just got in from a shopping spree when I looked out of the window to see a female Sparrowhawk sat by the bird feeders. I shouted to Lynda to stay away from the window then shot upstairs for the camera. Luckily the Canon 7d Mk2 has super fast auto focus, as Lynda twigged what was going on, so I'd just time to get half a dozen pics out of the bedroom window before Lynda flung the downstairs window open and started wazzing the dogs toys at the Sprawk to get rid of it.

   The Sparrows took advantage of this distraction and flew out of the Laurel tree in all directions and the Sprawk flew off  bird-less.

     In with a chance in the morning with a cloudy day but a moderate northerly which will hopefully keep the fog at bay.

BS