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Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Watching and waiting pays off. Leeshaw, Little Egret.

 

                                    Little Egret
                                    Flew in from the east

                                    Landed briefly


                                Then of >N very high


                                    Moulting primaries.
                                    Pied Wagtail
                                    6 Oystercatchers present.



A clear dry morning at Leeshaw with a light NW>2 at 9 degrees and good visibility.
    The watching and waiting paid off this morning when a single Little Egret came in from the east, circling the water and landing on the far north bank. It only stayed a few minutes, possibly put off by the 2 Heron nearby, then flew up into the NW corner of the water and out of sight.
  Around 5 minutes later it flew up over the fields spiralling very high and nearly out of visibility to the naked eye. After circling a couple of times it suddenly seemed to find its direction and headed off direct north and out of sight. A site first for me here though I did have a Great White Egret here last November. 
     Just 2 female Goosander and a single Snipe were different from yesterday plus 6 Oystercatchers now present along with one half grown chick. Plenty Swallows and Swifts over whilst House Martins are nesting in their usual 2 sites.
     Poor on the gulls today with 2 LBBs and a single Black Headed whilst 2 Redshank and a Common Sandpiper showed briefly.
The thunderstorm and torrential rain late afternoon will once again have knocked back any chance of shore at Fly Flatts making it a thankless task to bird it at the moment.
    A light NE for morning looking clear and dry.
BS