Gulls Galore, Fly Flatts

 

                                  7 Common Sandpipers present

                                    several Curlew

                                Over 200 gulls, north bank

                                   Lined up across the water

                                    On the banking.

A dry and cold start to the morning with full cloud on a moderate N>5 gusting 6 at 7 degrees but feeling much colder with the wind chill factor. Mid watch, the clouds partially cleared leaving some blue sky and sunshine.

      Gulls were the highlight of the morning with 200 + across at the NW corner of the water with 90 % LBB and 10% Herring. There must have been a Yellow Legged among the Herring at this time of year

but too distant and plenty heat shimmer off the peat banking to get a clear view. If they are present in the morning I'll head along the west bank to get a clearer view.

     Swifts were up in good numbers along with a few Swallows but otherwise a steady morning with the usual waders though a count of 7 Common Sandpipers was re-assuring.

    A similar morning forecast for tomorrow with still the moderate north wind but good visibility to start the month off. June is usually a quieter month but it has very little to beat from the previous months.

    Mays birds of the month,  Wood Sandpiper, Long Eared Owl and Cuckoo, Dunlin and Greenland Wheatear.

BS

Fly Flatts(permit only)

 

                                    2 Wheatear present

                                Several Swifts in the mist

                                Unusual count of LBBs NW bank.

                                    1 pr Ringed Plover present

Another of Fly Flatts speciality weather fronts to start the morning with rain and drizzle on a moderate NW>4 at 9 degrees but good visibility. By 0930 hrs the clouds cleared leaving it dry with a bit of blue sky and sunshine.

      Another surprise on route this morning when a Cuckoo flew low across the front of the car then dipped over the Nolstar field, disappearing into Slaughter Gap.

      A second surprise was to see 68 big gulls on the NW corner banking, the majority being LBBs but too distant to check through them, even through the scope.

    Two Wheatear were present, after an exceptionally poor spring with this species being well down in numbers, possibly due to all the bad weather.

     Lots of Swallows and Swifts over when the cloud base was low but disappeared once the sky cleared, possibly going over very high.

    A few waders still hanging on, despite the loss of shore, with 1 pair Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher and a single Redshank, along with the Lapwings and Curlews.

    Otherwise, a single Kestrel plus the usual Mipits etc. 

Come June, the next expected waders are Dunlin, which usually peak in June, and Sanderling, which can be very hit and miss. These two species depend on some shore being exposed but failing that, June is always good to produce a Common Scoter or two to fall back on.

     Possibly a few dry days now with decent visibility with a moderate NNW for morning and a cloudy day.

BS

Fly Flatts

 

                                    A good start on route, Long Eared Owl again

                                    Everything using the slipway now, no shore.

                            Plenty nutrients in the spume. 

Not the best of conditions at Fly Flatts although I've been there in a lot worse. A moderate W>4 with continuous rain and drizzle showers under very dark clouds at 8 degrees.

      For a second day, on route, I picked up the Long Eared Owl and jumping out of the car quickly I managed to get some closer views, confirming it to be LEO rather than SEO with the deep orange eye showing. This bird has a slightly lighter plumage which had me thinking yesterday, but no doubts today.

The bird was about a mile away from yesterdays location though it headed back in that direction.

          The water at the reservoir is now gushing down the overflow and the level is as high as I,ve seen it mid winter and starting to breach the track in places. Not an ounce of shore left now leaving just the cobbled banking and boat slipway for the waders to feed from.

       A threatening looking group of 18 LBB gulls were across on the north bank near to the main Lapwing breeding area, whilst a few Swallows were overhead. Otherwise, just the usual species present.

   Looking like the same conditions for the morning with sunshine and showers on a moderate NW.

BS

      

The wait continues, Fly Flatts.

 

                                Taking this as Long Eared Owl. Very distant but fine barring on tail

                     as opposed to 4 thick bars on SEO. Barring on primaries continue onto

                    secondaries and heavy streaking on belly( photo below). Looked wrong for SEO

                more gingery colour on primaries.

                                    Could'nt get underwing or eye colour but eye looked dark,

                                     not yellow.

                                    Usual Common Sandpipers

                                    and Ringed Plovers

                                    Several Lapwing chicks

                                       Pied Wagtail taking food back to nest site.

                                Raven mobbed with Crow and Curlew.

Another decent morning at Fly Flatts with full cloud and darker clouds moving over, on a S>3 with drizzle and rain showers at 7 degrees. Heavy constant rain and losing visibility by 0945 hrs.

       A good start off with the above owl on my way to Fly Flatts and plenty to see throughout the watch though still waiting for another special bird, but with water levels as they are and more rain to come I think it highly unlikely I'll be getting much in the way of waders.

    A Grey Wagtail was gathering food along with the annual Pied Wags whilst several Swallows and Swifts were overhead. House Martins are back at their annual nesting location at the top of Whitegate with several over Mixenden reservoir as I drove past.

     One of two Ravens were getting mobbed by a Crow and Curlew as it flew over with a beak full of food.

A possible half decent start to the morning again on a moderate westerly but rain and probable fog moving over from 0900 hrs onward.

 1 LEO

3 Ringed Plover

5 Common Sandpiper

1 Oystercatcher

1 Redshank

9 LBB gulls

1 Grey Wagtail

1 Pied Wagtail

Sev Swallows and Swifts

2 Raven

1 Reed Bunting

1 Buzzard

+ usual sp.

BS