Keeping below the usual morning fog it was back to Leeshaw where it was clear with a low cloud base of mist and an icy cold E>4 at 1 degree but feeling colder with the wind chill, though this is no problem to the birding.
Oystercatcher numbers are still slowly rising with a minimum of 28, though possibly more in the fields. A pair of Redshank still present but no signs of the 3rd bird this morning. Otherwise the usual species with the skies alive with Lapwing, Curlew and Starlings whilst Canadas and Greylags were scattered around several fields.
Looking like the winter gull season is coming to a close after a very poor winter with once again very few small gulls and only 2 Herring, with the usual gull fields remaining empty. Next thing, gull wise, now should be July Yellow Legged Herrings.
By 0930 hrs I was thinking I,d got all I was going to get and just watching a couple of Kestrels hovering over the moor when I got contact calls followed by a skein of Whooper Swans right overhead with 96 birds. I had the Canon 300mm fixed lens on so could'nt get the full skein in and by the time they were far enough away to get them in the frame they disappeared into the mist.
For the rest of the month I'll be taking the Canon 7d mk 1 with the Canon 70-200 zoom as a second camera just so I don't get caught out again. At least the Whoopers boosted the birding enthusiasm somewhat.
Another forecast of a moderate east wind and scattered showers for tomorrow on a slightly higher temperature, although todays forecast of wintery showers never materialized.
BS