A stonking mornings watch in unusual weather. Very strange at Fly Flatts to look up and see the sky and even sunshine, takes some getting used to although it won't last. A cool SE>3 at 4 degrees with 50% cloud and sunshine.
Things were very lively throughout with a good show of waders with now 4 Ringed Plover, 2m 1f and a first winter. The males were chasing the female around and squabbling with each other though keeping at scope-able distance on the east bank . Redshanks are now up to 4 birds with 2 settling on the moor whilst 5 Oystercatchers were present.
Up to 8 Curlew are now in the area along with around 40 breeding pair of Lapwing but no Golden Plover as yet. The water held a pair of Tufted duck, new in from yesterday, along with a breeding pair of Greylags and around 200 Canadas.
The area is now buzzing with Meadow Pipits around the water and several parachuting over the Flat Moor and top fields.
A raptor, over a mile out over the west moor was being mobbed by Lapwings and I nearly dismissed it as a Buzzard until I scoped it to find a Red Kite. I took the above photos at 300mm aiming where it was but unable to see it through the view finder and not expecting any results but surprisingly I got 2 record shots of the bird. This just shows how every bird should be checked, and not dismissed as a probable common species.
On the way home I checked Cold Edge Dams from the top road to get a count of at least 45 Whooper Swans and probably more as some disappeared below the east bank being spooked by dog walkers.
Nothing in the way of Wheatear as yet but last year I got my first back at Fly Flatts on the 17th March so now imminent.
After one half day break in the weather, tomorrow is showing back to rain with a light >S turning >SW .
BS